Well I can't argue with the maths, but a team can definitely and should be frustrated, especially if they are doing a lot right, but the same keeps happening? That's relevant, no?
So, let me get this straight, you'd rather finish 9th and not win a cup than finish 14th but win the league cup this season?
Many of our players are the same level, apart from Martina (and Van Dijk obviously). So rotating doesn't really effect us much.
Fair enough, it's just because I'm bitterly disappointed to be honest. Just venting. I actually have stood up for Puel and said to give him time to some other fans. Away in Milan I was chatting to a load of saints fans and defending him.
But we put in loads of crosses and we hardly score because we lack a focal point, I am sure Pelle would have scored some.
So you consider retaining possession to be "slow and dull"? Do you mean slow and dull like Barcelona, or slow and dull like Spurs? And no, I'm not saying we are remotely close to either of those team's styles at the moment, simply pointing out the absurdity of blaming everything on the tactics of a manager who is still trying to get a depleted squad of players to play the way he wants.
I'd be on your side if Heaton, and Joel in our last PL game, had been pulling off saves all over the place whilst the score was 0-0. But if you playing well against just amounts to a lot of possession and a couple of shots on target, then I don't think you can complain when that one kick comes against you.
Yeh that's true. I always prefer seeing a quick fizzing ball in rather than a telegraphed cross - always a chance for a scrappy goal or deflection when it's cut back. But as you say, no focal point, no goal.
I thought Long was useful as he ran the channels and kept Burnley running back towards their goal. They didn't muster much because they spent a lot of the match retreating.
I consider retaining possession at the cost of attempting incisive balls, standing off opponents, and not committing men into the box to be slow and dull, absolutely. And I'm not by any means blaming everything on the manager; the board has a much greater share of the blame. But our methodical approach to attacking indeed does involve Puel's handiwork, by his own admission.
No point in even answering this. We have no idea where we will finish (yet) if we stay in the cup or not. I could easily say, would you rather we go down and win a cup or get knocked out and stay up? The two cups just don't excite me.
I'd agree with you when we have everyone available. But right now, aside from swapping which two midfielders partner Romeu, rotating would have to involve the likes of Martina, Stephens, Sims and Long. For me, that does effect us.
I think clubs taking the piss and not caring etc has been a big part of it. I am not saying I wouldn't be pleased, I am saying it isn't that important to me.
Our next 6 league games consist of Leicester (h) Swansea (a) West Ham (h) Sunderland (a) Arsenal (h) Watford (a) Huge run of fixtures. The same **** cannot keep happening.
