Bad luck guys, this was always going to happen, I got 2-1 on Newcastle to win a while back. This happens often when a team misses out on the league they just go to pieces. Always good value to be had. I think you'll come back stronger.
Well, that's the gloss taken off it. I don't want to hear any of those players say how much they appreciate our support until they win something to show it. Without Alli and Dembele they've been gutless and today they were exposed as being frauds.
****'s sake. So many bad performances it would be wrong to pin it on one or two but Pochettino screwed this right up. Bringing Carroll on was an awful decision. Still, I'll take 3rd, it's been a great season even if the end was ****. Better to learn the lessons now rather than later. A few good signings in the summer and we can be up there again.
Carroll did ok. Taking off Walker and going to 3 at the back cost us horribly. The shape went to pot, we got hit on the break repeatedly and his pace was badly missed to deal with it. The game was screwed by the starting XI, though. Mason's been very, very poor since he returned from injury, yet he's been persisted with. The attitude of the whole side was worse. Appalling stuff.
Cheers Pompey We have zero experience of missing out on the title. I don't think the players honestly believed we could do it after drawing with WBA. The nature of how we lost it did it in my opinion. You could see how the heads just went one by one in that war against Chelsea and they basically haven't come back since. The manager has to take equally as much blame for that as the players.
Yeah, it's been a different side in the last 2 games where our play has been sloppy and nervous. It will sting for a while but we'll pick ourselves up from this.
+1. Be disappointed, sure. But all of us would have bitten hands off for straight into the CL group stages next season. And for those players who think they are shoo-ins for that, I suspect the last 4 games has given Pochettino a big stick to beat them with. Similarly Pochettino may need to spend a bit more "Fergie time" over the summer to learn how to avoid those past 4 games repeating.
Today has to be the funniest game of the season. 5-1 against relegation fodder and Arsenal beat you to 2nd in one of the poorest seasons they've ever had
On a serious note. How the eff can you concede 5 goals to a team that were already relegated and down to 10 men? I mean, come on! Really, really unprofessional end to the season by your players. Don't think you can blame Pochettino too much for the way the season has ended when the players have not put in any effort.
To be fair, Mason's been out for awhile and whilst he's been off the pace, he's only going to get that back by playing. Carroll has been awful every time he has played a deeper role rather than a number 10, why would you bring in a player like that when we're looking nervy as it is? I agree though, Walker's injury didn't help/
It's one of the best seasons that they've had. When was the last time that they finished 2nd or even got close to it?
I know you're pissed off but that is way OTT. We have played some great football this season, we rescued more points from losing positions than ever before (think it was the best in the league), had only lost 4 matches from the first 36 matches, had the best defensive record until today, hadn't lost by more than 1 goal all season until today, have a plus 34 goal difference, have our best league finish, guaranteed CL football next season, were the only team to push Leicester ... The last 4 matches do not change what came in the 34 before. There are plenty of things to build on, there are plenty of things to learn from and there is plenty of room for improvement but in order to do these things you need to recognise what our season was like as a whole. And imo it has been a successful season.
The fact that we all feel so devastated at finishing 3rd for the first time ever in our Prem history just goes to show the belief we've had in Poch and this squad.
What was the alternative to bringing on Carroll? Mason was awful and we don't have any holding players. Pushing Vertonghen forward and bringing on Wimmer might've been an option, but that's even riskier. Carroll did a far better job of dictating the pace and pinging the ball around, but half the team gave up at 3-1. Some had already given up at the start, from what I could see.
