I think we're all in agreement that our tempo has dropped of a cliff and something is wrong with our Team right now. I've posted elsewhere that there are certain things a manager has absolutely no control over. Individual errors, players not doing what they're supposed to, and so on. However, instructing our players on tactics and tempo is controllable. It has to be fixed by Laudrup himself and furthermore he must shoulder the blame for our recent performances which have been lacklustre at best. Now don't get me wrong I thing ML has been fanastic for us and I dread losing him next Summer. But he must see what we are seeing and he has more managerial skill than all of us put together. So, Mr L - now is the time for you to step up and show your mettle. Our players aren't bad - they are in fact very, very good. But something is also very, very wrong and you have the power to put it right. Please tell our wide men to actually play wide and try to get behind the defence. Oh how we loved those days. You are wasting our talented guys out there by telling them to cut in all the time. Furthermore, we've spent £12M quid on a guy who thrives on crosses, so how about getting said wide men to practice crossing the ball whilst running at pace? It's a pretty basic skill for a pro footballer. As for tempo, maybe try telling them to go out and play from the start as if we're a goal down will do the trick. Just a thought. The point I'm making - perhaps a little too sarcastically for some - is that this can be fixed. But it's down to Laudrup. Agree or not?
Can't argue with any of that! Will take our position in the table, but think we could be a bit higher if we played the way we can in every game. Not time to panic yet, but agree we are seriously under performing! West Ham were there for the taking today - a thoroughly nasty and negative team that we should have beat handsomely! Will take the point, but should have taken 3!
I think we could've played better and should've won today, but the conditions were a mess and West Ham aren't that bad so it's not a disaster. People seem to be getting a bit too ambitious recentley. We've had a hard start fixture wise (plus Europa League) and yet we're 9th with the rest of the non "big" teams (bar Southampton) below us, albeit it is pretty narrow at the moment. I'll take that position any day of the week.
Position I'm delighted with, though there's not much separating the teams and yesterday would have been a good opportunity to get 3 points. But you're right about West Ham being decent and teams are finding us out now. However, I used to actually enjoy watching the Swans even if we lost. When we were on song we were a joy to behold. These days it's pretty ugly. I can take that if we get results but we're not getting them in recent weeks either. What's worrying is that Laudrup has now said he's happy with the way we played yesterday. For the life of me I can't see how he can say that. It tells me he's content with the tempo we've been playing at, the fact that our wingers keep cutting inside all the time and can't cross for toffee. How on earth can he be happy with that? Nobody is panicking - at least they shouldn't be - but I have real concerns that Management is not recognising our deficiencies and his latest comments prove that. If I'm correct (and I accept I may be well off the mark as Laudrup is a better manager than I'll ever be) then it looks as if this is going to carry on indefinitely.
"a thoroughly nasty and negative team". I never thought I would live to hear West Ham United described in such terms. The whole ethos of that great Club is built around playing football. Is this down to Allardyce's managerial style,or is the fear factor of losing a place at the top table affecting even the likes of West Ham,thereby heavily influencing their style/attitude to how they now play the game?
I think that if we take a few steps back and some deep breaths, then things are fairly normal, or better. We've had 3 home games in a row, and out of 6 halves of football, 5 of them have been tough to watch, there's no denying that. The Krasnodar penalty in injury time was tough to take and our inability to break down West Ham's defence was disappointing. West Ham have a lot of tall players in their team and they were menacing from set plays and at the other end dealt with our corners etc well. Other than that they offered very little ambition offensively and were clearly pleased to go back up the M4 with a point. It's almost a relief that the next game is away where the game should be more open than the last three we've just witnessed. Position-wise we are 9th despite our perception of not doing very well. The general order of things has already taken shape with the top 7 already there with only Southampton spoiling the party. It's all very tight down below, but the fact that you can draw 0-0 at home and still move up two places shows something. Before the group stage of the Europa League began, we would happily have taken 7 points from the first 3 matches, so despite not having the 9 points we think we should have, it's still on course.
I don't disagree with that - other than what might happen next week. Cardiff have been getting 10 men behind the ball so I suspect it'll be same again for us.
Maybe, but as the home team in a derby game they must surely be expected to take the game to us, and that should help us. We've done WBA & Palace on the road, and this should be a game where we can win.
I agree - I watched the whole of the Norwich Cardiff game and both were very poor - even worse than us. Lol.
We are actually ahead of target points wise to surpass last years tally. If you target the following: * nil points home or away against usual top six * 3 points for each home game against all other teams *1 point for away matches againts all other teams. We are 2 points ahead of schedule, and may be even 4 points ahead come 6pm sunday.
Well, we're currently on 11 points from 9 games, so at that rate we would end up on 46 points which is similar to the last two seasons. I think your system means 52 points, Nottage. Totally unrelated, I've just been looking at Europa League last 32, should we make it that far. The twelve group winners will be seeded along with the four best third-place teams from the Champions League. You can't play a team from your own country or from your Europa League group in the last 32. The draw for the last 32 takes place on Friday 13th December. After that, it's open competition and anyone can play anyone. If we want to avoid playing the likes of Fiorentina, Eintracht Frankfurt or Seville we need to keep pushing on to win the group. We would, by definition, avoid Valencia, Tottenham and Wigan. (or St. Gallen!!) Dropping out of Champions League will be one of Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund or Napoli from Group F. And Chelsea, Schalke or Basel from Group E. Celtic could fall out of Group H.
I do not agree its Laudrups fault and this is the reason why. Bony I found out today,was not signed or persued by Laudrup ! The club wanted a marquee signing and while it must be pointed out that Laudrup is in the loop with all signings he wasn't specifically the player he targeted but one who he was happy to work with ,our director of football set the ball rolling to make a statement of intent,to sign a player for the long term and to obviously try and supply the team with a proven goal scorer,this follows the signings of Ki sung,Bartley and shelvey . Two different scouting systems supplying one team with the manager giving a nod of agreement . it perhaps kind of answers why we arnt bending over backwards to change our style to suit Bony ??
Sorry NJ - what you say may well be right but you've picked on one narrow issue - Bony. The fact remains our whole tempo has been pants of late. My point is that this is something the Manager dictates. He can't control our players playing badly and making silly errors but he can control tactics and the pace we approach each game. I love ML to bits but I can't see how it's the players' fault when they are clearly told by Management how to play against a particular opponent. When we drive forward at pace our players can frighten anyone in this League. We haven't been doing it!
I can say some of your points are valid but not all, but it would explain why Laudrup is trying to fit Bony into our style and not the other way around perhaps ? Overall, I think we all knew it would be a hard season with us playing 3 games a week, maybe the intensity level is ready to return when the correct rest is available during the week, there are a lot of variables involved IMO . Listening to his press calls its clear to see we are dealing with an intelligent bloke, it may well be that he has a different way to play when playing the euro matches back to back with prem games, maybe the plan is to conserve and reserve fitness,tactical etc . I take your points ,it seems there is a lot more that can be done , perhaps Laudrup sees the first part of the season as intergration and swapping players around ,if you throw in different tactics on top of that then it starts getting confusing for the newbie's
The problems 1. Bony Unfortunately for Bony, our style is to attack the the box, specifically the D. This style is designed to confuse a defense, to keep it constantly moving, constantly on the back foot and constantly nervous. The intention being to open up small spaces in 'hot' zones created in and around the 18yd box. These zones can then be exploited by our quick running, sharp passing, nippy yet skillful players a la Dyer, Routledge, Hernadez, Pozz. Bony is a Power forward, a North-South runner, a Drogba clone with a cannon of a shot and a head for goal. He has a very strong upper body supported by huge Legs but, he isn't built for quickness in tight spaces. Unfortunately he also lacks the guile needed to exploit these areas. Both speed and guile are necessary attributes for Swansea strikers and unfortunately Bony lacks both. Its not his fault but I do think we need to change a little if we are ever going to get the most out of him. My expert solution Nothing major need be done by Laudruo but I feel he needs to interject a little and change a few simple things; play wider for short burst to try generate more crossing opportunities for Bony to latch onto for example, or pull Bony wider in the box freeing up the middle for a midfield assault, for another. 2. Michu I'm positive Bony's inability to blend is one of the reason Michu has been so petulantly lately. In Michu's head is this, Pozzuello gets in my way in midfield [although this issue has been improving], De Guzman lacks the vision to spot my runs into danger zones, Dyer and Routledge can't get the ball to me coz they are often too loose around the box and now, up front, Bony is in my way when I attack the D, I always have to run wide or pass wider, I can never just storm down the middle where I'm most effective. If I give it to Bony he'll blast it back at me. With things the way they are I have no one to pass me into space and no where to run when I get the ball. I pray for Pablo's return. Michu is not a happy camper right now and he wears it like a bad hair cut, everyone notices, and this is permeating into the team. My expert solution I think ML has to get hold of Michu and slap him, hard. Mich has to be brought back to Earth and out of his funk. He is becoming more and more petulant each game and sooner or later he's going to get himself or someone trying to protect him, sent off. The boy has to start acting like a Man and Laudrup needs to tell him. My expert Prediction Bloobies 0 - 2 Swansea City AFC; a Bony brace, Medel see's red. fcuk em!
Agree with most of that except the bit about telling the lads to go out and play as if we're a goal down? We haven't really got a good record having to come from behind in games!
I think the reason behind Michu's attitude lately is because he knows that del Bosque is looking over his shoulder and he's simply trying too hard to impress. And who can blame him? It's a one in a life time opportunity. He's had a small dip in his performance lately and I think he's frustrated by its timing. I don't know if this is true, I just noticed that he's been playing more anxiously and throwing away possesion after his call up. Stuff that he wouldn't do a month ago.
I don't think he needs a slap, I think he needs to rest for a game or two and rebuild his confidence plus get rid of some of his frustrations. There's a lot of presure on the kid.
FF: My point about playing as if we're a goal down was said in jest of course - but we do seem to have a spurt of energy when that happens.
