Thats not the benchmark and probably never will be for our club. We not competing to win the Premier League and Champions League We are trying to get back where we was under Martin O'Neill where we was challenging for the top 8 in the Prem and was in Europe. Tough ask but thats our potential for the club of our size without massive investment
True - whch is why I expect them to make several changes - yet still be of considerable quality ... ... yes it was useful - but it was also the most likely 'cup upset' of the night, given Fulham's recent run of form ... we also conceded 3 goals which is worrying - Karagounis fair enough, but our defending for the other two goals was pretty awful ... I'm hoping that Nigel sticks with the back four that played against Watford - the Wes and Was show looks to be developing well and our young full-backs, although a little raw at times, have that confidence of youth ..
I'd agree, it wasn't exactly flying colours letting in 3, but a good achievement seeming our wage bill is probably nowhere near Fulhams.
First goal was offside, 2nd was poor mentally from us and we had just scored to go 3-1 up so we switched off. 3rd was a great strike. Watford had at least 2 chances that you would expected them to have taken. Anya missed badly after some great build up play while Deeney missed pretty much an open goal after Schmeichel for some reason went and got himself caught in no mans land Defensively we was better last season is the funny thing but we more gritty this season and no how to hold games out
Yeah, i think Schmeichel looked a little panicked on Saturday, was making similar mistakes as the PO semi final, luckily they didn't have the form to convert.
They was talking about "sweeper keepers" the other week on match of the day. Hugo Lloris is regarded as one of if not the best sweeper keeper in the world. They said out of 10 times of sweeping up 9 times it will work and on the 10th time it will cost you. When it cost you, you can either get rounded conceding either a goal or clattering the striker and getting a red card. But you save more goals doing this then you concede. Take the Bournemouth keeper last week he stayed on his line and should of come out, he didnt and Vardy nipped in and got us the 3 points. So Kasper knows the benefits and risks of being a sweeper keeper but im sure Nigel is more then happy for Kasper to play the sweeper keeper even if it will cost us from time to time
... won't come as much of a surprise that I disagree - the benchmark IMO is always to measure yourselves against your oponents, whoever, whenever - and come up with a plan to exploit their weaknesses and beat them ... Bradford did this against Villa (over two legs) and Arsenal last season ... doubt their team talk had many 'nevers' in it .. ... this season has seen Villa win at Arsenal, West Brom win at Man United, Cardiff beat Man City and Newcastle beating Chelsea ... prime examples ...
... again comes down to a difference in mentality ... a football game is a football game is a football game ... go out, perform, win it. Brian Clough took Nottingham Forest from what was the Championship equivalent to win the Premier League equivalent the following season (and the League Cup to boot). Now people will say that could never be done nowadays - and perhaps it can't - but it's also true that nobody thought it could be done then either. My point is that if you impose your own limitations from the outset and make your goal nothing more than mediocrity then that is what you will get - Brian Clough never did - my philiosopphy I hope, is similar - the future begins now - start aiming for success and stabiliy in the Prem from now, not 'once we get there' - otherwise our stay there (should we make it) is likely to be rather short.
@JasonBourne1986: #LCFC U21 boss Steve Beaglehole says "The winning mentality is through the club. In my 13 years here it's the best period I've known." @JasonBourne1986: He went on to say: "There's a group of players here that want to win games. That's come down from the manager. He's instilled that in them."