Totally agree, pissing in and around the box with very little penetration is not unlucky it is ineptitude and has been costing us recently, particularly at home.
Great post and agree with every word. If we can learn to break down stubborn teams like that then there's no real limit to what we can achieve. Also agree re. long/direct. Also that certainly won't work away to a Pulis side next week. I've said for a few weeks now I'd like to see 3-5-2 to return.
There you go LTL & FLT - lots of backwards n forwards but we got there and agreed (sort of) in the end
Yes, I would like to see: ................................Forster............................... .......Fonte..........Alderwiereld........Yoshida....... Clyne ........Schneiderlin........Wanyama.......Bertrand ........................JWP/Davis/Tadic/Djuricic.............. ..................Long/Elia ..............Mane/Pelle....... Also leaves a strong bench, whichever of those options we choose.
That's why I like it when there are lots of replies... it isn't easy to get someone's view within one or even two posts, especially in the written word and even more so when we think it contradicts our own ideas. The only thing we missed out was abusing each other and name calling. You *$&!
I like the look of that team, I've been saying since before QPR away. I think we look more of a threat and it suits the midfielders we have. Mane has to start next week for me. Try the 3-5-2 for the next 2 games and see how we get on then decide if we're brave enough to play it at the bridge
Fair enough FLT, we will have to agree to disagree. It would be interesting to hear Forster's point though. Goalkeepers do not like to be beaten from any distance. No my second name isn't Banks, although he was a friend.........
Unfortunately the number of decent refs can be counted on one hand. Each week a number of the leftovers will be doled out to the other games. I was surprised that a 5/7 game would get a poor ref. Disappointingly these poor refs are coming at a time when we can't score enough to make up for them. Once we see d'urso as our ref we will no we have reached bottom and are due a decent one.
Any mathematicians out there? I'm not but I calculate that at 34 yards out and with ball travelling at 54 mph it would have taken 1.2 secs to travel from boot to goal line. Must admit that at first I agreed with Beddy that FF was a tad tardy but if my calculations are correct I'm not so sure! That said, compared to top class tennis players reactions to a smaller ball travelling at over 100 mph over a shorter distance maybe he's right...here's sitting on the fence
First one Forster could've done absolutely zilch about, no goalkeeper past or present is doing anything about that. Don't know why the second isn't being mentioned, I admit I've only seen it twice as I can hardly tolerate further viewings, but it was by no means in the corner and Forster got a hand to it but couldn't keep it out despite it not exactly being a thunderbolt. That pretty much killed the game and didn't allow us to really build any pressure, I know people like to carry on throwing out the 'We wouldn't have scored in a 1000 years' line, but we might still have nicked a point if we kept it 1-0 going down to the wire. Have to say I'm gradually becoming less satisfied with Fraser as the season goes on, but he can still improve so hey-ho. Also don't agree with going 3-5-2 as an answer to teams who are just going to defend, think about it from a purely personnel viewpoint, to add extra attacking menace we're going to basically replace a winger with a CB? If we want two up top, with Mane or Long playing off Pelle, don't see why we wouldn't just go 4-4-2 (or to tie it up in a more fashionable bow - 4-2-2-2).
The first goal Forster had no chance. You give someone like Coutinho that much space you are inviting a shot. Should have been closed down alot earlier. Personally I think Pelle needs to be dropped to the bench for a couple of games. You can see it is frustrating him not scoring which isnt helping. Start of the season he was thinking about his passes and shots, last few games it all seems a bit rushed and "I will score". He probably needs a bit of a rest, yes he is our only current target man but he has played almost every game. I also think we were a bit silly not to make a move in the window for another 'Pelle' type player so he has come competition. He knows at the moment he is a always going to be one of the first on the team sheet.
Yeah don't think it's been said but Vic really is the only person who can take any blame for that one, got sucked right across to one side when we already had a 2v1 out there leaving the space for Coutinho. Minor mistake and unfortunate that Coutinho punished him for it, but a mistake all the same.
I am a goalkeeper and goalkeeper coach and any blame placed on forster is utterly ridiculous. The first was as the summariser put it "right in the postage stamp". Forster got a hand to it because he is a big bastard but it would have been one of the best saves in history if he had got that! He actually gets a hand to most things but I dont think that neccesarily means he should save all of them. A smaller keeper like Foster or Guzan probably would have got no where near the ones he gets to but because he gets a hand to them it looks like he should save them. The 2nd was more saveable but again, lashed from close range and took 2 deflections. One thing he does struggle with is getting down quickly which is as a result of his size. Rant over
West Brom v Saints Referee: Phil Dowd And, this will cheer people up, Saints v Palace: Martin Atkinson
Depends on how you view that. With 3 CBs the two full backs virtually become wingers, so one could easily argue that you gain an attacking player. 4 defenders or three defenders??
