Match Day Thread +++++Man Utd v Saints Friday 19th August 8pm+++++

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Hey, ginf that opening statement very contradictory. The system does not suit us but we have had 37 shots. I think the issue is that every player has Steve Davis sponsored shooting boots - not the system. There will be s game soon when er have 3 shots and score 3 goals, will that be the system or will it because our strikers are confident and strike the ball cleanly

Depends on two things Toss Saints:
1) Where are the shots we are creating coming from? Are they shots from the floor less than six yards out, or mainly headers and shots from outside the box? Obviously the closer to goal you are, and the more space between you and defenders you have at the time of the shot, the higher value it is as it's got a greater chance of going in.
2) How good you're 'finishers' naturally are. E.g. Are we putting away as many as we should from the said shooting positions?

My beliefs are that we are doing a lot of good work in the middle of the park, dominating games. However, in the final third we are creating in general lots of lower value chances which are inflating the shots number, and on top of that our finishing (due to current personnel) is also of slightly lower standard than it has been for 2-3 seasons.
 
FFS... people are saying we didn't create. We ****ing did. Maybe not lots, but create we did.

Seriously - of course it wasn't a goal it was offside - I'm not ****ing thick, but it was a chance created otherwise there wouldn't have been the opportunity.

**** it. I'm off this place for a while. The negativity is ****ing ridiculous at times. Enjoy yourselves.
You will be back on, you can't help yourself:emoticon-0159-music:emoticon-0105-wink:
 
I give up. We created some chances. You completely ignored my point about the offside goal, which is just being awkward mate. For us to get to there it means we created the chance - I didn't say it was a goal.

Some of you just wallow in negativity, so I'll leave you to it. Enjoy.

Actually I think I am realist. What I do know is when you start posting negative posts about the team, players and the board we really will be in trouble. Your positivity is truly motivational
 
Through ball to Long clean through, a bit more composure/on his right foot we might score, there's a chance.
Cross from the right, Long header across goal, there's a chance.
 
We've had 37 shots in two games (?) so it's not like we're blunt and aren't getting sight of goal. We're just not finding the net enough at the moment.

It may take time. The season is two games old and one of the opponents was Manchester United - who look seriously impressive.

(Yes, I'd like to see another frontman too but I can see why they may not bother - but if so, we need a #10 or someone who can play wide when needed)
 
There's the making of a really good spine in that team, I'm really excited. I think Claude will learn as he goes along, but already he looks like a good leader of the group.
Hope Ryan is back for Sunderland, could be very enjoyable!
 
Positives were the performances of Hojbjerg and Targett, for me.
Hojbjerg seems to make space for himself, with consummate ease, and I love the way he is prepared to run with the ball, hence my not liking him as a deep midfielder in a diamond. Within minutes of Romeu going off, and Pierre dropping "deep", he was upfield, alongside Targett in an attacking position. :emoticon-0104-surpr

Targett, despite patronised by the commentator (He's doing his best to cover for Bertrand - or something similar) did very well, IMO. Valencia beat him once, I believe, in the entire game, and he got in some timely challenges as well.

And on the subject of Valencia, were any of his throw ins legal? Or has the law changed so that the ball no longer needs to be released from behind your head?
 
There's the making of a really good spine in that team, I'm really excited. I think Claude will learn as he goes along, but already he looks like a good leader of the group.
Hope Ryan is back for Sunderland, could be very enjoyable!

Come back FLT. Not everyone's negative. Bloody absurd reaction from some. Man Utd will win or getting bleeding close to winning the league. We gave them a game. WTF did you expect. Not unhappy, and not just because of the hockey win!
 
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We've had 37 shots in two games (?) so it's not like we're blunt and aren't getting sight of goal. We're just not finding the net enough at the moment.

It may take time. The season is two games old and one of the opponents was Manchester United - who look seriously impressive.

(Yes, I'd like to see another frontman too but I can see why they may not bother - but if so, we need a #10 or someone who can play wide when needed)

Not all shots created are of equal value DTLW. I'm pretty happy overall as we're doing a lot of the basics right, I just think that it's obvious that we're weak at a) creating high value chances in the final third, and b) executing those chances at the moment. Nothing a signing or two before the window closes won't fix.

I'm also not saying 'we'll get relegated' or anything extreme. I'm just stating that at the moment, we're a little weaker than we were before. e.g. 8th-12th place finish rather than 6th.
 
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In two-thirds of the pitch, I thought we were fine tonight. Passed the ball so, so much better than against Watford. Generally looked quite calm and in control. But in the front third... Couldn't shoot, slowed down attacks too often, didn't test De Gea enough, got a regular feeling of square pegs in round holes. Long was poor, Austin was used bizarrely, and we missed Bertrand going forward.

But Utd away? Losing 2-0 is hardly the end of the world. So much better than the Watford performance.