A mixed bag of results for us - Reading lose, Brentford draw but both Norwich & Bristol win. Amazingly we're still third...
A welcome favour. It's part of the reason we're third in the table - teams below us are as bad, if not worse than us.
And I thought we were bad. Half time and Boro & Luton locked together at 0-0. Only two attempts at goal between them, none on target.. Rivetting stuff.
Final score too. Amazingly, we stay third. Norwich now being six points ahead of us makes the Boxing Day clash a must win for us I think.
You always seem ‘on the money’ to me, Mark, what do you think is going on? Is it the players underperforming through perceived entitlement, is it Vlad not ‘getting’ what is required? Why do the players seem so reserved? There’s a lack of hunger, it seems to me. I do think it would’ve been very different under Pearson, but I can’t nail exactly what’s wrong. I keep thinking - who would you play for? Who would you ‘run through a wall for’? It would be the paternal Pearson approach for me, not the vile Vlad. But I’m not a player. What do they really need? Would appreciate your analysis.
I think we just aren’t set up to attack and win games Rather try not to lose and then nick it. Ivic says he’d rather win 1-0 than 4-3. And we haven’t got the best out of our attacking players so limited in our ability to create chances. The midfield seems lightweight and sloppy at times. Defence is ok but again has its moments.
The midfield more often than not simply doesn't seem to be there. When we have the ball in the middle, opposition players are all over ours like a swarm of bees - when the opposition have the ball, ours seem to flutter around aimlessly like butterflies.
I cannot believe how often we give away possession when trying to make a key pass, something remotely incisive. The pussyfooting along the the backline and around the centre circle is okay when there is an end product... there rarely is. I don't think it's the tactics, I think its poor execution.
I feel the midfield is the issue. Cleverly + Chabolah + Garner = distinct lack of creativity / chances for attackers.
I wonder what Almen Abdi is doing these days - we need someone like him. Or Capoue needs to step up - or in two weeks time dip into the transfer market.
There often seems disconnect between central and wide midfield. Players seem afraid to take chances, happier with retaining possession. But possession alone doesn’t create chances.
