derry

On a previous thread I criticised the aimless possession amongst the back five. I emphasised that we got our best results with our possession reduced into the forties, Yesterday we achieved 44% possession again a win. It tells me that apart from what my eyes told me, the statistic showed less passing at the back, McCarthy kicking most of the time, plus a quicker transition forward and more quick breaks ending with some form of completion. We need to continue playing that way. Cut out the aimless possession often instgated by the keeper to a defender.

I watched the whole game twice and I think Obefimi is purely a striker with pace. there are a lot of things he just doesn't get. In those sort of situations, Long has done that twice lately watching the ball in our net seconds later, they have to get into the opponent and harrass them all the way, all over them like a rash until they win the ball or force them to pass it back. I think there is a very poor quality of defensive coaching for all the players at Saints. Top teams get this completely. the closer to their goal the tighter the double teaming and closing down the space.

I think they are just thick,

We need to take care of him. We don't have to run him into the ground every match. Rest him during the second halves to keep him fresh as we are doing.

I said it was a good performance but these two players repeatedly in games we have to win act stupidly. This time they have got away with it. We are in a relegation dogfight and points are hard to come by. We need to be ruthless not sloppy or stupid. Against a better team we may have lost all three points. these two players specifically have to be taken to task so that they help make us difficult to beat.

That was a very good win but I'm going to emphasise three acts of stupidity yet again from the same serial offenders, First 2-0 up near the end of the first half Hojbjerg in the clear played a casual chipped crossfield ball straight to Grealish of all people and immediately caused us problems. In the second half near the end, Cedric great break ignored the open player and shot straight at the defender, the ball was back in our half seconds later with us under pressure again. He just needed to give it and put the player in or go to the corner. Hojbjerg did a great run from his own half then with three against two took a shot straight to Heaton and the ball was back in our box with us hanging on again. The pass was the answer not the shot. They need a hammering because those decisions were brainless. Both these players despite being internationals continually display the sort of decision making that tyro players would have knocked out of them quickly. Small wonder we're in the position we are. Stephens had a good game, very solid, a great run and a chance capped with a goal, well done. Ings class. Armstrong played well, The team played well.

I think that's because in my opinion Yoshida is our best centre back despite the odd mistake usually brought about by indecision in possession, or an underhit backpass. He sometimes isn't aggressive enough and gets bounced, ie Rashford this year. Sometimes he needs to just put his foot through the ball. Romeu also played as a defensive midfielder holding in front of the centre backs. We lack discipline and shape in midfield, both Hojbjerg and JWP are undisciplined and have absolutely no idea the problems they are causing by leaving the midfield empty as they push forward mostly supporting play on the wings and allowing the opponents to get at our centre backs. We need to play a permanent holding midfielder Romeu or give Stephens or Danso in front of Yoshida and Bednerek a try with two attacking midfielders, possibly Armstrong and Redmond or Boufal with Ings, Djenepo and Long. Stop attacking with the full backs and use them as defenders primarily. This gives us depth, cuts out the exposure and allows a high tempo press from the front without exposing the centre backs. Soares is physically weak, poor in the air and undisciplined so try Valery without the wing back duties.

The problem with our aimless possession based passing at the back is that eventually when McCarthy hits a long ball or one of the defenders chips the ball into the centre field there are no channels just 10 opponents formed up filling their half waiting to win the ball and hit us on the break through our midfield. It is a fact, the higher our possession percentage against other than the top sides the more likely it is to end in defeat. Our best results against the beatable opponents are when we have about forty ish percent possession

I often wonder with the money slushing around with agents etc was there an opportunity to get rich. I just can't see how we could rate and buy some of the players we did for the reported prices we paid and the attendant wages. Carillo FFS, how long did he last. Lamina's work rate and character etc etc.

It wasn't losing Puel it was compounded by the useless Pellegrino that made things worse then luckily dug out by Hughes. the real problem was the buying of poor players for a lot of money. For God's sake who in their right mind would buy the likes of Vestergaard having seen them play. I wouldn't have gone near him with a barge pole. For a start every player should have pace, if they haven't we shouldn't sign them.

Personally Eric, risking ridicule on here, I'd go for Morrison of Cardiff, not the quickest but a beast in the air and a decent defensive organiser. He also gets his share of goals up front at corners etc. Wouldn't be too expensive, even worth a trade for one of the others.

Ings should be the captain.

That was shocking. Just before the goal under no pressure Hojbjerg took his eye off the ball, the ball goes under his foot not long after it's in our net. The goal was a debacle of poor defending. Don't anybody try to tell me we don't need a fierce, competent defensive coach. Bertrand was a joke, he dithered and moved position at least four times at a trot and ended up in no man's land when the ball went in. He was marking nobody, just gesture defending. A decisive move to the back post would have been the way to go. Stephen's ball watching lost the attacker yet again. As for the possession, give me a break, the less possession we have the better our attacking football. For God's sake is there nobody at the club aware that we are being conned. The opposition want our centre backs to have the ball, as for Macarthy, he is a dopey idiot, alway looking to give the ball to a defender. When we have the ball at the back, does nobody realise why there is only a token press, it's to allow the defenders to rotate the ball and go nowhere. From there the tactic is simple, the ball back to Macarthy to recyle or kick it long into massed opponents who will attack, or worse an attempt to play it out of midfield, slowly drawing all but the centre backs forward, win the ball and hit us on the break with only the centre backs to try and defend and the full backs and midfield drawn out of position. A bit better control from Antonio and it was a hammering. We have to redefine again. Cedric is a hopeless, unintelligent defender. He tries his best but his physical deficiencies are a problem, he is not strong enough. Bertrand needs a bullet up his complacent arse. The centre backs in total aren't that good but neither are they that bad that a decent defensive coach couldn't improve a back four unit. We need a holding midfielder that ****ing holds and doesn't get drawn out. Then two attacking midfielders, Armstrong and maybe Boufal. Up front Ings, Djenepo, Adams or Long. Cut out the square possession, Macarthy stops passing it out and supplies big up and unders quickly. The back four defend we have five attackers we don't need both full backs up the field. Stop the goals is the key. After that the passing game is quick into the spaces running and forward passes. High tempo, high pressing. The opposite to how our ineffective team is trying to play. To sum up the sad fact is that the more possession we have the less attacking we do. Throw ins are abysmal, stop waiting for the full backs, just grab the ball and stck it down the line. Object, no danger, win another throw in, get in behind the defence in wide areas, get to the goal line or win a corner. Square passing and inside throws are easily cut out especially by delaying.

This is simplistic, especially when we paid so much for these so obviously flawed players. Vestergaard is slow, poor in the air with the turning circle of a tanker. Cedric is small etc this cannot be changed. Why the club paid so much for so little when one look would have seen these players problems. Other players could be coached to be better and more aware but it isn't happening. We have run out of money, having to sell and loan players before we can replace maybe one or two. Replacing players is not possible we have missed that boat with the wasted transfers of the recent seasons. We can afford a good coach to improve defensive play and organisation which is far better than carrying on making the same mistakes and doing nothing. That could really cost us. Especially if the EFL bring in a salary cap and relegated teams are unable to sell not very good expensive players.

One of the serious problems with all of our defenders is ball watching and consequently losing sight the player that inevitably scores, time and time again. Another problem is a lack of positional sense, almost a spacial disorientation. A lack of defensive knowledge, for example not recognising that an opponent has a weak side that can be played on rather than letting players onto their strength. It is only by having a seriously bright and experienced defensive coach that these historical weaknesses can be knocked on the head.

I watched WH v Arsenal last night, What a load of dross! WH didn't touch the ball for the first two minutes, Arsenal passed it around at the back, no attacks and no pressing from WH, mostly stood off and watched. The rest of the match was pretty sterile. WH with a lucky deflected header from a corner. Arsenal created a few chances got it to 1-3 and kept the ball. I hope WH play the same.

our defenders didn't move That is vital too but it's all the other players that need educating and brain washing into a ruthless determined state of mind. A vocal controlling centre back captain, would be necessary if we could find one. An example of the other though through education, when Longstaff shot until the ball hit the back of the net after Mcarthy's block only Newcastle players followed it in. Our defenders were on their heels ball watching and nobody moved. That happens a lot with most of the players.

By that I mean not only a defensive coach but a coach that was firstly a highly exiperienced, preferably ex international and has been a proper team captain as a player. Secondly a strong personality. Dave Brailsford, the Olympic, Sky, and now Ineos cycling team's coach/manager was asked what he put his great success down to. His response was immediately "Marginal Gains". That is the little things that make things better overall. Against Norwich two moments summed that up. Just after half time Shane Long was tracking Tetty on the halfway line made a half hearted pass at a press and let him go unhindered, despite being the quicker player, he couldn't be bothered because he didn't see the danger. One pass later the ball was in our net. The second was leading 2-1, Cedric had the ball on the right touchline there was seconds of injury time left, instead of going for the corner or passing for somebody else to get in the corner, he just aimlessly lofted the ball in front of the penalty area, in front of the Norwich defenders, the ball went upfield quickly and Norwich had two chances with seconds left. Shades of Peter Crouch against Everton in 2005. Again yesterday two things again, the first Redmond broke quickly down the centre and was breaking the Newcastle line, Shelvey tripped him purposely which finished the move. The second and probably the most important moment in the game for us. A free kick to the back post Long headed it out towards the touchline, Carroll picked it up but Long quickly got out to Carroll then stopped a few yards short giving Carroll room to cross on his left foot for the first goal. What was wrong, Long should have known Carroll's natural foot was his left, firstly he was blocking his right and showing him inside. Instead he should have blocked Carroll's left foot and inside, showed him the line on his weaker foot, especially as he was a lot quicker than Carroll. This simple thing cost us a goal and probably the match. Again he could have fairly physically tackled Carroll and taken the player and ball out of play. The defensive attitude, organisation and knowledge of the players is poor. Too many are playing off the cuff and just reacting often wrongly. We need an expert defensive coach to change the mindset. Even great players can't do it. Our very average defenders need guidance and instruction. Danny Ings who has spent a few years at Liverpool gets it. He tracks, challenges, tackles and wins a lot of balls defending wherever he is on the pitch. We need all the players completing the press and not just letting the opponent go just because it doesn't look dangerous in that moment. It is a big weakness, If we can cut out the errors we can make the goals we do score worth more points. It's the "Marginal Gains" that will bring in the points. IMHO get a defensive coach, Three goalkeeping coaches isn't working, unless putting out the cones is important.

Forster was immense for Celtic. Bring him back now his confidence is high. Either that or swop him and Elyanoussi for Julien and Ajer. Give them a couple of centre backs as makeweight. Long was good defending in the air at the back, shame he let Carroll cross. JWP had a pretty good game from one of his biggest critics.

Not a bad performance overall. Mcarthy gives me the willies with his kamikazi coming out. The second goal was poor from him. I think we are far better when not passing back. When we put the ball into the channels as happened with our goal it is much more effective. Mcarthy is poor at distribution and gets us into trouble often having to kick under pressure when it comes back to him. He needs to cut out the so called clever stuff and stick the high kick into the opponents defence. As happened the other night I take issue with Long, he spoilt another hard working game for me. He cleared the ball out to our left, chased it down then stood off Carrol and let him cross. He had stopped like he did for the Norwich goal. If he had piled on in after the ball and closed Carrol down to a yard showing the line on his wrong foot he wouldnt have been able to cross. Too many times players are making bad decisions at critical moments. They have to be ruthless and stop players rather than take an "it'll be alright I don't need to, I'll just stand off". Cedric again got us into trouble before the second goal, instead of putting the ball up to the forwards he passed back, eventually to Mcarthy whose clearance wasn't the best straight to an opponent, Newcastle then got forward getting a free kick. Other than that it was a pretty good team performance spoilt by some poor decision making. We are not ruthless enough.

Yes, there is a watch from the beginning button on the home screen. Have you got a smart tv that has it's own apps.

I used the smart tv smart hub app and the reception was very good. I don't know what remote control you use but I can only describe using the tv remote. press any of the up down L R arrows this brings up on the bottom of the screen the play or pause symbol with wind back or forward arrow either side. select using L or R then OK button. That takes care of the wind back etc. If you want to see again etc go to the app, select sport, select the match you will then have a choice of the match,3 min highlights, extended highlights, post match manager interviews, post match player interviews, each individual goal, pre match build up, etc etc. just select what you want to watch, for whichever match you want and it's all there.

Read what I said. It's not Messi I want, it's to see a home team going high tempo and aggressive. The fact that Hasnhuttl is trying to get them to play that way is enough. now the players have to deliver. Up to this week we had taken one point at home all season and hadn't won since April. Because of the way we are playing.

It's not entitled to see that we are being short changed by lazy, incompetent, under achieving multi millionaires who have been sucked in by the tika taka age without the ability or effort to play that way. We have to play the way that works for us rather than be relegated playing rubbish possession slow motion going nowhere. I pay for my seat whether I go or not. Hasnhutl is saying the right things, now he has to get back to getting his players to play that way or ship out those that don't. A right back and strong centre back is vital in January. A non figure head captain would help.

I've got a season ticket. After the sterile Bournemouth game I said I just couldn't watch the crossfield crap that is costing us points at home so I didn't go to Leicester, Everton, Watford and Norwich. The first half last night was going towards how they have to play. I don't want to see sideways then back to the keeper. First move unless impossible has to be forward at home. We create more pressure and better chances getting the ball up to the forwards. I may well give WHU a miss, I want us playing high tempo, aggressive attacking football. The reason we can't get results at home is the sterile possession crap that rarely goes anywhere but back to the keeper or pinched by the opposition. Although I've paid for my seat I'm not going until the team plays the way it has to get results. I've supported Saints since the mid fifties and these last three seasons are the most consistently unwatchable trash that has masqueraded as football that we've had to put up with.