4 hours ago, KonaKai Blue said:

Just watch how Spurs play. Fast passing and player movement. You're never going to beat a low block with 1 twos in the middle of the park and backline. We are way too pedestrian that even watching on TV you can't see how we are going to break a team down with such poor tempo.

We can't play like that yet, our squad lacks the quality because it's just too raw.

Enzo and Caicedo need to work, that partnership should make or break our squad and if they work it out and play faster the wingers Mudryk and Madueke will thrive.

Right now we just don't have the experience, Enzo despite being a World Cup winner isn't a signing like Makelele was and no winger we signed was a signing like Pedro was, meaning that we lack someone that has already won it big and that understands it better.

We had the problem with a slow tempo before too, but we had experience and drive. Right now nobody can really tell or show someone else since most of those younger players are learning themselves. I mean I understand why someone like Gallagher is the captain he really works hard but let's face it he isn't Kante and he will never be. This is all just coping till a real idea comes along.

Just look at the first Brentford goal, I can't imagine 3 Man City defenders watching that ball in awe without doing anything, we got destroyed by a single cross right there and then. The rawness of the team spreads and it doesn't help that Martinez is actually an unstable keeper. T.Silva can't help them all at the same time so the issues are many but the idea is that Enzo and Caicedo should make it all work from the midfield and if they don't do it we are going to have a hard time in the future.

12 hours ago, KonaKai Blue said:

Just watch how Spurs play. Fast passing and player movement. You're never going to beat a low block with 1 twos in the middle of the park and backline. We are way too pedestrian that even watching on TV you can't see how we are going to break a team down with such poor tempo.

If you want to play fast with tons of movement, you have to be sure that your player can hanlde it because you defense will need to handle a lot of duel in open space. 

23 hours ago, ozboy said:

I'm not sure that will work but clearly what we are doing now isn't working

I'd argue we consistently make enough good chances to win games against low blocks, we just don't take them.

Cucurella and Sterling had great chances against Brentford, and we should have been given a pen. If we go into the break with literally any lead I think we win.

34 minutes ago, cfr95 said:

I'd argue we consistently make enough good chances to win games against low blocks, we just don't take them.

Cucurella and Sterling had great chances against Brentford, and we should have been given a pen. If we go into the break with literally any lead I think we win.

This. Low blocks, high lines, we have had countless chances.

Goals 13
Goals per match 1.30
Shots 139
Shots on target 44
Shooting accuracy 32%
Penalties scored 2
Big Chances Created 21
Hit woodwork 6

 

 

Good thread explaining the current predicament. Not going to improve with Disasi and Cucurella both at full back too. 

Just a bit telling that Enzo ranks equal second (with Sterling) for our shots on target with 6. And we know how that turns out.

2 hours ago, dermott said:

This. Low blocks, high lines, we have had countless chances.

Goals 13
Goals per match 1.30
Shots 139
Shots on target 44
Shooting accuracy 32%
Penalties scored 2
Big Chances Created 21
Hit woodwork 6

Apparently we are 12th when it comes down to conversion rate.

 

2 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

 

 

Good thread explaining the current predicament. Not going to improve with Disasi and Cucurella both at full back too. 

Why do we need to occupy that area??  Two Brentford player are marking nobody there.

 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, cfr95 said:

I'd argue we consistently make enough good chances to win games against low blocks, we just don't take them.

Cucurella and Sterling had great chances against Brentford, and we should have been given a pen. If we go into the break with literally any lead I think we win.

I think we need more. Another palmer will be good to have. 

On 30/10/2023 at 21:59, Sconnie Blue said:

 

🤣🤣🤣 That’s criminal actually because most of those chances are when we are level and getting a goal that time changes the entire complexion of the game.

1 hour ago, Bob stark said:

Why do we need to occupy that area??  Two Brentford player are marking nobody there.

 

 

 

 

That’s the point the poster is making we are not giving low block teams anything to worry about because we are not occupied their last time enough so they have time to settle and move across and snuff out any danger 

7 hours ago, Bob stark said:

Why do we need to occupy that area??  Two Brentford player are marking nobody there.

 

 

 

 

Exactly… give them something to think about instead of letting them double up 

3 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Exactly… give them something to think about instead of letting them double up 

But they double up nobody, who cares. 

10 hours ago, El regreso said:

That’s the point the poster is making we are not giving low block teams anything to worry about because we are not occupied their last time enough so they have time to settle and move across and snuff out any danger 

Why? 

Palmer has the ball, he look up there are 2v1 on the far side. That is actually a very good thing. In fact doing this with just 4 is a good thing. 

Signs we are a young and an inexperienced side.

-We lead a game with 2 goals and we don't know what to do then.

-Our goalie can't help but go into "we are toying you" mode after we are in lead even though we should stay humble.

-good game, bad game, average game, bad game, good game, average game....

-We lack real leaders on and off pitch. Silva is one but he wants someone younger to take over as he bows out. No one really has done that. Some are trying.

-Patterns of play are missing. People try things, new things. 

-Lack of confidence in scoring situations. You can have this with more experienced players but it is less common.

In conclusion: we are so many miles from being a top four side. Hopefully we can bridge that gap and start with a bang next season. We just can't jump two steps at a time. We need to climb using every step.

 

17 minutes ago, evissy said:

Signs we are a young and an inexperienced side.

-We lead a game with 2 goals and we don't know what to do then.

-Our goalie can't help but go into "we are toying you" mode after we are in lead even though we should stay humble.

-good game, bad game, average game, bad game, good game, average game....

-We lack real leaders on and off pitch. Silva is one but he wants someone younger to take over as he bows out. No one really has done that. Some are trying.

-Patterns of play are missing. People try things, new things. 

-Lack of confidence in scoring situations. You can have this with more experienced players but it is less common.

In conclusion: we are so many miles from being a top four side. Hopefully we can bridge that gap and start with a bang next season. We just can't jump two steps at a time. We need to climb using every step.

 

I switched to the United game after ours finished last night, and I'll take what we have and where we are clearly headed under Poch all day long over that shower of sh*te LOL

2 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

I switched to the United game after ours finished last night, and I'll take what we have and where we are clearly headed under Poch all day long over that shower of sh*te LOL

Absolutely. Utd is still that "sell and restructuring" away from us. That club needs a clearout. 

27 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

I switched to the United game after ours finished last night, and I'll take what we have and where we are clearly headed under Poch all day long over that shower of sh*te LOL

🤭🤭

Their transfer under ten hag has been absolutely mental. 

 

9 hours ago, Bob stark said:

But they double up nobody, who cares. 

I don't really get what you're saying. Are you saying we should continue to attack a 5 man back line with 2 attackers and hope something happens? We need to commit men forward in attack and drag their defenders out of a flat block.

Talking about United struggling I think we are the closest club to draw parallels with. Both with rich recent history, expectations are through the roof and both are making horrible decisions in recruitment (jury is out for the current recruiters)

I feel it is somewhat helpful looking at Drogba, Terry, Lampard, Cech and winning CL and so on....but I feel our young players might feel they have to do it right away. Can anyone look beyond one or two seasons? Are we capable of such a thing; us and players? 

At united the "Ghosts" of Beckham, Ronaldo, Keane, Neville, Rooney, Ferguson and so on are constantly sh*tting on the team in public television. What chance do the new guys really have? I feel our rich history is doing the same to us. Someone like Brighton or even Newcastle have much easier to concentrate on football as everything they do right now is positive. 

I have a good feeling about Pochettino and I hope our owners really truly back him so he has even a small chance of taking this young crop to a new level.

Edited November 2, 20232 yr by evissy

25 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

I don't really get what you're saying. Are you saying we should continue to attack a 5 man back line with 2 attackers and hope something happens? We need to commit men forward in attack and drag their defenders out of a flat block.

Nope I love to play more attacker but his analysis is nonsense. 

In that instance, you want Palmer to chip the ball in straight away. Not zone nonsense

Our offense looked better after Reece came on for disasi but this just so obvious and it got nothing to do with zone. 

 

 

Edited November 2, 20232 yr by Bob stark

17 minutes ago, evissy said:

Talking about United struggling I think we are the closest club to draw parallels with. Both with rich recent history, expectations are through the roof and both are making horrible decisions in recruitment (jury is out for the current recruiters)

I feel it is somewhat helpful looking at Drogba, Terry, Lampard, Cech and winning CL and so on....but I feel our young players might feel they have to do it right away. Can anyone look beyond one or two seasons? Are we capable of such a thing; us and players? 

At united the "Ghosts" of Beckham, Ronaldo, Keane, Neville, Rooney, Ferguson and so on are constantly sh*tting on the team in public television. What chance do the new guys really have? I feel our rich history is doing the same to us. Someone like Brighton or even Newcastle have much easier to concentrate on football as everything they do right now is positive. 

I have a good feeling about Pochettino and I hope our owners really truly back him so he has even a small chance of taking this young crop to a new level.

I don't think we have the same calibre of players now and even looking at Drogba, Terry and the rest don't forget we also had Makele and Essien.

Caicedo might prove as good given time yet don't think we are the only ones struggling perhaps it is a generational thing. 

35 minutes ago, evissy said:

Talking about United struggling I think we are the closest club to draw parallels with. Both with rich recent history, expectations are through the roof and both are making horrible decisions in recruitment (jury is out for the current recruiters)

I feel it is somewhat helpful looking at Drogba, Terry, Lampard, Cech and winning CL and so on....but I feel our young players might feel they have to do it right away. Can anyone look beyond one or two seasons? Are we capable of such a thing; us and players? 

At united the "Ghosts" of Beckham, Ronaldo, Keane, Neville, Rooney, Ferguson and so on are constantly sh*tting on the team in public television. What chance do the new guys really have? I feel our rich history is doing the same to us. Someone like Brighton or even Newcastle have much easier to concentrate on football as everything they do right now is positive. 

I have a good feeling about Pochettino and I hope our owners really truly back him so he has even a small chance of taking this young crop to a new level.

I think the reality is much more straight forward. United and Chelsea are in a similar position right now because both are run into the ground by idiotic owners. They serve as a great example of how bad transfer decisions ruin a squad.

31 minutes ago, reparto corse said:

I think the reality is much more straight forward. United and Chelsea are in a similar position right now because both are run into the ground by idiotic owners. They serve as a great example of how bad transfer decisions ruin a squad.

In terms of Chelsea, what do you mean? We have actually won something in recent years and the new crop of players 15-20 of them are 18-23 years old. This is not the time to really judge most of the young players. 

Even some of the more experienced players like Sterling and Cucurella have risen from the sh*t they walked just a moment ago. 

Expectation vs reality is the big parallel with us and United. Their situation is 5 times worse in a sense as their following is almost double. Looking at Mount's face yesterday down 0-2 at home told the story. When he was with us he actually smiled on the pitch. 

39 minutes ago, reparto corse said:

I think the reality is much more straight forward. United and Chelsea are in a similar position right now because both are run into the ground by idiotic owners. They serve as a great example of how bad transfer decisions ruin a squad.

What bad transfers? You saying we shouldn't have signed Enzo or Caicedo? If not, then who we should have signed?

Unfortunately the club had to overpay by a lot to get them otherwise we would have been stuck with the same midfield as previous season.

Cole Palmer has been another fantastic signing for 40m. Even Cucurella is playing to his ability more, and Badashile is a decent CB growing into his role. 

If the club hadn't been f**ked over by Lukaku, we would have had a striker. Unfortunately getting a top striker in the market is difficult when money has to spent in other areas too.