Moore just keeps getting dust in his eyes. I know it´s nearly xmas but our DEF ain´t f***ing Santa. They´re having ago granted but we are only going down with this s**t back line. F**k 9 mil on a FOR sort the f**king shambles out at the back. Maybe it´s time to give Hamer a run out (as I type KS pulls off a top class save) but still the DEF letting Villa shoot willy nilly.
*sigh* Terrible decision by the referee. But we were losing anyway, that's not the reason we lost. Oh well. Probably go and beat Man City next week now
Third game in a row where we've had the lead and ended up losing - crap defending for both goals - again some positives but incredibly frustrating - Matty James worked really hard but his passing and shooting were woeful - he should not be taking the set pieces - Cambiasso should (as second half corner showed) - can only imagine that Leo was injured from several hefty challenges. Think it is time to try Wood and Ulloa as a front pairing - why NP brought Nugent on in place of Leo is beyond me - yes he had one moment of supreme skill but otherwise was never a threat. No time for despair just yet - there is a long season ahead - but we do need to address the defending.
One positive for me was Chris Wood. He showed a lot more aggression in his game and that's something I have always wanted him to do. Vardy is living off the Man U game for too long now. Matty James and Jeff Schlupp were woeful to say the least
Getting harder to remain positive. Couldn't believe the defending for Villas second, bad enough from Schlupp to be left out next week yet he is a threat. Stupid sending off from Konchesky. Times like these Pearson will want full squads to pick from not loosing players to stupid suspensions. Agree with James not taking set pieces, doesn't have the quality ball. We can still turn it around but the recovery has to start soon.
Ulloa had a bruised thigh. Nugent did well I thought, not just that chance he created for himself, but good foresight and quick thinking gave Schlupp that chance from which he should have at least hit the target. Agree with you about James though - although I wouldn't give the duties to Cambiasso, who for me shouldn't be picked ahead of Drinky.
First was shocking marking yet again 2nd James or Wasilewski should have fouled Agbonlahor in the Villa half. It was obvious he would hammer them all in a race
It's difficult to know where to start after that performance. It looked like some players - notably Schlupp - dropped their heads towards the end, so this terrible run of defeats is now getting into players' heads and that is going to be hard to shift. Maybe it's time to introduce one or two of the fringe players who might have a point to prove. Collectively we looked a complete shambles. At the back we don't have a convincing central defender who can head a ball and dominate a striker. The full backs got exposed because the wide midfielders, particularly Mahrez, offered no protection. Mahrez needs to put on about 10 pounds of muscle and learn how to defend before he can hold down a position at this level. We had great gaping holes in midfield where, although we had numbers back, there was no actual marking. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to find a Gary Parker type of player who can control a midfield? Is Cambiasso or Drinky the closest we have? When a team like Aston Villa give you a footballing lesson in the basics then the sound of alarm bells ringing is deafening. And why oh why didn't we play with any tempo until we were losing? It was Liverpool all over again. What we lack in quality we can make up for (to a certain extent) by closing the opposition down quickly, forcing them onto the back foot and not giving them time to pick their passes. Lastly, when will Pearson finally admit that you can't play 2 strikers in this division? As soon as the ball went past Ulloa and Vardy we were outnumbered and outgunned in midfield. I dread to think what will happen if we sign this new striker that people are talking about. 4-3-3 anyone?
Wasilewski would have been sent off if he fouled Agbonlahor, he was already on a booking and another suspended CB would be a nightmare. I still don't know where Simpson was in all of that. He's the ****ing Right Back for christ sake.
I'm probably being a little harsh in retrospect ... I just don't feel confident in his finishing at this level whereas with Ulloa and indeed Wood I do at least feel some confidence - Leo has notched two real poachers goals in the last 2 games ... as I said pres season, I think there may well be a creative role behind the striker(s) ...
Take your first points Gangsta but don't get the Cambiasso point - he has been consistently good (see comments from the opposition fans on the matcgh day threads) ... Drinky's last couple of games were bloody awful ... Cambiasso took a corner from the right hand side in the last 10 ... the only quality corner we had put in all game ... and at the first time of asking.
I personally think that Cambiasso plays that role well. Both yesterday and last tuesday, when down to 10 men, Cambiasso pushed up behind the strikers all we looked a threat. Maybe Cambiasso playing behind Ulloa with Drinkwater in for Vardy would be a good ploy? Something like; Schmeichel De Laet Morgan Wasyl Konch Drinkwater James Mahrez Cambiasso Schlupp Ulloa Leaving players like Nugent and Vardy the chance to come off the bench and make something happen.
Cambiasso has been giving the ball away too much for my liking, something Drinky rarely did last year, albeit in a lower division. I know Drinky hasn't been playing much better this season, but, as Barwell pointed out in another thread, he will take time to gain his confidence at this level, and not playing won't help that. Cambiasso maybe the best of a bad bunch at set pieces (I don't know that he is, James is obviously best in training), but the operative word is bad. Mind you, we weren't good from dead ball situations last season either. Wonder what that chap we we almost bought from Wigan is like...
I don't get why Mahrez stands over the set peices. I would let him take them, he can put in a decent cross but is completely pants in the air. You would fancy a James to be some sort of threat in the air especially compared to Mahrez. We're a small team already so we need as many big players in the box as possible With us conceding so many goals from high balls you can see how Matt Upson might bring something to the team. You would fancy him to win his headers because of his height. It would help Kasper no end
Simpson - get well soon RDL konch - getting sent off means unfortunately we'll have to suffer Schlupp agsin Moore - missed morgan's organising Schlupp - did the impossible - made hutton look like a decent player James - please let him no where near dead ball situations - like in the stand nugent/Vardy - work hard but don't look threatening kasper - outstanding got to change midfield
