To be creative and create chances playing a dominant game you have to be in control of the midfield, Sandro was allowing us to control the game. *Dembele isn't a creative player, he's lost in our system at times and his introduction immediately allowed Everton to take control. You talk of systems but for a system to work it needs the correct elements and what AVB done is took away our control and Brought on a player who hardly touched the ball as Sandro going off caused us to be less in control. He should have kept Sandro on and replaced Paulinho if he wanted to remain in control and add some creativity. As for service to Soldado, the system doesn't suit his game and AVB's obsession with playing narrow and having wingers cut in simply doesn't provide service to Soldado.
ok ill rephrase it too . Take a look in the column thats shows the letters GD . That column means that you are FOURTH . Not second . there is no discussion about it . No ambiguity . You are NOT second , you are FOURTH . an unpleasant fact but you cant brush of the fact because you dont like it .
To be creative and create chances playing a dominant game you have to be in control of the midfield, Sandro was allowing us to control the game. *Dembele isn't a creative player, he's lost in our system at times and his introduction immediately allowed Everton to take control. You talk of systems but for a system to work it needs the correct elements and what AVB done is took away our control and Brought on a player who hardly touched the ball as Sandro going off caused us to be less in control. He should have kept Sandro on and replaced Paulinho if he wanted to remain in control and add some creativity. As for service to Soldado, the system doesn't suit his game and AVB's obsession with playing narrow and having wingers cut in simply doesn't provide service to Soldado.
thats cos we're glass half full over here and you dwell with the glass half empty miserable gits over there
pedantic is it ? So Man City didnt win the league at all that year . United were in fact " joint first " sorry to burst your bubble but goal difference is REAL . not deluded at all ...of course you are " joint second " bwahahahahahaha
Forgot to mention at half time how good Verts was at LB. And whilst I like seeing him at LB (compared to Naughton anyhow) I do feel that Chiriches makes things look a little shakier at times. Probably worth the risk, it seems and possibly credit to AVB for that. Really surprised barely anyone's mentioned the elbow from Soldado. Really nasty and the action of a frustrated man. Saw him put his arms up in frustration at not getting balls all game long. I think if Van Persie played in this team he'd be hard pushed to score 20 a season. A decent point overall I guess and a good away clean sheet. Only trouble is that we seem to give performances like that week in week out, regardless of opposition or home/away. It's decent enough away at Everton but it's all the rest of the time when we look solid whilst rarely threatening. Goals are such an issue now that I'm starting to agree with RWAEB that Sig is suddenly a key player or at the very least one of the first subs to consider bringing on. Cos he does at least pull the trigger. And Lennon, though a great player to have returning, is not known for his shooting and goals so having on the left where it's also harder for him to cross, you wonder if it's worth it. Lennon reduced to either cutting in from the right and shooting or taking it down the line and crossing with his left? I'd be happy with that scenario as an opposition manager. Don't understand why Defoe was not brought on.
I do apologise if I offended you, its clearly got you very worked up. I couldn't be bothered to type 'level on points with second', so I wrote 'joint second'. I'm fully aware that they are not exactly the same thing and that there is more than one team above us in the table. Now toddle along back to your own board where your puerile behaviour is appreciated EDIT: And yes it is pedantic, because you knew exactly what I meant yet still chose to make an issue out of a throw-away comment.
Had we continued to dominate I think we would've seen Eriksen but Holtby's more a of a scraper. I think AVB got his subs wrong today. If he wanted Eriksen to some on then he should've been brought on sooner. I'm not sure what Sigurdsson was brought on for I'd have brought on Lamela for Holtby or Townsend as their defence got stretched when pushing forward.
AVB did well today in setting Spurs up to control possession for the most part and to look solid at the back. Where the team is obviously lacking at present is with a geuine goal threat. Soldado is struggling as a lone striker as he looks to adapt to the PL. The play is a lot quicker and more congested than in La Liga. He can't expect one touch to control the ball and set himself and another the execute the shot. Look at Aguero for an example of a player who has come from Spain, who has adapted his skills so that he gets a shot away first time, more often than not - and to good effect.
But loads of Soldado's goals in Spain were one touch goals, so there shouldn't need to be too much adaption. The problem in my opinion is how we're set up to play, Soldado just sees very little of the ball because he's not a 'hold up' type of striker, which is essential if you're playing just one up top.
Good point, he had a good chance in the first half(I think) where he could've looked to work the 'keeper with a first time shot but once he took a touch the chance was practically gone. It would be 20.5 titles by the way
Greavesy, did you predict a draw? difficult for me to comment today as i didn't see the game, due to being on a course. However, I was reading the commentary on my iphone and looking at all of your comments throughout. Just want to highlight that graphic that was posted a few pages back regarding the average position of each player in the team. - Soldado should not be that deep or that close to holtby. Something is clearly wrong with the setup if he's having to drop that far. - i think a lot of the comments on here back that up. I see more comments over the current use of our inverted wingers - mainly lennon and it not working. - Never has, has it?! Still, we all know the issues, but it's difficult to keep criticising when we're sat joint second in the league and are playing crap. I also reckon we should get in touch with the guy from Spurs tv. We should ask him in his next interview with AVB if he can get him to describe the thinking behind his substitutions. - hopefully then, we might be put out of our misery. - Once again, judging from the comments, the changes were baffling. anyway, a point against a side who prior to today have picked up 28 points out of 30 in their last 10 home games. (I think that's the stat i saw on SSN earlier) COYS.
I think the person that posted the graphic said that it was average position when he got touches. I'd expect his average position in the first half but he made some runs off the defenders and they weren't spotted by the player on the ball. That was probably his worst game for us though.
Ageuro is dynamic and aggressive, similar to Suarez, these players are naturally suited to our game. If Soldado isn't suited to our game then I won't be blaming him, but it would help if he had support or wingers trying to find his run. Maybe the reason he takes his time is because he hardly sees the ball, so he's bound to revert to what he knows hoping he will score but he scored a superb goal against villa so I've got more faith in him. I know he isn't setting the world alight yet the system doesn't suit him regardless of his own settling issues.
Aguero's low centre of gravity and pace give him that though. Soldado doesn't have the same skill set.
