I am still confused how these dudes...who have made this their damn career...have forgotten fundamental football.
I am still confused how these dudes...who have made this their damn career...have forgotten fundamental football.
muttley
Alert Team
Yeah, our right side is becoming an issue. The opposition know they can just pass around Hojbjerg on the inside right, and they all figure out that Moura has no defensive smarts. Add to that Kane's total lack of shutting down at the top end of the pitch and it is relatively easy to get at our RB very quickly, whoever plays against us. I'm sure Conte has a plan.
As for Moura, he definitely is a willing worker but not a smart one. He looked absolutely livid with Kane when he left the pitch. After the entire South Stand erupted after he was subbed on Saturday, this was another example of how Kane is getting preferential treatment. He was no happy about doing Kane's shutting down and seeing his number come up on the board.
Finally with Kane, I think he proved with no doubt that his laziness on the field has caused a poor level of fitness. Just one week ago agains Burnley, he completely stopped doing anything in the last 20 mins. In last night's game he had no choice but to try and show Conte something in the first 30 mins. He sneakily used the middle third of the game to get as much rest as possible to he could look stronger towards the end. What do they say "don't kid a kidder". I hope Conte puts him plenty of intense training sessions and just screams at him all game. Kill or cure at this point.
Spursex
Alert Team
well, I raised the issue that in just his first two training sessions the word coming out from teh academy was that he was less than impressed with our squad fitness levels - I'm guessing he would also have looked at player metrics that records everything and he wasn't impressed with those key stats either.
Since the game, he's made reference to it in two different interviews, so my guess is he and the two new fitness coaches will already be working on how they change it - as someone else said, it's really frustrating to hear talk like this coming direct from the training ground, but perhaps not altogether surprising.
muttley
Alert Team
Here's how I see it. Nuno had a line of 3 on the 6 yard box all season. He then had the rest marking or blocking. Conte joins on Tuesday and by Thursday they have a new defensive corner routine. It looked like 2 spare man at the front post, one narrow and one wide, but I might be wrong. The problem is that didn't work for the Rasmussen goal and it made Dier look a mug. Dier should have been stronger though. Got his balance all wrong again.
Spursex
Alert Team
I'm really not, in a new defensive set-up; one coach says man-mark, the other says zonal marking, a third does a hybrid approach and just one player gets bested by attackers and you can be split wide open..
I have to say, I get annoyed at LLoris poor dealing of crosses - he had all the time in the World to attack that cross, but chose once again to stand on his line.
Afraid dealing with crosses is his Achilles heel and it's got worse over the years, not better.
Spursex
Alert Team
He really didn't, if you watch the goal, he's first tugged back, then has to get over a player on the floor, then jumped into and thus unable to get up and off - if it had been an Italian defender he'd have gone down holding his back, neck and screaming and given the ref reason for second thoughts, but he didn't, and now in this game, that's naive.
Yup this is a massive problem. I put most of my blame on the players...they lost interest under Nuno and stopped doing their J....O...B. To me this is unforgiveable. I get that Nuno was not the right choice...poor bastard should have never taken the job...I sincerely hope he takes some time off and then lands another quality job and is happy. He is a good person, and deserves to lead a team that actually gives as shit.
Disgusting attitude by the players in my opinion.
I like Conte...I hope he turns this around...I do think he will quickly find out that he will need to take the approach of "My way or the highway bitches!!!"
Nick Real Deal
Vital Football Legend
T
This is why I wanted to watch the goal again as Dier looked tangled up and unable to respond. He does make mistakes but I wasn't sure if this was all on him.
muttley
Alert Team
Diers problem was again his common fault. Even though is stepping over a body, he is still coming backward too straight. He needs to be going direct towards the ball and that way he can get more physically engaged with Rasmussen who may not have then got the clean header. You don't want centre halves drifting out to the kicker before it is kicked, but when that ball is in the air you have to go towards the ball. We've seen this with Dier too many times. Dawson had the exact same fault.
Defending at the very highest level is subtle. With Dier, there are too many issues reading the flight and that holds him back. He never saves the day with any brilliant defending driven from his brain. This one is sort of forgivable because of the body on the ground but he could have been stronger.
Spursex
Alert Team
Conte is a serial winner who does it with modern players all that this comes with; his not going to demand spending until he needs to and in the beginning I suspect it will be measured - just as it was in his first few season at Juve, although sooner or later if his ambitions are to be achieved he will want to spend...that might well be a post covid challenge for the club, and if they haven't started planning for how they'll meet that challenge, then they will have to soon enough..
As I said the other day in the last five years the top 6/7 clubs have all spent around £200-300 mill in players, we're still around the £150 mill mark, so have to go some to make it up.
Like it or not and this has been proved many many times, spend = Final placings in the PL, rarely is this rule proven to be wrong.
What I am certain of, he'll not back down and won't hesitate to deal with players as he deems fit.
BlueWhite
Vital Squad Member
And it‘s extremely difficult to make such fitness improvements at this stage of a season. Conte said it will take time, and it will. We can blame the players, and that’s fine, but there’s no doubt that regardless of how much they’re paid, they’re not going to work as hard when they don’t have a clear concept of what they’re expected to do, and/or lack belief in the coach. Much of that will solve itself if Conte, as expected, provides clear instructions and inspires belief.
BlueWhite
Vital Squad Member
Incredible shot stopper with unnatural reflexes, but also poor decision-making.
Pompey Yid
Vital Champions League
Regards the OG am sure HK got his toe to it first thus causing their man to bundle it over the line, so on target means HK goal.
I understand the Nuno conundrum, He wasn’t the man for the job , and that isn’t his fault , but he accepted quite a few million and hoped he wouldn’t get found out .
Failing to deal with situations , wherever they happen , in training , on the pitch ,in press conferences or even in the background , he was hopeless .
He was in denial with Harry Kane from day one .
He was in denial with our lack of passion .
He was in denial with our lack of creativity .
He thought we were the better team in most games .
At least we have a chance now with somebody who will address the issues .
And you are right , it will take time .
our lack of fitness is alarming . Many mistakes are happening late in games , due to desperation .
Poor fitness leads to poor concentration.
Pompey Yid
Vital Champions League
No need to worry Walt I am and do get the point lol!
You ain’t getting the point Pompey , no matter how hard you try .
Pompey Yid
Vital Champions League
Esp a Bayonet lol! me! I will never change, to bloody late anyway lol! use fingers before the brain lol!That’s just it !!!! You didn’t get the point !!!!
love it Don’t ever change Pompey
