16 Feb 2021 16:27:03
It's difficult to remain positive when our performances swing from both ends of the spectrum, so after really good performances away to Leicester, Wolves and Leeds, we perform abysmally against relegation threatened Newcastle, Fulham and against West Ham who David Moyes set up defensively to get a point but saw we were there for the taking so changed tactics and won the game.
Let's take the line that is spun to us after poor performances - what we learnt from the Fulham game.
Certainly team selection, set up and tactics left an awful lot to be desired.
- Sigurdsson struggles in his favoured position so how can you expect him to play up front.
- why buy in a striker to cover for DCL and not play him?
- Ricky is having a poor season and no way is he suited to play lone striker, he cannot hold the ball up and only had 7/ 8 touches of the ball in 90 minutes
- you cannot afford to play 3 players with no pace in the starting eleven, Sigurdsson, Gomes and James. None are quick enough to close the opposition down and give far too many fouls as a result.
- learn from our mistakes, against Newcastle we surrendered midfield by defending deep and were punished, yet we did exactly the same against Fulham with surprise surprise the same result.
-tactics were poor and should have been corrected by an instruction to push forward 20 yards to compress midfield and limit the time and space Fulham had in possession. This wouldn't have exposed us to ball over the top because with Godfrey's pace he could easily cover across the back line.
- substitutions were strange, it was obvious King needed to come on but instead of taking off Sigurdsson, Gomes and Holgate, he took off our two best players in Coleman and Davies further weakening the midfield and right side of the defence.
- Holgate still lacks spacial awareness and was three yards off Maja for one of the goals. I would expect the Keeper to be shouting instructions to his defenders to prevent them losing their marker at crosses.
We also need a Keeper who controls the six yards area on crosses, to take the pressure off the defenders. Both Olsen, despite his size, and Pickford stay on the goal line far too much, relying on reflexes to make saves.
- I don't subscribe to the excuse that we had a hard game four days earlier and were tired as a result. These guys are highly trained athletes and with the regimes in place should be able to go again after a few days no problem. If they had to do a good days labour they would be off every other day!
- we need to move the ball more quickly, preferably forward instead of ponderously back or across the back line giving the opposition far too much time to regroup to counter. Moving the ball quicker will allow James, who can find space better than most, time to switch play or make the killer pass stretching the opposition. Lately with the slow buildup by the time he gets the ball he is surrounded by a couple of defenders who physically limit his options.
I appreciate this is a bit of a rant and does nothing but express the frustrations we all feel and I know it will make no difference in the wider scheme of things.


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1.) 16 Feb 2021
16 Feb 2021 17:20:53
Agree with the majority of that Fancy but disagree with a couple of points.
Regards Richarlison comments - he’s not having a poor season in my opinion, ok not scoring many goals but brings so much more to the team and works his socks off every game. Regarding 7-8 touches he had absolutely no service whatsoever. This guy would have been on a high after the spurs match having scored twice and would have expected the same service and probably fancied himself for a goal or two - I did - however was hung out to dry by an inept midfield.

How you can say Coleman was one of our best players I didn’t see it at all. He was way off the pace, offered nothing offensively or defensively. He was the captain and it was far from a captains performance - wasn’t shouting at, cajoling or encouraging the team.

Apart from that decent post.

2.) 16 Feb 2021
16 Feb 2021 18:25:56
It's all down to different people's opinions.

3.) 16 Feb 2021
16 Feb 2021 19:09:57
Spot on glt.
That’s the great thing about this site, we all support the same team but have such differing opinions as to players, formation etc.

4.) 16 Feb 2021
16 Feb 2021 19:46:25
Spot on Dan. Richarlison is constantly making runs, but our midfield do not have the vision or ability to find him. Its no wonder the guy always looks pissed off.

5.) 17 Feb 2021
17 Feb 2021 11:51:35
Does anybody think Holgate struts around like he’s too big for his boots? Ever time he makes a mistake, he walks off like he’s on a catwalk for vogue. I find him a little bit comfortable since he’s got his feet under the table and played a run of games.