Dangermouth

Interesting. But bull****.

The unmoving tree represents our midfield. The water reflects our fluid ... er ... **** it. Change it to a dustbin with a half-dead ostrich hanging out of it.

@OP. No.

:thumbup:

I see no reason to expect inconsistency at any time apart from with a younger player learning the game at the top level or when starting out professionally. I do expect to beat the poor teams that we've faced with the exception of Huddersfield as anyone who watched them last season would know they play at a very high speed, etc and that levels the playing field somewhat. Much as I like Pellegrino the things that are of concern are that he seems somewhat like a rabbit in headlights, he seems to have the knack of swapping player for player rather than doing this to change the setup, there is an over-reliance on Football Manager tactics (from everyone) in that people seem to think 4231>433 without taking into account personnel, etc, he continues to play Redmond and Tadic, he does need to keep a settled team or they themselves with play like they don't have a clue, there is some concern about Black because his record at clubs is worrying: they never seem to do well and he's the only obvious common denominator, the team have been quite woeful in many aspects and if we continue to play as we have done while I think we'll scrape 15-17th this season next season we're in the crapper if the new managing owners and board and coaches and everyone else don't pull their finger out. I think they'll either remain complacent or start to panic and make bad decisions in either case and it was probably not a good idea to promote the people that have been promoted e.g. LR rather than looking sensibly at how to put something in place to reinvigorate the club. So our concern is not like it was when we first came up and it was a case of we nearly beat Man U but lost to a Van Persie special but that we are now established, aspirational and look like the footballing equivalent of all those people who watched the meteors fall the night before in The Day of the Triffids and with little to no sign that anything actually is coming together. As for the mighty Swansea, how did they do against a team widely regarded as a lower-league standard of team today?

****. Think the new owners need to look at a restructure from top to bottom as well as getting rid of about half our squad and bringing in better. And whoever decided to not get MS needs to be sacked.

??? Now I think Les is picking the team. Yoshida's strengths complement what we know of Hoedt's weaknesses better and he's more experienced. We'll still win though. 10-0.

And then made a weak appeal for a pen when it was obviously not one. I'm a bit surprised the defender hadn't sussed that he offered no threat and all he had to do was stand him up, but .... We have to give Boufal playing time or we'll probably just lose him soonish without knowing if he actually can do more than pirouette (which we know he can, but we'd like to see more from him). I think he might link quite well with Lemina.

Read KUMB more often. Even some of them use it. Actually quite a few as the owners aren't that popular.

Do you see any evidence that he does? Do you have any evidence? No, probably not. Probably more to do with the fact that most managers now seem to be identikit and all do the same thing. Ferguson probably wouldn't. He'd probably have the team that won the most things too. As to the decisions we make, this isn't American football: the players are meant to actually be able to do things without a huddle every 30 seconds in order to be told what to do. As to the post you replied to. I do hope they're not suggesting using Redmond in the middle as a number 10. Much rather have Boufal there. Bring Redmond off the bench if we're going to persist with Tadic which I wouldn't.

We still need to get it to him where he can make space 1 on 1 or 1 on 2 with the defenders though or he'll only have half-chances at best. This means (as always) getting the ball up quickly before the other side have set themselves in an organised wall and from what I've seen of Silva's teams they are organised.

Evidence? Reasons for this apparent conclusion? ....

No he doesn't have the potential to be 'top-class' and he won't be. What is does have the potential to be is the best of *our* options in the number 10 role (Sims aside because he's two-footed, fast, reads and thinks about the game, tries things on, is small but solid-ish, has awful facial hair, is very enthusiastic, looks for the pass, plays with his head up, etc). I do see it as limiting to have one 'creative' player who will be the one to make 'magic' happen, however. All the players should be able to do it or you have a very limited team. Hojbjerg also has a great deal of potential, plays a different game to others - or so it seems - and doesn't even make the bench.

I agree. Although Sims might out-do him. As to his 'selfishness'; that's no surprise for anyone who's even played even park football and come across the type (of whom there are many) and then wonder not why there are a lot of talented footballers who never get near the professional game. Perhaps if he had been in an academy from an earlier age he might have had to learn more about the team game because he wouldn't have been running rings around teams single-handedly as he can no doubt do at a lower level. It's a bit like Redmond who could use his skill and pace and power to bully full-backs at under 18 but now can't and hasn't learned to adapt his game. If you find enough old footage of Redmond when he played for England under 18s, you'll see him doing this time and again.

One for the coaches. How do you coach someone who e.g. always goes to the right to go to the left, right, stay back, go forward, etc all depending on circumstances and ensure they always make the right decision, they're in the right place, they can always process everything that's going on around them and can always concentrate fully on their task (which changes slightly depending on the above)? I presume to an extent it is done as that's what academies are for, but at what point do you say: X doesn't get it, can't improve; possibly because their instincts are too ingrained or Y doesn't get it because he's just not sharp enough (in footballing terms, which still comes down to instincts to a extent - if it does)?

In reply to both you and the poster above regarding Hesketh. 1/ He didn't fare very well during the Burnley game and was injured for a long time, he's been injured since, he was taken off by Puel away at Be'er Sheva because it was obvious he really wasn't going to do anything out there. 2/ Ben Reeves is a damn good player (when he's fit) and he's slight and I'd have no problem playing him. 3/ Only seen a bit of Slattery, what little I've seen I'd file under 'anonymous'. 4/ Not too bothered by the odd flashy goal at under 23 or lower level; I want to see game understanding, taking control of matters when the play's against you, quick movement and passing and those are all areas Hesketh is a bit hit and miss in, especially with his back to goal. Sometimes he shows good awareness, sometimes not and the latter seem to coincide with when he's pressured.

Or your interpretation of a pretty neutral comment. Probably that rather than him having a go at VVD unless there's a reason to. As for Hesketh...too lightweight and nowhere near as good as Ben Reeves, and he didn't even get a chance. Likewise, not impressed so far with Slattery. One player to definitely watch out for is O'Connor who I reckon will be a full international. Still physically a bit of a stick though.

No idea. I come up with my own thoughts. Anyway, I understand that the club (it was said on here a couple of years ago) think his long-term future is in midfield. He can play there, has played there, it plays to his ability to read the game, carry the ball, make decent passes, defend but ensures that when he has a brain fade that he isn't the last man who the rest of the team rely upon. That, as least as much as it can be allowed in any game. I think he's a good player with nothing about him to carve out a role for himself specifically in that he has no particular strengths nor (concentration and going to win headers aside) weaknesses.

Like Davis. Think he's on the decline though. Would put Stephens in for him.

Wrote this after the Wolves game; forgot to put it up. As this is the current negative thread I'll put this here so I can come back to it to see how I did. My thoughts on our current first team squad and with the backdrop of our club's stated desire to be on the coat tails of the better teams in a mediocre league and not simply a mid-table, easily ignored, local team with no interest to any save a few in Hampshire. Forster. Not a natural goalkeeper. Apparently if he goes so does Dave Watson. I wonder if it's time for a change all round. Pied. He's a converted winger (like Cedric). One of the articles that was posted when he signed said he wasn't a very good defender. Let his contract expire. Cedric. Decent, not great. Should be better going forward (see above). Minimum standard of player we should look to sign and I expect we'll keep him provided nothing silly happens. Aaron Martin (sorry, Bednarek). Enough said. Gardos. Would have liked to have seen him get a chance but understand he's a confidence player and he won't get the time/space allowed in this league to build that. Sorry, but keep only as back-up if at all. Yoshida. Overall not good enough for us and our aspirations. Would let him go on a free so he can make some money. Hoedt. I hear he's slow and has lapses of concentration. I think he will find parts of the English game difficult (the speed), but not the stand there and head it. If he has an immobile front line in front of him (as he's a passer, apparently) maybe he can bypass the midfield and hit Gabbiadini's runs early. Stephens. It will take a massive amount of work for him to learn to think differently and I don't think he will so this will limit him as defensively he's weak. I would have to say the weakness of switching off/being out of position (I class the latter as being a result of the former) means we should get rid of him if he can't iron this out of his game in the next 2 to 3 years. Clasie. Gone. Not right for the league, otherwise a good player. Davis. He should be phased out over the next two years. Not dominant enough. Does a fair bit of good work and is a good player but mostly doesn't seem to knit it all together with the team. This could be a team thing though. JWP. Is well-coached. I've said before he's not a footballer as in there's nothing natural about his approach. For comparison, watch Thomas O'Connor in the (I think) under 18s and see how he addresses the ball, keeps his head up, look at his posture, look at what he does. He is a footballer. Romeu. Decent, but we're his level and he's ours. Lemina. From what little I've seen, the same as Romeu. Happy to keep both, would require an upgrade if we really do want to challenge for the Champions League. Boufal. Not a game-changer, nor a real goal threat. Don't think he will ever make it to the top. I have now seen instances where he plays with himself and then involves others later (think Fabrice Fernandes, but fewer crop circles) so understand the comments from others that he tries to be 'too clever'. He should dribble less and pass (incisively) more. But again, it could be because we have a team of mannequins. Hojbjerg. Jury's out because I can't yet work out why he isn't a guaranteed starter. Obvious weaknesses are head down too much (especially when charging forward) and weak on his left foot, but he should show what a good player he is. I do think the team need to get on his wavelength as they are too static (a problem among English teams, our team – is this over-coaching?) and when he wins the ball back as he often does they neither show for him, move to support him even though he wins a lot of balls that he possibly shouldn't, move quickly enough if at all, or look to move back into 'shape' rather than being able to quickly react to what is happening on the field which is pretty much a part of the very fluid game that is football, unlike American Football. Gabbiadini. ****ing good. Wish we had some bastard to pass to him at the right time (and someone to follow up for when he misses but the keeper knocks it back out into play). Redmond. Said it before, don't think it will (now) ever change. Flatters to deceive. Won't improve and I don't think he thinks he needs to. Bertrand. Very good player. Probably first on the team sheet for me though Gabbiadini runs him close. Maybe just never take them off it. McQueen. I think he pretty much puts in a shift whenever he plays, better than I thought he would be, haven't seen enough yet. Suspect he's too limited to ever really be a good player at this level, but he's proved me wrong before and I hope he does again. I still find him quite ponderous though and he seems to play better when he doesn't have time to think. Targett. Let's wait and see. VVD. Not as good as anyone thinks he is, but still very good. Won't work hard enough to get good enough to play for the likes of Barcelona. We should look to have lots of players of his calibre (bearing in mind my opening comment). Tadic. Not as good as he thinks he is. Slows it down unnecessarily and wants to do a Boufal. It's a team game. Not good enough for us/this league. Get rid. Sims. Potentially bloody good. Needs to not get injured and be played lots. Gallagher. See above but obviously he's not injured. Reed. Let's see what the loan does for him. Hope he comes good; he has a bit of arrogance that I think the team sometimes lacks. Hesketh. Needs to be aware of his surroundings more when the game's hard and fast and really needs to develop an adult body or he'll go the way of Ben Reeves (very good player) except he won't do as well. Long. Somewhere in there is actually a good footballer. I think he probably needs to slow things down a bit but also be a bit more bloody-minded when it comes to finishing. I think he's probably a little bit mentally 'off' and wonder if that's because he is in some way 'too relaxed'. Austin. Hmm. Undoubtedly a good player and goalscorer. I think he (and some other of our players) suffer from the structure and way we play. I'd rather we were more fluid and adaptable rather than how we still seem to be which is a bit (still) unimaginative and 'safe'. Think he struggles somewhat from the modern fascination with the 'all-round single forward' (who doesn't exist) rather than us as a team just looking to create things quickly where he can exploit space. Bit like Gabbiadini, but he's a different type of player. McCarthy. I really wanted us to sign him when he broke through at Reading. I think he should be a much better bet than anything we have currently. I would like to see some players (not Tadic) get a proper run so at least they get match fit and I wonder if we now have managers who can't handle the pressure. Koeman at least could because he was very confident in his ability. The black box. I think this probably works just fine; it's just user-error that explains why we want to focus on 'potential' rather than doing what other teams do/did and mix this up with a strong spine and some good experience so that the team as a whole is stronger.

It's interesting you say that. I saw an interview with him a short while ago and asked myself whether he was actually any good. There was something about what he said (and what little he said) and how he said it that made me wonder. Is this just both of us wondering if he's any good or do you (or anyone else) know how good our coaches actually are? Much as he was maligned, I would like/have liked Portlooviert back to coach the youth as he would have got them playing some lovely fluid stuff. Might have needed some help on the defence but I can't remember if we were bad that year or just if we had too many players who weren't ready for first team football.

Thank you. I stand corrected. In that case I could probably have matched Gardos and many of the people I knew could beat Shane Long, so they're not that fast. Annoyingly, some of the fastest smoked like chimneys too.

I'm still unsure about Boufal and suspect it will be neither, but I'd happily sell Tadic now and would have done it last season too.

Interesting. Rodriguez wasn't at all slow, nor is JWP (but why doesn't this show in games?) and while Gardos is pretty much the slowest he can still do the hundred in just under 11 seconds which makes him bloody damn rapid. The figures are pretty much all close together which does show that the saying 'fine margins' has something to it. It does also smack somewhat of there being some form of working out how physically adept a child will be from an early age and concentrating on them rather than anything else. I'd like to see if the less physically able, but more footballing-adept (e.g. SRL) can get into this set-up or if they're excluded because they're not physical 'beasts'. I wonder how much of this is training and how much genetics. Any of those who coach know?

I think this post should be made a sticky at the top of the forum and the poster go on the banner.