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Thread | I don't see McKenna going to Spurs but
at 16:15 23 Apr 2025
If Bournemouth, Brentford or Fulham lose their boss to Spurs, I fear he may well be in the frame for the vacancy that creates. [Post edited 23 Apr 16:16]
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Thread | We are consistently overrun in midfield
at 19:19 20 Apr 2025
Most of the division have better players than us. They have benches stacked with quality too. It is right to say we have competed in a good proportion of games but even in those games at tge 70 minute mark we have loked goosed and succumbed to the pressure too many times. The 4321 formation has not worked for us in the Premier League. Our two in midfield gets overrun either in terms of numbers or just sheer physicality, speed and strength. The three behind the lone striker have all too often been too lightweight and the formation leaves our striker so isolated.
Today, we actually looked more solid 2nd half with 10 men as we went 531. The tgree in midfield were not so overrun. Just imagine if Delap had beenablecto join Hirst in a 532. We might have actually posed some threat. 4231 works when you are the dominant side. We have rarely been that side this season but our shape hss not reflected this often enough.
Just my opinion though. |
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Thread | History will teach us nothing
at 23:20 15 Mar 2025
We just don't seem to have learned much as the season has progressed. I know for tge last two seasons Davis has been bombing forward, but how many times this season against top opposition have we conceded goals with Leif 10, 15 or 20 yards behind tge scorer struggling to get back? In addition, whilst Delap has scored some belters, why he is continually allowed to run into blind alleys instead of being instructed to bring others into play more often? When will we realise that George Hirst should be getting 30 minutes, not 15 or less? Or maybe that Delap could have even more success playing off Hirst as a 10, giving us some more physicality in those forward areas not provided by Hutch, Clarke, Enciso or Philogene? In too many games we are overrun in midfield by more athletic players with greater physicality but we have continued to only ever play two in there, rarely if ever seeking to counteract opposition strengths in tge centre of the park. Finally, when are our defenders going to realise that backing off and allowing attackers to enter the 18 yard box is not a good ploy as it generally ends badly?
These are the things that have irked me most since the turn of the year. Like I've said, it feels like history has taught us nothing.
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Thread | We have to recruit beyond these shores
at 18:12 9 Mar 2025
Bournemouth, Brighton, Brentford, Palace have all picked up powerful, physical and talented players in the European, South American and African markets for significantly lower fees than we paid for several players this season. It really is the next thing the club needs to look at for me.
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Thread | Great to see Hutchinson yesterday
at 13:21 9 Mar 2025
Shoulder charge the Palace player off the ball in the build up to the Johnson headed chance. It's clear we lack physicality but that showed to me that Omari is beginning to develop a little more robustness. Philogene and Clarke need to follow suit. Pity we didn't have Enciso all season, he's a handful.
Greaves is clearly a decent prospect and a class above but he has a touch of the Matthew Pennington's to me - always stretching, lunging and never quite in full control.
It'll never happen but we need wins. I'd play Delap off Hirst with Enciso in behind in a 352 but that's just me, definitely not KM! |
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Thread | I'm sensing Phil has had a belly full
at 19:08 28 Feb 2025
He stopped pòsting live from the presser after just 12 minutes and half a dozen or so posts from himself when the entire thread descended into an argument about Omari's injury and if he should've played through the pain or not.
I feel for Mr Ham at times. We're all passionate about the club but the rapidity with which so many threads can descend into points scoring back and forth is amazing. I bet it is seroiusly trying the man's patience. [Post edited 28 Feb 19:09]
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Thread | Villa v us with ten men and last night
at 13:31 27 Feb 2025
The stereotypical thing to do is compare how difficult Villa found it to break us down with 10 men 11 days ago and our travails against United last night. Nah, not for me. Yes, there was some heroic defending by us at Villa park, bodies on the line etc. However, Villa were banging on the door, Palmer made half a dozen fine saves, one of them almost unbelievable. Last night was nothing like that. Onana will not have had an easier 45 minutes all season than that second half! |
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Thread | We are too slow
at 22:11 26 Feb 2025
Who in our side offers genuine attacking pace?
Delap, yes power and decent pace.
Other than that, I'm not seeing it.
Omari really is trying but he's not getting away from anyone.
Philogene - forget the goals tonight, he has beaten nobody.
Clarke has some nice feet but pace, nah.
Chaplin, Szmodics, Broady - guile but no pace
Ok, Chieo and Wes but they're out.
Leif just isn't as positive as he was last year.
Sa e goes for attacking and midfield physicality.
All points to narrow recruitment. |
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Thread | We have not won the midfield battle all season
at 18:02 22 Feb 2025
We're not good enough to play 2 in midfield. Almost all games we've been outmuscled in the centre of the park whilst playing 2 or 3 lightweight players in a three behind Delap. With the two in midfield, whoever it has been, being overrun at times in nearly every game, our flair (and lightweight) players have been forced into more defensive work which is not their strength. Sometimes, this means we are neityer an effective attacking force, nor are our fullbacks getting decent protection. I said early in the season we needed 3 in midfield but it just seems a complete no-no.
I'd actually go 352 / 532 myself. Delap is way too isolated on his own. |
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Thread | Seems like quite a few posters wanting Townsend
at 15:12 19 Feb 2025
over Leif Davis. Yes, Townsend had a very good game defensively on Saturday and got into some decent attacking positions without really deliver but really? Leif has been outstanding for 2 1/2 years, has still nbeen one of our better performers this season and will undoubtedly be the target of some Premier League interest in the summer. We need wins, Leif is our chief chance creator. If he's fit, he plays for me. |
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Thread | Muric - the back pass error😱
at 14:25 2 Feb 2025
People rightly talking about both goals. However, what about tge back pass from Axel that rolled under his studs and out for a corner? A yard yo the left and that's a goal! Yes, the pass was firm but that was another poor moment. |
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Thread | No point bringing in a 3rd No 9
at 10:25 2 Feb 2025
Doesn't look like we will, but unless they were better than Delap, we will just persist in flogging him for 85+ minutes in general. Even at 4 down last week he went 77 minutes before getting booked and taken off. Surely Hirst has 20 minutes in him? |
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Thread | Hope we sign another twinkle toed lightweight before deadline
at 17:23 1 Feb 2025
Especially if they are incredibly easy to push off the ball, can't pick a simple pass and hang on to the ball too long when said simple pass is on.
Please can we continue to flog Liam Delap for the full 90 and leave George Hirst on the bench until the last knockings of the game. I'd like to see our highest paid player and a former England international on our bench whilst a 9 million pound goalkeeper inspires no confidence in team mates or supporters.
Oh, and in the final few minutes when desperate for a goal, can we pass it sideways, or better still, backwards.
This might all seem churlish considering the achievements of the last two seasons I know, but can someone tell me what I have presented is downright wrong? [Post edited 1 Feb 17:23]
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Thread | Spurs have no heart.
at 14:35 19 Jan 2025
They're a team of good players, technically gifted who will destroy teams at times. Yet, when it comes down to it, too many gutless individuals content to shadow box and jog their way through tough games and pick ip a huge wage. |
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Thread | Are we struggling for an identity right now?
at 21:37 16 Jan 2025
At 2 down we suddenly decided to go almost 100% passing from the back after spending much of the game lumping balls forward to o effect at all in the second half. We only look threatening at the moment in flashes when a couple of quick passes offers the chance of a break forwards. Much of the game we now surrender possession but when we do get it, our inclination is far too often to turn backwards and slow it down. Compare this with Forest, who soak up tbe pressure in a similar defensive formation to us but break with far greater forward drive and numbers.
Maybe it's just me, but right now we are neither my backside nor my elbow. |
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Thread | I have some news to share!
at 15:40 28 Dec 2024
Following a thread reply to a question to me from Mullet today, I think I should share some news with the Forum. Many of you will know that in Autumn 2023 I was diagnosed with Level 9 Prostate Cancer. Well, after almost a year of constant treatment, Chemotherapy, a 5 hour operation called Brachytherapy and 20 session of what was described as 'radical' radiotherapy, to the surprise of both myself and frankly the Oncologist too, on December 6th I was told the cancer is 'currently undetectable' and I'm in remission. Can't quite believe it. yes, it's done me in somewhat and I will be tested every 4-6 months but I have a chance I really wasn't expecting  .
Upon diagnosis, I urged all men on here of a certain age to get themselves checked out. I had virtually no symptoms and thought getting up for a pee maybe twice a night was just a part of being in my mid 50s. I reiterate that call today. PLEASE FELLAS, GO AND GET CHECKED. IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.
[Post edited 28 Dec 2024 17:22]
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Thread | On a bad day, the most disappointing thing was...
at 19:29 21 Dec 2024
How many times we simply gave them the ball and meekly surrendered possession. Morsy, Cajuste, Chaplin, Burns, Hutchinson, Davis all guilty on multiple occasions and oftentimes under minimal pressure. The Muric 'pass' is a nonsense, Cajuste was barely 12 yards out when he 'received' that!
We were ponderous, with a poor shape, are so bleeding vulnerable down the left flank to a turnover and couter attack, overrun in the midfield that it was quite depressing. But for me, the inability to execute quite simple passes was the most obvious failing for many of our players today. |
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Thread | Maybe he's monotone, but Mick Mills is spot on.
at 17:35 21 Dec 2024
We're wide open down our left.
We need to look at system change for the Premier League - 3 at the back.
We're overrun in midfield and lack some physicality in there.
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Thread | Possession of the football
at 23:34 14 Dec 2024
Delighted with the win. For 70 minutes we just about shaded it. Once they scored, well it was very nervy wasn’t it. To score with seconds to go is, of course, a fantastic feeling but tbroughout the game we were very loose in possession for me. The standout occasion being when O'Shea, under no real pressure, just passed it straight to a Wolves player on the touchline and two passes later they really should’ve equalised. On at least half a dozen occasions we surrendered possession with loose passing undr no real pressure or we punted long balls into the channels when nobody was anywhere to be seen. We seem to have periods of blind panic in every game. That’s not just the expected spells of opposition pressure, but poor ball retention and aimless hoofing. Then we seem to regain composure and start playing again. I guess it's the elusive 90 minutes we're after.
I'm proud of our club, proud of their efforts on and off the pitch. Just want to see us play through spells of pressure better and handle the football with more care when executing relatively simple passes. |
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