Shoddy and Tired

Recruitment has been generally poor since we came up into the Prem. We've lost leaders on the pitch like Elphick and Arter, yet retained Surman and Gosling who would get nowhere near the number of minutes they do here at any other mid table side. Our players were like statues today, most playing with their back to goal and failing to move into space or doing anything other than watch the ball arrive at their feet (those times a pass actually found one of our own players). Begovic was back in the side and back at his flappy best. The players still came over to get their applause at the end of the game despite the fact they'd done nothing to try and get a result.
 
Agree - no leaders on the pitch , no one driving the team on and we come out easily beaten yet again ...
 
dan23afcb said:
Recruitment has been generally poor since we came up into the Prem. We've lost leaders on the pitch like Elphick and Arter, yet retained Surman and Gosling who would get nowhere near the number of minutes they do here at any other mid table side. Our players were like statues today, most playing with their back to goal and failing to move into space or doing anything other than watch the ball arrive at their feet (those times a pass actually found one of our own players). Begovic was back in the side and back at his flappy best. The players still came over to get their applause at the end of the game despite the fact they'd done nothing to try and get a result.
Click to expand...

The overall recruitment strategy has been poor. We’ve signed players in positions in which we were already strong while neglecting the areas we desperately need to strengthen.

That said, I think our record in identifying and signing good players is above average. If you look at all the major signings, most have either contributed extremely well or we’ve moved them on for at least break even.

Hopefully this summer we will be a little more ‘joined up’ in our strategy. Rather than signing a player because we think they are talented, think about how they are going to fit in and improve the squad.
 
Rodgers has Eddie in his pocket tactically.

The whole performance was absolute tripe. Fraser, Wilson, King, Brooks, Daniels, Clyne all off their games horribly.

Gosling And Lerma did ok in the middle given the set up.

Begovic really flaps around a lot and gives the back four no confidence whatsoever.

Did you notice that Leicester had the clear tactic to knock it round at the back, use schmeicel as an outlet and draw our front two towards their keeper to open up the lines between our attack and midfield.

It’s a simple tactic that sapped our strikers energy, and all schmeicel had to do was lob the ball over our advanced forwards and drop it into midfield where a blue shirt picked it up over and over again. Rinse repeat.

I dont think any top clubs would touch Howe to be honest, he’s great for this club but gets out smarted by top managers week in week out.

Leicester were pretty rubbish but our boys made them look half decent.
 
Midfield is key... protects the back and supplies the forwards...

We all know we’ve lacked here for ages. To be still relying on our Lg1 duo of Gosling and Surman, after 4 PL seasons is scandalous.

I know we bought in L.Cook for this reason but for whatever reason he’s never ‘really’ established himself with consistency... Hopefully next season...

I don’t get why we’ve adopted this ‘soak pressure and counter’ style this year... even at home we hand over so much possession...?!?!

Get in a decent midfield, get back to dominating possession and play, bring in a new keeper and ship out the last few remaining long-term servants of the club (as sad as that would be).
 
redharry said:
To me the injuries have been our biggest issue this season. How many weeks running have we been able to play the same back 4 or central midfield.
Click to expand...

Indeed, even full backs and wingers considering so much of how the Howe style relies on its rotations and partnerships.
 
afcb.czech said:
It's days like today that clearly remind us that we are still one of the worst sides in the league. Today we were comprehensively outplayed by a mid-table side. Sure, they played well, but we offered absolutely nothing. It would not have been unfair had we lost by 4 today.
Click to expand...

What a load of actual rubbish. Hate posts like this.
 
davygravy said:
What a load of actual rubbish. Hate posts like this.
Click to expand...
Of course its nonsense. As they say the league table doesn't lie. We could end up top 10 or just above the drop zone. the same can be said of 6 or so teams around us. Overall we are an average PL side (something I never thought I would be able to say !).
If we had a clear run without such awful injury problems I think we would be up where Wolves are now. In fact I don't think there is much to choose between us and Wolves apart from they have had a settled side all season and we have been ravaged by injury. If Wolves had suffered like we have they would be looking over their shoulders a bit.
 
I dont think we can nail it down to just one area of problems or blame.
The injuries kicked it all off..the drop from 5th..then confidence and now what could be seen as commitment from some! Those aspects have run through as a graduation. And ; continual, resultant, messing about with positions, style, and fitting in new players have brought us to where we are ! All we want to see now.....is purely, balls out commitment, pride and tenacity, 100% effort, starting with Burnley......a victory can set the mood...for another 4 or 6 points from those Takeaways along the coast!
 
So disappointed with our players at present.
Dubai certainly worked a treat...again....returned worse than they went.
We have several players who, like some of us, are past their sell- by date, yet they still earn a fortune ( did I say ‘earn‘ ? )
Sort yourselves out, what happened to your previous superb play?
We are not safe yet, stop thinking that we are and that you can coast it.
Success has to be worked for, it’s not a ‘right’.
We could still be Top Ten.
 
Goodbye Dubai..
There just seemed to be no bite across the length and breadth of the pitch. Often we didn't go for the 50/50 ball. Communication poor.
Taking some positives, Lerma played well for first half but sad to see his shooting skills haven't improved. I think Eddie should tell him to feign to shoot then pass, or simply pass immediately. I thought King worked hard, and Ake too of course. (I really do hope that Ake doesn't get too upset by this game).
Wilson's missed guilt edged chance was very disappointing but it happens. Games turn on a sixpence and had that gone in, it may have sparked some life into the team. I thought Schmeichel had done his homework there. Was Callum trying to whack it back across the goalie? Normally they go in.
You also could see in the first half, the disappointment other attacking players felt when passes weren't played in. They were all raising their hands in the air as if to say " For goodness sake/ I give up." Hopefully that doesn't belie a lack of team spirit.
I think we just have to move on and hope for better in the last games. Hopefully 38 points will be enough. I imagine we will pick up a few more points anyway but those teams below us will be scrapping away either to avoid the drop or for points to get an extra few £millions to spend. If we get a few more points and a higher position, I would love to see more bite in midfield with an Arter- esque player alongside Jeff. Lerma is great but needs help as so many others have said time and again.

One final left-field thought... Maybe we will get 'young' Ritchie back too?
 
Topfarrier said:
Come on Neil....Fergie Head Hunted Carlos Queroz because McClaren buggered off to manage Boro.....Fergie didn't intentionally replace Brian Kidd, Steve McClaren or Carlos Queroz ....he was immensely loyal to his staff.
Click to expand...

Ok. But he could have just promoted Brian Mcclair or one of the backroom staff. I suspect if JT left to manage someone (unlikely I know) then Purches would step up.

Ferguson went and got someone very different so he could learn something and then credited that person with his sides improvement. That is leadership of the highest level. I think we need some very different input so we can learn how to successfully play a system that is not 4-4-2 and also not be in the bottom three conceding of goals year after year. We all agree Eddie shouldn’t go so therefore it’s his own team he needs to look at.

I don’t understand why this is in anyway controversial.
 
Doofus said:
Late season complacency. They think the jobs done. Even letting that thought creep in takes the crucial edge off. Really disappointing.
Click to expand...
This could be a pivotal point in our premier league adventure. Rumours abound.( and I stress that's all they are )
Callum has gone all Bertie big ********************************, wee man wants parity with our highest earners and to rub salt into his wounds Brooks has bypassed him re; wages, Lerma can't settle in this country and Rico thinks he has made a big mistake moving here. We now have 2 pissed off goalkeepers and Ake won't give us another season. As supporters we all want to finish as high as possible for bragging rights and for monetary reasons. To us, earning another 10 million means money towards the training pitches. To these players it means nothing. They will still pick up their huge wages wherever we finish and if it does all start to unravel at our club they will just move along somewhere else. No surprises,just the way the premier league has always been.
 
Neil Dawson said:
I didn’t mean replace JT. I meant leave him as a first team coach but go get a number 2 who has experience of different formations and plans to play between the lines.

Alex Ferguson stayed at the top by adapting constantly bringing in new right hand men constantly who understood new trends.

Maybe he should have ‘got a grip’ and kept the same bloke for twenty years?
Click to expand...
I agree with you about the performance. It was awful. I don't want to see players wearing Go-Pros "training really hard" in Dubai, then coming back and playing as if they're still on holiday. I'm just glad I got the chance to top up the tan and spend time on the Magic bus eating great food and having good conversations about everything.

The second half of that game was so one-sided. Players "tired"? They were probably back home before we got out of Leicester.

Oh, and I must say that even though I don't like pre-match music, "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC and something from Kasabian was infinitely better than the tepid Neil Diamond shite that gets played almost everywhere by any team these days.
 
Neil Dawson said:
Ok. But he could have just promoted Brian Mcclair or one of the backroom staff. I suspect if JT left to manage someone (unlikely I know) then Purches would step up.

Ferguson went and got someone very different so he could learn something and then credited that person with his sides improvement. That is leadership of the highest level. I think we need some very different input so we can learn how to successfully play a system that is not 4-4-2 and also not be in the bottom three conceding of goals year after year. We all agree Eddie shouldn’t go so therefore it’s his own team he needs to look at.

I don’t understand why this is in anyway controversial.
Click to expand...
Do you have any other examples of teams who have done this Neil?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

;