lack of creativity

Lets hope hba is back soon as we seriously are lacking some creativity
Stoke poor defending allowed us 3 points today. Which on reflection in the last two games evens it out, Swansea we were unlucky to grab at least a point.

Today we lacked any width and we kept coming inside and gutting it long
Credit to cisse for the finish but he was poor again today.

But games like today it's all about the result, the great think is hba is still
To come back and he will spark things
Up

Tiote is a liability these days and might be worth off loading at the right price


We can sleep a little easy but we still need a couple more wins and then plan for the summer when a forward
Is crucial,

 

Agree. We have really missed Benni, although we can't rely on one person for creativity. I think with him, Cabaye, Sissoko and Marv/Gouffran linking up we should be OK. They just need time to settle into playing alongside each other and reading how they each play.

As you say, we definitely need more firepower up front. If we only do one deal in the summer it has to be a quality striker.

Also agree that Tiote is worrying. He played quite well, but then when he does that ridiculous challenge he's a liability. That recklessness could have cost us the match.

 

We do miss Benni but we have been fairly creative without him. Stoke are just horrible to play and its simply about getting the 3 with them.

 

Fair point, maybe it was due to stokes
Shape and ethos, still in the prem we need to come up with plan bs as launching in to the box is right up there street.
Against Swansea we created chances and as I say the last two results reflected that maybe

 

Normally in the transfer window I harp on about we need 4/5 but this summer we don't we need a top forward and ensure we replace the players we sell

I am hoping the likes of cayabe, Benni
Will give it at least one more year as the squad we have can do things

 

I hate the Stoke fixtures, I have to be honest. Its very rare they get humped and there is a good reason for it, they never open up! Just super negative. Team full of engines and brutes. I have no problem with it, it takes all sorts but would I **** pay money to watch it every week. Allardyce was the same here, and to be honest O'Neill is like that to a lesser extent. I said to my mates who are mackem fans they'd hate watching their team under him but they wouldn't have it. One remarked on Saturday that the West Ham game is the only one he had enjoyed all season!

They set up not to lose Allaradyce, Pulis and O'Neill, that is the problem.

 

Colo will go so he will need replaced with quality. Saylor cannot be relied upon and this season was our warning to that end. I'd ship out Willo and promote Streete or get another younger centre half in (21-25) who we can develop. So a top quality centre back, and maybe a younger one. Then we need some top class opposition for Cisse.

After that I think we need a few quality youngsters to fatten the squad and replace those moving on.

My worry would be Cabaye. He is too good to be ignored. There is massive money incoming and if I was a top 4 club I'd blow some of it on him. Benni we've been lucky in a way that he has hardly played. They'd want to see more before taking the plunge. I'd love to retain them all though and have one real big go next year.

 

Your joking? Marveux's pass was a beaut to Cisse, none of our players would of seen that (or even been that close to the goal). Wait till we come to your place, then you will see a lack of creativity! haha

 

Pat Nevin on MOTD said it was sublime but before he came on we were short of creativity. I dont think Stoke's usual game plan helped.

 

Did you and Lord E drive along Old Durham Road at about 2:10 yesterday LE?

 

we lack attacking players who can take players oot the game.

much needed . cabeye why can he not play as the attackin c mid player ..he got a good shot .good killer pass.

has the bottle.

anyway we need threats from both wings badly , hba being injured just sums it up for me. whilst hes out we are predictable .until players that have the ability to take players on ,is brought in .

sissoko is really the only one we have at present whilst hes injured ..cisse cant. and i dont think ever will.

 

I don't think lack of width was neccessarily our problem, how many balls were played into the box from a wide position that the Stoke keeper caught (or their defenders put out for a corner). Creativity was an issue though. Mostly because the only space we seemed to find was between their midfield and a very well organised, very deep lying defense. Meant there was rarely any space to pick a pass or room for anything other than a long range pot shot. Still, we got the 3 points and we don't have to play teams like that every week!

 

eye ,just if you start takeing players on even in wide postions ..then they have to come out the c halfs or mid player which we want then.

gives space to work with makes defences think and be on edge what you want ,,we need at least 3 players that take people on hopefully m8

 

Definitely yeah, personally I think the final piece in the jigsaw is HBA in for Gutierrez. If Tiote can calm himself down a little and regain the passing ability he seemed to have when he first came, we'll be a challenge for any team.

The best thing about our new signings is the ability it gives us to catch teams on the break. Sissoko's pace and engine (as well as Gouffran's pace) really catches teams out and mean's they can't attack us as a unit or they risk being caught. It adds a massive extra dimension and means we can properly control the pace of a game.

Yesterday was always gunna be a messy affair (unless we scored early) so not too worried we didn't play to our full potential. Thursday night is now huge, if we can make the last 8 of Europe and finish mid-table, given where we were midway through January, this season could be viewed as at least a semi success!

 

dont think creating is the problem, i think we just need to be more clinical with our finishing gouf has missed a few now as has cisse!

 

Cisse has missed a few but he's more or less 1 in 2 since Christmas - - nothing is comng easily for him but he is still in 20 goal a season form

 

I think creativity is actually one of our strengths. Cabaye with his vision and passing, Sissoko with his pace, power and tenacity, Gouffran with his pace and good movement, Ben Arfa with sheer outrageous skill and trickery not to mention a good burst of speed, Marveaux with his passing ability, Santon and Debuchy with their attacking runs and decent crossing. All these players have the ability to create good chances and have been doing so in most games. The problem is more that Cisse has been a wee bit off form of late and we don't really have any other effective/proven alternative for the striker role. Imagine if we still had Ba starting up front in our current squad rather than Cisse. It would have been crazy good.

 

Not me AB I was in the Town for the game.

 

This^^^^^ It's not as though we didn't have chances against Swansea either - we just need to be better in finishing them off.

 

Agree in general.
I do think HBA has an amazing burst of speed though, and that Santon is getting too predictable with his cut-back for my liking. It's been proven that opponents play his cut-back so often that against smart opposition it never works.