What cost us the United game was the introduction of Scholes. Lambert and Puncheon were knackered and I think we were unlucky. Defensibve injuries have cost us as have some of NA's decisions but I accept your point about clean sheets! Very confident we can score against you on Saturday! We just have to score more than you! Looks like you will be without Dembele whicjh is a plus for us. A bit of jet lag would also help! What do you think your line up will look like?
Probably will, as we haven't exactly excelled ourselves in the group so far and AVB wants to do well in the EL.
Well I hope we do play a lot of first teamers, the EL is a major competition for us this season, I hope.
That depends upon who plays and how well they do. I'd suggest that places in the side are probably up for grabs after a loss, so you might see a slightly rejuvenated line up.
Yep PNP, our team v Soton may well be better overall than the team v Chelsea. I definitely expect the team v Maribor to be better than the one V Chelsea.
Lets see if we can play 75 minutes + with the same shape and at least a good standard of performance, rather then the usual "crap 45 minutes" "great 45 minutes" or "crap 45 minutes" then "great 15 minutes". We should name ourselves Jekyll & Hyde FC as right now I fully expect us to play crap one half, great the next half, especially at home and was reading some comments from verts, in which he saying the players are aware they struggle to perform over 90 minutes, especially at home, with each half showing two different sides to the team.
ha ha ...something isn't right and avb doesn't strike me as someone that gives them a kick up the backside like arry would have down at half time!
I'm not a Spurs fan I want you to win I'm in Southampton this weekend and considered going but Super Sunday is on and I don't really fancy travelling 200 miles in 2 days
you say this but we have had better second halves than first ones..and i suspect AVb's half time 'kick up the backside' has done the trick.
cant say i'm convinced as with the quality in the team, and the players we have, if we have a crap 1st half then the players themselves will know they need to up their game second half. AVB's job is to get the team playing as a proper unit for 90 minutes, or at least keep their shape but so far he hasn't managed that.
Under AVB we never started games well and conceded lots of late goals as Spurs have done Whether its fitness related I'm not sure.
AVB sends the team out with specific instructions.....i believe some of the players dont react and are getting that kick up the arse thus reacting. i have seen AVB change tactics to counter act a situation, so once again i think he is aware of what is going on. however i think the players are not doing the team justice because alot of errors are individual ones. if i am to criticise AVB thus far,then i would do it for his persistence to stick with people like Walker..however there are many practical reasons for this. Maybe he does not believe the reserves are up to doing any better. All in all analysing our season 8 games in i would have to say it is well satisfactory considering our injuries,new manager, finances etc. at the very least we are best of the rest and we should be happy with that considering what the 'big teams' (Chelsea,City,United,Arsenal) have at their disposal finance wise. Out of them 4 Arsenal are the ones closest to us with regards the way it is run and currently we are matching them at the very least on the pitch. So for me i see progress in the long run...therefore little blips have to be taken on the chin..come May we will be there or thereabouts with regards top 4.
Spurlock, fair comments but ask yourself this, if like you say .why does the team constantly under perform in one half? mostly the first half? early days so I guess we can show patience as we're in a decent league position, but if we're constantly starting games poorly, then AVB has to take the blame. And DL, I remember the chelsea games last season against the goons and man utd, which you both lost but played some attacking football, yet exposed with ease at the back. This is how I view AVB, has great attacking ideas, but his teams are exposed at the back, especially on the counter, and losing goals on the counter is the most frustrating part of football, as it knocks the stuffing out the opposition.
