Pause for breath

Ivyhouse

Ivyhouse

Star Player
Apart from the FA Cup it’s been an amazing ride since Christmas. I know some of you never lost the faith but at one point, after City away, I thought that was it. You have to admit that the early part of the season was dreadful. The old guard looked finished and there didn’t seem like there was much in the locker. At a point where we should have been looking to progress as a club we were clinging on to the hope there were three worse sides than us. We couldn’t even beat Southampton. Trust Eddie. We are now looking the business and there is no reason why we can’t hunt down Leicester and Burnley and be unofficial champions of the under Premier League.
Is it down to confidence ? Is it that Lewis Cook has made the difference ? The support on matchdays has certainly never wavered.
Boscombe ‘til I die.
 
Eddies’s coaching and man-management I reckon: he gives players in poor form the confidence to raise their game ... plus his belated decision to play L Cook, who is now key link-man in the team. If Ake was the standout player until Christmas, surely it’s Lewis since. Holds the balls, turns, brings his team-mates into the game - all that Arter was doing a couple of years back, with extra tricks.

Wouldn’t like to lose him to injury, as the cover is thin.
 
I was always worried as we had lost that spark and energy. However always felt that in a big scrap to stay up we had Eddie and that gives us a massive advantage. I wouldn’t swap him for any other manager.

Like many I was frustrated at the absence of Lewis Cook in the early stages of the season but this isn’t a one man show. Crucially we have someone upfront putting the ball away (Callum, who has come back better than expected) plus we now have two wide looking dangerous (Ibe and Fraser). Ake and begovic now look as though they have settled into the team. Added more zest in the middle with a resurgent gosling.
 
Finding a workable central midfield, that area always key to any successful side. We've put Cook in every week and found him a partner to compliment in Gosling. We spent way way too long faffing there trying to delay Cook's inevitable pivitol status to us.

Wilson has been in good form for a couple months now, and with a forward as dangerous as him, the whole side will look better. Remarkable given his injuries. We spent ages trying to get the best out of Defoe, understandable given his summer status, but he's not yet really worked.

Add in a resurgent Fraser and Ibe. That amount of pace will open things up for anyone.
 
Think its probably down to us targetting certain parts of the season to be at peak performance, but also the confidence of the players is visibly better
 
Our performances against the top sides has varied, early ones were good but lost, then the two heavy defeats by 0-4, since then a more aggressive, pacy, attitude leading to what amounts to a '7 goal swing ' against a top side away and other grinding wins and draws with classy football. Lewis, with steady assistance from Gosser, Ibe and Wee Man has made most of the difference but the attitude from all and confidence inspired by the Dutch Maestro, is proving Eddies patience has worked.

 
The team spirit amongst the players has carried us to almost touching distance of survival in this tough league..we may not have any superstars but as a unit we are a solid proposition.
 
Garbo - 4/2/2018 11:22

The team spirit amongst the players has carried us to almost touching distance of survival in this tough league..we may not have any superstars but as a unit we are a solid proposition.
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Exactly. You don't need superstars stealing all the headlines, I'd rather it was the whole team that did it together.
 
Harry Arter not showing much team spirit at the moment - unhappy to be on the bench - a bit disappointing when his partnership with Surman was allowed to go on for so long, and when he was clearly not performing at previous heights.

And why was Lys so evidently not celebrating his goal / the victory yesterday?
 
JohnHold - 4/2/2018 11:34

Harry Arter not showing much team spirit at the moment - unhappy to be on the bench - a bit disappointing when his partnership with Surman was allowed to go on for so long, and when he was clearly not performing at previous heights.

And why was Lys so evidently not celebrating his goal / the victory yesterday?
Click to expand...

He's French, don't they do more of a Gallic shrug to signify "well what did you expect me to do" :hihi:

Lys and Ibe were certainly celebrating after the game on the pitch.
 
JohnHold - 4/2/2018 11:34

Harry Arter not showing much team spirit at the moment - unhappy to be on the bench - a bit disappointing when his partnership with Surman was allowed to go on for so long, and when he was clearly not performing at previous heights.

And why was Lys so evidently not celebrating his goal / the victory yesterday?
Click to expand...



I suggest you watch the highlights of one of our goals against Chelsea midweek.Harry was certainly celebrating with the rest of the team that night.
 
Yes, right in front of me. And was laughing and joking all the way down the touchline all second half. For Harry, I am more concerned about not being v patient when dropped for good reason.
 
redharry - 4/2/2018 11:58

JohnHold - 4/2/2018 11:34

Harry Arter not showing much team spirit at the moment - unhappy to be on the bench - a bit disappointing when his partnership with Surman was allowed to go on for so long, and when he was clearly not performing at previous heights.

And why was Lys so evidently not celebrating his goal / the victory yesterday?
Click to expand...

He's French, don't they do more of a Gallic shrug to signify "well what did you expect me to do" :hihi:

Lys and Ibe were certainly celebrating after the game on the pitch.
Click to expand...

They were also celebrating just after the goal with a bit of a silly dance, thought it seems like they’re mates. Good to see!
 
Being a striker he might have been a bit embarrassed it took him so long to score. Once he starts banging them in I`m sure there will be some big celebrations.
 
BoscombeCherry - 4/2/2018 12:15

redharry - 4/2/2018 11:58

JohnHold - 4/2/2018 11:34

Harry Arter not showing much team spirit at the moment - unhappy to be on the bench - a bit disappointing when his partnership with Surman was allowed to go on for so long, and when he was clearly not performing at previous heights.

And why was Lys so evidently not celebrating his goal / the victory yesterday?
Click to expand...

He's French, don't they do more of a Gallic shrug to signify "well what did you expect me to do" :hihi:

Lys and Ibe were certainly celebrating after the game on the pitch.
Click to expand...

They were also celebrating just after the goal with a bit of a silly dance, thought it seems like they’re mates. Good to see!
Click to expand...

In the interview with Lewis Cook on COWS he mentions Ibe & Mousett are best mates. If you watch the alternative angle clip they have a little private celebration together.
 
Its not a bad thing that Eddie will have made some mistakes and errors of judgement on occasions in this tough league - it will have made him a lot more street wise than when he faced Villa in that first game. Ferguson made many errors early on and look at Wenger in recent seasons and the Cherry-
forced errors of Conte!
 
Ivyhouse - 4/2/2018 08:41

Apart from the FA Cup it’s been an amazing ride since Christmas. I know some of you never lost the faith but at one point, after City away, I thought that was it. You have to admit that the early part of the season was dreadful. The old guard looked finished and there didn’t seem like there was much in the locker. At a point where we should have been looking to progress as a club we were clinging on to the hope there were three worse sides than us. We couldn’t even beat Southampton. Trust Eddie. We are now looking the business and there is no reason why we can’t hunt down Leicester and Burnley and be unofficial champions of the under Premier League.
Is it down to confidence ? Is it that Lewis Cook has made the difference ? The support on matchdays has certainly never wavered.
Boscombe ‘til I die.
Click to expand...

Great post . For me the start of the season was poor , no real pattern to trying things out preseason then the same old players putting in two dreadful performances v wba an Watford . We struggled from all the talk of kicking on from ninth place to be even better. Glimpses here and there but not much . I genuinely thought we were bottom three material but. Tweak in personnel and formations has seemingly done the trick and we should be alright now . Interesting Eddie said after the Stoke game that a while ago the team wouldn’t have come back to win the game - that says a lot . UTCIAD
 
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