Out of all that's been said, I think most closely to you. I'm starting to wonder if Barton is actually more detrimental than beneficial, because he has played really well in games but he is often a bloody ******. I think we have lost a lot of something. Last season we had it all and we played like Brazil at times!!! To all those that say we haven't got a decent striker: Helguson is the best striker out of all the promoted teams, in my opinion. Even if you disagree, you have to say he's top quality for us. But we need someone who can partner him. Maybe DJ can step up now. Bothroyd is running out of chances. Actually, I can't help feeling that Barton leaving would change things for the better but I can't blame one man. It's also fair to say that Warnock hasn't been so good tactically. I think he's trying to adjust too much, maybe. Something tells me that if he went back to his rugged formula that he had at Crystal Palace and QPR last season, he'd actually get more out of the team. I mean, there were times last season where, if we weren't playing like Brazil, we were still as tough as nails and got the job done so professionally. I feel that there isn't a formula like that at the moment. Everything seems to be all over the place, different from one minute to the next. I actually felt, at the beginning of the season, that Warnock should have stuck with the same team as last season and worked newer players into it as and when he needed to, rather than changing something wholesale or fixing something before it's broke. I think maybe the players are here in the Premier League and now they're realised it wasn't all they dreamed it to be. Things have been difficult on and off the pitch and have deflated them a bit. The players that worked so hard to get here were sort of shut out almost immediately or weren't given enough time to adjust, perhaps. Who knows!!!
P.s. with that all said, it was only the other week that we were flying high and were above all the other promoted teams... what position were we in... 9th? Also, I'm wondering if we should give Taarabt a bit more of a chance. He could be the key if he gets on top form. I think he is the factor that lifted the team up on many occasions last season. Sometimes a great player will boost all the others and get the team working. We need that. I think Helguson has done that to a degree but it's early days.
Awjm Cant agree with this at all. The Champ squad was just not good enough. Anybody could see that. If you need a reminder watch the Bolton match at LR. NW has already done what you suggested, he took the best players from the Champ team and added 6 news ones to it. If he had of worked those six in slowly we would not have 10 points now. The simple answer is that we have to many workers and not enough flair. Our 2 CM will work hard but are not creative especially at this level. Our two wide men JM and SWP are also two workers with little creativity or end product. How many goals has Ali, Barton, Jamie or SWP scored after 15 odd games. The answer is NONE. How on hell do we expect our team to stay in the Prem when we have a midfield 4 who can't score. The answer is we wont. Our front one or two depending on system deployed have 4 work horses behind, working hard but creating very very little. Pele would not score in this environment.We need at least one winger who CAN cross the ball and a CM who will run with the ball at the opposition. A forward who can score would be nice but if we don't quickly address our midfield then we are in big big trouble. Buying additional defendes may be nice but not essential. Our problems are going forward, not at the back. The simple reason why we have not finished teams off is because we are not creating enough decent chances and therefore not scoring enough to win games. NW must sort out our midfield in order to give our forwards a fighting chance. Only one of Mackie/SWP and Barton/Ali can start. PS. I agree with comment made above that Adel seems like the perfect answer, but he is prob not. He has had several chances and quite honestly he looked way off the pace and way out of his depth. We all recognise his talent, but his attitude stinks.His reaction to other so called "top stars" coming to the club was childish and unprofessional. Aand we all know he DOES want away. In saying this my stance on Adel has not changed. If he only was willing to put in a decent shift on the pitch then i would start him everyday. We simply do not have the team to carry him at the moment.
It's also fair to say that Warnock hasn't been so good tactically. I think he's trying to adjust too much, maybe. Something tells me that if he went back to his rugged formula that he had at Crystal Palace and QPR last season, he'd actually get more out of the team. I mean, there were times last season where, if we weren't playing like Brazil, we were still as tough as nails and got the job done so professionally. I feel that there isn't a formula like that at the moment. Everything seems to be all over the place, different from one minute to the next. Awjm Agree fully with this. We do need to stick to a system that works for us and not change every week reacting to the previous week. Not sure what is our best system yet. Thought he would have gone firm on one so he knew which players to but in Jan to fit into this system. It's worrying that he may buy players in Jan without knowing exactly where they fit into the system.
It seems obvious to me that our best system this seasons so far is the 442 but he keeps switching between that and 451. He started the match yesterday with Tommy Smith as part of the midfield, it seemed. Then again, he didn't have anyone to put there as I suspect he didn't want DJ out there for the full 90. Maybe he should have started with DJ on and switched to 451 later?
They got battered worse than we did, Reina made a mistake for their leveller, and then they could've won while Liverpool were looking for a winner. Another example of Norwich luck, as was facing Toon's decimated back 4 yesterday.
Tarbs as certainly a challenge! For Neil, the players and the fans. Personally I loved to watch Tarbs play last season, his talent (and precociousness) was there for all to see. I hoped he could make the next big step - but he has struggled more than many others who have come up this season. Maybe his heart isn't in it (I don't think it is - and that has nothing to do with Joey IMHO). Neil alluded to issues with Tarbs advisers, not surprised if that's true. We're, as a team, adapting pretty well this season. We've had ups and downs so far - as have a whole host of other EPL teams. Sadly I don't think Tarbs is the 'special one' (how I wish he could be, I really do). We will spend in Jan to up our overall Prem standard, and I think we are capable of staying up this season - but we'll need much better team performances than yesterday! We are closer to our halfway target, we've dropped a few points here and there, and we've picked a few surprise ones up along the way too. So it's not all doom and gloom as some would have it. Onward and lets get behind the team for every performance. We CAN do it!!!!!!
Virtual! ================================================= Another top poster I honestly despair of some of the posts on here tonight by Northernr on 23:09 - Dec 10 with 374 views Seven years of moderating on here has taught me that in some people's eyes you're only ever one bad training session away from being useless. The expectation levels of our team and club from some are absolutely unreal. Liverpool had a mediocre central midfielder out there today who cost more than our entire team and bench.
I couldn't really tell as I only watched the highlights but for all Liverpool's possession in the 1st half they didn't seem to create THAT much against you. I didn't think Norwich were lucky I just thought Ruddy had a blinder, fair play to the guy. Not many teams will go to Anfield and have 10 shots on target, but I agree that they couldn't have played the Toon at a better time considering their back 4 was almost entirely makeshift. My opinion of hitting the woodwork is similar to Ginola's in that it isn't unlucky but Liverpool's goal was a very lucky deflection. Anyway onwards and upwards for you guys, Man U next week. Not a good time to be playing them as December is traditionally their strongest month and you might get a backlash as Wolves did. I still think you can cause them a few problems at the back w/out Vidic and give them food for thought
Why are other promoted teams doing better than us? They're still fizzy off their successes last season, still playing the same ways and as often as not, to great effect. We went flat sometime towards the run-in and barring the odd result have never really picked back up. Causes? No real team spirit or cohesion. Still difficult to break down but rarely much oomph going forward. One reason is we're using precious resources in still playing two anchors (was three!) whilst good teams make do with one. As has been pointed out already, no creative midfield or central forces pushing through the middle. Wingers who can't cross out-shone by Traore, a 'defender' who can. Barton was a good bet as influencial team leader but not working out is it? Personally, I like him as a character but apart from work rate and dead ball specialist, hasn't captured the team's imagination or really impressed to date. Game plan too one dimensional. Ineffective substitutions and no plan B. Unlike Norwich and Swansea, reckon we're over relying on January reinforcements to save the day. Unknown quantities who may or may not answer some of the above concerns. We contained Liverpool, WBA, Citeh etc. alright but without worrying them too much. We've done nothing to make home a fortress and at this rate it's getting harder to see where the points are going to come from. Really need to forge a squad able to supply basic positional essentials and an arrow head that splits defences and hits the target more often. That would do much to take the pressure off a capable but thin defensive line. Things ain't too desperate yet and this season's run-in isn't as bad as it looked before we'd played anyone. BUT we do need to do more than keep teams at bay and fashion a side that scores regular points. Warnock needs to take stock and put the shortcomings right or its curtains on his prem career imho. Still reckon we've got too many hoops on our shirts and not enough in key positions! PS - What a keeper, Radek Cerny. Have yet to see Murphy play but if he's better than Cerny, we're more than sorted for keepers after all!
Liverpool are the most hyped up over-rated joke of a Club there is. And we were terrified of them, exclusively due to Warnock's tactics. I don't think anyone on here would mind losing yesterday if we made an effort to score. COLIN's had 2 mares in a row. Hes got to do what he said he would this season and attack teams or else we're in a spot of bother.
Guys, been away for a bit and return to find we still have more mood swings than a manic depressive who has forgotten to take his medication - I guess this is what being a fan is all about. Good to see both sides of the Adel/ Barton arguments still going strong. I think the last 3 games have been disappointing in terms of points won, but only really expected more against WBA. Yesterdays result expected, shame we didn't have a proper go at them though. Another fighting performance next week against Utd (like City and second half Spurs) whatever the result, and some points in the next game and we can all enjoy Christmas. As for our performance compared to Norwich and Swansea, I don't think we are far off, just need to improve our home form. Both will hit a sticky patch at some stage. But why fixate on them? As long as we finish above 3 other teams I really don't care who they are....and still confident that we will. Looks like most teams below 7th can beat each other in pretty unpredictable ways, so will be an interesting season - a good run and DTs 8th prediction may not be fantasy..... Just great to be a part of it again..
Good post. We have to have some perspective. Yesterday was a disappointing performance, but i wouldn't say we disgraced ourselves. I think we'll see a different QPR against United on Sunday, though I still suspect we'll loose. As long as there are three worse teams than us all season long then I'll be happy. We need to remember that our goal right now is 17th or higher. Watford is right to point out the handicap of having a ****e board for the first few weeks and lack of proper pre-season spending. Loosing to Bolton at home and Wigan away has not helped, I think we could have won both with our current team - leaving us with 6 more points and both those teams with 3 less. Norwich and Swansea obviously have more 'togetherness' than us due to minimal changes of personnel and it's paying off for them so far. But I'm still confident that we can finish in clear sight of both teams, especially Swansea who have their goalkeeper to thank for a fair few of their points. There's still a lot of football to be played, we're not even half way through. Finally, NW's bizarrely over optimistic reviews of recent performances has confused me. I can understand the reasoning in staying positive, but it seems very hopeful and a little condescending to the players if he thinks that they will believe such rhetoric and therefore keep their spirits up and play better as a result.
Good article there Cold. The point about 17th being a good season is correct. Its all about consolidation this season. The only reason people are annoyed is because we didn't do ourselves justice yesterday. Some also seem to be preoccupied with Taarabt as well but that's old news now as far as I'm concerned.
