Don't think he is going to displace Willian anytime soon.

 

I think he's been bought as cover for right-back.

Cuadrado was only on the pitch for 13 minutes but in that time he was probably Southampton's best player.

Don't think he is going to displace Willian anytime soon.

He was very bad it is true, but these 80 plus mins substitutes, what use are they, when did they last help? Did we not all complain Rafa was useless with subs and making them too late as well?

 

The one sub that got a decent amount of time looked good, of the other two one was useless and the other missed a good chance.

 

For me there is one player, and one player only in our squad who should be consider as out final 10 or so minute last role of the dice game changer or game killer, and that is the Drog. Last call battering ram. Our other players need more time to make an impact. For me those two changes were a mistake based on when they came on, not who came on.

 

 

Ignoring the performance and having calmed down, it's been a good weekend. We've extended the lead against a good team,albeit one whose form has declined.

But I think I'm right in saying that arsenal are on peoples minds now. Obviously they're a bigger concern for city but they seem able to turn over the teams lower down the league that we struggle with.

If we are considering Arsenal, then we have to consider United too who are one point behind Arsenal now.

Edited March 15, 201511 yr by axman2526

Ignoring the performance and having calmed down, it's been a good weekend. We've extended the lead against a good team,albeit one whose form has declined.

But I think I'm right in saying that arsenal are on peoples minds now. Obviously they're a bigger concern for city but they seem able to turn over the teams lower down the league that we struggle with.

Yeah gonna agree with all this after having calmed down myself.

Arsenal are worrying me slightly, maybe all that will change within a fortnight but right now I am a little weary.

Yeah gonna agree with all this after having calmed down myself.

Arsenal are worrying me slightly, maybe all that will change within a fortnight but right now I am a little weary.

One game at a time.

If we do our job and play like we did in that second half today against Hull, Stoke and QPR we have a good chance of 9 points from those games and we will all be a lot happier then going in to the United game.

 

It is up to us to show that same confidence in those games. If we show that desire the quality will come.

 

Saints were good today, very good. But just as we were lucky first half they were lucky second half we wasted some good chances. On another day that Oscar chance goes to Cesc, Hazard or Costa and they slide it in to the corner, and Branna gets his ar*e out of the way and does not block JT's goal bound shot. 

 

Come to think of it that may have been his "best" block of the night lol.

I think he's been bought as cover for right-back.

Nailed it! Didn't he start off as a RB?

What worries me is Jose can't see that Ivanovic is a problem at RB, fans keep bashing Cahill on this forum but I bet you switch Terry next to Ivanovic & we will have a bigger problem. His average position in most games is far into the oppositon's half it is ridiculous, either switch Azpi to the right and play Luis as LB. I just can't see Jose sticking a 5'10 & 5''11 at fullbacks.

Nailed it! Didn't he start off as a RB?

What worries me is Jose can't see that Ivanovic is a problem at RB, fans keep bashing Cahill on this forum but I bet you switch Terry next to Ivanovic & we will have a bigger problem. His average position in most games is far into the oppositon's half it is ridiculous, either switch Azpi to the right and play Luis as LB. I just can't see Jose sticking a 5'10 & 5''11 at fullbacks.

You think Jose doesn't tell Ivanovic to take up those positions?

One game at a time.

Yeah best way to be

 

The likes of Willian though. I can count on the fingers of one hand the amount of games he's actually looked worth his price tag. Playing him through a poor run of form won't make him get any better.

 

Maybe 'The s*** from the Lane", will try and tempt him again for next season?

If we now consider Arsenal as title contenders then we must do the same for United, who are only 1 point behind them.

 

A case could also be made for Liverpool as well since a win in their next match would leave them 10 points behind us.

 

If we and City continue to trip up, we could soon go from a 2 horse race to a 5 one. 

That's  funny, title challengers 10 points behind us!

Edited March 15, 201511 yr by croydonblue

Unlikely I admit that they could go passed us, United, City and Arsenal I admit. Just a case of how many points away is too many for a title contender?

 

6, 7, 8 and possibly 10. Is all rather close in that group behind us.

Having time to reflect after arriving back home.......

Awful first half, much better second and we are 'that' far away from a decent result. It's only thanks to other results that we are in a better place than where we started but we should not, and cannot, rely on such things. Next weekend against Hull is very important as something like today could be a serious step backwards. Willian and Oscar were impotent and I felt we sometimes overplayed the ball and were too scared to take chances ( Fabregas especially).

As for Cuadrado - I have been accused of writing him off early but today's performance, no matter how short, was one of the very worst I have ever witnessed. I don't care for lack of starts, it's the complete lack of a hint of a spark that bothers me most.

I think he's been bought as cover for right-back.

I hope not, because if that is the case then what a complete waste of £27 million.

 

If Ivanovic ever got injured, Azpilicueta could play RB and Luis would play LB.

 

I personally don't believe this to be the case though. Cuadrado was bought to play on the wing, if he wasn't then Mourinho wouldn't play him there when he brings him on or starts him.

 

 

Nailed it! Didn't he start off as a RB?

What worries me is Jose can't see that Ivanovic is a problem at RB, fans keep bashing Cahill on this forum but I bet you switch Terry next to Ivanovic & we will have a bigger problem. His average position in most games is far into the oppositon's half it is ridiculous, either switch Azpi to the right and play Luis as LB. I just can't see Jose sticking a 5'10 & 5''11 at fullbacks.

 

I agree with you about Cahill, i said something similar ealier in the thread. What is Cahill supposed to do when the RB is nowhere to be seen ? even Terry would struggle with that, any defender would.

 

Ivanovic is a top player who can score big goals, but he has been defending worse than any other player in our team this season.

Edited March 15, 201511 yr by Scott Harris

No easy days and no easy ways.

Was nice to see the roles reversed and see us finish strong as opposed to us starting well, but fading and hanging on. Hopefully this bodes well for the run in. Lots to be positive about in that 2nd half as i said previously Swansea apart that's the best we have played in 2015, against a strong team and an especially tough defence.

 

Its been a draining week, but we've now a  full week to take stock and work on the Hull game. Play like that and we will win up there, im sure of it.

I hope not, because if that is the case then what a complete waste of £27 million.

 

If Ivanovic ever got injured, Azpilicueta could play RB and Luis would play LB.

 

I personally don't believe this to be the case though. Cuadrado was bought to play on the wing, if he wasn't then Mourinho wouldn't play him there when he brings him on or starts him.

 

I was joking Scott, but like all good jokes, and this was a good one, it had a grain of truth, that's what made it such a good joke, and boy was it a good one.

 

Jose has bought Cuadrado for his defensive ability over his attacking ability I suspect.

 

Now excuse me while I go away and laugh at my joke.

Another frustrating day. More of the same in terms of all the poor parts of our game we've seen in the last few months. We are so determined to do anything other than take a shot at goal, endlessly switching from one wing to the other, only to then surrender possession. It's all far, far too predictable. The likes of Oscar and Willian are simply not delivering, and haven't been for some time. These are two quality players, they should not be afraid to take a man on, yet we very, very rarely see them ever attempt to do that. Courtois got us out of jail again, with some top saves in the first half, he deserves an enormous amount of recognition for this.

 

Overall picture is still very bright, and we come out of the weekend in a better position than anyone thought we'd be in. However, the league is not won by a long way yet. We must play better than we did today, and have been playing for some time, despite how determined our rivals seem to hand us the title.  

 

Next week would of course be the ideal time to start bucking up our ideas. 

I was joking Scott, but like all good jokes, and this was a good one, it had a grain of truth, that's what made it such a good joke, and boy was it a good one.

 

Jose has bought Cuadrado for his defensive ability over his attacking ability I suspect.

 

Now excuse me while I go away and laugh at my joke.

 

You know, i thought you were joking at first and then Ducavis replied and then i said to myself "hmm, maybe he is being serious".

Edited March 15, 201511 yr by Scott Harris

Is Jose secretly Oscar's uncle?

Can't think of any other reason he's still playing this much football.

In all seriousness though that 2nd half was the best football we've played in quite some time, so a lot of positives to take from it. Gotta remember that is the most stern defence in the league we played yesterday and we were a whisker away from winning, just one of those days i'm afraid.

Need to see more from Oscar/Willian/Cuadrado though. At this stage might even be worth just playing 2 up front.

Edited March 15, 201511 yr by Jonty

http://www.matchdrama.com/match-of-the-day-2-motd-watch-online-free/

 

MATCH OF THE DAY 2 (MOTD) 15/3/15

Feel a bit sorry for Cuadrado to be honest, with a little bit of concern thrown in...barely played for two months, adapting to new team, new league and given a few mins here and there...comes in in very tense situation and his every touch gets the bird from the crowd...yes he was poor, not what you expect from £26m signing...but don't think Jose has handled him the best to be honest...we didn't draw this game cos of Cuadrado..we drew it cos too many of our players are way off form, plus Southampton spotted same weakness that spurs did in New Year's Day which is put pace up against Matic/Fabregas, plus JT/Cahill/Ivan...we didn't really get going until an hour into it...add in some typical decisions going against us and it's just more of the same for last few months...on plus point Costa scored and looked more like his old self...

But why does no one want to take a shot from outside the bloody box?! And why do players get to the box and play it so slowly? Southampton showed in first half, pace and movement will break down any defence...that's how we played for best part of four months...it worked back then, why stop?

We really need a win against hull to settle everyone's nerves...good job city are bottling it too

Without any doubt, this could be the most boring, negative, worse side to win a PL title.

 

Well...I have to take issue with this on a number of bases.

 

To begin with your phrasing is somewhat oxymoronic isn't it? If something is beyond doubt as you say, then why the use the conjunctive "could" instead of "is"?

 

More substantively, it seems to me that your conclusion that we are the "most boring, negative, worst side" doesn't really hold weight when we look at the stats comparison for us over, say, the last seven years taken from mid-March which are as follows:

 

2014-2015

 

Pos        Played      Won     Drawn     Lost     GF      GA      GD     Points      Final Position

 

1               29            19         7             2        58       23       35       64                   ?

 

2013-2014

 

Pos        Played      Won     Drawn     Lost     GF      GA      GD     Points      Final Position

 

1              30            20          6             4        56       23       33       66                 3rd

 

2012-2013

 

Pos        Played      Won     Drawn     Lost     GF      GA      GD     Points      Final Position

 

3              29            16          8              4       58      30        28       55                 3rd

 

2011-2012

 

Pos        Played      Won     Drawn     Lost     GF      GA      GD     Points      Final Position

 

5              28            14          7              7       48       32       16      49                  6th

 

2010-2011

 

Pos        Played      Won     Drawn     Lost     GF      GA      GD     Points      Final Position

 

3              29            16         6              7        53       24       29       54                2nd

 

2009-2010

 

Pos        Played      Won     Drawn     Lost     GF      GA      GD     Points      Final Position

 

2              29           20          4             5         69        27       42      64                1st

 

2008-2009

 

Pos        Played      Won     Drawn     Lost     GF      GA      GD     Points      Final Position

 

2               29          18         7             4          49       16        33      61               3rd

 

 

The comparison shows that we are, in reality, in as good a position if not better (as of mid-March) this year than all of the other comparison years and (save for goals scored) are on a stats par with the last time we won it in 2009-2010.   

 

In my view it's not a case of us being "the most boring, negative, worst side" at all. More a case that generally speaking, over that period of seven years, we have witnessed a general improvement by more EPL sides in being able to frustrate the top attacking teams by means of better defensive play. Soton came into this game with the best defensive record in the league & we were somewhat unlucky that we could not find the net in the 2nd half despite having something like 60% of the possession. 

 

Accordingly, I think your comments are not only somewhat wrong but do a disservice to our team this year but also to Soton. 

 

 

 

 

 

Hmm, well cannot say looking back at last season that we were top after 30 games with 2 more points than we have now and ended up third helps the confidence lol...

Hopefully we can avoid history repeating itself.

Edited March 16, 201511 yr by axman2526

I can understand people being concerned, frustrated and critical...but pessimistic, defeatist and sensationalist (most boring team to win pl ever? Really?) is ridiculous...come on everyone get a grip and get behind the team...10 games to go and by my calculations, we need a max of 22 points...we can do this and hopefully we will look back on this period of angst in a few months and have a good laugh as we drink to our fourth pl title

Poor first half that we were lucky not to go behind in. Much better second half that we were unlucky not to win. We had enough chances. But a draw was probably fair on balance of play. Bear in mind that they are actually 6th in the league, so not it's not a terrible result and it does increase our lead on City, and still with that game in hand.

 

Will we ever get a penalty in the PL?

 

I'm surprised more hasn't been said about Djuricic's spiteful stamp/kick on Willian's achilles which wasn't even an attempt to play the ball, and led to Willian hobbling off a minute later.