All in all...

[blue61]

It's going to be a longer process than some have the patience for. The club was in a mess at the end of last season. However disappointing the Palace result may have been, we actually finished the weekend closer to top spot points wise. I'm prepared to let Koeman get on with his job, and see where it takes us.

 

[orly]

It is not only that, Orly.


The football we played during that opening seven game spell last season was a million miles away from the functional, curate's egg type stuff we have sat through this season.

Fully agreed mate.

Unfortunately some are so desperate to confirm superfan status they've taken to actually telling porkies about last year's fixtures, ironic as they were also slobbering loyally over El Fraudo at much the same time

 

[Khalekan]

The football we have played this season has been miles better than anything served up in the previous six months before that, though.

Small steps.

Koeman's Southampton side didn't play poor football.

That is as may be, Toff.....but you specifically took the first seven games from last season and compared them to the first seven of this.

And whilst we are two points better off, due mainly if not entirely to the nature of the fixtures IMO, the quality of the football being served up in the corresponding period last year was much, much better.

 

[Khalekan]

Fully agreed mate.

Unfortunately some are so desperate to confirm superfan status they've taken to actually telling porkies about last year's fixtures, ironic as they were also slobbering loyally over El Fraudo at much the same time

Well, I wouldn't say Toff in particular would be making things up.....he is an honest enough boy.

Others however are still so driven by their hatred for Bobby that they have convinced themselves that everything about the last three years was a wasteland and the reason we looked to be on the cusp of a new era in the first season was either entirely down to "Moyes's defence" or that it was a mirage

 

[BlueToff]

Fully agreed mate.

Unfortunately some are so desperate to confirm superfan status they've taken to actually telling porkies about last year's fixtures, ironic as they were also slobbering loyally over El Fraudo at much the same time

I'm not making anything up. Just don't think the football played has been bad and while the last two league results have been frustrating, how can people say our start has been poor? We're 5th fgs. Don't think we got any higher than 6th at any point over the last two seasons.

 

[Rook]

Its been a lot better than what I expected. The club which could easily give up 5 goals in the final 20 minutes of a match a few months ago has only given up 5 goals all season. If our defense remains this good we will almost never out of a match and will challenge for the top 4.

Even look at the 2 prem matches in which we were bad. Bournemouth played us off the pitch (which doesn't make us the 1st good side to head to their ground and lose) and yet we still got a couple chances and could have escaped with a point. We were also sort of unlucky to lose the CP match. We had full control only it took a great header just to beat Stekleback.

 

[Thomasc]

We aren't getting smashed every week.

Remember Sunderland 3-0, losing at home to Swansea etc etc

We were at the bottom of the pit and going nowhere fast, he has a massive rebuilding job on his hands and has started OK.

 

[Lowste]

Its been a lot better than what I expected. The club which could easily give up 5 goals in the final 20 minutes of a match a few months ago has only given up 5 goals all season. If our defense remains this good we will almost never out of a match and will challenge for the top 4.

Even look at the 2 prem matches in which we were bad. Bournemouth played us off the pitch (which doesn't make us the 1st good side to head to their ground and lose) and yet we still got a couple chances and could have escaped with a point. We were also sort of unlucky to lose the CP match. We had full control only it took a great header just to beat Stekleback.

Challenging for top 4, I think is to much of a ask
Algainst CP we had a spell in the game, but they looked the more likely to score
Bournemouth simply outplayed us
Let's not go overboard it is a decent start in a run of favourable fixtures, but let's not go down the path of its a new dawn.

I think defence wise we are sorting things out, but this is having an affect on the attacking side of our game
I think we need to find a balance before we can kick on...

 

[Groucho]

We aren't getting smashed every week.

Remember Sunderland 3-0, losing at home to Swansea etc etc

We were at the bottom of the pit and going nowhere fast, he has a massive rebuilding job on his hands and has started OK.

Sensible.

Rome, day, etc....

 

[Papa Shango]

Fully agreed mate.

Unfortunately some are so desperate to confirm superfan status they've taken to actually telling porkies about last year's fixtures, ironic as they were also slobbering loyally over El Fraudo at much the same time

I still want to know why its acceptable to call him El Fraudo.

What has his ethnicity/nationality got to do with anything?

 

[Titus Bramble]

If we had played top half teams rather than bottom half teams we would be in the relegation zone. I kid you not.

Games have been poor bar a couple of decent 45mins (which were less than that really) and were enjoying long ball Wimbledon type play.

We are just incredibly lucky that we had a favourable fixture list and even with an easy run of games we still dropped 5 points.

No excuse for losing to Bournemouth and drawing with Palace with totally insipid boring / pathetic football.

We should be top, once we play and lose to the big teams those dropped points will come back to bite.

Oh, and well done for getting knocked out of the cup against a lower league side.

Also amazing to see Barkley slated when hes got to crank his neck to see the ball flying over his head to that clown bolasie...every...single...pass from defence or keeper.

What are you blabbing on about

 

[Titus Bramble]

I think it is a little bit more primitive than before mate. Certainly looking to do the basics rather than anything too fancy.

If it works for us long term then i'm not going to complain as long as it isn't moyes esq. Just makes me laugh that we haven't got a striker to run in behind off a long ball, and we haven't got a CM who can hit a long ball to a striker. Yet we still do it?

In fairness, we had forgotten how to do the basics. The fancier stuff will come with time I'm sure, we have played good football in patches

 

[Ashtonian]

In fairness, we had forgotten how to do the basics. The fancier stuff will come with time I'm sure, we have played good football in patches

Aye that's why I'm not worried about it. Sometimes a long ball up to a pacy player results in a goal, I'd rather us try it when we have the chance rather than pass it about like before and let the other team get back into position.

I just worry we haven't got the players to do things like that just yet

 

[Goat]

I still want to know why its acceptable to call him El Fraudo.

What has his ethnicity/nationality got to do with anything?

Huh?

Whats wrong with it?

Hes Spanish, hes a fraud.

 

[ToffeeTim]

If we lose to city it's been a poor start