Watching all those little through balls from City, even just on the MOTD highlights must be making Gabbi weep. Alternatively, we could just sit our players down and show them the video of that game!
Whether it's Redmond, Tadic or JWP (I think I just about favour Tadic, but nothing really in it), that is an XI and a formation that I'm starting to favour - once Virgil is available again. Just annoying that we apparently played it against Wolves, and it went so wrong. Might scare MP from using it again anytime soon. But that wasn't our best XI.
Well, today alters one thing. All those expectant people with the iphones out in waitrose next sat will be rather disappointed.
I take your point but original Ronaldo probably isn't the best example because he was a player capable of creating his own chances. If we had him in the side he'd probably drop into midfield, collect the ball, dribble past 4 or 5 defenders and slot it home. Gabbiadini hasn't shown much sign of creating his own chances in his current role and the side really isn't making chances for him at the moment. Inzaghi would probably be a better comparison. Very much agree with one of your earlier posts about identity. One of my complaints about Puel was that, unlike the Koeman or Pochettino sides, it didn't seem to be clear what his plan was (beyond keeping possession) or how we were actually trying to get the ball in the back of the net. Poch loved the high press to pressurise defenders and win the ball high up the pitch while Koeman had elements of that but his game plan was really about getting the ball to Pelle, either early or through crosses. Under Puel there didn't seem to be a plan and it's beginning to look the same again this season.
I reckon we'll see him next week. Desperate times, the gaffer will be feeling the heat this week. I'd certainly do what ever it takes.
Yeah, I'll take your point re Ronaldo/Inzaghi. Point of course being that pretty much any striker would look impotent for us currently. The problem is absolutely not Gabbiadini being "out of form".
Absolutely. But at the same time, it depresses me to see what Poch has managed to create with another team.
Was always going to happen. One of the top two or three managers in the league/world, and probably the very best at taking a group of young, energetic players and turning them into a coherent unit.
Completely agree. Not because we lost to Watford in a close 1-0 result which it wasn't, they beat us 2-0 and it could have been worst. It because they completely outplayed us, and easily could have won by more. They closed us down very quickly, harried all over the park. They gave us a good lesson in how to play fast, attacking football and take the game to the opponent. They played like the home team. I know its only the 4th game but I don't see that MP2 is much of an improvement to Claud.
Grand Old Team having a bit of a meltdown tonight (maybe normal for them). Cuco has a 1300 post thread on the front page. I'm guessing that's not good.
Talking to friends back here when I got back, West Brom were pretty much the same as us today by the sounds of it.