100%.I’m not saying park the bus, just be clever and run the clock down, feign cramp/injury and be ugly for 10 mins to see the game out and get the result!
If we’re willing to sacrifice 3 hard earned points over trying to look pretty and play attractive football for 90 minutes (which we didn’t do anyway) then what are we doing? We need points and results at this moment in time. Its inexcusable.
Not very often at any level of football you see a striker bang in front of goal with so much time and space, he controlled the ball, smoked his pipe, put on his slippers and slammed the ball into our unprotected netBoth goals from left, Gvardiol is liability his defending is poor.
He’s a fantastic footballer, just not a LB. In fact, this season, Pep’s decision to play centre backs in the full back position has really cost us. Most goals we’re conceding are coming from the full back areas and yet we seem to going after more centre backs!Both goals from left, Gvardiol is liability his defending is poor.
Lots I agree with but their equaliser was scored from a cross that should have been defended far better by Savinho. He was far too passive and not for the first time. We simply cannot allow the number of crosses that we concede every game.Positives:
We looked better going forward...final ball/correct choice missing at times but we did look to be attacking quicker...
Savihno played well - again needs to pick better options at time butt he technical ability is clear to see,
Haalands hold up play was good.
KDB moving better - way off it pressing wise, and defending from the front (as were the others) but his attacking performance was better
We didnt lose a game that we would probably have lost before Xmas.
Negatives
Midfield is non existant defensively and became worse with the introduction of Gundogan - Pep sayign we dont have the defnsive minded player proves what many have been saying for a while -Brentford on another day with better finishing could have had 5 or 6. None of our current midfield has that defensive awareness...we arent picking up the second balls, we arent tracking runners or if they try they simply cannt keep with them
overall - still nowhere near good enough but there is improvement.
We need that defensive minded midfielder now.....unless we are thinking of using both the new lads in the back four and moving one of the current back 4 into the defensive midfield position - Stones would be the ideal one but he cant manage more than a few games at at time....so he is nto the long term solution and I dont thinkoverall akanji is good enough on the ball especially with his passing....
No back 4 can constantly defend attack after attack in waves.....they will crumble in the end and it is happening on a semi regular basis - this is where the mistakes are then happening
.....and Pep demonstratrates that there are different ways to play and that pragmatic game management can be a winning formula.We simply can't control games anymore in the same manner, and Pep's style of football requires little room for error in possession otherwise it leaves you completely exposed, just by the very nature of how high we get up the pitch.
As I said on a thread last week, the signs were there last season despite getting over the line, but there was a period last season where every goal we conceded were almost identical to each other, when we couldn't defend after a turnover of possession.
Until we get some new legs and players who can start controlling a game again, these results will be the norm.
......and we couldve/shouldve had 4 or 5 before they scored.This is a footballing philosophy thing….
Pep’s side defend by retaining the ball and keeping it as far away from our goal as possible. He simply won’t put 11 men behind the ball and defend for their life - its not the way pep way to
Play and we are ill-equipped to do that…
Our problem is through lack of confidence, energy and quality we are unable to retain the ball and press high… so you either stick to your principals and play through it knowing it will come good when the energy and players come back or sacrifice your system thats worked for so long
I don’t think we capitulated - Brentford could have scored 5-6 during that game at any point - they took their chances in the final 10
Not having the ruthlessness to fuck Walker and Gundogen and Silva off you don’t reward loyalty by throwing them under a bus their race is done and to some extent KevBiggest crime for me is watching the young ones play so well only for pep to totally ignore them and bring on his old guard who are let’s face it average at best.
Nico and Doku on on 65 mins that games won.
Fuck knows.!ts absolute madness and that bit is all on Pep.When most teams go 2 up with not long to go, they defend with ten men.
Why do we only defend with four or five men ??
There's a good lad called Nico something at .......oh shit !!Nor am I Geoff. But my view is this is a short term burning problem. Perhaps we don’t need the top draw long- term replacement. Maybe a stopgap who you could sell on in a year or so. Just someone with legs and energy. A simple destroyer perhaps. Screen the back, tackle and make a simple pass to the more creative players. Oh for a young Gerry Gow.
Of course I wasn’t happy. Gutted at the end but what’s the point of bleating? As a football fan I enjoyed the game between two good quality sides. We allow far too many crosses into the box. I think both goals were from crosses from the left. Savinho far too passive for the last. That’s nothing to do with ageing legs. I see the reality of what we are just now and will try and get what enjoyment I can out of each game. This will take more than the next few games to fix.Sorry but you can’t tell me you’re happy watching us capitulate again. The fact this is continuing to happen far outweighs any positives from the overall general performance.
No matter how good Brentford were we had a two goal lead with 10 mins left and we allowed them back into it. Ultimately it’s another 2 points dropped and we’re lucky other teams around us also dropped points.
At this stage of the season it’s about results you have to be able win and see out games when not at your best - and not just against fodder sides like Leicester and West Ham.
Of course I wasn’t happy. Gutted at the end but what’s the point of bleating? As a football fan I enjoyed the game between two good quality sides. We allow far too many crosses into the box. I think both goals were from crosses from the left. Savinho far too passive for the last. That’s nothing to do with ageing legs. I see the reality of what we are just now and will try and get what enjoyment I can out of each game. This will take more than the next few games to fix.
Thnx. Oh shyte as I said I obviously looked at an unupdated table ( on ESPN my usual go to).There are currently on 47 not 46 so can get 101.