Hull (a) Post Match Thread

There were too many folk on the Matchday thread eager to stick the boot in and say how shit we were, but they are completely wrong. I've seen us play shit, and that was nothing like it. We managed the game well today without giving them too many chances. We softened them up until they had nothing left and comfortably beat them with a clean sheet to boot.

I never bother with the matchday thread and only occasionally tweet during a game: aside from being too busy watching match, games are best commented on when you have seen the whole thing.

Today, we had a poor spell at start of second where Hull had a go and we made too many errors and failed to keep possession; otherwise, we controlled game and did not concede, which meant our superior ability told in the end.
 
Good win and whilst others around us had easy home games today we got rid of an away fixture with 3 points.

I still think we have a soft underbelly in the team though, a few times their players ran through two or three of ours and still had the ball. We lack real leadership on the pitch and it's a bit worrying when we're relying on KDB to conduct things and fire the lads up. Such a shame the Bonucci deal fell through as he's exactly the type of player we've missed this season, both for his positional play and his leadership qualities.
 
No I'm asking which players control a game for 90 minutes?

Once you answer that I'll know more about the sort of player that you mean as without that knowledge I'd still think Dinho, Silva and KDB are those sorts of players.

We have had a game plan in the last three matches that has worked very well. We haven't been stronger as we went on by mistake (in my opinion), we have hogged possession early doors and knackered the opposition mentally and physically.

Three wins from three. One conceded and seven scored. I don't think it's been by luck but entirely by design, Pep is learning the league or at least he is learning how to use these players to win games. As has been mentioned, 1/3rd of Chelsea's wins in their current run have been 1-0 and far less convincing than today.

There were wankers on here (not you) after Leicester saying we'd have more defeats by new year than at any point since pre takeover.
No I'm asking which players control a game for 90 minutes?

Once you answer that I'll know more about the sort of player that you mean as without that knowledge I'd still think Dinho, Silva and KDB are those sorts of players.

We have had a game plan in the last three matches that has worked very well. We haven't been stronger as we went on by mistake (in my opinion), we have hogged possession early doors and knackered the opposition mentally and physically.

Three wins from three. One conceded and seven scored. I don't think it's been by luck but entirely by design, Pep is learning the league or at least he is learning how to use these players to win games. As has been mentioned, 1/3rd of Chelsea's wins in their current run have been 1-0 and far less convincing than today.

There were wankers on here (not you) after Leicester saying we'd have more defeats by new year than at any point since pre takeover.
To be honest, only the true elite are capable of doing so but I wasn't getting at a particular player, I was getting at 'players' as a collective unit. For what it's worth, the type of players I am getting at are Modric, Kroos, Thiago and what Gundogan was at Dortmund. The type of players who don't necessarily have to try to make something happen when they get the ball, but constantly appear to be on it and weaving in and out of space.

As a collective unit, Siva, Nasri and Yaya were unreal when it came to controlling a game and penning teams in. When we pen teams in now there always seems to be less of a threat then there was a few seasons ago. I'd almost argue that we are morphing into a team who are probably more effective on the counter than we are in general possession.

Now Yaya and Silva are past their peak and Nasri has been replaced by a player who provides plenty of wow moments but drifts in and out of games, or can go from not being able to pass wind to playing a ridiculous first time cross field pass for an assist.

Barcelona have a similar problem to us now. Iniesta isn't quite what he was and Xavi has been replaced by Rakitic. As a result, they don't control games like they did 5 years ago. Luckily for them they have a ridiculous front 3.

We don't have that luxury unfortunately and are blending players who are at the latter stages of their career and unable to consistently dominate the midfield game with attacking players who are all capable of moments of brilliance but don't produce them with the regularity of their counterparts at the other top clubs in Europe (with the exception of KDB and Aguero...when he's on form at least).

For what it's worth I do get that we are at an awkward stage where we don't actually know if Sterling and Sane will reach the level which needs to be reached by them to make us a real force at the top table (although we are not far off) and in the meantime have to wait it out through the inconsistency - although Sterling has been much better this season and looks capable of going up a few more levels yet. In that sense, we have made a rod for our own back with what we have paid for them. Real Madrid would have been in the same predicament if they had signed Bale and Ronaldo 3 years before they actually did and so would Barcelona if they signed Neymar 4 or 5 years ago.

We have a similar issue with Stones at the back. One week we might get the type of performance that makes £50m look like a bargain, and then the next week we might get the type of performance which highlights why he was in and out at Everton last season. Same with Otamendi is similarly inconsistent - one week we get the performance you'd expect from the one of the best defenders in La Liga, the next we will get one which highlights why Porto loaned him back to South America.

I realise I have gone off a tangent, but all in all I think we have a fair few inconsistent players and they're grouped with more consistent players who no longer possess the powers that allow them to dominate week in week out. So one week it might all click and we will hammer someone 7-0. But the next 2 or 3 we might look disjointed.
 
Until the pen, I thought we were watching a replay of the Sunderland away game on Boxing Day in 2011.

It was always going to be difficult to break down a solid team (and they defended well until we took the lead) when the width is being provided by Sagna and Clichy. Both are so limited as an attacking threat.

The issues we have had with our full backs has held us back over the last couple of years. We would improve so much if we could bring in just one full back in Jan.
 
And when he needs time to develop and adjust to the league we can crucify him!!! :)

LOL....Not me! I've not felt this excited about a signing since...

13502d1328171534t-how-welcome-manchester-poster-o_manchester_city_carlos_alberto_tevez-1328394-jpg
 
Pep: I spoke with the strikers, all of them. The winger has to be the wingers. You have to try to dribble and attack the goal."

Pep: "In the first half we didn’t do that; in the second half it was much, much better."

Pep: "In the second, we had problems in the first 10 minutes. But after that we had good control, the second goal help us a lot

Pep: "Kolarov and Otamendi they are strong, I am not worried about the long ball -"

Pep: I’m worried about the second ball, the third ball and sometimes the fourth ball. That is the thing we have to improve!"
 

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