In a DM role. But our current CAMs have shown how bad their shooting and passing abilities are too, and absent any other options I'd give him a shot. Not because I expect it to work, but because we're well aware of what doesn't work by now.
Pssssst. We should have signed an attacker when our attack looked blunt and stale last season. Instead we let two of the attackers we had at the start of pre-season leave and didn't sign anyone. Weird.
I guess one alternative - but not one I would expect to see - is to bring Virgil into the midfield. It's not like we're in desperate need of someone to slot in alongside Romeu now that we have Lemina, so in many respects it could be seen as unnecessary. But it wouldn't half give us a beast of a central midfield, to both control the game and cover for FBs caught up the pitch. Could also allow the front three (if we were playing a 4-3-3) to almost permanently remain up field, hardly needing to care about tracking back. I think I just the like the thought of Virgil doing his usual "well none of you lot can score, so I'm just going to take the ball and run with it. COMING THROUGH".
Very weird. Particularly because it cannot have been a strict financial decision...we spent some money this window. But we didn't spend money on the position we needed the most, and the player we chased to fill it would have been available only under exceptional circumstances.
There's not a lot to shoot down tbf. Hopefully this seasons signings have a bit more about them. From first appearances its promising. Sadly they're not in the positions that we need to score goals.
Well its been longer than 28 days, and they didn't pay anything for him, so they can forget their refund.
Someone mentioned poor signings these last couple of years which I have to say is a bit unfair. Romeu, Bertrand, Gabbi, VVD, Boufal (best same so far yesterday I thought) Hoedt and Lemina all decent. As for the academy, the benchmark has always been one breakthrough each season. So with Stephens, Targett, Sims, McQueen coming through these last couple of years, we are still on track and all the signs are that there are even better ones on the way. It's pretty typical of fan forums to blame the whole team and all the signings (or lack of) when we lose and you have to do quite a bit of searching to find some constructive criticism. At the end of the day, the manager is good enough. The squad is certainly good enough to secure a top six finish. But we need to show more intensity, work rate and commitment than we did yesterday. I think we will see a different performance next week with Lemina and particularly VVD (to provide leadership at the back) back in the side.
I thought we were terrible, but I'm not really surprised because it has been the same story at St Marys for such a long time now - and the signs are that our inability to score is spreading to the away games too. Lemina had to play yesterday, and certainly should've come on at half time where it was blatantly obvious that Watford for completely on top in the midfield (I thought they were excellent btw). Silva had his team bang up for it from the first minute, unfortunately we looked like we had a heavy night on Friday and staggered in to the ground yesterday afternoon. Really dire. Attitude was totally wrong, but part of me still questions whether we have the quality now in the forward areas. Tadic has grown stale (and turned to throwing himself to the ground every two minutes), Ward-Prowse cannot win a 50/50 challenge, and Redmond is all over the place with no quality in the final third. Boufal will never be a saints player in my view - just never looked right. Gabbiadini needs to be supported up front, he is so isolated - thought Long showed more effort than most in his brief period in the second half, but Austin looks like he has been on the pies. Fitness probably an issue. Kudos to Silva and Watford though - look a very good side.
Boufal best game? Did you watch the match? He touched the ball twice in the 2nd half then came off. Did nothing. I wanting boufal to come good but he was absent yesterday. MOTD summary was short, for once I think rightly so. Watford were well organised and hit 2 wonder strikes. We still can't score.
Yesterday was my first game of the season so it's very difficult to make judgements overall because I don't believe it is good to make decisions from one game. However, it wasn't very good and I did see every game last season so I can at least compare to the start of last season. I need to see more games under MP2, however to comment on the one game yesterday as a comparison to Puel's first two home games last season, I'd say there is some concern for us. The one thing I couldn't see yesterday was a plan or a pattern of play with any cohesion. I remember the Watford and Sunderland home games early last year when Puel got battered for the diamond, yet I recall seeing a distinct pattern and a plan. Things were showing some good signs in those early games, if not quite coming off; yesterday I didn't see those signs. I said at that time that although it wasn't quite working, I could see that it wasn't far off and it had aspects that looked like they could work. My concern yesterday was that we looked like a team who didn't know what the plan was and what each team mate's role was. Clearly we had issues yesterday going forward in terms of creativity and style, yet it wasn't just that (though it is our biggest issue). I thought defensively our shape was very poor at times and the numerous occasions a straight pass or even clearance straight down the middle caused us problems was a worry. I also couldn't believe that most times when we eventually got the ball back, we missed out the midfield and played a lofted ball towards Gabbi. That was never going to work. It was almost as if they'd heard everyone saying we need to find Gabbi's runs but were trying it from the back instead of from midfield. I didn't think it right to blame individuals because to me it was a collective issue. Watford chased and pressed in twos and threes, whereas we had either Gabbi or JWP closing down on their own - never going to work. To me it seemed collectively we weren't sure what to do, but I will reiterate that this was one game for me, so I will give it time. I am one who is often criticised for defending the club/team, I am concerned.
Even with this squad playing at its best, it's not good enough for a top six finish in my view. Your faith, or expectations, are far too high in my view. At a push it's good enough for a top seven finish, but even that will be very difficult; Leicester for example I think have recruited very well. As for the blame, that generally hasn't come out just in the last 17 hours. (And for anyone who has just come out with it now, I can only think have had their heads in the sand since last season). Results like this, failing to score in three out of four games; these things were destined to happen given the transfer window we had, on the back of last season. Absolutely there should be no element of hindsight coming in here. Last season puts the facts firmly in front of everyone. Sadly, the board have failed to act and, like I say, some fans have had theirs heads in the sand (or the clouds). I pulled my hair out a lot, lot more after the Swansea game than this one, despite not losing and a massively better performance. Back then, we still had an open transfer window. Whereas yesterday I was watching a game in the grim acceptance already that we have risked four months of this. Which is just as depressing as the football itself.
You're obviously a jinx..please stay away in future. I would be interested to hear a neutral's view though. How bad were we, & how good were Watford?
You were very bad, like really bad. Watford weren't great but had a game plan, stuck to it and it worked. Bit hungover for a full analysis tbh. Probably write more later
I'm not sure it's fans having their heads in the sand or clouds Brendy, but maybe trying to see or understand reasons why things haven't happened and chosen not to lambast the Board. There is a subtle difference there. This time last year, I felt more positive about what I saw even if it wasn't where I wanted it to be and I could see the holes. This time it feels different with me judging (harshly) on the one game.
So it's a neutral view through drunken eyes?? I think I may have preferred that approach yesterday - may have made it easier
I didn't even plan to go to the game. Met Libby in Bournemouth for beers at 9am... Ended up getting a ticket and going! Good to meet a few of you guys though
