Forget Recriminations, how do we sort this mess out?

[fbloke]

Do you remember the good old days when a defence would, at times of defending a set-piece run out en masse and catch the attacking side flat footed, leaving them off side.

Ahh them were the days of being less than fully static and predictable!

 

[WNRH]

3rd in the league at the start of Feb, still in the FA Cup and Europa League with two favourable ties in both cups and another two after that, a new £27m striker and Balotelli ready any week now and this is a mess?

 

[MMA]

I just want the players that bobbys picking to use their brains a bit more and stop being sloppy/lazy.
Not quite sure but i think it was mourinho who when he came over here took the chelsea team to a local factory to show them what they could be doing and how privy their lives are.
Our squads got it all in their locker but they need a rocket up their arse.

 

[Chippy_boy]

There's nothing wrong with Barry or Milner. Both are good players who would get into most sides.

The trouble is, Milner is a central midfielder. He doesn't have the pace nor technical trickery to play out on the wing, so he looks poor doing that. But as a box to box central midfield player who will run his socks off for 95 minutes, he is a fine player. Play him in the middle and he can do a very good job for us.

Barry is a holding midfield player. He is not Lampard and trying to pretend he is, is ridiculous. Play Nigel de Jong OR Barry, but not both. We were criticised earlier in the season for playing 3 defensive midfield players. We dismissed that saying that the players were not DM's. Actually at least 2 of them are. It's only because we have told Yaya to get up front that it's not 3 of them.

 

[dancity19]

3rd in the league at the start of Feb, still in the FA Cup and Europa League with two favourable ties in both cups and another two after that, a new £27m striker and Balotelli ready any week now and this is a mess?

Stating the fact that we have a £27 million striker is ridiculous. We also have an £18 million striker- Jo. It's not a mess, but we have hit a bad patch and are stalling, undoubtedly. We lost at Villa, and we were the only top 5 team to drop points the last 2 nights. This is what the OP is referring to. We were in a great position a few weeks ago, but did a few games Villa (H), Fulham (A), Newcastle (A) pull the wool over our eyes?

 

[Chippy_boy]

3rd in the league at the start of Feb, still in the FA Cup and Europa League with two favourable ties in both cups and another two after that, a new £27m striker and Balotelli ready any week now and this is a mess?

Stating the fact that we have a £27 million striker is ridiculous. We also have an £18 million striker- Jo. It's not a mess, but we have hit a bad patch and are stalling, undoubtedly. We lost at Villa, and we were the only top 5 team to drop points the last 2 nights. This is what the OP is referring to. We were in a great position a few weeks ago, but did a few games Villa (H), Fulham (A), Newcastle (A) pull the wool over our eyes?

I don't think so. We played great at Villa and Fulham certainly. Not so sure about Newcastle.

We definitely were playing much better football in those 3 games than we have in the last 3.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

I think describing the situation as a mess is a bit alarmist. Two poor results in the cup (but ultimately we still progress in the competition), a defeat away at Villa and a draw away at Birmingham doesn't constitute a mess to me. Maybe I am buying my head in the sand, I'm not sure, but I didn't think we were amazing when we went on the good run around Christmas and I don't think we are terrible now. The margins are fine, clearly things have dipped a little in the last two or three weeks but no reason to think one good result this weekend won't spark a good run. I wouldn't have Lescott as first choice, he is too clumsy. I'd stick with Hart as personally I think his form has been ok. Totally agree on Vieira and Jo and agree with whoever said Zab should play when fit. No need to talk about lining up a replacement for Mancini imo, that is ridiculous at this stage.

 

[dancity19]

Stating the fact that we have a £27 million striker is ridiculous. We also have an £18 million striker- Jo. It's not a mess, but we have hit a bad patch and are stalling, undoubtedly. We lost at Villa, and we were the only top 5 team to drop points the last 2 nights. This is what the OP is referring to. We were in a great position a few weeks ago, but did a few games Villa (H), Fulham (A), Newcastle (A) pull the wool over our eyes?

I don't think so. We played great at Villa and Fulham certainly. Not so sure about Newcastle.

We definitely were playing much better football in those 3 games than we have in the last 3.

That is my point mate. Have those games deceived us into thinking we were better than we are. If you look through the season, we have been mediocre in so many games.

 

[Ntini77]

No serious changes can be made until Mario returns.

 

[Blue Mooner]

Our form has dipped alarmingly since Christmas. We're conceding goals. Teams have worked out how to play us. We're not winning enough. Our confidence has dipped alarmingly.

Forget about recriminations, what do we do right now to sort it out?

I think it's time for radical action because this season is far from over.

Joe Hart is going to have to be taken out the firing line and be replaced with Shay Given. He's cost us too many goals. He's a great keeper but his confidence is shot to bits. Get him in the reserves and let him get back to where he was.

Never ever pick Jo or Vieira again. It is unbelieveable to me that either of these two are even in our squad. Surely the manager has to admit this mistake and get them out of the firing line.

Look at the formation. The 4-2-3-1 isn't working well enough. We're too narrow and aren't getting enough balls into the box. The problem is we haven't got the wide men to go 4-4-2. However I think we should look hard at it and build our bridges with SWP. Silva's good enough to play wide left drifting in, with Kolorov overlapping.

Work incessantly defending setpieces. Bring back Lescott to partner Kompany.

Work at attacking setpieces. Lescott also adds to this.

DO what it takes off the field to bring some unity and confidence back to the camp. Have a "let's have it out" session. Do some bonding work. Get them fired up again. MAybe going all out to thump Sunderland will do some good.

Also, I think the Sheikh needs to be having a few strictly off the record discussions behind the scenes with a few people who are otherwise engaged. Purely as a precaution of course.

Dave, I like your positive attitude in how we move forward, but I really don't think you can describe our current situation as a 'mess' !

I'm very comfortable with where we are at this stage in the season and irrespective of the Villa result the way they played against us 'at home' to get a result just demonstrated to me how far we have come. Teams recognise that they can't beat us by actually trying to go toe to toe.

Ok for some teams it has worked out recently but its just a blip. Chelsea literally had relegation form for 6 weeks but they're back and flying. It happens, it certainly isn't an indication that our players aren't good enough.

That said I far prefer the attitude how can we improve than the usual so and so's sh*t, the managers cr*p, bring in Mourinho just playground mentality. So to that extent I agree that we should look at the areas we can improve and look forward positively.