Do we play dour football?

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ToxtethBlue said:
No you don't.

We've played a similar way for the past few months, good controlled football. We didn't spend billions.
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For a period, last year we were playing some sublime stuff. This year has been very good as well. However it seems we don't have the depth to play like that over a whole season.
 
People should just listen to Toccy. He is 104% correct on this.

We've played some pish, then had two nice patches - last season around pre-Chrimbo and this year pre and post Chrimbo. Arteta's move into the middle is key though, and the fact that we look far, far better with a fluid five man midfield.

And, as said, if were aiming eventually for Champions League then it has to be that way if we have any chance of competing for respectability in it.

A good right sided wide midfielder in the summer would benefit us even more.
 
ToxtethBlue said:
Yes and being able to keep possession and control the game is key to getting results, as we have shown over the past few months and as the big clubs show us year in year out.

Mowbray has the right ideas, he just doesn't have the money or players to back it up.
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Agree to an extent yup quality wins you games, unfortunately quality = money or getting lucky in the transfer window. To translate into reality the teams with the most money have a monopoly on quality, albeit with one or two exceptions.

Problamo one!

No Arteta or Yak! So what do you do? devise a system where you are tough to beat and utilise whatever creative/attacking strength you have to try and nick it.

Its fun being a pureist, but also helps being a realist!

* points to season 04/05
 
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Neiler said:
Agree to an extent yup quality wins you games, unfortunately quality = money or getting lucky in the transfer window. To translate into reality the teams with the most money have a monopoly on quality, albeit with one or two exceptions.

Problamo one!

No Arteta or Yak! So what do you do? devise a system where you are tough to beat and utilise whatever creative/attacking strength you have to try and nick it.

Its fun being a pureist, but also helps being a realist!

* points to season 04/05
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I agree with that, I certainly won't be moaning if we play dour ****e because we simply don't have the resources. Moyes hasn't got much to work with so you play to your strengths.

We have quality (when everyones fit), good controlled football is the way forward. If it wasn't then the best wouldn't play like that, they'd play hoofball. Fact is they don't.

For half of 04/05 we played some decent football with Gravesen (a playmaker) at the heart of everything. The next season we went with Cahill and Neville and where did that get us, 11th.

Nothing to be with being a pureist, whatever that means. They are stone cold facts, unless there are any successful, title winning, cup winning hoofball sides around that I don't know about.

Being well organised and solid at the back only gets you so far, you have to build on that.
 
ToxtethBlue said:
I agree with that, I certainly won't be moaning if we play dour ****e because we simply don't have the resources. Moyes hasn't got much to work with so you play to your strengths.

We have quality (when everyones fit), good controlled football is the way forward. If it wasn't then the best wouldn't play like that, they'd play hoofball. Fact is they don't.

For half of 04/05 we played some decent football with Gravesen (a playmaker) at the heart of everything. The next season we went with Cahill and Neville and where did that get us, 11th.

Nothing to be with being a pureist, whatever that means. They are stone cold facts, unless there are any successful, title winning, cup winning hoofball sides around that I don't know about.

Being well organised and solid at the back only gets you so far, you have to build on that.[/quote]

Hmm somewhere in the middle i think mate, you have to compliment quality with a standard of grit and determination in order to find a balance, you also have to device a successfull system, true to say Arsenal for many years have played possibly the best style football in the leauge but, the likes of Chelsea and Man U have recently been more successfull because they have the quality but also the elbow greese, and players that fit their systems the best.

Similarly West Brom play some great stuff, and were certainly more entertaiing to watch on Sat then us, but if you look at what made the difference, the first goal was brought about by a tactical play, graft by one of our most determined players on the pitch while the second was scored by sublime quality.

I know what your saying, but all the successfull temas are built on graft and determination to compliment players of quality, like i say its the blend. One cant function without the other successfully.
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Neiler said:
ToxtethBlue said:
I agree with that, I certainly won't be moaning if we play dour ****e because we simply don't have the resources. Moyes hasn't got much to work with so you play to your strengths.

We have quality (when everyones fit), good controlled football is the way forward. If it wasn't then the best wouldn't play like that, they'd play hoofball. Fact is they don't.

For half of 04/05 we played some decent football with Gravesen (a playmaker) at the heart of everything. The next season we went with Cahill and Neville and where did that get us, 11th.

Nothing to be with being a pureist, whatever that means. They are stone cold facts, unless there are any successful, title winning, cup winning hoofball sides around that I don't know about.

Being well organised and solid at the back only gets you so far, you have to build on that.[/quote]

Hmm somewhere in the middle i think mate, you have to compliment quality with a standard of grit and determination in order to find a balance, you also have to device a successfull system, true to say Arsenal for many years have played possibly the best style football in the leauge but, the likes of Chelsea and Man U have recently been more successfull because they have the quality but also the elbow greese, and players that fit their systems the best.

Similarly West Brom play some great stuff, and were certainly more entertaiing to watch on Sat then us, but if you look at what made the difference, the first goal was brought about by a tactical play, graft by one of our most determined players on the pitch while the second was scored by sublime quality.

I know what your saying, but all the successfull temas are built on graft and determination to compliment players of quality, like i say its the blend. One cant function without the other successfully.
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That is the case, grit and determition is a must in any side. But that's not what I'm saying, I'm talking about hoofball. Hoofball is not the way forward, it can only get you so far.

There's a big difference between being competitive and just being overly negative, kicking the ball long at every oppurtunity. I have no problem with being agressive, strong and competing, but we can do that whilst also passing, moving and controling the game. We've proven that over the last few months.

We already have that solid base, we have the right attitude and now Moyes is starting to add to that. It's taken it's time but over the past few months I think he's learned alot, keeping hold of ball and controling a game is a must for any successful side.

One thing I would say is retaining possession and keeping the ball means less defending, less pressure and less graft. It's the way forward.
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ToxtethBlue said:
Neiler said:
That is the case, grit and determition is a must in any side. But that's not what I'm saying, I'm talking about hoofball. Hoofball is not the way forward, it can only get you so far.

There's a big difference between being competitive and just being overly negative, kicking the ball long at every oppurtunity. I have no problem with being agressive, strong and competing, but we can do that whilst also passing, moving and controling the game. We've proven that over the last few months.

We already have that solid base, we have the right attitude and now Moyes is starting to add to that. It's taken it's time but over the past few months I think he's learned alot, keeping hold of ball and controling a game is a must for any successful side.

One thing I would say is retaining possession and keeping the ball means less defending, less pressure and less graft. It's the way forward.
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To true!
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Watching us play with Mikel in the middle was so much more fun than what had gone before. I actually thought to myself a few times, "That was good, nice bit of play there". It's just so much more enjoyable, you can watch the football just for the entertainment rather than hanging on to your seat in hope of a goal. It was just brilliant to see that we were back to being one of the superior teams. For the first time in ages we could be faced with some dog****e relegation material and just say, don't think so boys, we're a lot better than you, see ya.
 
It doesn,t matter how you win a game in the early building stages as long as you get your confidence up and bring in the right players the sky is the limit.(y)
 
I reckon half the games last season and a good half this season has seen us play some of the best football we have played since the Premiership began!

It is only because of so many flamin' injuries that keep setting us back to putting out teams to grind out results.

Give me 3 points everytime, pretty foootball is a bonus. COYB!

Every team has played w**k football at some point this season. I'd love to see other teams cope with what we have had to.
Credit to everybody at the club, even the ones some of you don't like! :P
 

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