So, having watched the extended highlights (twice) of last night's game, I thought I'd just make a note of the differences I noticed between CR's team away from home and Redknapp's. Well, the main difference was the pressing. I haven't seen us press like that at all under Redknapp. We pressed high up the pitch and hunted in packs. The players certainly gave their all for the new guy (I wonder if Harry had lost the dressing room?). Another difference was the ball retention. Even with BZ in the side, we didn't just lump it long all the time. Occasionally we played it up to the big man, but we also kept possession with neat, short passes, playing in triangles all over the pitch. Basic stuff, but tactics that Redknapp simply couldn't or wouldn't employ. Also, in what looked like a 4-2-3-1 formation to me, we were very fluid going forward. The three behind Zamora, Fer, Phillips and Kranjcar all interchanged positions, especially Fer and Phillips and we always had good numbers in the box when the ball was played in (another thing that rarely happened under Redknapp). Our fullbacks both pushed on as often as possible, as is the norm in the modern game, which is yet another thing that we didn't see from Redknapp's team away from home. All in all, these observations tell me that we may have got rid of old dinosaur chops just in the nick of time!
On the money Colin Pressing and very calm with the ball Rio made it look easy no accident imo super cool player and the nucleus of calm imo
Spot on. If you pose a threat everything feels different. Ramsey trusted the players to play football.
I don't want to state the bleedin' obvious but they looked like a team that had been coached, was it THAT noticeable?...
Was the coaching not down to Jordan & Bond. Redknapp was just there to do the tactics (which explains a lot)!
They looked a completely different side to me, and for three reasons apart from Col's excellent analysis. They had a game plan which they all clearly bought into, they had belief and they had desire. They all have ability, we know that, but CR seems to have helped them rediscover their mojo again. Give him the job until the end of the season and re-appraise then.
Excellent analysis Col and as Belfast says they played with so much more belief. I got the impression Sunderland thought it would be an easy game, and didn't wake up quick enough. Hull will be harder.
This was my thought he may lack a bit speed these days but more than makes up with technical ability always has time on the ball to calmly pass to another player I was really impressed with him last night.
I haven't seen anything other than the goals, but regarding Fer's injury do we reckon Vargas could play that role assuming all else (formation, personnel, etc) being constant?
I think it's the ideal role for Taarabt. Let's us play with both him and Kranjcar in the team. Should carve out lots of chances between them.
Maybe, just maybe the players now see they have an opportunity to play football the way they want to rather then playing stymied, out of position type stuff that HR wanted them to. It may be early days but obviously they weren't happy playing Harry's way and it showed. We can only hope the players now continue with their new found confidence.
Movement off the ball, with or with out. As mentioned, all pushed hard without the ball but even with the ball people were moving into space, making themselves available. The threat down the flanks caused their midfield to be stretched giving more space in the middle, and there seemed to a tactic for Yun to push really high up the pitch to stop Johnson getting forward, You could see we started to tire towards the end of the first half and second but a different team from previous performances. Lets not get carried away, Poyet said before the game they didn't know what to expect from us but people will be a little more aware of this now but that kind of intensity will trouble anyone.
i feel sandros return will be very important - even more so after fer's injury. he protects the back 4 but when he gets into gear he can really drive us forward as well. of course his perpetual sick note is a real worry....
Hey, where did you see the extended highlights? Please link me! I couldn't watch the game because I was out on a date!
