Nick Real Deal
Vital Football Legend
Agreed. But we haven't solidified our defence to the point where we can sit on a one goal lead. Statistically it says we can, mentally................
Not by playing Sanchez and Aurier no.
Agreed. But we haven't solidified our defence to the point where we can sit on a one goal lead. Statistically it says we can, mentally................
We are stronger however we're still vulnerable defensively. Last night was disappointing but not nearly as disappointing as throwing away a 3 goal lead in under 8 minutes. That takes some doing let me tell you. So until such time we recruit a top class CB, we'll continue to see these tactics employed by Jose like it or not.
your answer is logical, the reason the boss decides to make change in the managerial position is why forums exist, his real reason for making such gravimetric decision is lost on most of us. Its fickle sport but the best part is the beer has improvedThe saving grace for the manager is not having to put up with the backlash from the crowd during match play time. It's a saving grace afaic...for both the coaching and playing stuff. Imagine the volume of vitriol and disdain that would be spewing in their direction if the fans had to turn up and watch the same thing happen time and time again.
The question about quality of player is very difficult to deny, ALL teams could argue they'd do better with a better player in a selected position the more important question to address is how well a coach can galvanise the resources he has at his disposal and turn them into a cohesive unit. JM had a free pass in his first season but has since benefitted from one of the most productive TW's any of our previous Managers has enjoyed in a long time.
Do I like him? No. Does he have my support? Always.
Never seen the point of calling for the Mangers head during a campaign, I regard it as counterproductive and tend to leave it to the BOO boys but I really hope we're not heading towards a downward spiral which ends up with the Manager alienating the dressing room (like he has at other clubs) to such an extent it makes his position untenable messing up the rest of the season and forcing DL's hand into financial situation we can ill afford.
There is some justification for him doing that. He has an aging CB, a player he's shoehorned into playing as a CB & a guy who he isn't quite ready to trust yet. Playing the block of Hojbjerg & Sissoko makes perfect sense in this instance, especially when considering our Spursy tag.His tactics are costing us the win!!! Why can't you see that?!!
He's more interested in putting on a show with some pithy comments in the pre-match press conference than on the pitch, only this time it completely back-fired and Scottie made him look and sound like a complete dick.
Is our CB situation so bad? I think most Premier League clubs would be happy to be able to choose from Dier, Toby, Sanchez, Tanga and Rodon.There is some justification for him doing that. He has an aging CB, a player he's shoehorned into playing as a CB & a guy who he isn't quite ready to trust yet. Playing the block of Hojbjerg & Sissoko makes perfect sense in this instance, especially when considering our Spursy tag.
There is some justification for him doing that. He has an aging CB, a player he's shoehorned into playing as a CB & a guy who he isn't quite ready to trust yet. Playing the block of Hojbjerg & Sissoko makes perfect sense in this instance, especially when considering our Spursy tag.
Top,
go back and look at the tactics that drove us up to sixth last season, and even this when we won and won well.
They are largely the same player's bar 2 or 3.
The West Ham debacle has affected his psyche and his judgement, he is not the same manager, his first thought now is more like 'we must not lose' rather we 'must win' and his approach his defensive tactics his game management reflect this.
If he can't manage what he's already got better than he is now, then we are in serious trouble.
I don't wish to flog this to death any more than it has been done already but you're cherry picking the tactics that support your argument and ignoring the ones that don't.It seemed an overly defensive set up against Fulham but we created some damn good chances to score, had one chalked off and hit the post. So it's not like the set up stifled opportunities, we just failed to convert. That's on the players, not Jose. The goal conceded was poor defending due to a lapse in concentration or pure lack of ability, I doubt anything to do with Jose either.
Well if Jose's tactics changed as a direct consequence of the West Ham debacle then I think he's nuts. As bad as it was - and it doesn't get much worse - it was a one-off. A complete anomaly.
Since Jose has been here we've only conceded 3 goals in a league game on two other occasions. That's probably in the region of 50 league games. So whilst we clearly had defensive problems, it's not as though we were leaking goals every game.
Talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
But he's an intelligent man. I'd like to think there was a wider plan going on here. There was always going to be a change in emphasis on tactics to make us harder to beat.
It's possible he was swayed by how successful these tactics were against City. Against a team like City - as a one-off - I can see the justification. But as a system to be employed in every match, irrespective of the calibre of the opposition, it's a failure.
I don't wish to flog this to death any more than it has been done already but you're cherry picking the tactics that support your argument and ignoring the ones that don't.
The tactics that enabled us to create the chances you refer to were part of the same tactical plan that saw us sit back and defend out lead for over an hour. A 1-0 lead in football is precarious at the best of times.
This is the fourth time this season we have led 1-0 at half time (Newcastle, Palace and Wolves) and sat back for the whole of the second half to defend it. On each occasion we have conceded a late goal and lost two points. Once is acceptable if you learn from it. This is down to Jose's tactics.
If you argue that the players are not good enough to defend a 1-0 lead then change the tactics. That again is down to Jose.