3 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Caicedo's goal was the first this season in the PL by one of our midfielders or defenders. Pretty shocking stat given that we are 10 games in, but not really surprising when you watch what the likes of Enzo do when they have a great chance to score.

 

Hhhhmmmm. A big part of that is not having a centre-forward who can dominate physically and hold the ball up to allow our midfielders and defenders the opportunity to get forwards and play off him. Also not having a centre-forward who can win a decent ratio of contested aerial balls / flick-ons that, again, allows the midfielders and defenders to break the line knowing there is a good chance that the ball will probably there for them to run on to. 

If you want to see how it works watch Drogba and our midfielders back in the day. Even in that first season when Drogba was allegedly, but totally incorrectly, deemed sh*te by some on here.

Some questionable decisions today. 

- James LB with Gusto RB as the attacking FB with Cucurella on the bench, but fair play for rectifying this at half time

- Persisting with Jackson for the full 90 despite being anonymous all game

- Nkunku getting 0 minutes despite us needing a goal

- Madueke still getting starts despite having very few good moments since the Wolves game

I think MU way of setting up caught us off guard. Everyone knew MU is counter attacking side and that is what they are good at but we were not able to take use of that massive space and the time was given to us after 2 Newcastle games where they pressed us back very well. 

We didn't know what to do in terms of attack. Mazraoui blanked Madueke totally which took half of our attacking threat away. Gusto wasn't good at all and was hooked half time which was a good choice. 

MU is an enigma which is why they lose half of the games with brilliant skill and win City in an FA Cup final. The side is built with no direction and tons of money and their management is always held back with old ghosts like SAF, Neville, Scholes, Keane. I think people don't realize they put added pressure on the players who already think have made it by signing for the club and then lose on the pitch and get sh*tted over by old MU players. 

Anyway we don't have to be overly critical of Enzo and the players. We couldn't handle the pressure the game put us in in many ways and it is natural for a young group of players. 

10 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

The Issue when we play a midfield 2, or pivot, is that one of the wingers gets isolated. Palmer likes to combine with Madueke so the LW is left alone. Thats why we see Cucurella/Gusto to fill into that channel. 

Good explanation, thanks. I would prefer my winger to pull inside and the full back to overlap in that case as that would better suit the skillsets of the players IMO but it might not be as easy as that

Saw this and thought it provided some good context:

“10 games in and Chelsea are sitting in fourth place having played six of the top 10 and only losing to City and Liverpool with the youngest squad in the Premier League.”

I don’t think we need to panic, it could be a whole lot worse. 

10 minutes ago, JM7 said:

Saw this and thought it provided some good context:

“10 games in and Chelsea are sitting in fourth place having played six of the top 10 and only losing to City and Liverpool with the youngest squad in the Premier League.”

I don’t think we need to panic, it could be a whole lot worse. 

I agree, albeit it is a pity that we've dropped points against Palace and United, who are both in the bottom half.

We were decent last season against the top half, but dropped far too many points against the bottom half. The top sides tend to clean up against those sides. Man City and Arsenal were won 18 drawn 1 lost 1 vs bottom half in 23/24, whereas we were 11-4-5. This season Liverpool and City are both 100% wins vs bottom half (5 and 6 wins respectively),  and we are won 2 drawn 2, so effectively 4 points behind already. That is the biggest area where we can improve for me, and it will probably come from being a bit braver and more committed in attack (in particular better chance creation and more shots on goal), and eliminating the stupid mistakes (which will hopefully happen organically as the players mature).

It could be worst we could be in 10 and stuck!!

57 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

 

We were decent last season against the top half, but dropped far too many points against the bottom half. The top sides tend to clean up against those sides. Man City and Arsenal were won 18 drawn 1 lost 1 vs bottom half in 23/24, whereas we were 11-4-5. This season Liverpool and City are both 100% wins vs bottom half (5 and 6 wins respectively),  and we are won 2 drawn 2, so effectively 4 points behind already. That is the biggest area where we can improve for me, and it will probably come from being a bit braver and more committed in attack (in particular better chance creation and more shots on goal), and eliminating the stupid mistakes (which will hopefully happen organically as the players mature).

Feels like against the big teams, we need to be a little braver. We were far too timid vs City, Liverpool and United 

On 02/11/2024 at 16:20, The Rising Sun said:

What games will the B team play ?

Practice matches at Cobham.

Disappointing that we weren’t able to put United to the sword.

Glad he realised that Gusto was the end of a lot of our attacks and swapped him out.

Madueke needs a stint on the bench to wake him up a bit, no use having the depth we have if we only rotate on fitness.

On the surface, it looks similar to last year in not taking the big games, but I can see a positive in that the team have looked set up to win in all games bar City. Execution of the plan and moments have gone against us but there hasn’t been a ‘ah sh*t, we’ve got this wrong’ type moment where we look set for a battering.

A win next weekend sorts us right out.

5 hours ago, evissy said:

I think MU way of setting up caught us off guard. Everyone knew MU is counter attacking side and that is what they are good at but we were not able to take use of that massive space and the time was given to us after 2 Newcastle games where they pressed us back very well. 

We didn't know what to do in terms of attack. Mazraoui blanked Madueke totally which took half of our attacking threat away. Gusto wasn't good at all and was hooked half time which was a good choice. 

MU is an enigma which is why they lose half of the games with brilliant skill and win City in an FA Cup final. The side is built with no direction and tons of money and their management is always held back with old ghosts like SAF, Neville, Scholes, Keane. I think people don't realize they put added pressure on the players who already think have made it by signing for the club and then lose on the pitch and get sh*tted over by old MU players. 

Anyway we don't have to be overly critical of Enzo and the players. We couldn't handle the pressure the game put us in in many ways and it is natural for a young group of players. 

What pressure?

10 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

What pressure?

Expecting a very young team to win at a ground we haven't won in 11 years. 14 years if you take away the game in 2013 where United were already on their way to winning the league. It's a ground where even our 2015 & 2017 title winning sides couldn't win despite playing against sh*t United sides. We always dumb ourselves down to their level. Add the new manager bounce, winning yesterday would of been extremely out of the ordinary. 

Who knows. Maybe some stability we can actually get rid of this monkey off our backs. 

 

10 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Expecting a very young team to win at a ground we haven't won in 11 years. 14 years if you take away the game in 2013 where United were already on their way to winning the league. It's a ground where even our 2015 & 2017 title winning sides couldn't win despite playing against sh*t United sides. We always dumb ourselves down to their level. Add the new manager bounce, winning yesterday would of been extremely out of the ordinary. 

Who knows. Maybe some stability we can actually get rid of this monkey off our backs. 

 

Yep and add to the fact the unpopular Ten Hag had gone and players looking to impress incoming Amorim then more understandable,

I have to say I’m becoming abit concerned about the Nkunku situation. I don’t think he is handling it very well, what’s wrong with rotating him and Jackson?

To not play him at all yesterday isn’t going to make anything better, or subbing him on with 10 minutes remaining.

Why isn’t he getting games??? Conference league games ain’t going to cut it.

4 hours ago, JM7 said:

Saw this and thought it provided some good context:

“10 games in and Chelsea are sitting in fourth place having played six of the top 10 and only losing to City and Liverpool with the youngest squad in the Premier League.”

I don’t think we need to panic, it could be a whole lot worse. 

I agree that there's no need to panic just yet, but we're not too comfortable either. We have one win in the last four prem games, which will most likely become one in five after we play Arsenal. The top half of the table is very tight we may nosedive pretty quickly.

We need to find a way to beat Arsenal and get over the mental block of beating a big team. I feel like this would really give the team a push forward.

1 hour ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Expecting a very young team to win at a ground we haven't won in 11 years. 14 years if you take away the game in 2013 where United were already on their way to winning the league. It's a ground where even our 2015 & 2017 title winning sides couldn't win despite playing against sh*t United sides. We always dumb ourselves down to their level. Add the new manager bounce, winning yesterday would of been extremely out of the ordinary. 

Who knows. Maybe some stability we can actually get rid of this monkey off our backs. 

 

I don't disagree that we always seem to contrive to play below ourselves when we go there, but i really don't think our players feel any pressure because they are young. I don't think that Madueke, Palmer, Jackson, Neto are overawed by the atmosphere or the opposition tbh

What's clear is that while we're going to be in the hunt for the top four, we can forget about putting real pressure on the very top sides. Judged against the very best there remain too many question marks, both on the pitch and in the dugout. 

This is progress, but it also tells you how far backwards the ownership have taken us. 

P. S. There's no doubt maresca will be begging for a new keeper in private, regardless of what he says in public. That he doesn't think jorgensen is good enough raises (more) big question marks about our recruitment.

- I think much like last year Villa will slow down the 2nd half of the season. 

- Spurs will be Spurs and capitulate somewhere. 

- United aren't a talking point at the moment. 

- Arsenal seriously look like they've run out of ideas. 

We just need to do our part and win the games we should be winning. The rotation should help us come the festive period. Pretty forgiving schedule as well on paper. 

 

Still believe we are 2-3 players from being a top side. Top GK. Top ST or a fox in the box esq striker. Top CB.

Estevao, Paez and Santos in the team. 

Edited November 4, 20241 yr by Sconnie Blue

See how serious Palmers injury is.

There will likely be Leicester fans out there with an all knowing look on their faces watching our match.

Fo the amount of wingers we have it’s only Neto who looks up to the standard we need to win things regularly. He can go down the line or cut inside on either wing. 
 

Noni has the weakness that the defender basically knows he’s going inside. I reckon he needs to get stronger going outside and crossing. A bit of a one trick pony just now!.

1 hour ago, 19seventyone said:

There will likely be Leicester fans out there with an all knowing look on their faces watching our match.

Fo the amount of wingers we have it’s only Neto who looks up to the standard we need to win things regularly. He can go down the line or cut inside on either wing. 
 

Noni has the weakness that the defender basically knows he’s going inside. I reckon he needs to get stronger going outside and crossing. A bit of a one trick pony just now!.

He isn’t up to standard though; has a Willian feel about him. Looks very busy but little or no end product.

13 hours ago, ducavis said:

He isn’t up to standard though; has a Willian feel about him. Looks very busy but little or no end product.

I actually think Neto is looking better the more he plays. His first few games he was pretty quiet but he seems to be settling in now.

Think the club could do worse than bring in strand Larsen when wolves get relegated this year. We've needed a Giroud type striker since he left, this guy would fit the bill for impact player and different to wacko. Wonder if hes the type of player Maresca would go for. 

Maresca has a couple of marks against him now, and I am hoping g he fixes them.

The leaving out of Cucurella for 2 big games in favour of Reece as a LB/LCB, got away with it against Newcastle, did not vs United.

This coming after he pointed out we lack leaders, and Cucu is one of our best leaders and Gusto certainly is not.

Then there is the Nkunku situation, how can our best finisher not have a spot for him in our best side? Why is he denied a run in the best team along with Palmer and Caicedo when he has a blind spot to Noni, who he appears to have made undroppable despite his poor form.

Sure he subs him, but for Mudryk, and we run in to the same issues we had with Noni on.

Need to see him sort this out. Our best side plays PL matches, Nkunku and Cucurella should be in our best side.

8 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Maresca has a couple of marks against him now, and I am hoping g he fixes them.

The leaving out of Cucurella for 2 big games in favour of Reece as a LB/LCB, got away with it against Newcastle, did not vs United.

This coming after he pointed out we lack leaders, and Cucu is one of our best leaders and Gusto certainly is not.

Then there is the Nkunku situation, how can our best finisher not have a spot for him in our best side? Why is he denied a run in the best team along with Palmer and Caicedo when he has a blind spot to Noni, who he appears to have made undroppable despite his poor form.

Sure he subs him, but for Mudryk, and we run in to the same issues we had with Noni on.

Need to see him sort this out. Our best side plays PL matches, Nkunku and Cucurella should be in our best side.

Do you think a lot is dependent on the fitness of James + Gusto?

For Nkunku to play, Palmer would have to be RW, and given Palmer likes to drift inside we would need our full back to bomb up and down the pitch to provide width. Palmer would also need to improve his defensive work rate. I think Maresca prefers the balance Madueke, Neto, and Sancho provides on the wings. 

Maybe there's more to it than meets the eye. Maresca not putting Nkunku as a SS with Jackson and Palmer out wide when we are in need of a goal is baffling.