- Feb 5, 2009
- 34
- 36
I wish folks rated players at half-time (or until we let in daft goals). In our group, at half time, everyone thought we were in complete control, there was some excellent passing and phases of closing down, but we lacked incision at key times. The general view was that the team is making progress. The 5 in midefield all did ok (after Lamela's slow start) and Ade put himself about, didn't do too much ... but scored. That, to me is the reality of one half.
We then give away a stupid goal .. and then a little later, gave another away. Two things happened.
1. The players drained of confidence, lost patience and structure.
2. The fans, immediately started demanding we "get the ball forward", "get forward" and generally panicked. Sadly, the players seemed to listen and the gap between the headless checkens running upfield and the defence was too large, we lost shape, we wer Sh*t.
We have a a role to help the team .. we don't. The fans that are vocal and really, really not helping .. its up to them, but it makes us worse. Concentrating on the bad things, rather than seeing the good parts is never going to help a developing team. We will never maximise our points at WHL until we get decent support and calmness. Sure the players have to do it themselves, but they will get more points if we help.
My worry (other than the fans getting Pochetino the sack) is the lack of balance in the squad to fit Pochetino's style ..
1. We need players to play in the 3 behind a striker ... after the first choice what do we have? "Headless chicken" Townsend, right winger Lennon, Exhausted Paulinho? [Oh, why did Sigurdson go when he would suit this system better as an option than the players we kept]
2. Full-backs provide our width and need to be quick .. oh how we need Walker back .. perhaps we are just unlucky with Naughton also out
3. Mason is playing in the key role .. fundamental to the system .. he's doing ok .. but there is NO alternative .. and he's played 4 PL games!!!
4. The centre forward has to be able to link play when players are close to him, but also take long balls/hold up play ... Well, we don't trust Soldadowith long balls and please, watch Kane .. he is slow at running, slow to decide what to do and not very strong. Good finisher, but a slow JD
So, we have to be patient .. we have to let a manager build a squad that fits and that takes years (sadly Levy didn't realise how different 4-2-3-1 for Poch is from 4-3-3 under AVB)
COYS
We then give away a stupid goal .. and then a little later, gave another away. Two things happened.
1. The players drained of confidence, lost patience and structure.
2. The fans, immediately started demanding we "get the ball forward", "get forward" and generally panicked. Sadly, the players seemed to listen and the gap between the headless checkens running upfield and the defence was too large, we lost shape, we wer Sh*t.
We have a a role to help the team .. we don't. The fans that are vocal and really, really not helping .. its up to them, but it makes us worse. Concentrating on the bad things, rather than seeing the good parts is never going to help a developing team. We will never maximise our points at WHL until we get decent support and calmness. Sure the players have to do it themselves, but they will get more points if we help.
My worry (other than the fans getting Pochetino the sack) is the lack of balance in the squad to fit Pochetino's style ..
1. We need players to play in the 3 behind a striker ... after the first choice what do we have? "Headless chicken" Townsend, right winger Lennon, Exhausted Paulinho? [Oh, why did Sigurdson go when he would suit this system better as an option than the players we kept]
2. Full-backs provide our width and need to be quick .. oh how we need Walker back .. perhaps we are just unlucky with Naughton also out
3. Mason is playing in the key role .. fundamental to the system .. he's doing ok .. but there is NO alternative .. and he's played 4 PL games!!!
4. The centre forward has to be able to link play when players are close to him, but also take long balls/hold up play ... Well, we don't trust Soldadowith long balls and please, watch Kane .. he is slow at running, slow to decide what to do and not very strong. Good finisher, but a slow JD
So, we have to be patient .. we have to let a manager build a squad that fits and that takes years (sadly Levy didn't realise how different 4-2-3-1 for Poch is from 4-3-3 under AVB)
COYS