Fabrice29

Interesting. Cant see them getting both him and Rodriguez.

Don't really see how the formation is massively different to what we've played before. It asks for 3 fluid front players. Today especially it didn't have 3 fluid front players. Last season at times we were just as confused and static and we played 3 front players who were asked to be fluid. They are a little more central but ultimately the last couple of seasons we've asked our full backs to be our width anyway. The only thing this formation doesn't encourage is overlaps and one twos out wide with Pelle used to thrive on the resulting crosses. We had many times last season when people moaned on here about crosses being **** and dealing with us easily, now we've changed it up they're still moaning. You could also make a serious case for Sunderland, Watford and United defenders being set up to be able to deal with big target men just as easily as well. Further to this I think whilst one player wont completely solve the issue Bertrand is much better than Targett going forward. He offers more penetration, more variety and more pace. Cedric is just as guff in this formation as he was the last. Yes it's different but not massively. It's 4 at the back with the full backs playing wide and pushing forward. It's a front 3 which needs to be fluid, intelligent, inventive and brave. It's a midfield 3 which has a protector and two box to box midfielders. Last year we played 4 at the back with the full backs playing wide and pushing forward. It had a protector in Wanyama and a box to box midfielder in Davis sometimes with either Romeu another protector or Ward Prowse a box to box midfielder and it's fair to say Hoijberg is good enough to do both roles. It was a front 3 which was fluid, intelligent, inventive and brave, just starting slightly more centrally this time round but they do have the license to move out wide. I'm glad to see VVD is ****ed off. Yes we are asking them to play a different way, that's what happens when your manager walks out on you, you get someone else in and he might have the odd different idea, although as I've said I dont think it's hugely different, still relies on possession and intelligent play. Yes we had success last season but you cant stand still, you need to change things up at times otherwise people find you out. Also one major thing VVD did say in that interview...the formation is not an excuse.

Nothing wrong with the formation, manager or board. Simple lack of intelligence, invention and movement upfront is all that cost us. Started well, Austin on his toes but by the time he was rightly dragged off he was just static. Things were a lot better when Jay Rod came on and Redmond dropped into the whole. Those two and Long playing quick passes with movement trying to break lines sparked us again. Tadic quiet but Austin and Fonte especially were really really poor. The rest of the team is more than OK. Dominated the game. The formation is more than fine. A decent right back wouldn't go a miss and Bertrand back will help but the formation relies on fluid movement upfront with clever play. Austin and Tadic didn't provide that today. Jay Rod and Redmond did. Think this formation really suits Rodriguez so I'm hoping we keep him. Playing wide, cutting inside looking for one two's and having a strike from range is exactly what this formation needs and it's exactly what Rodriguez brings. Austin can do one though. I sit next to a guy who seems to love him but I have yet to see him offer anything to us. Obviously he has his talents and he showcased them for QPR of course but he's been here since January and I dont know what he's done to deserve to be starting games.

I think it makes perfect sense...if he's seen as a right back. Problem is if he's seen as a CB by Arsenal and himself and they presumably want him to play regular football then this isn't right club for him as he's only getting in if Fonte or VVD are injured/rested. If he wants to come as a right back then he would be straight into our team.

Yeah when people say a finished article....name names...because I've seen Everton and Palace plays £60m on players who are premier league experienced and I'm laughing my tits off at them. PL experienced managers have normally been sacked by teams of the quality we are trying to be. Again..name names.

Agree with all of that but yet he's been better than Cedric. Cedric is good enough going forward, although he's yet to actually prove it, but you can see the talent is there however defensively he's just as all over the place as Martina and is exposed much easier. Dont think despite the hype he was that good in the Euro's either. He's got the ability but I've yet to see him have a good game.

Martina has definitely been better than Cedric for us. Scary ambition from Everton though.

Hesketh is class. He'll be in the first team by the end of the season.

Is this beefy guy the same guy who said Cedric had signed a new contract and Fonte was all but signed a couple of weeks ago?

You might be running out of years but the club isn't. It has to take a long term view and approach of things. Yes we all want some glory and to want that isn't a bad thing. However realistically all we can ever ask from the club is improvement, whether be in terms of league position or with a bit of context where we are as a club. The club has delivered that for the last 7 seasons. I really dont understand the criticism of the club and the way it goes about things. Latheal has posted some very interesting and insightful posts about why we cant go out and spunk loads of money on Bolasie and Benteke and thank **** that is the case. The club is delivering on the pitch every year at the moment, I believe we will get at least one more in but even if we didn't, it will be because the club doesn't think we need it or it was right to do so, and the club has earnt my trust when it comes to those decisions. I'm quite excited by the season, not just because of what we have in store in terms of European football but I quite like the look of the squad myself but I can see why others might not. Personally I think Hoijberg already looks a better player than Wanyama and suits Puel's possesion game better anyway. Redmond is someone the club has been interested for a while and again the club has earn't my trust in that if they rate someone so much then he must be good and certainly I can see the qualities he brings and how we as a club can help him improve. Puel excites me. I get why he might not excite you, but he does me. He's a champions league experienced manager, who has had success in another country and has a good record of young players. I dont give a **** about his interviews being dull but when I listen to them they don't seem dull to me because instead of thinking about how dull he is when I press play, I actually try to listen to and understand what he has to say and he's pretty similar to Koeman and Poch, which makes sense seeing as the club prides itself on being able to easily carry on with different managers. I just don't get the meltdown people are feeling. I certainly dont understand how people can criticise the owners and board as they have delivered every year. The management and players have had has had one game so I dont see how people can be on there backs already. I get why people might be greedy and want more but taking a minute to understand how lucky we are, where the club is at and it's restrictions it's working under and what we have in store this season I think will help calm people down. Everything is going to be ok. Even if we get battered tonight...which we wont.

Ah those statements that Reed has done in the past and still gets criticised for now. A statement wouldn't change anything.

I am the only one that doesn't have a problem with Puel, his English or his accent then? Probably because I didn't go into it already judging him, angry about him or expecting it to be perfect. Also I read the stuff about him being a bore in his interviews and completely different behind the scenes from anyone who told us about him when he joined.

When you say go after them...do you mean interview and assess them and all other available options like a sensible business would do when making a managerial appointment?

Remember Lallanas mate on here who was ITK? Cant remember his name but he was Guan levels of reputation. Anyway when Lallana and Poch left didn't he post that Claude Puel was to be the new manager...so quite obviously been on our radar for a long time.

Saw opportunities for us on Friday if United play like they did today. Scoreline looks impressive and it must be taken into account that it was an away game but if players like Tadic get as much as the ball as the likes of Ibe did today then we will get chances.

Really frustrating result. Thought we were ok, much better second half obviously. Their formation and lazy passing stifled us, especially first half. They played with two blocks of 3 and wing backs. Our passing wasn't quick or crisp enough to be a threat. I'm excited to see us away from home though, can see us really suiting playing against teams a little more open. At home we will have to be patient and expect the odd frustrating 1-1, 0-0 draw but ultimately I walked away frustrated today but confident we're going to be more than OK this season. Hoijberg is going to be great for us as well.

Ummm...other than the fact that Hernandez isn't a left sided attacker you mean? Carlos Vela suits much more but I'm pretty sure Guan would have said if he had played in the Premier League before...wouldn't you Guan?

Probably a sign he considers Redmond a striker and therefore we have four for a system which plays two.

Well in terms of the line up only Redmond for Mane is any different attacking wise to what we finished with last season. Different formation maybe but the dig that there are no goals in the team is ill judged because minus Mane the goals will come from the same place they did at the end of last season. Unless of course as I asked we relied on just Mane last season.

Just the small overreaction in here

Umm, did we just rely on Mane for goals at the end of last season then? Really pathetic ill thought out dig.

Is Bertrand even fit yet?

United aren't interested in him though

We won quite a few games to be fair.

Koeman would always talk about keeping ball "position"and controlling the game. Sounds like Puel will just keep that consistency. Difference being that Koeman proved its effectiveness in games and Puel hasn't had that chance yet...but hey ho...write him off anyway. Much easier than actually thinking about it a little bit logically isn't it?