Yeah, I probably agree with that. You can maybe put some of the blame for our poor set piece defending on him but there's not really anything specific he did wrong today. Unless he insisted Archer had to take the penalty.
Well he's never managed a good defence in his career to date so I'd suggest it's clearly a problem area for him. Even his biggest fans would admit that I suspect.
You can blame him for the lack of chances we create though. His style means we never put the ball in the box. Every chance we have to cross (or shoot) we turn and pass or try and beat the same defender 6 times. For a long time I have thought a more experienced, pragmatic manager could get more out of our players and I still feel the same. I don’t want to change the manager though as I feel we need some consistency. But where is the next win coming from playing with this suicidal style?
Chance creation hasn't been a problem in the past two matches though. Created 3 clear cut ones in first half at Brentford and 2 in first half today. Ipswich next week is very winnable.
It wasn't really the defenders who cost us. I lost count of how many last ditch sliding tackles and blocks off the line they were making today. We are just simply getting overwhelmed by teams playing such aggressive high lines against us. We can't play over, around or through them, and that's an issue with the midfielders and forwards, more than the defenders.
The first two goals came from set pieces though so wasn't us being overwhelmed by an aggressive press at all. We were just incredibly passive in defending them due to our heads dropping from the missed pen and for the first Stephens was ball watching and so kept everyone onside.
Yep, set-pieces are still a problem but the playing out with 4 at the back was better I think. It was poor for the captain to be the one to keep them onside for their first goal.
True. But as soon as they went 1-0 up, we never got a look in. They stepped their defence up, and it became a training ground exercise for them. They should have scored 6 or 7. The worry is that any manager worth his salt knows this is how to beat us. We have no answer to it. We're not even trying any long balls into the channels, which is the absolute go-to tactic for sh*t teams being pressed.
I'm still not convinced by that. We looked wide open on transitions like we did most of last season and after the switch to 4 at Brentford. United had 8 shots on target in the first half which apparently is their most in a first half for five years. Certainly looked better going forward though. Think it was after Forest I said I think we'll struggle with balance this season.
Oh yeah I 100% agree with you in general and have made the same points before. Particularly about not mixing it up to give teams something to think about. Just don't think it particularly applied to what lost us the game today.
He showed signs of learning today and got a much improved 35 mins out of it, unfortunately we bottled after the penalty. Result was dissapointing but I dont think its a 'manager out' moment. Ipswich is huge for RM and us though, lose that and the pressure really is on. Early doors but I am not sure what any manager could do to fix us in front of goal with the options we have available, unless Archer is just experiencing some early nerves.
The only thing I would blame RM for, today, is our continued inability to defend set pieces. First two goals came from us not closing down players in the first phase following a corner and this has been a weakness for too long to remember. I can’t blame RM for Stephens playing three Utd players onside for the first goal nor can I blame him for THB being 5 yards behind the rest of the defence playing Dalot onside for the third goal. As a whole the defence threw their bodies on the line with blocks but far too much seat of the pants defending for my liking.
Well stats wise he's more than on his way. Wasn't Jones 3 points in 8 games? So Martin has Ipswich Bournemouth Arsenal Leicester Will he be able to get more points than the master tactician? No
It was interesting watching Malaga this evening - 1-0 up with 15 mins to play, they put a second big striker on to give the defence an out ball to relieve the pressure. it worked too.
Nearly time for Moyes!!! Experienced PL manager and IMO would get more out of the current squad. A PL side needs a PL manager, not one with Championship ideas.
