A much better performance that wasnt the performance of a bottom club that was arguably undone by poor defending and a smidge of bad luck with decisions. However, it doesn't detract from the fact we have been so poor defensively this season. I've been scratching my head as to what has happened when the back 4 was pretty much the same as last year. Is it age? Hangeland hasn't been the same, although he has been injured. Sufficed to say if we could have been tighter at the back we wouldn't be at the bottom. Any thoughts?
I thought yesterday we defended well for 70 mins or so... Hangeland was immense and had he played all season like that we would not be in that position. Heitinga was a good partner too. The issue I believe we had this season was a poor partnership between Sidwell and Parker. Kvist now is providing the cover needed for Sidwell to go forward and be more box to box. No wonder that Everton yesterday too charge of the game after he was gone. Another observation, Dejagah was great and scored immediately. He then should have changed side to the right to play alongside with Riether while Kasami should have moved to the left. This instead of trying to repeat the same move with the Everton defenders closing him down. I left the ground disappointed but also positive. There was a fighting spirit and the team was moving the ball well. Richardson was very good once again causing all sort of trouble. There were also signs that there is work happening in training.
I have not seen many full games this season so I can only comment on what I have seen. The stats do not lie, we have an atrocious goal difference and whilst we have not had much luck in front of goal, defensively we have been poor. Losing Brede to injury disrupted the back four as did the down turn in form and fitness of Aaron Hughes. These 2 collectively had a great understanding of each other's abilities and weaknesses. Amorebieta and Senderos have been willing stand ins but they have not shone too brightly. Amorebieta seems to have struggled a bit to life in the prem. The biggest weaknesses from the few games I have seen have been in both full back positions. We all know me agree that JAR gives it his all but has seen much better days, he was terrorised by delofeu at the weekend. As for Riether, he seems to have lost a bit of his spark. He is certainly slower than last season and gets caught out of position ball watching and often was way too far up he pitch. With regards to the full backs, there has been very little competition for places and this has caused a bit of complacency and a lack of that extra something. This has had an affect on the centre backs too. Too much change in the central defence and not enough from the full backs has led to us being easy to predict for opposition managers. If I was managing a team against us I plan the team on the basis on fast wingers playing high up the pitch and a clever striker to play in between the centre back as there would be confusion as to who was marking who. It would be great to see dan burn and Brede playing next season, I thought they looked good together. As for full backs, the right back for Sheffield United, I think it was john brayford ( on loan from cardiff ) was superb, young and full of attacking flair would be great. The left back spot, who knows, may be Felix could tap into the German market.
Froggy has it in two: 1) Both full back positions 2) Lack of a defensive midfielder Associated with the second of those is Steve Sidwell. Fantastic enthusiasm and and totally committed but bereft of any positional sense. Danny Murphy couldn't/wouldn't play with him and in the last couple of seasons neither could anybody else when partnered with him as a midfield duo of two.
Kvist and Sidwell seems to work, based on most comments on this board. No? With Grimmer and Passley waiting for their chances on the right, I think left back is the big, obvious gap in our line up.
Yes, I'd agree. In fact wish Felix had given them more time together in earlier games. And on Sunday taking Kvist off I believe was a mistake.
