Terry Butcher Tribute Act
Well-known member
- Aug 18, 2013
- 3,672
Spent £200m and our setup is absolutely embarrassing.
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[Albion] how good are we, actually?
- Thread starter macbeth
- Start date
Seemed like individual errors were more of an issue today than a high line, which most of the time works but doesn’t instil a sense of being in control. I wonder if this approach was more appropriate against less talented teams that couldn’t exploit it. Interesting to see how we adapt.
The Fits
Well-known member
- Jun 29, 2020
- 10,106
But after last season we know that's now a reality. For whatever reason players across the board are getting injured more regularly.
We will almost certainly never have our strongest team available in less that miraculously improves. And why would it?
Off the top of my head Newcastle have Botman (their best defender), Wilson and Isaak out. Arsenal have Odegard, Zinchenko and White out. Man City have just lost the best midfielder in the world for the season. Allison has been injured for the last few weeks, etc etc. Every single member of the squad will need to step up.
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Weststander
Well-known member
He played against Ipswich and Forest who cut us open.
and Smith scores
New member
- Aug 31, 2011
- 4
Suicidal tactics defending and no defined style going forward. I fear we may have another Sammy Hyypia situation going on
Ipswich ended 0-0. Granted, they clipped the post from an impossible angle - forced by Van Hecke chasing back. Forest probably broke the high line 3x. Got a softish penalty from one where the attacker instigated contact, missed a good chance (which may have been offside if VAR had checked) and scored one. Not easy watching us defend this way but the system of flagging late distorts the perception of how dangerous opponents are.
People will say Chelsea had the ball in the net twice before they scored. Both were miles offside and pre-VAR the move would never have developed. Mind you, I’d agree that pre-VAR such a high line was probably too risky anyway.
macbeth
Dismembered
- Thread starter
- #148
makes it all the more worse that we’re then relying on players like webster who are just not good enough for this level anymore. it’s one thing having depth that obviously is less good than the starters, but to lose one starting centre back and having to end up fielding that defence is a shambles
GingerBeerMan
3-0
- Dec 29, 2011
- 8,204
Let's be honest, RDZ was a bit of a twat at times, but he was a f***ing great tactician. It was always going to be hard to replace him.
Clive Walker
Stand Or Fall
Not been impressed with any of the new recruits so far. Particular minteh he’s been dog shit.
The Fits
Well-known member
- Jun 29, 2020
- 10,106
Aye it's very different. From neurotic control to total chaos. Going to take some getting used to.
It was this weekend last year (last weekend in September) that we lost 6-1 to Villa.
- Oct 20, 2022
- 6,905
Yes, missing two of our top defenders - especially Van Hecke and missing one of our top goal scorers with both Welbeck and Mitoma not capitalising on a few chances. As for Wieffer- not sure he’s the most football intelligent of players so it may take time for him to understand what FH wants but if Arne Slot saw the potential I am sure he’ll improve for us too - (and yes, the Dutch farmers league isn’t a glowing recommendation but Feyenoord fought some pretty physical battles which the Dutch international excelled in).
Part of the issue is we are playing with a new manager who is still familiarising himself with the potential of each individual player as well as the EPL, so there is still a bit of uncertainty and players like Wieffer and others we signed over the summer are still very much developing - I think it will take a few months for us to settle into a definitive system and for new (and pre-existing) players to grown into it.
I’m not stressing about the result too much - a 4-2 scoreline against a big team that’s completely found it’s mojo under Maresca, has one of the highest shots to goal conversion rates in the PL and over performing their xG, is not entirely shocking.
FH will look at the playbacks, analyse our tactics and take lessons from it, I’m sure.
That’s all we can ask.
It’s still really early days so they do deserve time to get used to the league and the game. I have to admit being a bit worried, since none of them look very great so far.
- Oct 17, 2008
- 14,487
Weirdly though I remember RDZ getting absolute pelters last season for being stubborn and unwilling to change his tactics when things weren’t going well.
Weststander
Well-known member
NSC’ers were emphatic that two Villa goals should never have stood.
A kinda valid point, but the likes of Arsenal and City have more than enough in their squads to deal with those losses.
We seem to be missing key players far too frequently, and simply don't have the cover for them....and likely never will, unless we go for an overpaid, bloated squad.
Clive Walker
Stand Or Fall
I get that but of the 4 we’ve seen none have shown more than a glimpse.
The Fits
Well-known member
- Jun 29, 2020
- 10,106
Agreed to a point but we do have a massive squad and have just spent the most money of any team in the world to improve it. We aren't the paupers we once were.