We are weak with Defoe as our only striking option. We were weak with him as our striking option before Ade came to us on loan, and we are weak now that Ade is injured. I had a bad feeling about this game even before it kicked off.
Can someone please remind me, we are playing at home, aren't we? What's the betting that Friedel doesn't start in goal for the next match?
I agree HIAG. Away from home it can work as we can catch teams on the break as they attack us. At home breaking teams down, Defoe isn't good enough in my opinion and can't do the lone striker role. The problem is we have no options on the bench to change the game. This is painful watching.
another poor pass...cant string 3 together..what is wrong with us? they are playing like they are at home....for goodness sake we cant be tired!!!
was i being over critical in suggesting that he should have come off the line to narrow the angle a bit quicker once he knew they had slipped the ball through? got to get our heads sorted for the second half.
Defoe tried to shoot through 5 bodies instead of looking for a plan B.....we need a striker with more in his locker than whallop.
Thing is, when Defoe is playing this 5hite, I'd rather we didn't play with a striker, and put another attacking midfielder on, instead. That's how poorly I rate him, and have done for a while. He looked good against Reading, because Reading is an awful side that will get relegated this season. Against any half-decent side - and QPR are just about that - Defoe is dreadful.
why did Lennon not run behind the full back when Sandro had the ball? he was looking to slip it in.. i dont understand what is going on in thier heads.
I think maybe a little harsh on Friedal Spurlock but I see what you mean. What is the point of crossing into the box like that? I would definitely push Dempsey up front for the second half we need someone in there who has a chance to get on the end of crosses. We may as well put Falque on we don't have much to lose!
Jeez, I just put dembele on the new banner, maybe that was a bad idea! Do we have to attack Defoe each time we don't play well? I mean who picks the team? not defoe, its the managers job to set the team up to get the best out of the players, and so far he has been out done by mark hughes, lets see if he can earn his crust and get us back into this game.
Awful performance. Our shape is just dire. Bale needs to move back up to the wing, so I guess Vertonghen should move to left-back, but I think we need Huddlestone on, too. We desperately need someone to put a few decent passes together, keep possession and get them to run about chasing it. Big changes since last season and our injuries are obviously piling up, but we need to do better than that. This was last season's first XI: Friedel; Walker, King, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Parker, Modric, Bale; van der Vaart; Adebayor. Players in bold have either left the club, got injured or are playing out of position.
Don't think it's any good moaning about individual players when the team performance has not been good. Apart from Verts and Brad no one is playing well. Now we will see if AVB can make a difference at half time it's the test of a good manager.
Caulker on, Sigurdsson off. I'd have pulled Dempsey, personally. Not had a pre-season and played a full game midweek.
If/when we lose this match, will AVB blame it on the Europa League? That will amuse/frustrate me to the point of insanity seeing as how he put the first XI out for that as well pretty much.
as a lone striker alot more is expected of him apart from have a shot...yes AVB picks the team because he expects Defoe to do a few things..you almost answer your own question saying blame AVB for picking a limited player...however we look better already in this half....the truth is that the team as a whole havent turned up yet but lets see how we do this half
but why do we expect defoe to be this great lone striker when we all know that naturally isnt his game? he only works as a lone striker when the manager sets up the team to get the best out of him, notice our best form has come away from home when we hit teams on the break and counter. if defoe is crap in this game (much like most players) blame goes to the manager, if the team was playing well and defoe was playing crap then granted he deserves some stick but defoe seems to be the player that is easy to blame. what about Bale? we all rate and love the guy but he hasnt been great of late.
Undeserved equaliser. OG Faurlin. Let's hope that it raises the players' spirits and they raise their game.
