I can't disagree with anything he says here and he does not look to be a happy chappy!
I really really really hate myself for saying this. Sack Ange close season.
We did but those "few moments" cost us 3 goals. Spend the time fixing that issue (changing who's coaching set pieces, bringing specialists in, whatever), concede fewer goals, and give us less of a mountain to climb.This is it really, recognises there is an issue, but he seems more than just that issue.
Still maintain that we played really well yesterday bar those few moments
Fundamentally, we got done by 2 set pieces and a ball over the top, but we have to expect naivety at this stage of the rebuild I think. We don't have a single player who is really dominant in the air and miss Kane at defensive set pieces badly (as well as elsewhere!)This is it really, recognises there is an issue, but he seems more than just that issue.
Still maintain that we played really well yesterday bar those few moments
I can't disagree with anything he says here and he does not look to be a happy chappy!
Hate this kind of remark. 'everyone said' is utter tosh.Kane left and everyone said we'd be lucky to get top 6.
Ok, everyone except youHate this kind of remark. 'everyone said' is utter tosh.
Jesus, I often wonder if we watch the same things, or if fans have gone that far into 'social media soundbites' to reflect games.
Fee areas need sorting but it's such a massive improvement on last season, it's actually a joke.
Yesterday was small bargains, a 2nd goal that should never have been (kulu pen), unlucky OG, a stronger keeper and a dodgy offside call
It's no where near us rolling over and not playing, we actually played well, really well, other than those fee moments.
People who want Ange gone now or at the end of the season are mad but I don't like seeing (entirely valid) concerns that have been raised after the majority of our matches since January (and more occasionally, before) dismissed as "knee jerk reactions". How can that be knee jerk?
Of course Ange should be here next season - the club has never felt more aligned across the first team management/recruitment and all of the age groups. But that's not to say he doesn't have to improve because he really really does.
His stubbornness with set piece coaching in particular is worrying - he's said before that he views them as an extension of the way they play so doesn't need specialist coaches for them but it's painfully obvious that that's not working. Either Mason and Jedinak aren't up to it or you simply can't approach set pieces with that kind of blasé attitude at this level (or both).
I'm excited to see what the Summer transfer window brings and excited to see us next season but there's a nagging worry that how Ange ideally wants to play just isn't compatible with football at this level and, assuming the issues are systemic and can't be fixed with transfers, the question is then - is he going to be willing to make compromises to the going forward bit in order to strengthen the defensive bit and, in general, make us less easy to set up against? And, given that he's said he only knows how to coach one way, will he swallow his pride and make backroom changes to bring in people better suited to the task (this applies to set pieces as well)?
Then what?
If we played like we did against Arsenal yesterday for most of the second half of the season we'd have walked into the Champions League places. The big questions are over games like Newcastle and Fulham, when teams have completely outplayed us and shut down our play style.
Why yesterday did our midfield have the run of things but couldn't keep the ball for ten seconds against Fulham? Fixing defending corners is easy compared to that.
Yep we were the better team and dominated Arsenal play wise, they just killed us in key moments. Fulham and Newcastle are not as good as Arsenal, our players looked lethargic in those games, why?
I largely agree with everything else you said but the issues with the corner defending are being repeated because it keeps happening and no improvement has been seen.For those who seem to keep repeating the issue with the corner defending I urge you to watch the post match press conference. Ange is absolutely fuming and to sit here and think he doesn't see it is naive. They will be working on it and hopefully over time it will improve and yes right now the whole team needs criticising for that aspect of our game.