please log in to view this image Rodgers is a thumb tugger and LVG is loving it. As a Gooner, it's reassuring to see these two nutters in charge of your clubs
As much as LVG has his faults I wouldn't swap him for Wenger in a million years. Probably bcos it would take a million years just to get rid of him
Yes. Go watch the start of last season then return to this post. If you can't see the improvement then God help you (he won't, but that's another debate). Not just points tallies either. We were a shocking club 12 months ago. In all areas. That is not the case now.
Agreed, very frustrating, especially Herrera in the first half who looked like he was being stifled. Good result though and can only hope that Fellaini is never used on his own up front again.
To be honest UIR there is not that much of a difference. Yes we have a far better midfield but there remains no cutting edge which is disappointing. Last season we were still controlling much of the possession without really testing the keeper and I don't see that much has changed. Defensively we have improved but I put that down to an improved midfield. Still it is still very early in the season and so hopefully things will pick up.
being frustrated in football is no bad thing. It means your club is doing something. Contrast that with Liverpools fans who certainly weren't frustrated. They were numb. They didn nothing to be frustrated about.
Begs the question why we didn't buy a proven striker in the summer? I would have been happy starting with Young - Depay (up front) - Mata. Or go with Depay - Martial - Mata. I don't blame Depay solely for his poor game today. No striker meant he was stifled. And why not play him up front? And if not him, why not Martial. And if not Martial it brings me back to my original question - why didn't we buy a proven striker who could. Regardless of Rooney's injury, I always felt it unrealistic to expect him to carry the team over 50+ games in 4 competitions. Fellaini up front just doesn't have the skill set to play as a striker. He isn't sharp enough.
12 months ago we weren't. The side was very much still learning to control the games and even when we had high possession, we were being attacked at will. That is quite obviously no longer the case, we effectively control both sides and dictate how the game will be played. We do not get attacked at will. The improvement in defence and midfield are huge. There's control. Everyone knows what they are doing, players move and now cover if another makes a run. There's none of those heart attack inducing moments like last season. Defensively and in midfield we have improved big time. Yes, in attack we are lacking but can those naysayers offer an alternative, buy a new striker (who), don't play Fellaini (then who) etc etc. There's plenty of positives. Some just choose to concentrate on the few remaining negatives. The tide is turning though, on here and elsewhere. Football shouldn't be about being miserable. Where's the enjoyment in that? Being positive doesn't mean you see nothing wrong. Its just better, In every way.
To me there is definitely an improvement. In the defence and in the DM at least. But the thing that frustrates me most is this perceived reticence to make that penetrating decisive pass in case we lose possession. The players look as if they are playing with a ball chain attached to their ankles. ' I don't want to make that dribble or that pass in case I lose the ball and I'll be crucified and dropped by LVG' . Well that's the rumour anyway. So to me we have got the players now. It is time to let realise their full potential. We have the best GK , the best FBs, the best holding midfielders and some of the best attackers. If they are allowed to play and take risks they could even challenge city, who knows?
Which proven striker. You've been asked numerous times buy numerous posters and have no answer. Who were we supposed to buy? It's very easy to say we should have done this or that. It's much harder to go into detail. Pick a big name. Well, let's say... Falcao. A pretty big name. We tied that. Failed, massively. What about van Persie, we should have kept hi,, as back up. Except he didn't want to sit on the bench. Non starter. Hernandez maybe.... Are you having a laugh. That's the three we sold dealt with. Who could we have bought then. Which strikers moved that would have fit the bill. Benteke? No thanks. Austin? Dot think he's the answer in all fairness. A decent back up option perhaps but then again, we could have just got Ings for that. we need a striker. Everyone knows that. Nobody knows who though. It's not a strikers market at all.
That has as much to do with the players confidence as it does the tactics. Once these risks start paying off, they will be inclined to take more. They myth that van gaal stifles creativity is hilarious. He encourages it. It takes confidence though and at times our attackers seem devoid of it. When it came of last season we started to see it more and more often, the same will happen this season. City will stumble too. This title is nowhere near over, despite what the media say.
I consider myself an optimist by nature and whilst I can see some of the improvements that you mention I am still dismayed by our failure to address our deficiency up front whilst letting so many assets go. That said I'm very encouraged by Martial who I hope will offer an alternative that has been sadly lacking.
I think we've definitely improved, in every department bar striker. We really did need to buy that striker though, today proved that. There was no focal point or outlet, everything up to the last twenty yards or so is great then they're looking for a target, not seeing one, and cutting back and it all breaks down. Fellaini is not that target. He couldn't trap a bag of mince, he's got zero finesse. No one can tell me that someone like Charlie Austin would not be a way better bet than Fellaini up front. It was a mistake not buying him but otherwise we look good. It'll more than likely stop us winning something though unfortunately.
Hilarious how **** Liverpool are but that does not detract from a very good win, regardless of what they might try to kid themselves.
I thought Clyne was one of the few players to play reasonably well for Liverpool and it may have been wise to switch Depay around mid game to see if that helped. It seems that LVG expects his players to make the necessary changes without his intervention during a match which seems a bit barking as if he can see it surely he can get a message out on the pitch. To be honest though I would have taken our results if offered at the start of the season and so am quite comfortable in our progress.
Hmmm.. we've done the same against Swansea, Newcastle and Spurs. Now part of that was Rooney's fault, but it was also the same checking back and passing sideways. The same as last season. There's also an argument to be had in defending Rooney for wondering about simply bcos he's not getting the passes/service either. Much as there was the same suggestion against Falcao last season. Personally I think it's a bit of both. No focal point, we needed to buy a proven striker. But also some of our missed opportunities to take advantage of territorial advantage when we have it through our lack of pace going forward (and I'm not just talking about pacy players, I mean being able to move the ball forward quickly).
Think back to those assets we have lost. Is not actually that big of a loss. Falcao. Pointless. Van Persie. So slow, always off the pace and to expensive to sit on his arse. Hernandez. Pathetic. Good riddence. So in reality we have lost nothing up front except bodies. Bodies don't win games or score goals. We've added a Depay and Martial. Potential yes but they are likely to out score the above. Far to much made of our attacking situation. Nowhere near as desperate as is being made out.
