Our home record this season is excellent and expect it to continue at the weekend. Need a goal or two to gee everyone up before yet another f*cling IB.HTL
Have to say mate, I've never believed in that ... ... besides people said Boro were a bogey and we beat them. While I'm on I have to say there's a bit of an annoying trend developing on forums, etc. Whoever we beat some people will downgrade the victory with an endless variety of caveats. We beat Cardiff - 'caught them cold', beat Sheff Wed - 'they were overconfident', beat Burnley - 'had a big changeover of players', beat Luton - 'got lucky'. If Sheff Utd or Leeds win people just say they won because they're better teams. If we beat Coventry it's because we played better and scored more goals ... ... their managerial situation has f*ck all to do with it.
Remembrance day display planned... https://x.com/ThisIsWearside/status/1854606837674328073?t=GWzixsPFR_ovM1fXIyTlcQ&s=19 3-1 to the lads. Straight into these kernts.
Mark robbins sacked today ! really good manager, how will that effect Coventry ? 3-5-2 on Saturday Collins amd Mayenda up front 2-1
Not sure this is true tbh. Plenty of elite holding midfielders contribute very few goals. Dan is not far of the average of some. Makalele - 100 plus games at Chelsea - 2 goals. Rice - 200 plus prem games - 15 goals Kante - 250 plus chelsea games - 13 goals. Tchoumanei - 100 Madrid games - 3 goals. Kimmich - 330 games - 29 goals. Just a v quick search.
Looking forward to this. Another trip up to gods country for me. My lad was at Cov last night and said they were rubbish. I think we saw the importance of Roberts and Mundle last night. I am sure they come back in. Their positional play is levels above right now and creates so many passing options in possession, and blocks so many passing lanes out of possession. Browne needs to step up imo. He needs to be running off the back of midfielders and getting into the box. When he drops deeper the ball is like a hot potato and his passing range is not quite good enough. I might be tempted to stick with Connolly up front. His back to goal play is much better than Isidors. But Isidor has the in behind running threat. Maybe Regis learned a bit about the depth of the squad and will revert to those more reliable players. Either way I cant wait to see us again and do fancy us to get back to winning ways.
I was responding to the point about clubs expecting goals from midfielders, no comment on his shooting.
For the record, I think he technique is all wrong on long distance shots. He gets in the wrong body shape. If you compare the body shape of Jobe as he strikes, V Neil, it is really evident why Neil misses. I said on here a couple of weeks ago I woulr bet good money Regis has him in the defensive drills not the attacking ones. Nothing to stop Neil spending an hour a day hitting volleys and half volleys from the D after training. I just dont believe it is something his coaches, or himself, prioritise. One of my all time favourite midfielders is Jan Molby. I have told on here before the story about what he was told when he was signed at Liverpool. He was one of the first deeper lying players in this country I remember. A lot like Neil he was poor from distance. But look at his record on penaties! It is because he could pass it in. I wouldnt mind 50p on Neil hitting a decent penalty. He would hit the side netting 9 out of 10, assuming his mind is calm, which seems a strength of his. If I were his coach I wouldnt discourage him shooting. But I would encourage him to only do it if he can take touch. But I am not as expert as them in charge. Interesting to see it any improvement comes.
Yes, I remember you saying, and didn't comment, but I don't think that rings true. Any pro-footballer should be able to strike a ball cleanly and Neil rarely does. I'd rather the ball fell to anyone but him tbh, even Hume and Cirkin who play further back. In an away game, like Preston, you'll only get half a dozen chances so we can't waste them with shots so reckless as that.
Why not specifically? Commonly defensive shape and attacking play is coached separately in my experience?
Shapes have nothing to do with a player being able to kick a ball. 5.30, that's shocking even it's the keeper ... under zero pressure right in front of goal.
Is Aleksic a defensive midfielder? Don't believe it is. Think he'd be a drop off from Neil. He's likely a long term successor to Jobe or Rigg.
I don’t think there’s any chance of Aleksic starting the game. He’s been an unused sub for 10 games now, I highly doubt he’d throw him in from the off.
I think you are missing my point. Jobe, Rigg etc will be inolved in the attacking drills, and thus exposed to coaching on when to shoot and when to pass. Neil wont be. By virtue of that he gets less exposure to coaching. Not that it stops him from becoming better himself. But when you consider he is the player being asked to learn the most, maybe he doesnt have time to prioritise his shooting. The argument seems a little futile to me, either way. If the coaches think he is there to be a good striker of the shot then no doubt they would move him on. We have the likes of Adil who could be in the frame but who coaches seem to find lacking and they have zero interest in him. Nobody is stopping them dropping Neil, indeed he seems to be the one player coaches want to trust.
I'm certainly not missing your point, I just think it's ridiculous. It's irrelevant what training drills he's involved in, being able to strike a ball cleanly has nothing to do with drills or coaching. You seem to be missing that point and bringing things in that are totally irrelevant. My point is that for a pro-player his shooting is barely Sunday League standard, for whatever reason ... ... you seem to be doing absolutely anything to avoid that yes or no question.
Am I going mad, I've just ordered this https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1822199239/luke-onien-mistletoe-wine-christmas-t please log in to view this image
I think Neil can and will be a good finisher, he just needs a cooler head in front of goal. I reckon a lot of his current shortcomings (not that there's many) are because he's too keyed up as a passionate Sunderland fan living the dream on the pitch. As he gets older and matures these issues will fade away.
