I know that Michael Laudrup has proved very tactically astute and has often changed our game plan to get a result. But it occurred to me that other teams have done the same to us with at least equal success. We have seen a number of matches where we had a blistering first half then failed to reproduce anything similar in the second half. Off the top of my head I can think of three games that come immediately to mind. The Liberty game against WBA is an obvious one where we were quite superb in the first half but tailed off miserably (in comparison) in the second half as WBA upped their game and changed their tactics. The last game against them was similar (not the performance) where we could have been 2 or 3 up at half time but didn't look too clever in the second period. The game against Newcastle was much in the same vein. To me, this indicates that other managers are coming up with solutions ( PLAN B) when their original game plan has failed. I know we won two of the games mentioned, the third should have been a draw, but had we maintained our level of superiority, we could have enjoyed thumping victories in all those games. Is it that we are running out of gas, or are the other managers working us out during the game and stopping us running riot? It's niggling me because I'm convinced that we are going to totally hammer some team or other and I can't wait for it to happen. What do you people think and can you recall any other games where we have been stopped in our tracks by a change of game plan from the other lot?
Interesting point Ivor but isn't this always going to happen when a manager changes things after his team have had a rubbish 1st half and then its a combination of the superior team in the 1st half tailing a while to get to grip with the change of set up of the opponents plus maybe a touch of complacency. I dont think its just us who could have seen Chelski coming back yesterday after being 2-0 down. By the way I also look forward to us putting 4 or 5 past another Premier league team one day soon and I am sure one game it will all click
it works the other way also, when teams have a better half than us then laudrup changes tactics to stop the rot. Its very rare that teams will have all the game to themselves like we did against bradford.
I think it is more down to how we set out away. We have won 4 games so far, but the telling stat is we have only scored 13 goals away all season (and that includes the 5 scored against QPR). 10 of those away goals have actually been in the 2nd half, pointing to us being actually better. That we have achieved 16 points away shows us difficult to beat away, but none the less, a very different team to that at home. Perhaps we are not tiring out the teams away (by a possible more conservative approach) like we do at home (a consistently high tempo passing game). This is the only time there seems to be a marked difference as shown by the following goal stats.... Away record: 1st half - 3 goals for and 5 against (-2) ; 2nd half - 10 goals for and 12 against (-2) Home record: 1st half - 10 goals for and 12 against (-2) ; 2nd half - 17 goals for and 7 against (+10)
I think plans will maybe change 1,2 or 3 times in a game. Laudrup has proven himself to be very god in this department,alot better than Brenden, i also think its worth notingthat to make the correct tactical changes during a game you have to have a strong enough bench, sometimes we dont really have stronger options than the opposition. Intresting point though Ivor
we all know brendens plan b if losing was to throw on forwards in the last 10 minutes, as mentioned at least ML seems to have plans a, b, c and d (except v liverpool)
You can tell a good manager when his team is being slaughtered and he changes things around by formation or subs. the classic example was the man utd ..v chelsea the other night...rafa showed he is a very good manager in that game but the chelsea fans will still hate him.. they dont realize how lucky they are..
We have also scored over double the goals in the second half to what we have in the first. these include cup games as well. Which would suggest that we are doing ok in the second half of games.. first half goals 18 Second half goals 40
I think the issue is that we have players that take their foot of the gas, particularly in our midfield, address that, and we won't have too much to worry about!..........
I dont believe for one minute any player takes their foot of the gas, all that happens is the other team up their game as they have nothing to lose.....If players take their foot off the gas in any of our games i would not want them at the club....
in your opinion dragon...they have done well in my book ......what do you want, do you want us to beat every team in the premiership because that is never going to happen.. other teams have good players also and they can all get the better of each other, but that don't mean they are taking their foot off the gas or that they are bad players....you cant think much of laudrups judgement in players if you think they are rubbish.... you cant win them all or we would be better than Barca....every player will go into every game giving 100% but so will the opposition and that means that if the tactics are right then you will win and if the oppositions tactics are better we will lose and if its stalemate then you draw..... nobody goes into the game not ready to give their all...
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