People say that RVW seems to be struggling, but cast your minds back a few years to another Dutchman that struggled and didn't score for the first 8 games, I think it was. A certain Mr. Bergkamp, and looked what happened after that.
Against Southampton RVW would of had two goals if Redmond and Whittaker decided to pass it, a lot of games you see him in space screaming for the ball, our midfielders seem to like a shot that's not exactly a bad thing but I'd like them to try and thread the ball into the box at free players a lot more. The opportunity to create goalscoring chances are there but our players don't know what to do with the ball though they overplay it and loose it I'd say we're a very indecisive team in that area, there was an interesting statistic earlier for attempts on goal we're 19th in the league but we're 6th for % of passes completed in opposition half more surprisingly we're the 2nd team to spend the most time in the oppositions final third!
I read an article on the BBC website earlier about what's in a player's contract! Apparently an awful lot of them are on huge bonus payments if they score, so they selfishly shoot and hope rather than pass to a player in a better position!
Crazy but it could explain quite a few things, I can understand forwards having them I'd imagine quite a lot of midfielders would have them though, they have to contribute with a few goals but having an assist bonus's would be a lot better.
Some have both but the goal pays so much more than the assist! Apparently some in the MLS have bonuses for a second assist when you've passed it to someone who gets an assist!
I have no doubt Barry is somewhat ******ed, but the the point is after we scored the game was a turgid affair with very little attacking quality, stoke being even worse. It was a very solid workmanlike affair, not very different to the victories and defeats that proceded. Tettey was fantastic.
Rvw will come good, it's gonna take him time to get used to the league here plus we need learn his game Hooper will adapt quicker in all probability as the spl is closer to the premier league than the portugese league
I didn't think we played as well today as we did last week when we got nothing.I can only assume Stoke had an off day.I think it was one shot on target after 80 minutes.I had a good feeling about this one though.I can't remember the last time I predicted us for an away win.
i think we played pretty close to as well as we did last week - just goes to prove that sometimes you win them, sometimes not! it's pretty obvious that this league is filled with sides who are closely matched - it doesn't take much for a side to lose a game they should really have won or vice versa, and that makes the panicking after any defeat truly ridiculous and uncalled for at this stage of the season
I know it's only 6 games in but this season feels like it's going to be a bit of a strange one. Obviously with the big change at Man U it was always going to be a harder league to predict but Man City and Chelsea have both faltered while Pool, Arsenal and Spurs have all done very well. Then you throw in S'ton who are 4th (Some how) and Hull who are 7th, Man U down in 12th! It's likely by the end of the season normality will have been restored but it'd be really nice if the top 4 this season was completely different from last years. When was the last time that happened?!
You would expect it it to be better catered towards a players position, saying that in the past decade or so there has been a big emphasis on attacking midfielders or wingers also playing as wide forwards etc. I just hope our midfielders will analyse what they are doing more and bring RVW into games more, familiarity will probably help a great deal with the training etc.
I think some of it has to be down to luck, which will even out over the season. Hull have won two games so far 1-0, and both have been due to penalty decisions which on another day might not have been given. Take those out and they're down to 6 points, and about where you'd expect to find them in the table. If you look at Southampton, they've played WBA (A), Sunderland (H), us (A), West Ham (H), Liverpool (A) and Palace (H). 3 if not 4 of those have been touted reasonably frequently as relegation candidates, with Liverpool the only game you wouldn't expect them to be capable of getting something from.
Good enough to keep Garrido out of the first team for a while, in my opinion. Stoke never got a look in the whole game, which is partially testament to the way our back four played and partially down to the fact they were crap. Dealt with Penant when he came on in the 2nd half. Got forward when he could and put in some decent crosses.
I think that is probably right.I made the point last week that of our six opponents to date all reside in the top half of the table(Stoke even were before Saturday's round).Southampton have only lost to us.I suppose you could argue that we have contributed to their positions by losing to them but I think that it will take a few more games for things to sort out at either end of the table.Give it say twelve.My view on Man U is that it's too early to say that they have blown it.Probably the toughest fixtures of the expected contenders and they are only six points off the pace.Citeh losing games to unfancied sides is probably more worrying and I can't understand why they are favourites.
west brom were third in november last year. it takes time for the league to balance out. i agree 12 games is about right to assess it
have yet to see the highlights, but what i can gather through match reports, the newly-groomed pilkington had a good game. that is great to hear as it provides real competition to redmond and snodgrass, and can hopefully add to our goal-threat as he has a good scoring record for us
I thought Pilkington was very good yesterday. Really pleasing to see him causing Stoke problems. Nice to have proper competition for a starting place on the left side of midfield.
