That seemed to be from a lack of width, to me. Very congested in the centre, Naughton unwilling to use his left and unsuitable players going out wide at times. If Lennon's not on the pitch, then we need to move Bale out onto the left, especially if Assou-Ekotto's not playing. We had a bunch of players going into the centre, all their markers following them and no chance of putting a ball through the scrum that developed.
It's getting to a point where,this season on match days,we ought to spend a few hours in a rest home. Spurs,are you are going to be the death of us?.....and what team is going to turn up for the next game??????
Well Avb Tactically bullsed that up. Thudd playing so deep hitting second rate long Hoddle balls. Really it showed how crap we can be if we are not playing to our best. If we some how fluke that 4th spot , this team won't last long in the Champs league . Parker , Dempsey limit our play as everything breaks down going forward but I bet there be in next weeks team. Naughton I don't get. Once again we bottle it , mainly because we have to many average players to sustain a momentum when needed.
AVB, Thats what you get when you don't give the Wigans of the premiership adequate respect. Too many risks taken today on 'formation and personnel' and you were 'outdone tactically' by Mr Martinez once again. Please stop making the same mistakes up against the Wigans' and Norwich-ees of this division.'
You had more luck against both Barca & Bayern than we've had in the last 20 years!. The fact that you are the only team in CL history to be champions one year and get knocked out in the group stages the next, says it all about how lucky you were to win it!..
Yes, that has really taken the gloss of winning it and condeming you to the EL. I hardly sleep at night
We needed to win that game. We needed to demonstrate that we have some character and won't just piss away every advantage we have as soon as we get it, as we have a history of doing. We went up a goal, and promptly pissed away the advantage we had immediately. Just like we pissed away the advantage we had after beating Arsenal immediately. Just like we pissed away the advantage we had in the next to last game last season immediately. Just like we'll piss away any advantage we have the rest of the season, (if we're lucky and undeserving enough to get one) immediately. I learned very early that the first rule of strategy is "never change a winning game." Is this some incredibly rare insight, unknown to the rest of the world? I thought it was more or less common knowledge, and an excellent cure in advance for most strategic blunders.
As much as I thought Huddlestone kept persisting with the same types of balls, his set pieces was really good today, the one that hit the post and the own goal one he drilled in instead of floating was brilliant.
I don't think we have much chance of 4th anymore. Even if arsenal drop points to a man utd side that have nothing much left to play for, I'll be surprised if they don't win all their other games. If that's the case were relying on winning all of our games and judging by our away performances this season we have next to no chance of winning at Stamford bridge. That's why a win today but would've been so important providing some security. What I would like to see is hudd start all our remaining games instead of Parker. The guy gives the ball away more than any other player whenever he plays and he's not offering much defensively either. What is he in the side to offer right now? For most of the game today he was in advance of hudd and it's clearly not a role he is suited to. That's not his fault but why not play someone who is more comfortable in the position. If dembeles injury is serious though we're screwed! Also starting naughton over ekotto was a really strange decision. It was made even worse by the sub in the game. We could've used that sub yo being on sig or Carroll if ekotto had started. We have nothing else to play for and only a few games left so hopefully it wasn't just rotation as that would be unnecessary and stupid IMO.
Yeah, of course he did. The 'keeper spent so long sorting out his defence it was clear where his mind is and Huddlestone wouldn't have miss-hit a set piece so badly, not that there was even a hint of slice on it anyway. He went for that.
I have been welcomed on here quite a few times. Had some banter and even have a special relationship with TMT. So I have been around. I deliberately didn't put 'you lot' as someone made that mistake the other day and got jumped on for it. And again we get the old 'most undeserving team to win CL' we won it because we played the game well. If you don't understand that then you don't know much about football and tactics. I used the royal We there by the way. You are entitled to your opinion, albeit wrongly and you are also wrong as I don't have to 'Deal with it' at all.
There was so much wrong with that performance it's almost not worth a debate However, all AVB's tactical nous that was displayed in the last 25 mins last weekend has fast disappeared over the cliff of despair that seems to sum up our end of season form!! But amongst a number of strange decisions and poor performances, the selection of Naughton almost takes the biscuit! How many more chances is that lad going to get to underperform, all the while we have an established top LB bench-warming!! I am beginning to think that either AVB is a poor judge of a player or that Naughton has something on him!! Not sure which is the better option frankly. And also good to see my newly recovered faith in Dempsey and Hudd has been rewarded...... Would we have been happy to take 4 points from the Citeh and Wigan games? Yes, probably - with better general performances. And in all likelihood, we will still need to get at least 10 points from the last 4 games, so I guess the damage isn't fatal - Yet!!
How does it say it all ? One season is very different to another, and so I don't think they can be compared
That point could be the difference. But it seems that you've slightly undone the hard work of last weekend. Had you won today it would have put you above Arsenal with the same number of games played. It's likely Arsenal will lose tomorrow, they would then have to "bounce back" away to QPR - again, not easiest of places to go to. That would applied huge pressure on them. It's looking increasingly likely Spurs will have to come to us and win to stand any chance of getting top 4. Who knows though, I'm done predicting things, but if Chelsea and Spurs don't get in, I will be looking at the 1 point we got off QPR and Spurs should look at the 1 point they got off Wigan. I think I'm correct in saying Arsenal have beaten every team they've played in the bottom half, could be the difference. I think we will get 4th if we get 4 points off United and Swansea, 3rd if we beat you lot at home.
I doubt it, seeing as I said exactly the same thing. You had the comment thrown back at you, as Chelsea have been extremely lucky in recent seasons. Being awarded two goals without the ball crossing the line in games against us would be one example. A similar thought would apply to Chelsea fans moaning about City's spending. We may have got lucky today and City may have spent a lot of money, but it's a bit rich for you to be pointing either out.
I would call that an understatment. It is true that players and teams often get stuck at various points for some time before breaking through. Murray lost in the semis for years before finally winning a big one. So I suppose I shouldn't be as frustrated with Spurs as I am at the moment. But at this point it certainly looks like we're not at all ready to take the next step forward. The only significant countertrend I see this year is a new ability to beat big teams. So I wouldn't be too shocked see us win at Chelsea, then promptly piss away fourth against Stoke and Sunderland. The only way we'll get fourth is if either you or Arsenal outchoke us. In the first place, I see no signs of it. In the second, it will take some doing.
Just come back in from the pouring rain after 7 hours at an auction and then shopping. Was a bit peed off before seeing this lucky result for us. Yes it was lucky wasn't it? I'm even more peed off now. Oh well bang goes my theory.
