So you know, I am 100% behind Poyet and hope he is with us for a few years to come. HOWEVER, I think now is the time to change his tactics and his personnel. I see him complaining about the depth of the squad, which yes is lacking, but he also chooses the starting 11 and how the team set up. The 11 he started today was shocking. While I cannot see who does well in training, I can see who does well in the pitch, and surely Poyet must base his selection partially on match performances? If he does, then why is Fletcher and Buckley playing? This is not a dig at the players, but from what I have seen, Buckley needs to improve and may be best suited at present coming off the bench. Unfortunately Fletcher offers nothing for us as a team as we don't play to his strength - getting the ball into the 6 yard box. The system of 4-1-4-1 just does not work for us. We don't have the players for it, and Gus needs to look at it and think of ways to make our team click. Furthermore, while I agree with a possession based philosophy, when the players get to the final 3rd they need to actually hit it into the box, rather than passing it around the box. It is frustrating the amount of times the players have been in crossing positions and instead passed back to find the perfect pass. We are becoming too easy to play against and far too predictable. Now onto our young prospects. Surly it is time to try them out, even if its for the last 30 minutes. I know that the gulf from U21's and Premiership football is massive, but I am sure that some of those players will be good enough, or at least better than the current seniors. Looking back over pre-season, the youngsters and numerous occasions bailed the seniors out. I can tell you now they will do more work than any current senior player. I have seen Marvrias has been on the bench over the last couple of games, and correct me if I'm wrong but hasn't he played International and Champions League football? If he has, he must have something in his locker. I do hope, for the sake of his future, that Poyet changes his approach. Otherwise if the team perform like this and not picking up points, it will be a very rocky road for him over the next couple of months.
if there is a downfall it is our relying on brown and o shea being amongst our first choice defenders and having little choice of replacing them! our defence is paper thin!
I actually have no issue with O'Shea. If anything he has been one of our most solid players. I have the issue with Brown, and hope one of our RB becomes available next week so Vergini can move into the centre. I think this will be Brown's last year in the top flight, as I cannot see us renewing his contract at the age of 35. The downfall is our lack of urgency, our ability to pass the ball and finally put the ball in the back of the net. Our tempo is far to slow, we need to play fast passing based football. Slowing the game down allows the opposition re-organize their defence and catch their breath. The players play with no purpose in games, other than to defend (and they can't do that right at the moment). Poyet should have them zipping the ball around the floor, not this tika-taka crap that has been found out.
I gotta agree with you here. Changes must be made, Wes needs a rest, as does Vito. The midfielders are still too defensive when going forward, leaving Fletch and whoever replaces him running in circles for diddly squat !! Lets get back to basics here, and employ 2 wingers who get the ball, take on their man, and whip in 20 crosses a match. Only then will we see the real Fletch stand up and be counted. Mavrias or AJ on the left please. Young Watmore on the right, and see what happens. I am so bored of the posession football with little or no end product, and can only see bad times ahead...... with the odd win to lift spirits here and there. Haway the lads man !!
Yep pretty much what needs to be done. Slow possession based football is gone now, as demonstrated by Spain in the World Cup, and the lack of trophies for Arsenal. If a team wants to play possession based football, it needs to be fast passing and movement, with a purpose of attacking a team. Playing with high intensity will unsettle most teams. I think its about time Mavrias was given a shot, see what he can do. Watmore would be good off the bench with pace. I wouldn't also mind seeing Honeyman, he looked nice and tidy in pre-season. If Poyet wants to continue with this 1 man upfront, I would be inclined to play: 4-2-3-1 That has two midfielders there to break up play, and do the majority of running. Then two wide men crossing the ball into the box, and a attacking midfielder linking midfield to striker. Finally the striker there to be a poacher. With our current players, I would like to see this: that new RB...........Vergini..........Oshea.......Van Anhalt ................Cattermole..........Rodwell.................... Mavrias.................Wickham...................Johnson .........................Fletcher................................... The personnel might not have changed much, but the formation is a lot better and suits the team. Wickham is a player who likes to run out defence, and links up well. Mavrias and Johnson attacking wingers who can whip a ball, and Fletcher to score.
Think you nailed the bit in bold, when we have the ball we don't have enough movement, reminds me of the end of Bruces reign.
Spot on, also our options up front are also dire, its not going well at the moment, but I am sure a tweak or two could see us improve, sadly a great chance was missed today against a very poor Arsenal side, the whole squad needs a lift and this is where Gus earns his corn. It has been done before and there is still plenty of time to work on our weaknesses but changes are required.
Why did he not start with Whickham and Fletcher up front ?, why where they constantly playing the ball back ? and knew how good Arsenal are. That is the worst home performance for years, we were garbage from start to finish how many players were too slow with the ball today, and this time we won't get the great escape. It is a case of ifs and buts, we should have beat Swansea, Burnley and Man u.
About sums it up. However, like it or not many more errors and defeats will only mount up the speculation about his future. For the sake of him AND the club I hope he learns valuable lessons quickly and benches Brown, Buckley, Roswell and Larsson next game. We need Alvarez, Jones and Coates fit and quickly to try and inject some strength, flair and defensive stability into an already struggling season mate.
Both caused by the pressure and presence of Sanchez. Both Brown and Mannone/Vergini terrified of his speed, worried they were going to be quickly dispossessed. It was as if he intimidated them into turnovers.
