Papering Over The Cracks

Before posters jump down my throat I was glad of the 3 points we got today but let's be honest, please! For 90% of that game we were bloody awful against a very poor Villa side that we actually managed to make look good.

I'm not going to single out players at all, but knock yourself out, guys. I think that this win was pretty undeserved but no doubt others will disagree. We were rubbish virtually all game, and whereas in the past we've often played an eye-catching style, with good, pass-and-move football, we are now not only ugly on the eye, but can hardly string two passes together.

We showed glimpses of what we are capable of, and with the only two bits of quality all game from us we scored twice. Gylfi does what he does best, if more infrequently these days, and the Barrow/Naughton/Ayew combo was well worked. But other than that there was nothing, NOTHING to shout about.

I hope against hope that this result will help our lot get their mojo back - confidence will definitely improve I think. But I get the feeling that, looking at the way we are playing this result is papering over the cracks. Last week one commentator said about the Stoke game "Nobody was expecting much from this game and we weren't disappointed". Is that what we've come to?

So was our recent form a blip? Have we turned a corner or is my pessimism justified? Over to you.

 

I agree we were awful most of the game, but at the end we started to look like our old selves, and while you could well be right that we are papering over the cracks, I do think we will push on from here, and I also think we have turned a corner, though I'm sure the board will see that Gomis is an issue, and while we do not spend in the January window normally, I do see us doing something this January, whether a loan signing or something more...........

 

I like your optimism, Phil. For the record, I agree on Gomis. He's becoming a laughing stock with his inability to time his runs and we are carrying the guy right now. My boy Barrow was a breath of fresh air, and I think that Fabianski looked decisive and dominated his box. For me, we have possibly the best squad since promotion and we have quality. Why don't we show it?

 

Until we get a decent striker and Ki and Cork in CM together these are the types of performances we will continue to see. Great win today, but the performance was meh.

Fully agree Kiff

 

Before anyone raises this, yes I'd rather play badly and win. But we look gash.

 

It's as f the players can't be bothered to create chances because they know that either Gomis will fluff it or two, he doesn't show any desire to get into the right areas.

 

I'm convinced it's time to start with Eder. In fairness to the guy he's not had much of a chance. He has a good pedigree and Gomis deserves benching.

 

Eder has looked a handful every time I've seen him. He must start the next 4-5 games for me.

 

I'd go with Eder starting also, Gomis needs a much deserved spell on the bench, but Monk doesn't seem to do the obvious, he really needs someone in the coaching staff to criticise his team selection on times, not sure what the hell is going on with Amat, Tabanou, Britton, Emnes........

 

We only looked ourselves after the Siggy free kick goal , up till then we didn't have enough structure to build a birdhouse.

 

We played very well today so i don't know what game you were watching. Villa had us down for a banker to get their own season on track and we dealt with that....what more do you want ffs......We played a good game good enough to take the 3 points and that's the name of the game. If we lose you moan, if we draw you moan and if we win you still bloody moan..... Your not giving villa any credit for their part in the game that made it difficult for us but we showed great character from coming from behind and winning....It was a superb 2nd half,,,,

 

Well I guess we're even cause anytime anyone says anything critical , about Monk or the team , you moan and that's been going on for a long while

 

Yes Dai, that performance was just about good enough to beat a side that looks like will go down atm.
To be back in the top 10/beat top 10 sides, we must improve ten fold.

 

Well I guess we're even cause anytime anyone says anything critical , about Monk or the team , you moan and that's been going on for a long while

 

I agree we weren't that good today but i was pleased with the attitude and our play after they scored. It was only after that point in the game apart from a brief spell in the 1st half that I felt we were actually taking the game to Villa. I dont know if its a confidence thing or not but once Siggy got the equaliser we actually started to put some passes together.

We need a good performance next week against an Arsenal side who are going well (1-0 up against Everton as I type). So I would be delighted with a point next week and then really have a go against Norwich the week after.

 

Arsenal 2 Everton 0 so we are in the top 10 - now where is that cork screw

 

I think its best to wait to the end of the Arsenal game - 2-1 now

 

What do you expect ? should we have won by more because if you are waiting for that to happen then you will have a long wait....Every single team in the premiership can beat each other on the day so no team is an easy game, ask Chelsea,Man utd ,Man city, Arsenal and every other so called better sides, They have all lost against so called lesser teams and they have struggled to get a 1-0 win, So what you think we should be doing is baffling as we played well enough today to win in a very difficult match.....you don't know yet who should go down valley as it is very tight. Today's game showed great character and the lads fought hard against a team that is capable of beating anyone on the day. Give some credit to monk and the players for a change instead of slagging them off after coming from behind to win against tough opponents who were fighting for their lives.....

 

It's not moaning to raise the question of whether we've turned the corner or not, but your comment was predictable. If you thought we were good today (our two excellent bits of quality aside) then I'm not sure what game you were watching. At half time we had zero shots on target. You can't just pick up on the last 20 minutes and say that performance was good overall. As someone else said, no structure, nobody anticipating the through ball, predictable passes that were cut out. That's nothing to do with Villa, it's poor play from highly paid professionals.

I hope we've had our blip but we must improve or we will definitely not get top half imo. I wasn't gong to get into individuals but Fernandez, Taylor and Gomis should be benched.

 

Been away for a while and come back to hear Dai berating someone for slagging off the team!!!! Have I passed over into some kind of alternate reality!!!

For the record I agree with Dai AND Kifflom but feel that what has been lacking before today was confidence and this performance, not perfect by any means, but battling and gritty should go some way to restoring some of that confidence.