So, two games in, no points and no goals and the knives are out for Harry already. We've made our usual poor start in this League and have assumed our normal position but we have several positives compared to the previous two campaigns at this level. Firstly, this is a far better squad than in previous seasons. Secondly, we have a coach who knows the system and will get it right before too long and thirdly there is still time to bring in a couple of players who will address the glaring problems we saw today. For me our weaknesses were Dunne and Traore, One far too slow and the other a player who we signed after Arsenal lost 8-2 at ManUre and has never shown any signs of being a good defender. Spurs had a field day against such weaknesses and the fact our midfield went awol didn't help. Remember several of these players haven't had a proper pre-season either. As I mentioned on another thread, if Dunne's performance has shown Harry he can't play in this system the result may well be a blessing in disguise. I'm confident that we'll bring in two or three more players before the deadline and we'll see a far better performance all round against the Mackems. I'll still back Harry to get it right but we need to concentrate on making sure we take points off bottom-half teams starting next week...
Well said. We can hardly expect the owners and managers to play the long game when the supporters want instant results. Only last week, the Board was positively drooling with excitement at the players bought in. Two defeats and one humiliation in and warfare breaks out on here. As many on here know, I'm not one of Redknapp's fans. He has made mistakes already but then who doesn't? We and he learned ours early and painfully. Faurlin needs to start, Dunne should not be an automatic first team choice, Onuoha should. Traore is not PL standard. And most importantly of all, you do your business as early as possible so that the team is settled and match fit before the season starts. And the players know each other. We talk about a lack of desire yesterday. What I saw was a lack of confidence because they did not know who was supposed to be where and what precisely they were supposed to do. However this is the first but by no means the last time we will be outclassed this season. That's what happens when you play with the big boys. If you can't live with that go and support another team. I do not think that another couple of newbies is the answer. If we're short in certain areas, so be it. Let's give this lot a chance to show us that they can repay our faith.
Agree about the players needing a chance. Not about Arry's team selections and tactics, which have been widely and rightly criticised for many, many games now. But I'd like as well to see Hoddle have a channce.
Sorry, but I have this overwhelming need to over-react. I want to get at least three new players in and if they have a mare in their first match we should dump them and get three more in. Harry has to go, of course. We need to get a new young, dynamic manager in who knows little about the club and saddle him with the current crop of players and let him spend big in the January window. We should drop 3-5-2 and go to 4-4-2 and then when that doesn't work go to 4-5-1 for a week and then back to 3-5-2 just in case we missed something. There. I've said it. I won't say it again until ... probably Wednesday and then again next weekend.
Of course we will lose to some , if not all, of the top end teams in this division, and sometimes badly. No need to panic about the result, but plenty to be concerned about with the performance - lacking spine, guts and most of the other organs needed to compete in this division. Compare and contrast to Mourinho's comments on Burnley and Leicester, both of which gave Chelsea plenty to think about. Then look at Redknapp's reaction, at least in the press conference - stunned mullett. "It's difficult"; "It's not easy"; "I don't know"; "No point shouting". He can't even be bothered to put on a show for the supporters. Even if he couldn't care less, it's easy enough to say -'not good enough'; 'I picked the wrong team'; 'we will have strong words' etc etc. So yeah, we have to give it time (12 games, what Hughes got, seems fair), we will lose (sometimes badly) to some teams, but we have seen yesterday's type of performance before and we the fans don't deserve it. Just like two seasons ago, I look at the squad and think we have good enough players to do well in this division. Let's see whether we have the minerals.
The problem yesterday was not the defeat but the manner of the defeat........No fight no passion. But I think that had to happen for the team to experience it. We have learnt a lot....now is the time to put it into action. A win against Burton will do no harm....and Sunderland becomes a win at all costs match...and they had the spirit to draw with ManUre yesterday. No recriminations, no getting at the team. We were all drooling over our squad on Saturday, nothing has changed except a well needed dose of reality.
In the match day thread I was making some pretty dire comments on what I was seeing. I wasn't extrapolating that forward for the whole season but I did say it was going to be a hard one. That's what comes from sitting at the top table. It was always going to be tough at WHL and I see many of us felt the same. I don't think it should be underestimated how much we are suffering for a poor pre-season and the lack of time some the player have had to settle. I still think there are some teams that will have just as much of a hard time as we will. As a spurs fan said on another thread, its the results against the teams around us that will make a lot of difference. While it was disappointing and painful to watch, lets remember, 36 games to go and we've played 2 team that have made it to Europe. All is not lost yet but we do need to get back on track soon or it will be. Playing catch up in the prem is almost imposable but it can be done. Look at Palarse last season.
Scathing comment piece in The Times today. Claims Redknapp was close to getting the sack in February when we dropped out of the automatic places, and that should be be near the bottom come the October international break, he'll be gone. Not very positive on Hoddle either, recalling that his work with 3-5-2 at Swindon and Chelsea was designed specifically to provide a safe position for himself in the team, and the current system is designed to do the same for Ferdinand. Of course if we struggle over the next couple of months under Hoddle's coaching, he essentially rules himself out of taking over. Pulis already touted as replacement. All premature and doom laden of course.
I dont think there is anything wrong with the logic of a 3-5-2 formation, and if it was partially designed around Ferdinand, again, nothing wrong with that either. We have the players necessary for reverting back to 4-4-2, so where is the problem with the players and formations. What we need to see from the players is a response.
Just reporting what was written KPD. Personally I like 3-5-2, if it is played the right way - high tempo, pressing, fast forward passing. Yesterday it was mainly 5-3-2, but the main problem was energy/confidence/attitude whatever. We need a response from the players but also the management team.
I too like the high tempo, pressing method of playing 3-5-2. Chile did it to great effect in the WC. However, Holland did quite well with it too and they were the opposite, allowing the opposition to have the ball in their own half and relying on the counter attack. Both work, but the midfield has to be balanced for this system to have any chance at this level imo.
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