Diego Rico

SlowDownDerek said:
Your truths are not my truths.

We're just a mid table side Neil, we did well early doors because we had kind fixtures. We did badly in the difficult fixtures then struggled with injuries.

We've always struggled breaking down defensive sides and suffer periods in every game when the opposition control the ball. This happened on Saturday, at the start of last season despite our good run, in fact it's happened in every season we've had in the top flight. This is, unfortunately, what life is like in the top flight for the also-ran clubs. The promised land apparently.
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You can still buck trends though. When we came up we put in team performances better than the individuals on the pitch for a couple of years, maybe three. Last year we put in performances worse than the individuals on the pitch and we did Saturday.

I’m not interested in league positions as we are in a league we can’t win and that I’m not over fussed if we leave.

What I like to see is well drilled teams playing to their max and gunning for it. Not cagey, odd formations with too many players not developing.
 
Neil Dawson said:
You can still buck trends though. When we came up we put in team performances better than the individuals on the pitch for a couple of years, maybe three. Last year we put in performances worse than the individuals on the pitch and we did Saturday.

I’m not interested in league positions as we are in a league we can’t win and that I’m not over fussed if we leave.

What I like to see is well drilled teams playing to their max and gunning for it. Not cagey, odd formations with too many players not developing.
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You may have a point but I do think that cohesion is down to being able to play people in their correct positions, which is why we struggled last season once injuries set in.

I don't disagree with you about Saturday's formation at all either, I thought it was extremely odd and nullified our attacking threat.

Funnily enough I think the key to achieving success in this team is getting the best partner for Lerma. He's a level above what we've ever had in the middle before (in my time anyway). Despite his clear quality I don't think any of the partnerships have quite gelled enough for our new team to reach its potential, which is some potential with a player like Geoff at the heart of it. I'm quite excited by Billing because he looks the part but it's obviously going to take time. Also crucial is the role of our fullbacks, which has been disjointed since this drop off in form you mention (I would say due to injury and new players not quite fitting in at FB).

Now, some of this may well be down to coaching, but in my view there's so much more to it than that. Squad quality, injuries, fitness (which in itself isn't all down to coaching) tactics, etc. This is why I think your argument is needlessly simplistic.
 
SlowDownDerek said:
You may have a point but I do think that cohesion is down to being able to play people in their correct positions, which is why we struggled last season once injuries set in.

I don't disagree with you about Saturday's formation at all either, I thought it was extremely odd and nullified our attacking threat.

Funnily enough I think the key to achieving success in this team is getting the best partner for Lerma. He's a level above what we've ever had in the middle before (in my time anyway). Despite his clear quality I don't think any of the partnerships have quite gelled enough for our new team to reach its potential, which is some potential with a player like Geoff at the heart of it. I'm quite excited by Billing because he looks the part but it's obviously going to take time. Also crucial is the role of our fullbacks, which has been disjointed since this drop off in form you mention (I would say due to injury and new players not quite fitting in at FB).

Now, some of this may well be down to coaching, but in my view there's so much more to it than that. Squad quality, injuries, fitness (which in itself isn't all down to coaching) tactics, etc. This is why I think your argument is needlessly simplistic.
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Of course there are other reasons for poor performance and I’ve never said otherwise.

We just differ on what we think the main reason is. I’ve never said it’s the only reason.
 
Neil Dawson said:
Of course there are other reasons for poor performance and I’ve never said otherwise.

We just differ on what we think the main reason is. I’ve never said it’s the only reason.
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Personally I think the detail that you have pinpointed as the main reason for it is unknowable from our point of view. The buck stops at Howe, tactics, coaching, recruitment, even fitness, all ultimately down to him.

I also don't think we agree on how poor we've been in general. I think we're generally good, you think we're generally bad.
 
Seem to remember he played 20+ games on loan to Watford at left back....and won they're young player of the year
 
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