I think it's a fine line. There are times when we could play out and Marshall hesitates BUT the potential cost of a mistake doing so out weighs the gain in keeping possession. Turner is not a footballer, he's an excellent defender. Everyone we play leaves Turner as the option, it someone is within 20 yards Marshall is scared to pass to him as he can be very slow and clumsy in possession. Medel and Witts should help by showing for the ball more but Medels distribution was worse than Turner on Saturday. For an example of how it should be done did anyone notice Arsenal first half in the same situation. We were high up the pitch, so we marked all their short pass options. Sczeny (SP) waves them up the pitch we go back with them, relax a bit, then 3 players quickly drop off and the ball is played out short again. It's the speed of the decision to play out that is key imo and that's where Marshall currently gets it wrong, but as I started with, is he right to be so cautious due to the type of side we are?
If you're going to play the long ball out of defence to that extent, you have to have a reasonable chance of winning it and holding it up - we do not have that ability with the current set up, and it tends to come straight back. Very interesting to see the analysis of the Chelsea/Soton game (yes, I know it was Robbie Savage ) where Mourinho changed the style to a 4-4-2 at half time when they were one down. They were being stifled in midfield by Pochettino's setup, so he sent on Ba to partner Torres up front and switched to "hoofball". The result - they bypassed the congested midfield by going over the top of them and scored 3 goals to win it. It can work, but you need the tools in the box to do it. We do not have them, and playing through midfield without the likes of Noone on the pitch out wide to take on defenders should be the way. If Cornelius plays, it could be a different story, but even if he could win and hold up the ball, we'd need to get forward a damn sight more quickly than we do now to take advantage. I do agree about the apparent lack of confidence of Turner on the ball. Defensively he's a great stopper, but with the ball at his feet, he lacks vision.
There were times when we won the ball and started to break an we were jogging out. I think the players were told not to over commit. When we player the lesser teams we need to break quicker.
A big game on Wednesday. I hope we go out to win it, rather than not to lose it. The second half against MU should set the benchmark.
Someone who should probably be replaced in the summer if we stay up. Doing a fine job for now. As for Marshy considering the number of quality saves he's made already this season I'm happy to give critising his kicking a miss.
My take on the Arsenal game was that over 90 minutes they were 3 goals better than City, but disappointing to concede 2 so late on to make the result look a drubbing. Overall the gulf was massive, again showing how or squad is pitifully thin in the action areas. That is 3 of the top team now out of the way at home, only Chelsea left and hopefully we don't need something from that game to survive
A win would be welcome though as its a relegation rival its a must not lose Wednesday and Saturday. If we do lose both then I think this time next week we will be discussing who our new manager will be. Malky needs to get to the window around level points to games. So far at home the only relegation rival weve played is Swansea. 2nd half of the season on paper looks easier for home points. Get tailed off and have a bad December and we are in trouble.
Worryingly I agree with Hilts, 2 defeats would apply massive pressure. Regardless of that, MM's management is based on not losing matches away from home and hopefully taking the chance or 2 we make. Can anyone imagine that blueprint being binned for 2 such massive games?
have to agree, if we lose the next two then you have to start thinking where the next points will come from. when are we next playing swansea? we need that game quick as it should be another 3 points.....
Yeah but by then we would have played Sunderland, Stoke, Palace, WBA, Soton and West ham so unless we get some decent points from these plus some bonus ones from Liverpool then the likely nil away return in January could prove fatal. Must have 25 points by the end of January at least.
