Completely, the league is more and more a squad-game, and you can't go through a season with only a strong first XI. However, against Hull 3 of our 4 wingers weren't available to start, and that isn't a situation that you'd anticipate, so it's not surprising we were forced to play people out of position. Yes there's the argument that we should have adapted the formation to the players, rather than the other way around, but for a single game it was probably the easier option.
i'll answer this seriously, as i don't think it's a serious question some examples RvW > Holt Fer > Fox Turner > Barnett Snoddy > e bennett Garrido > tierney R Martin > Ward (although r martin was in that squad)
Max, totally serious question as it highlights how you have evolved over the last 14 months. From an outsiders point of view, your side saturday looked far superior on paper than Lamberts probable first choice starting 11 from the 2011/12 season. just my view, obviously you guys have seen a hell of a lot more of your side than i have, and a better understanding.
ok, wasn't sure if you were on a wind up. yes it's a lot stronger - also the squad is massively stronger than 2011/12 - we have players like Johan Elmander whereas in 2011/12 we had Chris Martin and Simeon Jackson plus a load of other back ups a lot of whom had come from League 1 or the bottom half of the championship# chris certainly has the ammo
But what if it is broken? I think guru's question is interesting in that, PL with lesser players seemingly achieved more. (whether sustainable, who knows? But he too knows a good player, Benteke anyone?) Whether the unhappy masses know best( generally not) if their grow there will be a tipping point. (whilst DM & DS etc can ignore some disquiet and stick to a longer plan, they will also know that if the crowd is booing and shouting Hootun out then the health of the club may be being compromised by keeping him, May be they will assess other options) Whether that point is reached will depend on when we win, and then when we continue to do so(at least semi regularly!) I am in the if after ten games we're bottom 3 and playing poorly then perhaps he really isn't the man for the job, but that is still an if, I think we will get better, the players Are good enough and hopefully the positives on the pitch so far will become more prevalent, and the players can learn to pass under pressure. Bah! P.s. I didn't get to see any of the action from the COC (staying in a log cabin in Yorkshire with my now fiance), but it sounds like an encouraging display to go with that of the Everton match, it's gonna be ok isn't it?
Just a few months ago the chairman of the Kick It Out campaign described the fan culture surrounding football as "uniquely nasty". If we do witness the club being destabilised by a significant number of so-called fans, it will only serve to confirm my opinion that the fan culture surrounding the game is uniquely stupid. We are in the best position we have been in our whole history, with a bright future ahead of us, with a united board who have demonstrated their faith in the management by providing funds for team strengthening the like of which we have never witnessed before, and yet people think they're entitled to de-rail the whole enterprise?
Absolute total rubbish. Who is trying to derail the whole enterprise? Say for instance we were relegated under Hughton, could I then say you were guilty of trying to derail the whole enterprise because you ignored the signs of a bad manager and style? Say for instance we were in the bottom 3 and McNally sacked him against your wishes and the new man kept us up, would you again be guilty of this dramatic derailment. Of course not. People are acting on signals that do not appear right or wanted when they state a disapproval of Hughton. I don't like Hughton because I think his tactics are one dimensional, his playing style rigid and his methods formulaic. As I think that, I don't think he should be in charge. What I say has no effect whatsoever on the club. I like many others, I'm quite happy to change my opinion of him if I see any change, but there are trends that rear there ugly heads over and over again. Just signing better players with £25,000,000 does not make him a good manager, where is the difficulty in that!!!!!!!
If you watched them, did you perceive any change in style between our last three matches and last season, Carrabuh?
The ball still goes out wide early, we are not playing wingers into good positions getting to the by line with the ball and pulling back which for me is just the bread and butter of attacks. If you are going to play with wingers then that is what you have to do. Now that is maybe a bit harsh against Hull as they had eight in defence, but then the midfield (despite being handed possession on a plate) did not react to it. Stoic and flat they were patient and passed across more than I've previously seen (In fact I almost commented on the matchday thread how easy we had found it and it was nice to see), the movement however developed into this pitiful stand still approach. I think this was the main downfall of the performance, not the passing and I still think it is down to the manager, particularly with the delay in breaking up the defensive partnership which was clearly overkill given the circumstances. I'll put this idea forward which I thought was fairly obvious at the time. Garrido was having a nightmare and Hull were down to 10 men, does anyone think the best idea would have been to take him off, and bring in a much quicker Olsson to cover any counter attacks and allow the central midfield to really push on. They were firmly pinned into their half it was the only risk we had. Its the central areas Hughton hates the risk, he's just not interested in it, yet its the absolute fulcrum to create and score. He wants the risk out wide. I don't care what anyone says, if you want to create real and easy chances you need the ball in advanced central midfield positions or at the byline running into goal. We so rarely do that, but when we do, we score goals, we did it against Tottenham last season, and with ease against Bury. He has spent nearly £25,000,000 this year and I believe we have been one of the higher spenders in the division since our arrival, we should have very high expectations of what the team should be capable of. A relegation scrap and/or uninspired approach (if indeed the scenario unfolds) is just not acceptable.
A lack of movement I agree with, but you cannot blame that on the manager - the players simply didn't play well enough in this regard. I think it's easy to go overboard on our failure to break Hull down, but the fact is we created lots of chances and it was only their magnificent goalkeeper and poor decision making (by the players) that cost us. Teams down to ten men with a goal advantage are notoriously difficult to break down, even Barcelona can't do it. The key thing though is that everything you have highlighted is a new problem. Even against Everton, when e had very little possession, we had a better pass completion rate than our average for the last season and fewer long balls. We are playing much better, don't let the results disguise that. It's the same as our occasional good results disguising us playing poorly last season. I think replacing a fullback for a fullback would be an incredibly negative substitution when you have players like Hoolahan, Snodgrass and Elmander on the bench. I don't think that would be acceptable. With hindsight, fine, but if he had done that and we had lost, there would have been he'll to pay. The right thing to do will be to drop Garrido this Saturday. That being said, I completely agree with you about the ball needing to be central hi up the pitch. And I certainly agree with you about expectations. There are lots of problems to iron out, but my key point is that they are different problems. If Hughton can't solve these, then questions do need to be asked. At what point? I suppose that relates to the actual results. I have no qualms about us sacking a manager in November if the results aren't there. That's the best time to do it.
Hughton needs to go attacking Puts on Snodgrass at 45 mins, Elmander at 64 mins, Hoolahan at 72 mins Who does Carrabuh want on the pitch to win the game? A left Back After the game "Why did Hughton put a left back on in a game when we needed to attack the game" All aboard the magic roundabout!!
I am the last person on this site to be influenced by results. The manager is wholly responsible for movement and structure, its his job to develop an array of tactics for all scenarios. Anyway, I'm probably taking a break from this site. I'm finding myself getting very bored reading and writing about the idiot so god knows what its like for everyone else. I'll come back when something interesting happens or when the new players have bedded in properly. In addition, I hope he changes his outlook, I have a £30.00 bet on Sturridge scoring less than Wolfswinkel and Hooper combined and I'm 4-1 down. HUGHTON OUT!!!!
