Yeah, we get a couple of good results every now and then, but you know it's never going to last just because of the way we play.

The Forest scoreline didn't reflect what happened in the game, we were absolute sh*te in the first half. You can call me negative all you want, it's just the stone cold truth, we don't play well, we can't get a good run of form because we play like sh*t most of the time, and we don't have enough top players to bail us out when we have a bad day.

I don't care if Maresca wins his next 5 games, until I see something different on that pitch rather than the usual crap, I'm still not going to be convinced. You can't keep scruffing games out every week.

A run of 3 away games now in different competitions. If we don't do well in them Maresca will be under increasing pressure going into the next international break. Amorim seems to be turning things around at Man United. So Maresca has got to be moving up the list in terms of next managerial change.

29 minutes ago, GarnachoCheese said:

0.08xG from open play today

That is insane.

Even United are pushing for top 4.

Maresca isn't going to be bailed out this season. He's on borrowed time at this point. It's on the other clowns how long they decide to wait. Do they wait before it becomes a disaster and top 4 is impossible? or do they react quickly and try and rescue it?

Finishing outside of the Champions League would be terrible. I can't see Palmer wanting to stay if he misses out on Champions League football. He's good enough to be playing for teams that win it.

2 minutes ago, forbzy said:

A run of 3 away games now in different competitions. If we don't do well in them Maresca will be under increasing pressure going into the next international break. Amorim seems to be turning things around at Man United. So Maresca has got to be moving up the list in terms of next managerial change.

2 minutes ago, forbzy said:

A run of 3 away games now in different competitions. If we don't do well in them Maresca will be under increasing pressure going into the next international break. Amorim seems to be turning things around at Man United. So Maresca has got to be moving up the list in terms of next managerial change.

I wish that was true !

Clearfake won’t ever fire him unless we are 18th or lower.

Stuck w the useless C. He has a huge ego and a lot less talent - unlike SAF & TSO who had tons in both departments what a top club needs for success you think Pep lacks confidence? Also think Maresca wants to be mates with players always a fatal error for a manager. Muppet !!

One more thing, I am sick to death of this

Enough of this nonsense and enough of isolating our wingers. We need James and Cucurella overlapping. The last thing I want to see is Cucurella creeping towards the box and taking up space that he has no idea what to do with. Ghosting into these areas when we are crossing is fine, but in our build up it just infuriates me.

I'm also sick of watching Neto, head down, trying to figure out some way past 2 defenders whilst James is 5 yards behind him waiting for a pass backwards. James should be looking to take a defender off Neto so Neto can run into some space and give himself a chance to actually create something.

We are abandoning some of the oldest and most lucrative tactics in the game because Maresca thinks he is some genius that can revolutionise the game by doing something no other coach would do. I'm sick of these types of coaches. 99% of the time they turn out to be complete failures at this level because they can't accept that what they're doing is stupid.

Got both Neto and Garnacho who are two of the worst players in the league taking players on, and we have them completely isolated.

Same sh*t. Different season.

17 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

One more thing, I am sick to death of this

Enough of this nonsense and enough of isolating our wingers. We need James and Cucurella overlapping. The last thing I want to see is Cucurella creeping towards the box and taking up space that he has no idea what to do with. Ghosting into these areas when we are crossing is fine, but in our build up it just infuriates me.

I'm also sick of watching Neto, head down, trying to figure out some way past 2 defenders whilst James is 5 yards behind him waiting for a pass backwards. James should be looking to take a defender off Neto so Neto can run into some space and give himself a chance to actually create something.

We are abandoning some of the oldest and most lucrative tactics in the game because Maresca thinks he is some genius that can revolutionise the game by doing something no other coach would do. I'm sick of these types of coaches. 99% of the time they turn out to be complete failures at this level because they can't accept that what they're doing is stupid.

Neto is the least of our problems.

Inverting full backs

Crappy defending

Slow tempo and sideways passing

Enzo Fernandez being a waste of space in the middle.

These are the biggest problems

Folically challenged fool.

Get him gone.

1 hour ago, 2211 said:

He isn't even the right manager to coach these young players.

2 of the things you associate with young footballers is fearless and exuberance.

This manager literally coaches these 2 attributes out of them and hopes for good moments from instead.

We'll only ever be a cup team at best with Maresca in charge.

Brilliant points. I also feel he is absolutely the worst manager for young players. Overly cautious, quick to publically criticise, (but only certain players, not his favourites), and a severe aversion to accepting risks and embracing a fast attacking tempo.

A competent manager would have this squad in a title challenge.

Sunderland had a major overhaul of the squad in the summer. 17 leaving and 15 players in.

Don't know how many new players played today for them , but it doesn't look like they need time " to settle" or time to " learn the way the manager want them to play "

I think I'm right that their second goal was scored and assisted by 2 of their new signings ?

He says they weren't 100%, but the problem is that they rarely ever are, and the certainly never are throughout the full 90 minutes of a football match. It just comes across like he is shifting the blame when it's his own coaching that is causing these issues.

Ignoring the football for a moment, and putting aside the fact I don't like the bloke, I do want to wish Pepilini all the best for his medical surgery at The West London hospital on Tuesday. Clearlake are keeping it quite but it is an emergency operation to remove his White club puffa jacket.

His wife has said he even wears it in the bath.

United are ahead of us in the league.😭😭

We have to live with this until his contract ends what a f**king joke of a manager.

We should’ve kept Lampard if we wanted a young manager to gain experience and grow with the team.

Blaming players are playing through injury yet he’s the one in charge of the Matchday squad and why Santos, Guiu, and Estevao have hardly seen minutes.

Historically, something which has bothered me is that it feels like we never get to play the crisis team while they're in the middle of their crisis. We have surely had the same luck as every other team, but there is a possibility that my perspective has just a little bias.

This season we have had all of the carpe diem luck. We played West Ham at the end of Potter, we played Forest during the Fat Ange weekend-and-a-bit, and we even caught Liverpool during their no doubt temporary 'cup runneth over' period. Those three games account for nine of our fourteen points (64% if you're interested). We've beaten teams in their nadir and teams to whom we are manifestly superior (including in the Champions League); otherwise we have either folded or scraped a draw.

We are currently ninth in the league, without having had a particularly challenging fixture list. There are three teams below us who could catch us if they win their games in hand.

The question I'm asking is, even taking away the small sample size, and the appallingly inept structure Maresca has chosen to tolerate, and even with the best luck imaginable, is this squad the ninth-best in the league?

Edited October 25, 2025Oct 25 by PloKoon13

He’s the worst coach players like Palmer or Estevao could have. Very unfortunate that these young players that could go all the way to being the best are stuck here with this mediocre coach.

All you need to do is low block us, counter attack and use your set pieces well.

As things stand Liverpool have lost 4 on the trot, including one against us, and they're still somehow ahead of us in the table.

Illustrates how abysmal this season has been so far. Something needs to change and it needs to change soon.

2 minutes ago, PloKoon13 said:

The question I'm asking is, even taking away the small sample size, and the appallingly inept structure he has chosen to tolerate, is this squad the ninth-best in the league?

I think Maresca is hopeless and occasionally lucky, but as for the ninth best squad in the league. I think that’s complicated. Raw talent wise, overall you could say we are definitely better than that. But experience wise and resolutely, we are probably below that. We are in a dire place regarding centre backs.

5 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

All you need to do is low block us, counter attack and use your set pieces well.

True. But today we scored from a counter attack and their first goal was scored with about 8 Chelsea players in and around the 6 yard box ! Their second was a typical breakaway goal though..

On 04/10/2025 at 19:51, Drogba1 said:

Despite some of our best players injured we beat the supposed favourites for the title, who've just spent 200m+ this window. And we were the better team

Think people are hitting the panic buttons too quick here, I'd be shocked if we finished outside the top 4

Hmm what do you think now?

2 hours ago, GarnachoCheese said:

A competent manager would have this squad in a title challenge.

I did say before the season started he would be sacked by Christmas, we hear tonight the usual “we are behind Maresca”

DONT BET ON IT

Lose to Wolves on Wednesday and a defeat at Tottenham and the pressure will be on big style

It’s possible we could be down to tenth tomorrow