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Saints V Man City Match Thread & Reaction


Heisenberg

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What were you on last night 'cos lots of us would like some of the same. Could you sort out North Korea next please?

Sadly totally sober, as I was driving. Probably why I was able to make a considered and insightful analysis of the game. ??

 

And sorry, can't get onto North Korea until Thursday. Monday is sorting ISIS, Tuesday post-Brexit mess and Wednesday Trump.

 

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There's no room for sentimentality but why don't we play this guy because he used to play for Juventus in the old days.

 

I expect it is as others have said, the guy has priced himself out of game time due to the terms of his contract. Shame really.

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That's absolute garbage. The football under Koeman was brilliant. You just have missed us beating Utd away twice and scoring 4 past city and beating Liverpool 3-2 and Spurs away and Chelsea away.

 

 

You missed the whole of the crap mid winter period then, losing to midget land or being smashed 6-1 by pool at home in the cup. You also have to take into account most of the big teams are much better this season than they were last season...

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It was brilliant at times and it was rubbish at times. Just like under Puel. I could list all the absolute awful games as well as the good ones but I think you know them as well.

 

I don't get the feeling from Puels team that it will ever be capable of those highs of a Keoman team though? I do think we are pretty consistent, very much more so than under RK, where we could be appalling or brilliant, often in the same game.

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IMO you should perhaps change your name to Geoff is nuts. Puel is a very good manager

 

I never post because I do not need the abuse but with the season coming to an end we need to be aware of the situation. If Puel stays at least 8 players will agitate for a move, whether they get them is another matter. Puel is not disliked but he is not respected. His tactics yesterday was to play for a 0-0 draw ,as he did in the European games, when we went 1-0 down he carried on playing for a 0-0 draw!!

Tadic has been good the last few weeks but he was shocking yesterday and Boufal should have come in as a number 10 not on the wing. We should have played Long AND Gabbi up front, probably taking off Redmond who was not having a great game by his standards.

Puel subs are allways like for like and never change the way we play, City are a great side going forward but the defence is mid table standard, we played far to deep and gave Gabbi absolutely no support whatsoever.

I had hoped that in Puel we had found a gem but I fear that he is out of his depth, his comments during the week in the Echo that he would use the rotation system again as he did in the beginning, even though it obviously did not work, shows a stubbornness and arrogance that as a middling club we cannot afford.

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I wasn't at the game yesterday but I never understand why we don't leave a pacy guy up front to worry them when up for corners. As it is, by pulling everyone back we have no outball and it enables more players to go up and attack.

 

Probably a tactical reason I don't understand though!

 

100% agree. Last season Leicester were leaving Vardy and Mahrez on the halfway line gor opposition corners.

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I never post because I do not need the abuse but with the season coming to an end we need to be aware of the situation. If Puel stays at least 8 players will agitate for a move, whether they get them is another matter. Puel is not disliked but he is not respected. His tactics yesterday was to play for a 0-0 draw ,as he did in the European games, when we went 1-0 down he carried on playing for a 0-0 draw!!

Tadic has been good the last few weeks but he was shocking yesterday and Boufal should have come in as a number 10 not on the wing. We should have played Long AND Gabbi up front, probably taking off Redmond who was not having a great game by his standards.

Puel subs are allways like for like and never change the way we play, City are a great side going forward but the defence is mid table standard, we played far to deep and gave Gabbi absolutely no support whatsoever.

I had hoped that in Puel we had found a gem but I fear that he is out of his depth, his comments during the week in the Echo that he would use the rotation system again as he did in the beginning, even though it obviously did not work, shows a stubbornness and arrogance that as a middling club we cannot afford.

 

Who are the 8?

Bertrand

Long

Forster

Jay Rod

Tadic

Cedric?

VVD?

Austin perhaps

 

Doesn't surprise me that he is not respected though. Done very little as a player and manger (to date) and I can imagine his tactics are very fustrating, especially for the forward players.

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Tactically puel for it wrong. Same tactics as in the 0-0 league game against Liverpool. He had such a deep midfield line. I think against the big teams we should do what we did last season and have a go at home. We did that against Liverpool in cup and outplayed them. Don't get why so negative. We played as though we were Sunderland yesterday.

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Tactically puel for it wrong. Same tactics as in the 0-0 league game against Liverpool. He had such a deep midfield line. I think against the big teams we should do what we did last season and have a go at home. We did that against Liverpool in cup and outplayed them. Don't get why so negative. We played as though we were Sunderland yesterday.

 

Not quite true roger. We actually sat very deep and absorbed tons of pressure and Liverpool possession in the first 20mins of the cup game. Redmond's goal changed things -as we were perhaps hoping for yesterday. But it remains that Puel has never gone out on the front foot against a quality opposition - the cup final against United is perhaps the closest example (and the opening period against Spurs in the home fixture).

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The only good thing about our "non-performance" yesterday is we have probably put an end to the Lying Dutchman overtaking City and getting CL football next season. (now 7 pts behind with only 5 to go whereas if they were only 4 behind and City still to play Utd would have given them a chance).

 

Without CL football the Lying Dutchman is likely to lose his best players in the summer.

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It was a good job Pep subbed Sane when he did.

Stephens and Sane were building up to a punch up at various times.. With Sane mouthing off at him in goal celebrations and Stephens deffo biting back and clearly wanting to "get him" witha robust challenge.

 

Sane looked just offside when DeBruyne passed to him for the 2nd goal. Can anyone with a recording of the game confirm whether I'm right or just saw it wrong?

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The only good thing about our "non-performance" yesterday is we have probably put an end to the Lying Dutchman overtaking City and getting CL football next season. (now 7 pts behind with only 5 to go whereas if they were only 4 behind and City still to play Utd would have given them a chance).

 

Without CL football the Lying Dutchman is likely to lose his best players in the summer.

 

He's done a great job at Everton, they were where Stoke/ourselves were last year, but he's taken them on. Be interesting to see how they manage EL football next year and how they improve their squad.

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Nonsense.

 

If you say so. The likes of Sane, Aguero, Silva and De Bruyne had touch, vision, pace and awareness you don't/haven't seen on saints players in the PL (apart from possibly Mane when he felt like it) they were taking two or three saints players out of the game with one pass I'd have enjoyed it if I was a neutral yeah they looked dodgy at the back but seeing as we couldn't get the ball off them for long periods it was irrelevant. They are a very good team and miles ahead of us in terms of quality and played far better stuff than served up by any saints team or manger since we got back to the PL.

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We have found our level at second in the premier's second division, unable to compete with the top teams financially or in terms of ambition on the field. The way to get up into the bottom of the first division is with a charismatic manager, unafraid of actually going for it.

 

 

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I only saw it on MotD but we did have some good movements and Tadic could of had 2 goals , City were OK but their extra bit of skill(such as De Bruyne chip for a headed goal) tipped the balance. City have been found wanting in several games this season but our failure to score made it easy for them .

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We have found our level at second in the premier's second division, unable to compete with the top teams financially or in terms of ambition on the field. The way to get up into the bottom of the first division is with a charismatic manager, unafraid of actually going for it.

 

 

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We have been lucky with the managers we had. Poch now has Tottenham punching well above their weight and Keoman has got Everton in the mix, temporarily possibly (I still think they are likely to finish seventh).

The manager really is the difference..as Man U have found out! Do you reckon if they have another bad season next year they might move for Poch?

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We have been lucky with the managers we had. Poch now has Tottenham punching well above their weight and Keoman has got Everton in the mix, temporarily possibly (I still think they are likely to finish seventh).

The manager really is the difference..as Man U have found out! Do you reckon if they have another bad season next year they might move for Poch?

 

Tottenham punching above their weight? They have one of the best sides in the PL, probably the best manager and probably the 2nd richest owner. How is that punching above their weight?

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I don't get the feeling from Puels team that it will ever be capable of those highs of a Keoman team though? I do think we are pretty consistent, very much more so than under RK, where we could be appalling or brilliant, often in the same game.

 

Perhaps Mane had something to do with that

 

 

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It was brilliant at times and it was rubbish at times. Just like under Puel. I could list all the absolute awful games as well as the good ones but I think you know them as well.

I am genuinely stunned you think Puel is anywhere near as good as Koeman .

I didn't rate Koeman when he admitted he didn't know why we were losing so many games . Then we went 5 at the back and things improved .

 

Puel just simply doesn't have a clue how to manage a EPL team .

 

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I am genuinely stunned you think Puel is anywhere near as good as Koeman .

I didn't rate Koeman when he admitted he didn't know why we were losing so many games . Then we went 5 at the back and things improved .

 

Puel just simply doesn't have a clue how to manage a EPL team .

 

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The muppet is out today then , must be luck were 9th in the hardest league in the world I guess !?

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The muppet is out today then , must be luck were 9th in the hardest league in the world I guess !?

Considering how we have struggled to score goals this season and how pitiful our defence often is it is amazing we are actually in 9th . Shows just how poor the league is this year .

 

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We're not good enough I'd guess. Seems to me that we're always missing a kick arse striker or a goal scoring midfielder. When we have the one we don't usually have the other.

 

Or perhaps when we have one we sell them to a team with more money?

Fact is the teams with the biggest budgets dominate winning the trophies due to that money. Tottenham can't compete on wages with the big boys but are successfully holding on to players and have build a fantastic team as a result. A lot of that is down to Poch.

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Please can you explain how and why you think Puel is a good manager .

 

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Considering he has been dealt a squad that has not until recently a player who can put the ball into the net, he has to contend with a couple of forwards who could not score in a brothel with an overdose of viagra. Hence we have struggled to get the confidence in games to play to our fullest ability. I think if you went back to the last few managers they were accused of not playing good football.

Add to that our keeper having a confidence issue.

 

Some of our football has been superb in stages this season, and the way we played against Liverpool in the semi final at SM and at Wembley was superb. A credit to our football club

 

Sadly fans lap up managers who after games cynically say how wonderful the fans are etc etc. Puel is not a fluent English speaker and so has trouble conveying his views when interviewed and so fans don't hang onto his every word. I do think he is getting better in his interviews although a long way off of what the fans will love.

 

We have the basis of a slick and fluid attacking team, hopefully the board will follow up with their words of players staying and we can improve our squad.

 

I still stick by my statement earlier in he season that Puel will become one of our best managers of all time. He has already taken us to Wembley and that is something some of our other more favourite managers never achieved

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Well beaten, as we have been by the likes of Spurs and Chelsea at home this season. We can't seem to compete with this sides at home like we used to, which is a bit depressing.

 

We were well organised in the first half, probably had the best chance, but we were still very tepid in our approach. City were also very tepid in the first half, but dominated the ball.

 

2nd half was a tactical horror show, especially after their first goal. Totally got that wrong, i know we were looking for goals, but I never want to see Bouful, Tadic and Redmond in the same side again - it doesn't work. Without Romeu and those 3 in attack, the game was done. I can understand why Gabba was brought off, the boos around me regarding that were a bit dim - he was clearly only good for 60-70mins after being out for 5 weeks, didn't expect anything different.

 

But yeah, well beaten. Good side are City, but we couldn't get close to them in the 2nd half which was sad.

 

Don't forget the thrashing by Arsenal in the cup

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Man City have one of the best squads and managers in world football, on their day they beat most teams comfortably.

 

We were missing our 2 best players.

 

My biggest disappointment of the day was our fans booing, moaning, in-fighting, utterly ridiculous attitude.

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Take out city's 2 best players and it probably would have been a lot closer , we can compete with the top teams when our best team is out on the pitch but that won't be happening again this season Imo !

 

 

Thing is you take out two top players from a team like city they will have replacements of a much higher quality than most sides to come in. Our subs bench looks ok when we have our first choice 11 fit but yesterday I looked at the subs bench and their wasn't anything there capable of changing a game for us especially in the midfield were we needed it most.

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I don't really understand all the ****ing and moaning at losing to a team that is full of highly talented players who are finally finding form. They had a lot of physical strength - not always legally used - which we were unable to match. Combine that with the fact that they were really up for it yesterday. We deserved to be on the same pitch as them but in the end their extra quality won. We lost - move on. BTW -- I thought that young Stevens had an exceptional game yesterday and was not afraid to give the Stars some lip.

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1/10 Southsea Skate

 

 

This is what you posted back at the end of August and you have continued to lambast Puel ever since. I don't think it would be a loss if you didn't renew your ST, (if indeed you even have one.)

 

Why be so abusive? Call me a Skate? Seeing as you have looked at my posts etc. You can see I've been a member for nearly 8 years. Why would I lie about being season ticket holder? TBH I don't give a fook what you think. I don't like the manager and will only b happy once he goes.

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Win some,lose some.Its how you win and how you lose that require responses.We were beaten by a better team.

Their physicality resulted in no yellow cars D's yet we get three.

MOTM Kompany? Don't make me laugh.He got away with at least three cards and wasfavoured by the Ref

Puel got it wrong pulling off Gabbi and Long got caught heavily on his Achilles.

At least three of our players had a mare and Forster is at times like a statue.

All in all our talent is lacking when key players are out injured.

To repeat, he just came back from a groin injury and obviously wasn't fit enough for 90 minutes. Keeping him on for the whole match would risk aggravating it again.

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To repeat, he just came back from a groin injury and obviously wasn't fit enough for 90 minutes. Keeping him on for the whole match would risk aggravating it again.

 

I'd agree, he also wasn't in the game so was a wasted body TBF.

Not sure what the Long sub was about...he always pretends to be injured and then carries on so why was he subbed?

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I don't really understand all the ****ing and moaning at losing to a team that is full of highly talented players who are finally finding form. They had a lot of physical strength - not always legally used - which we were unable to match. Combine that with the fact that they were really up for it yesterday. We deserved to be on the same pitch as them but in the end their extra quality won. We lost - move on. BTW -- I thought that young Stevens had an exceptional game yesterday and was not afraid to give the Stars some lip.

 

I think the concern is over the approach we are taking in games against the top sides, particularly at home. Under Puel it does appear we are playing more cautiously in these games rather than getting on the front foot and pressuring them like we have in the past few seasons.

 

This defensive approach is only logical if you have a strong defence capable of keeping out the best opposition, which is clearly not the case, especially with Van Dijk out. The strength of our team (when Gabbiadini is on the pitch) is our attacking 3, which can cause problems for anyone when we play positively, so we need to play to our strengths. It won't always work against quality opposition of course but I think most would be happier to see Saints at least having a go at home, as we have previously.

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Why be so abusive? Call me a Skate? Seeing as you have looked at my posts etc. You can see I've been a member for nearly 8 years. Why would I lie about being season ticket holder? TBH I don't give a fook what you think. I don't like the manager and will only b happy once he goes.

 

I doubt you would be happy with anything tbh.....

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The muppet is out today then , must be luck were 9th in the hardest league in the world I guess !?

 

Simo, why anyone takes any notice of the clueless fool is beyond me, he has no idea about football

 

Puel has done a decent job in very difficult circumstances

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I'm in the #PuelIn camp (if there is such a thing) but it is starting to bother me how we line up against the top 6/7. We were so defensive yesterday, it just stopped our own attacking game. The tactics have worked against Liverpool, but I'm not sure its "The Southampton Way" anymore to be that defensive. I've enjoyed the majority of the football we've played up till now as personally, I actually thought the quality and type of football was better than last year. Our problem was taking our chances, not creating them, and at some point you can't blame the manager for that. With VvD's injury, it was intensified with the fact we are letting in a lot more than we are scoring - I'm still subscribing to the belief that currently we have to score at least 2 to be in with a chance of winning the game, which is never a great place to be for any team. I kind of applaud him for sticking with Stephens, even if the kid will make the odd mistake. CB must be the hardest position for a youngster to come in, especially in the Prem League when you are up against £30mil+ strikers most weeks. Still, until the end of the season, I'd rather he get the experience than somebody who may not be here next year.

 

I think we forget that its Puel's first season outside of his own country. He's learning as well. To be fair, he has changed things around (gone is the ridiculous diamond) and we've seen massive improvements in Romeu, Redmond, JWP as the season has gone on. We were missing two of our best players yesterday and despite that, for 65mins we probably had the best chances so you could argue his tactics were working. It just didn't sit well with me how defensive we were and how much space we allowed them in midfield. The top 6, for the most part, have reacted to last season in a gigantic way. Throw Everton into the mix, and this league just gets harder and harder. However, 7 into 4 doesn't go. It will be interesting to see what happens to those 3 that don't make the champions league next season. Reed said he wanted us to be around the top teams if they slipped up so we could take advantage. This year, they pretty much haven't anyway.

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I'm in the #PuelIn camp (if there is such a thing) but it is starting to bother me how we line up against the top 6/7. We were so defensive yesterday, it just stopped our own attacking game. The tactics have worked against Liverpool, but I'm not sure its "The Southampton Way" anymore to be that defensive. I've enjoyed the majority of the football we've played up till now as personally, I actually thought the quality and type of football was better than last year. Our problem was taking our chances, not creating them, and at some point you can't blame the manager for that. With VvD's injury, it was intensified with the fact we are letting in a lot more than we are scoring - I'm still subscribing to the belief that currently we have to score at least 2 to be in with a chance of winning the game, which is never a great place to be for any team. I kind of applaud him for sticking with Stephens, even if the kid will make the odd mistake. CB must be the hardest position for a youngster to come in, especially in the Prem League when you are up against £30mil+ strikers most weeks. Still, until the end of the season, I'd rather he get the experience than somebody who may not be here next year.

 

I think we forget that its Puel's first season outside of his own country. He's learning as well. To be fair, he has changed things around (gone is the ridiculous diamond) and we've seen massive improvements in Romeu, Redmond, JWP as the season has gone on. We were missing two of our best players yesterday and despite that, for 65mins we probably had the best chances so you could argue his tactics were working. It just didn't sit well with me how defensive we were and how much space we allowed them in midfield. The top 6, for the most part, have reacted to last season in a gigantic way. Throw Everton into the mix, and this league just gets harder and harder. However, 7 into 4 doesn't go. It will be interesting to see what happens to those 3 that don't make the champions league next season. Reed said he wanted us to be around the top teams if they slipped up so we could take advantage. This year, they pretty much haven't anyway.

Thanks for a very thoughtful and sensible post.

 

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I'm in the #PuelIn camp (if there is such a thing) but it is starting to bother me how we line up against the top 6/7. We were so defensive yesterday, it just stopped our own attacking game. The tactics have worked against Liverpool, but I'm not sure its "The Southampton Way" anymore to be that defensive. I've enjoyed the majority of the football we've played up till now as personally, I actually thought the quality and type of football was better than last year. Our problem was taking our chances, not creating them, and at some point you can't blame the manager for that. With VvD's injury, it was intensified with the fact we are letting in a lot more than we are scoring - I'm still subscribing to the belief that currently we have to score at least 2 to be in with a chance of winning the game, which is never a great place to be for any team. I kind of applaud him for sticking with Stephens, even if the kid will make the odd mistake. CB must be the hardest position for a youngster to come in, especially in the Prem League when you are up against £30mil+ strikers most weeks. Still, until the end of the season, I'd rather he get the experience than somebody who may not be here next year.

 

I think we forget that its Puel's first season outside of his own country. He's learning as well. To be fair, he has changed things around (gone is the ridiculous diamond) and we've seen massive improvements in Romeu, Redmond, JWP as the season has gone on. We were missing two of our best players yesterday and despite that, for 65mins we probably had the best chances so you could argue his tactics were working. It just didn't sit well with me how defensive we were and how much space we allowed them in midfield. The top 6, for the most part, have reacted to last season in a gigantic way. Throw Everton into the mix, and this league just gets harder and harder. However, 7 into 4 doesn't go. It will be interesting to see what happens to those 3 that don't make the champions league next season. Reed said he wanted us to be around the top teams if they slipped up so we could take advantage. This year, they pretty much haven't anyway.

Can't argue with that.

 

Over the past few seasons we have bloodied the noses of the big boys, but given the annual summer haemorrhages we have endured, there had to be a transition season sooner or later.

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I'm in the #PuelIn camp (if there is such a thing) but it is starting to bother me how we line up against the top 6/7. We were so defensive yesterday, it just stopped our own attacking game. The tactics have worked against Liverpool, but I'm not sure its "The Southampton Way" anymore to be that defensive. I've enjoyed the majority of the football we've played up till now as personally, I actually thought the quality and type of football was better than last year. Our problem was taking our chances, not creating them, and at some point you can't blame the manager for that. With VvD's injury, it was intensified with the fact we are letting in a lot more than we are scoring - I'm still subscribing to the belief that currently we have to score at least 2 to be in with a chance of winning the game, which is never a great place to be for any team. I kind of applaud him for sticking with Stephens, even if the kid will make the odd mistake. CB must be the hardest position for a youngster to come in, especially in the Prem League when you are up against £30mil+ strikers most weeks. Still, until the end of the season, I'd rather he get the experience than somebody who may not be here next year.

 

I think we forget that its Puel's first season outside of his own country. He's learning as well. To be fair, he has changed things around (gone is the ridiculous diamond) and we've seen massive improvements in Romeu, Redmond, JWP as the season has gone on. We were missing two of our best players yesterday and despite that, for 65mins we probably had the best chances so you could argue his tactics were working. It just didn't sit well with me how defensive we were and how much space we allowed them in midfield. The top 6, for the most part, have reacted to last season in a gigantic way. Throw Everton into the mix, and this league just gets harder and harder. However, 7 into 4 doesn't go. It will be interesting to see what happens to those 3 that don't make the champions league next season. Reed said he wanted us to be around the top teams if they slipped up so we could take advantage. This year, they pretty much haven't anyway.

 

It's this (bolded) that I continue to comment on. We should play to our strengths, not hope to minimise the oppo's strength. Vainly hoping to hold on to the ball for fear the opposition will hurt us does not work out. It's like a boxer moving backwards around the ring constantly hoping the opponent will tire out. He won't, and you can't win like that. He who dares wins, Rodders, he who dares.

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Simo, why anyone takes any notice of the clueless fool is beyond me, he has no idea about football

 

Puel has done a decent job in very difficult circumstances

Ah yes , anyone with a different opinion is clueless . No thread is complete without an Always insult .

 

The amount of excuses people protect Puel with is incredible .

 

According to some the manager is not responsible for the squad he picks , the formation he chooses , the tactics he employs , the motivation of his players etc .

 

Its bizarre .

 

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