The team stopped believing under MON, it looked like the players no longer wanted to play for him - ultimately it was that that got him the rather than his win % imo The players still look they want to play under poyet, and poyet looks like he has a plan and a plan b whereas MON, in the last couple of months, looked lost
What is Poyet's plan b? Just curious because ive not really seen it. Our plan to me is set up to stop the other team scoring if we nick a goal great, drop deep concede stupid goal, take the point. We go a goal up and just go to pot. That downing goal was embarrassing, I said 5 seconds before. Here we go man city all over again they're gonna score here. Retreat to the 18 yard line and put no pressure on the ball.
You dont see it all the time (in every game), but Poyet has shown he is willing to change the team around when things arent going as planned. Do I always agree with what he does? maybe not, but there has been a few games where I thought "what the **** has he done that for" only for the changes to make the difference - even if the difference is getting a draw rather that a loss. Considering the strikers he has had to work with, the injuries to Giacc, Alvarez and our wing backs, Poyet has still being steadily improving the way we play. the chances we are creating is getting better. Having a team that is hard to beat is necessary for us to move forward, its not very inspiring when we arent scoring but I believe we are getting there. Poyet himself said that a lack of wing backs is hurting - Vergini is a good defender but is not a crosser of the ball and Rev is right footed so it is hard for him to get forward and cross it. Get Jones back in and playing at RB, and/or loan/buy another true LB this January would make a big difference imo. Giacc on the LW and Wickham playing through the middle would help even more.
Why would you have seen a plan B? He's still implementing plan A. Think he needs to finish plan A first, it's not like he's been given 50m to implement it. What's the point of scrapping a plan half way through? Would you rather us leak goals while we try to get it right in the final third? Sounds like you don't trust him enough to finish what he's started. There's no magic wand, graft and time brings the magic. I'm a long way from getting on his back. Once Congerton has helped Gus evolve his attacking options, then I'll discuss plan B if A hasn't worked. Looking at last season surely people could see the size of the task Gus had, what's changed apart from a lack of patients from fans? In a preseason and 16 games he's turned us from calamitous bottlers to organised warriors. I call that great progress myself and I'm not going to get on his back while he finishes what he's started I trust Gus. The only plan B should be implemented in the transfer market and that's Short putting his hands in his pocket or it will make the job even longer.
The plan b was in reference to Dan mentioning it. It was regarding in game situations not his overall plan for the team. Im just presenting an argument not getting on his back. All great sides are built from the back I acknowledge that and how he has implemented that part of the system. My point is that if Gus was a bit bolder we'd have won a few more games this season. He did wonders keeping us up but I wouldnt go so far as to say he's overachieving right now. I called when the righting was on the wall for Bruce and O'neill pretty spot on. Its not inconceivable that Poyet's neck could be on the chopping block in 4-5 games time. I hope not obviously.
Problem with O'Neill is that those overall stats just aren't representative. He was great to begin with. Made us look like an utterly effective counter attacking team. The second part of his time here we looked inept at going forward and soaked up pressure for 90 minutes. We looked hard to break down but had nothing in terms of a bite going forward. We were utterly woeful. Poyet lies consistently somewhere in between MON at his best and at his worst. Which I believe is fine as a starting block. If we don't progress in a couple of years maybe we begin to consider our options but for now he's doing the hard work needed and though I'm utterly bored by how we're playing I'm happy enough.
Agreed, though I feel Gus' frustration could be down to the players not being bold enough. Gus' problem for me is that his selections and not tweaking to keep the balance. But he's still young and learning.
It is far too soon to be calling for his head, but if he sticks rigidly to one plan or system that is not working, he will pay the price, its how football works at this level. In Gus we trust, but it is not blind faith, and he is finding it harder than envisaged to sort out the front six, this run up to the transfer window is going to be interesting, lets hope for a couple of wins to ease ours, and his concerns.
I think you are right, Poyet sets up not to get beat by playing a deep back four , he does go to win the game late on by taking a higher line, but the first priority is not to get beat. Personally I haven't got a problem with that, my issue, and it was obvious to me comparing us with West Ham on Saturday, is the distance between our banks of four are too tight. West Ham had a good twenty yards between their lines and Song exploited that gap, it also meant that there was no pressure on the ball when they played it out from the back so their centre backs could be a bit more creative than ours. I watch Poyet week in week out, screaming at them to push up and get their distances right but for some reason they don't, so its no surprise that he is frustrated, I just wish he would keep his comments in the changing room rather than in the media. Edit: By the way I hope Poyet stays with us for many years and we develop to the next level with him.
