Vertonghen's a centre-half though, Notso. He fills in there for his country, but it's not his best position, by any means. He was up for the first one, but Huddlestone's back filling in. Not very well, unfortunately. What was wrong with his positioning on the second? How far back are you going?
Fair comments Roo, for sure we have problems all over the pitch, but the main problem is the bloke in the dug out. His three most obvious faults this season are IMHO, not playing Ade enough and not playing Ade and Defoe together enough, persisting with Dempsey when he's needed a rest, and persisting with Brad when Lloris our goalkeeping future, or was, the damaged situation now may be irreversible. Those three he is going to get hammered again and again on while results are going against us. It all looked so rosy v Maribor, Lloris in goal, Ade and JD up front together, Clint on the bench, the crowd onside, then as I and many feared, he ****ed it all up again with his selections v City Incidentally the games Brad kept us in it with save after save were Norwich WBA and QPR, in all three games Brad's inability to get off his line and command the area cost us vital goals, two resulting the loss of four precious points. I'm confident that with Lloris in goal we would have the matched the disappointing 5 points we got from those three home games, I'd say we'd more likely have got 6 than 4 indeed.
Maybe not a quarter lol. Of those 10 league games, I think he's only started 5. Dempsey has started all but one of his league games (Reading away). Though don't get me wrong, I've said how disappointed I've been of Sigurdsson, like you say, there's been no signs of promise from him but I just feel that he needs perhaps 2 or 3 more starts in the league for us to be able to fully judge. Lets be honest... Whenever has a set piece specialist actually performed well here? Bale, Rafa, Bentley were all supposedly specialists until coming here. All jokes aside, I think the club needs to look at whoever is dealing with set-pieces and why we've been so poor from them because it's not just been under AVB or Harry, we're looking as far back as Jol and Ramos too. A lot of the saves Brad has made though have been comfortable... It's not like he's produced Gomes-esque (blimey, referring to a positive note on Gomes for a change) saves on a consistent basis. I can't think of too many wonder saves. He's spread himself well at times to get good blocks and made the odd stretch to palm away a few shots but it's to be expected from a top keeper, mistakes against NCFC, WBA, WAFC, CFC etc aren't expected.
Maicon wins a header v Bale and plays the pass in City's half, it goes over JV's head who is just in our half, but 10yds up on the back4 line, Caulker has to leave his position to cover, Sandro has to drop in for Caulker, so thats half the defence shape all at sea before we start! Maicon continues his run a good 15/20yds behind JV, yet runs past him by the time they reach our box.
Maicon wins a header v Bale and plays the pass in City's half, it goes over JV's head who is just in our half, but 10yds up on the back4 line, Caulker has to leave his position to cover, Sandro has to drop in for Caulker, so thats half the defence shape all at sea before we start! Maicon continues his run a good 15/20yds behind JV, yet runs past him by the time they reach our box. We'd had two near misses from that side prior to the goal, if JV was tired, taking both into consideration, wtf was he doing so far out of position.
I'd agree about his positioning after Bale loses the header, but he's pushed up because City have two men against about 7 of ours. He then leaves Maicon's run, as the Brazilian goes wandering off into an offside position, before drifting out miles wide. By this point we're playing 3 centre-halves and the Belgian's nominally a wing-back, so Sandro's not covering for him, he's covering for whoever was left-most of Dawson, Gallas and Caulker.
you're absolutely right on the selections. i think we all would like to see ade and defoe on the pitch at the same time. but you have to remember just how much AVB's hands have been tied due to injuries. to blame him is unfair. yes, he's made mistakes which we're all good at pointing out in hindsight, but he's had very little option in most cases. for me, the only glaring changes that are needed are Gallas out Dempsey out Huddlestone out. replace them with 3 other players and that's probably the best we could do at the moment. the options from the bench aren't great. most are defensive or inexperienced, so what else does the guy do? it's impossible to say that Lloris would have saved the efforts that brad didn't. for all we know, we could have conceded other chances with Lloris that brad has saved. It's too difficult to talk to you about this topic at the moment GH10, because you're too biased and are looking for any excuse to praise Lloris and criticise Brad. I want Lloris in goal too for reason's i've already pointed out, but my initial point on this was that brad is being used as a scapegoat, when infact the other 10 outfield players appear to not be able to keep a ball between them for even 50% of a 90 min game, even at home. the goalkeeprs is there to protect the goal from danger, not mop up the **** that 10 other players invite towards him. Think back to the summer GH10. you criticised ENIC for so much. I think this is still where the problem lies, but unfortunately you've turned your head towards AVB. if he'd have got the resources he needed, it'd could well be a different story. last min deals, last min "no" deals, unforeseen injuries, 2 signings that have been a huge let down in an area we need the most, insufficient cover, and the same players having to play each week as a result. is any of that AVB's fault? after seeing your comments in the summer over ENIC, it puzzles me how they aren't at the top of your "most wanted" list and AVB is, to be honest. that's why sig was number four for me SOS he needs a couple more games agreed, but I don't expect any change. he's had enough games IMO to show us something and he hasn't yet.
I can condense all that...a mess because JV was out of position! The ball Maicon won was coming at him, so we were pressing forward, JV was tired, and as you say carrying a knock, therefore JV had no need or reason to be that advanced, highlighted by Maicon turning defence into attack, and catching JV out of position. Dzeko took a position in space...JV's space! to receive the outball from Maicon, its as simple as that for me.
It's not his position to be in, Notso! There are supposed to be 3 centre-backs there and City only have two players forward, so the wing-backs are supposed to be further forward. Naughton, Huddlestone and Vertonghen are virtually in a line.
It didn't look like we were playing 3 at the back? Gallas was at RB I thought. Naughton (inexplicably) replaced Lennon so was further up, but was supposed to be.
An unacceptable performance overall. Not because we lost, which I expected w/o Dembele, but because our lineup and tactics were too defensive. I felt beforehand I was willing to watch us get hammered 5-2 playing Ade and Defoe, and the game confirmed my preference. I also would have preferred Lloris for this one. We can't play this defensively 3. Because we're the worst in the league at defending a lead, while we're one of the best at creating danger. Maybe Kaboul and A-E coming back will help, but the number of late goals we've shipped means we'd be better off never trying to defend a lead. 2. To finish fourth you need to gamble on wins, not hope to sneak draws. It's the nature of the three-points-for-a-win system. 1. Non audere non est facere. I've felt recent criticism of AVB was unfair due to the glut of injuries (4 of 4 defensive mids/playmakers out!). This game he deserves blame both for the defensive lineup and tactics, and for poor subbing choices. Taking off Ade for Defoe when you're trying to kill a game was a terrible idea, in particular. AVB has been learning from mistakes pretty quickly, I think, so hopefully he'll move on fast from this.
Well no-one can say we deserved to win, let alone get anything out of the game. Such a poor display by us. I was amazed that Bale was so anonymous - don't get me started on Dempsey Doesn't bode well for the NLD
Did I make a new thread? How the **** did that happen? I posted in the 'post quick reply' text box????!!
Hi Roo, I don't think it's unfair to blame AVB at all. First off Lloris has been fit all season, so he has no excuse for injuries in this case, he has completely and utterly cocked it up there. Secondly Ade was fit enough to be on the bench v Chelsea, so why did AVB prefer to play a jet lagged Dempsey? JD was fit yesterday, so why did he play an ineffective Dempsey? Ade played 2 full games for Togo through the period when he couldn't get a start for us. What was going on there? JV was getting the rest he needed v Norwich, then ridiculously he took off Carroll who was performing well (according to AVB he was 'amazing' or some such hyperbole) and decided to give JV his mid debut for us in a game on a knife edge - absolutely ridiculous. I could go on and on, there are so many mistakes he's made. Key thing though I am pillorying him for without doubt is Lloris, the captain of France and one of the most highly rated players we have signed in the Prem era and he has treated him like he's some naive youngster new to the game. It's a disgrace, I can't get over it, I never will, it's totally unbelievable to me. Yes I am fed up with ENIC, but when ENIC actually do something brilliant and pull off one of the transfer coups of the year, and AVB then puts him on the bench ... arrghhhhhhh
Hi Gh10 How does the manager just drop friedal after signing Lloris? he's a new manager with a reputation for dismissing the "old guard". he couldn't just come to the club and upset people like that. the situation hasn't been unacceptable, he's been bedding in a new keeper, who has still played 6 or 7 games. there's been many keepers who have come to this league and not been given the time to settle. However, I agree, now he needs to be playing each week. I've already agreed with you on points 2 and 3! dempsey should have been dropped about 3 weeks or so ago, IMO. but as I've pointed in out in previous posts that you're responded to, there are things that AVB could have done to help us, which I have listed. Nearly everything else has been very difficult with his hands behind his back. Ade and Togo - Defoe was scoring goals and hadn't Ade just come back from injury? maybe the international games were a good idea for him to get match fit after having no pre-season? Carroll is a smaller player. they brought on Grant Holt and simeon jackson (or the latter might have already been on. I cant remember). Leaving TC in the cm spot against a side that would be pumping it up field to those 2, wouldn't have made sense. Putting JV in his spot was a good idea IMO, without the benefit of hindsight. He's a strong ball winner with his feet and he can turn defence to attack. I've wanted to see JV in that position myself a couple of times this season. sorry mate, I just can't see where your coming from with Lloris up until recently. there are so many reasons why he's not been able to just drop brad. the one thing AVB needed from the start is team morale. He also needed all the players on side after his chelsea situation, by treating everyone the same. Lloris was going to have to wait. No player can just expect to walk into a team and boot someone else out who's doing nothing wrong. imagine how that would impact? It's different with a goalkeeper. They tend to be long term solutions for most clubs who build foundations from that position. Once you're in, you're in unless you mess it up. We all know HL will be our future goalkeeper. Where I do side with you, is that the future is now.
Lloris might stand a better chance of being picked if he stopped behaving like a spoilt brat on the training ground and instead took a leaf out of Brad's book and come in and do a fair days graft .
It seem's to me that GH10's argument is Because Lloris is an International,he should play.Brad also played at that level for USA,and would probaby still be their No1 if he hadn't decided to retire from International football.HL only has 6 or7 month's to wait to become our regular no1.he will still get games.If he is rocking the boat,he should be told not to be impatient
GH couldn't run a bath, let alone a football team, I would suggest he and anyone else professing Lloris should start with immediate effect, should read Spurcats comment at the top of the page and realise there are other things that need to be right before you pull a shirt on for THFC. Being captain of your country does not give anyone a free pass over attitude and application.
