27 Jan 2019 10:03:47
I am as frustrated as any supporter after last nights performance and result. The confidence has been sucked out of the team since the derby defeat. I would like to think we would of got over it by now, surely as professionals this can’t be the case.
A lot of posts criticising zonal marking and people just saying the negatives about that way of defending.

Yes, you have players standing defending a zone but you also have other players who are meant to be blockers preventing the opposition from getting space to have a run. We can all have our opinions on this and top coaches have their own beliefs. The fact is whichever way you play it’s the players who need to take responsibility and Silva has said this.

They can train all week on it and players go out on match day and don’t do it who should the finger be pointed at? If we defending man to man and a corner comes in and our player gets blocked out in a crowd or ball watching etc we don’t have anyone questioning it saying that doesn’t work.

Pre derby game and during that game we didn’t have this problem. (maybe at first until the players understood it and Mina with his height was a help) again Silva says about maturity, I think Digne is a quality player but he gave away a cheap free kick when the player wasn’t going anywhere.

Also a few people saying get Rafa in to replace Silva? Rafa defends zonally too. I am not knocking him as he is a top manager and surprised he has stuck with Newcastle.
I am a Moyes fan and I am sure if he came in we would be more solid defensively but could he take us into the top four? Could he go to Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Utd and play in a attacking way as we did this season?

I think we have been unlucky in all those games to come away with only Chelsea point. In those games is when we missed a top striker. I say let’s get behind the manager and players because their confidence is very low and we need to pull together to get out of this. Hopefully this is a kick up the arse the players need to stop feeling sorry for themselves.


1.) 27 Jan 2019
27 Jan 2019 10:43:50
Yes, the main problem is defence. Attack could be better and when we were playing well it seemed the difference between us and top 6 was a quality striker, otherwise we were going toe to toe with them. But since the Derby we've been unable to defend (set pieces especially. )

All systems have pros and cons and other managers use zonal marking. Yesterday the players just didn't do it properly, mainly not attacking the first ball and not following runners (most zonal systems have someone doing this) so not winning second balls either. Assuming he's telling them this you have to look at the players.


2.) 27 Jan 2019
27 Jan 2019 11:19:45
We haven't got to grips with zonal marking all season not just last night it's clear that the players we have just aren't comfortable in a zonal defence system. I think we should start to ring some changes for the next game at Huddersfield first would be a change of formation to either a 433 or 4411 me personally would go 4411 with jags if fit coming in to partner zouma the full backs remain the same but I would change centre mid I would put McCarthy in midfield as this would give us a bit more tenacity in midfield and partner him with gomes with richarlison on left Walcott in the right and Bernard in number 10 role with tosun upfront.

{Ed025's Note - i want you as our next manager david..


3.) 27 Jan 2019
27 Jan 2019 12:29:54
Problem is season after season we are asked to get behind the team and with the poor signings we seem to make, year on year, sooner or later you become negative posters!


4.) 27 Jan 2019
27 Jan 2019 12:43:13
I don’t think the signings brands/ silva have made are bad. They have a job on their hands still as at least 9 players are surplus at the end of the season.
It will take time to clear them out and bring in players they both want.


5.) 27 Jan 2019
27 Jan 2019 14:35:51
Singing the Blues - can you please stop with the sensible, rational posts! Absolutely pointless sacking Silva. As has been said up to the Derby we looked ok. We were the better team at Anfield. We should easily have had more at Chelsea and Arsenal.
Since the Derby the total lack of guts and leadership amongst the players has shone through.

Millwall were pulling shirts off us in the box. We can’t even block their runs. That is NOT the manager, that is the players. Oviedo apart when did we last go to a top 6 club and win? That Silva fault? NO. There is a whole culture of accepting mediocrity within the club. A whole culture of giving in when it gets tough. That cannot be changed in 6 months.

Brands and Silva have half a squad who they clearly do not rate ( and neither in the main do we) but they are stuck with them until either someone takes them or contracts end. We cannot keep changing managers.

Get rid of the deadwood in the squad - if I’m honest there is about 6 I’d keep. Get rid of the entire coaching staff from the old boys network. They all have this ‘losers’ culture. Bring in some winners both on and off the pitch.

But for Tuesday?
Pray.


6.) 27 Jan 2019
27 Jan 2019 16:13:18
DaveW not sure if that was criticism or praise? Lol I’ve never been called sensible or rational in my life 🤣
Frustration brings mixed emotions, look at Gomes a few weeks ago he was fond of the season controlling midfield and everyone wanted us to sign him straight away for £xxm. Now he’s a Barcelona reserve who’s too slow and can’t header a ball.
Come on guys let’s be rational and sensible about this.


7.) 27 Jan 2019
27 Jan 2019 16:17:27
Ed025 and I would love the mangers pay check I think we need to give brands and Silva time and few transfer windows to sort out the mess of previous regimes. But please Marco ditch the zonal marking until we have the players able to implement this system properly.

{Ed025's Note - i would love that david, but just like maggie the witch...i dont think hes for turning mate..


8.) 27 Jan 2019
27 Jan 2019 18:06:42
I called this weeks ago when people were saying Jags is finished, get Jags in that defence and the fire of McCarthy in midfield and watch results improve.

Two other things I would sort out is scrap the zonal marking, we tried it but just not working.

The other thing I would do is bring Neville Southall in short term, and get him to coach Pickford and how to command his area and make the crosses his, he is still young and can think of no better person to tweak his weaknesses.


9.) 27 Jan 2019
27 Jan 2019 17:57:29
we don't have a defender that can turn they are all rubbish.


10.) 27 Jan 2019
27 Jan 2019 23:40:08
Could you imagine if Southall could give Pickford half his command of a box.