OPTA also say 42% /58% I'm interested as to why you describe the team selection as "attacking". We played our standard 4:2:3:1 and the personnel were neither more nor less attacking as a selection than the usual.
With players coming back from injury, CH will have more attacking options. Still exciting that we have still got Hooper to come back too. But really glad we one... mainly so we don't have to listen to the 'Hughton out' for another week lol.
In all seriousness we were really good today a really enjoyable game. Is it wrong I agree with welly? Never mind though this is no time for digging on Norwich fans. Hopefully some of them have a clearer idea after today about what we are trying to do and where we are trying to go as a team. Ruddy was great, so assured of himself, deserves England number one but probably won't get it. Garrido looked a tad shakey again I can only presume Olsson still isn't fit but I thought garrido grew into the game and did okay in the end. Whits as well looked strong in defence and I liked the Scottish connection down that wing that is a strong point! The center two looked strong I was worried for bassong after being down a couple of times vs bury but they look a good team as always. Fer... Wow, in that deeper role he was superb winning the ball and passing was really strong, felt Johnson did his muscle job well but is lacking in the shooting and passing department, no-ones perfect. Elmander looks comfortable on the ball, great physically and once he's figured it out with ricky, who worked hard but didn't 100% click today, we will have a goal machine. Snoddy had a poorer day but it's heartening to know on a day were he isn't 100% match fit and it's not going for him he still works so hard and really does a job for the team, the moaning at refs only makes me love him more, definitely a pen. Redmond is an absolute missile, what a WMD we have there. Actually checked himself a few times today and played the simpler ball but the runs he makes are schoolboy stuff, so exciting and glad he got a goal today he fully deserved it. Southward was at the game today and I bet he underlined redmonds name in his notebook. In all we looked more solid today, got forward better but need to work on the speed a bit. The last 10 mins was hard and we dropped deeper and it was agonising, I could seedy at we were doing but if we could just compose ourselves a bit better and just try and keep it a bit more that'd be nice. It was harsh because we should have made a change but everyone was playing well so who do you take off? Maybe tettey on to strengthen things , doesn't matter now but it might do against a big team if we are in that situation. Southampton look like a team that had a lot of new good players and they need to gel (sound familiar) final ball was lacking but some of their passing work was excellent. They will be a strong side once we get into the swing of it
Mostly spot on, with regards to garrido you have to say in the first half he no protection from redmond so was 2-1 as against Everton, however 2nd half Redmond defended better and also looked better attacking the space which this created
Leroy Fer cost around a third of what Wanyama cost and totally outmanoeuvred him in every aspect of the game. It's history now, but I'm still gutted he was banned for the Everton match, because you just know he would have scored Happy with today, infinitely better though not the finished article by any means, but we still have Hooper and a fully fit Pilks to come back in Onwards, chaps!
There are so many positives from that game it hardly seems fair to select only a few - but here I go anyway... Elmander for his league debue really impressed me. Not only will he get goals, he is a clear leader up front. Even though Snodgrass repeatedly let the others down with his final ball, there was so much threat going forward. The balance in midfield - impressive. Johnson and Fer clicked today - and I bet those Southampton boys are sore this evening. Bruising, brave and bold - there was a real drive and grit and purpose. Bassong - how we missed him. The speed of the ball, confidence in execution... I was a bit worried it would take him a couple of games, but he proved me wrong and got better and better. He makes Turner and Garrido look twice the players they are without him. He clearly inspires and leads. If we can boss Southampton like we did today - I feel confident we will destroy a couple of teams at Carrow Rd this season. OTBC!!!
Personally I think Pilks would be more contributory to the team. His passing range is much better than Redmonds and he is an intelligent player. I imagine both will be rotated throughout the season. Maybe you can play Redmond in the hole behind the striker and Pilks on the left. Or vise versa. So many options! Isn't it wonderful!
Yep. Hughton himself said youngsters blow hot and cold. We should play him while he's blowing hot and it gives Pilks a chance to fully recover and get a bit of desire
Very much so. He basically had the left touchline to himself last season, to the point of drifting out of certain games. I don't think we'll see to much of that this year, now he knows there's serious competition
Ah well, I would like to disagree with the stats - but who cares since we won. Our midfield 4 consisted of Snoddy, Johnson, Fer and Redmond, so I make it that 2 were defensive (and did a pretty good job - fer getting MotM) and 2 were attacking most of the time!!
Just saw the pen decisions on today game on MOTD and i must say that Johnsons handball was a penalty. But Snodgrass being fouled was a stonewaller. Even steven as far as I see it.
Yes, but by saying in your original post that CH's selection was an "attacking" one, I just wondered what on earth you were comparing it with. I couldn't ever remember CH putting out a side consisting of e.g. a back 5 of Whittaker, R Bennett, Turner, Bassong, Garrido, with 4 defensive midfielders in front of them (Johnson, Fer, Tettey and say Howson), and e.g. RvW alone up front. And yesterday should surely have put paid to the idea that the two commonly believed to be told to do nothing but sit in front of the back four and defend are told anything of the sort.
I was surprised Ollson didnt make the bench or start to be honest. I think he is better than Garrido. Anyone know if he is injured or anything?
Incidentally, it is highly instructive to go onto the Saints board and read the match thread for yesterday's game. One of the most amusing things is how many Saints fans are complaining about their side doing exactly what carrabuh keeps saying we should be doing, and wanting them to do exactly what carrabuh keeps telling us we shouldn't be doing! Then again, some of their fans reacted to yesterday's defeat with the same old knee-jerks as we are all too familiar with on here: the selection was wrong, the substitutions were wrong, the tactics were wrong, MP has lost it, doesn't know what he's doing, Lambert is past it, we need to sign this that or the other. Just shows that it doesn't matter which team it is, or who's in charge, or what the circumstances, fans are just the same ...................
Yes, bipolar. My Chelski fan friend and I laugh about it. I have a theory that British people can't cope with emotion and football is the only way they can let it out.
