Not with me, Ive been unhappy with our play for most of the season but we got the breaks and sneaked a few games so I was basically told, shut up, were winning. Id be happy playing well but then having a bad game and sneaking a 1-0 but we cant do it week in week out because it will catch up with us and we will fall down the table. Fall out of the playoffs and Redknapp could well end up resigning. Henry apart, the fault isnt with the players, its with the manager and his overly negative defensive 451 with no one within 40 yards of Austin. We can play a 4231 and be very attacking like we did in our promotion teams where we dominated week in week out but we are pretty awful in entertainment and now possibly results. We have wigan and reading away and derby home for our next 3 games. Lose against Wigan and that derby game becomes huge, lose that and we will have no hope against reading and are then mid table with a squad without confidence.
Yea he COULD end up resigning. He also COULD lead us to promotion and a good season in the Prem. We MIGHT lose against Wigan and Derby and then be mid table with a squad low on confidence. Or we MIGHT win them both and be top of the league after the next 3 games. I know negativity is your thang (and all power to you girlfriend!) but there are lots of ifs and buts here. Today wasn't great, Henry wasn't great, the team wasn't great. It happens. Prior to Millwall we were playing some great stuff and dominating sides with passing like we haven't seen at HQ for years. Even against Millwall we were pretty good barring two defensive cock ups. We've seen this 4-5-1 (more like 4-1-4-1 with wingers pushed on) work really well in games so far this season. There are going to be days when whatever formation you play, you play poorly, it's just the way it is. Incidentally in this formation I still prefer Kranjcar out on the left, he gets alot more space and naturally drifts in to the centre anyway. Be inclined for Wigan to stick him on the left and Hoilett/Phillips out on the right. No need for the gloom after getting beaten today, it wasn't as if we were completely outplayed. Roll on Wigan.
I must say that when Chevanton came on he looked very good as did Jenas The 61% possession stat was all henry to barton, barton to simpson, simpson to henry, henry back to dunne, dunne to barton etc etc until possession was lost or hoofed forward No creativity No width No pace No movement And Hoilett was terribly wasteful - again
Don't you rate him Col? I haven't seen him play inthe flesh yet, I'll reserve judgement. But I like the idea of him, if you get my drift.
I get the impression that he's still not fully fit. Watching him today (via an albeit poor quality stream) I thought his first touch, vision and range of passing were sometimes sublime. What I didn't see, however, was him grabbing centre stage and controlling the game, which I believe he is quite capable of doing.
Think Kranky, Hoilet, Phillips will be our creative source but are all lacking match fitness at the moment which alongside the loss or Carrol leaves us a little one dimensional & then without Onouha at the back more vulnerable too.
It's just starting on the FL Show, but I can't watch it again. Turned over to Beverley Hills Cop II which is 26 minutes in, which underlines my desire to escape the misery.
Just watched it, henry looks even worse in hd! At least that moron claridge isn't there to bumble through the reaction.
Went to the game today. HR definitely went there with a mind to play it tight - probably hoped we'd sneak a 1 nil. I thought Burnley weren't up to much. The front 2 were busy and the midfield was committed and in our face, but there wasn't much quality overall. Ings and Vokes have a good partnership and are scoring the goals and although they deserved the victory they're no great shakes. In previous games I think Henry has ok, he was solid against Leeds but today he had a mare. Should have been replaced at HT, with someone who could keep the ball a bit better. We had no momentum and too many passess were played across the pitch. O Neill just isn't a winger. Not his fault, but his lack of pace means we've can't break with speed and he'll never be able to skin the defender on the outside. I not a fan, but I'd rather have SWP out wide; at least his pace drives the defence back, even if the end product doesn't often (ever?) amount to much. Hoilett a major frustration. Often makes the wrong decisions. The strategy has worked before but it didn't today. Felt HR needed to make a change sooner (Henry) but waited too long. But then again if Dunne had poked home then things might have been different.
Bing back Adel.....all is forgiven..... seriously, he would have won this game for us today if Harry hadnt have shackled him.. Facts are, we went for a draw and got turned over! No worries just learn from it. Burnley will be mid table come xmas.
Adel. Adel. He's a Foolham player (who can't get on the bench) and not in our squad. Not relevant to this season, so don't see the point in continually bringing him up (or the '82 squad either for that matter). It was a strong game for Burnley, an intensity of closing us down that would stop almost any team. Not sure they have the squad to sustain that sort of game for a season. Hope they manage the play-offs though. We are meeting our biggest challenge of the season, so far, things have slipped a little (Millwall, Burnley) and the management team and players have to get back on course again. No doubt we have the depth, quality and squad - over to Harry to concentrate on the team instead of selling his book!!
Would agree with this. Krancjar is creative but looked off the pace We just seemed to lack any urgency and speed to break and run at Burnleys defence. It was painful watching us sideways pass forever between defenders with no real plan other than give the ball to hoilett who was so fustrating in his play yesterday Anyway Wigan next, who's joining me?
Put things in context folks, we have 27 points from 12 games, promotion form regardless of how we've played. To put Burnley's run into facts, they've had quite an easy run of fixtures as well as us, this is their record to date: Bolton (H) ...........1-1 Sheff Wed (A)......2-1 Yeovil (H).............2-0 Brighton (A).........0-2 Derby (A)............3-0 Blackburn (H).......1-1 Birmingham (H)....3-0 Leeds (A).............2-1 Charlton (H).........3-0 Doncaster (A)......2-0 Reading (H).........2-1 Ipswich (A)..........1-0 QPR (H)...............2-0 The only real contenders they've played are ourselves and Reading, both at home, so they'll encounter a difficult run of fixtures before too long and their squad is thinner than most of the contenders, so injuries and suspensions will affect them more than others. They've done really well to be this far in front but the real test is still to come, if they're still clear in March they'll be worthy of going up if they can maintain their bottle when the serious run-in comes and you can say the same for ourselves...
Interested to read this having just watched the extended highlights on the FLS. It was def a bad day at the office. Henry 'The Enforcer' losing the ball in mid field directly leading to the first goal and Dunne's miss seemed easier to put away than miss. No complaints re the penalty. It happens. I'll decline to add Burnley to the list of clubs we hate though it was classless to bait Austin. Compare the standing ovation we have Peter Ramage at LR. I'm also not sure about them being mid table by Christmas. I hope this was just one bad day at the office. There was nothing of Chevanton in the highlights. Did he have any chances at all?
I do feel that we are missing McClaren. You get the feeling we won't be able to sneak as many 1-0 wins here and there without his organisational prowess. Like Flyer, I would like to see a return to the 4231 which gives adequate cover to the back four, but adds a little more going forward. Kranjcar just behind Austin, with Hoilett/Phillips/SWP/O'Neil vying for the other two places. Behind them, you would have Henry and Barton. Same back four. Seems a little more adventurous no?!
