No way we won't have five in midfield against Southampton. They are lethal on the break
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RED
Player Valuation: £950k
Just listen to Poyet's post-match interview, he knew they were very, very lucky, even with the man advantage. Mannone wow.
The concerning thing for you guys is that Howard and Barry are out, and your players really went for it in the second half, and as a result might suffer from fatigue towards the end of this upcoming match. Southampton, on the other hand, had things wrapped up within the first half an hour, so I imagine that they will be fresh. Thus, Southampton fans have reason to be optimistic given the current situation, but I don't know if it will be enough. I think a lot depends on Lukaku.
The concerning thing for you guys is that Howard and Barry are out, and your players really went for it in the second half, and as a result might suffer from fatigue towards the end of this upcoming match. Southampton, on the other hand, had things wrapped up within the first half an hour, so I imagine that they will be fresh. Thus, Southampton fans have reason to be optimistic given the current situation, but I don't know if it will be enough. I think a lot depends on Lukaku.
Yep, the players looked absolutely dejected at the end. Gut wrenching defeat but it really was a great effort from the lads 2nd half ( and first half as we were down to 9 men for 10 minutes which was when we lost our shape so dome well to hang in there ). At no point yesterday did I not think we would draw at the very least and if we had got one we would have gone on to win. Hopefully the lads aren't too downbeat and can get themselves fit and ready to tonk Southampton.
Hey RED [Poor language removed] back into the world forum and get out of our match day thread!!... Just kidding. We will be fine pal, Southampton aren't playing Cardiff this Sunday and we should have enough in the tank to get back on track and grab 3 points barring any disastrous passes like yesterday. That was just a freak result in a game we could and should have still won even with 10 men which bodes well for the future.
If Barkley drops into the centre then off all our options to replace him in this formation Osman deserves his place.
He makes the odd error and shouldnt be that deep but has been decent in the final third and can thread a pass better than Pienaar or Kev.
One huge mistake does not change the fact that he has played ok this season and with our limited squads deserves his place.
Up there we need a player with a good first touch, some skill to turn a player and make space and a decent passer. To anybody suggesting Naismith, he is not that player.
To tree13. Youre posting a load of opinion as if its fact. Ive watched hundreds of games where the better team loses against ten men and cant break them down. It happens, we take the positives and move on. Any increases in quality or ability will come gradually as each transfer window passes. This is what we have for now.
He makes the odd error and shouldnt be that deep but has been decent in the final third and can thread a pass better than Pienaar or Kev.
One huge mistake does not change the fact that he has played ok this season and with our limited squads deserves his place.
Up there we need a player with a good first touch, some skill to turn a player and make space and a decent passer. To anybody suggesting Naismith, he is not that player.
To tree13. Youre posting a load of opinion as if its fact. Ive watched hundreds of games where the better team loses against ten men and cant break them down. It happens, we take the positives and move on. Any increases in quality or ability will come gradually as each transfer window passes. This is what we have for now.
B
Big Fat Sam
Guest
What annoyed me yesterday probably unfairly was Robles' lack of urgency in taking goal kicks. Kept waiting seconds for somebody to come short and then dallied before deciding to go long when he had no option.
With Howard, he desperately needs to figure out when to pass short and when to go long. That goal was partially his fault yesterday, and you could argue his red was deserved for a bloody stupid pass to a teammate who was already being closely marked.
In any case, what Osman was doing in that position I'll never know. Can anybody find a reason why he was deeper than both McCarthy and Barry from a goal kick?!
With Howard, he desperately needs to figure out when to pass short and when to go long. That goal was partially his fault yesterday, and you could argue his red was deserved for a bloody stupid pass to a teammate who was already being closely marked.
In any case, what Osman was doing in that position I'll never know. Can anybody find a reason why he was deeper than both McCarthy and Barry from a goal kick?!
mkrudden
Player Valuation: £40m
Using your wisdom, could you explain further how we didn't 'take the risk'?
I don't mean to sound arsey mate, but I do think that possibly it is you who doesn't quite understand that if a team, including Sunderland, put 11 men behind the ball, in their own half, for 60 odd minutes, it is extremely difficult to be creative and score goals.
You note that what McCarthy didn't do, and yet he hasn't done these things all season. He's an Owen Hargreaves type player, who with Barry builds the platform for our creative 3 and the full backs to create from. Therefore if he isn't needed to break up attacks, it's unjust for you to ask him to become something he's not.
Pienaar had zero space to work in yesterday. As was evident against arsenal, his best performance of the season, he is at his best when playing in between the lines of defence and midfield of the opposition. That space was squeezed and squeezed by Sunderland yesterday, meaning Pienaar - like Barkley - was picking up the ball in front of their midfield and trying either through the eye of a needle passes or, as you state, long shots. Chelsea won the champions league doing what Sunderland did yesterday, proving how effective it is as a tactic against the top teams.
The only remedy I can think of, is you give Sunderland the ball, wait until they are pressing us, and then break at pace from our own half. Unfortunately, Sunderland, bottom of the league and winning at one of the leagues form sides, were NEVER going to commit men forward. Further, who did we have yesterday to break with? No Kev, no Deulofeu.
We brought on another striker, and unfortunately came up against a keeper in inspired form.
As I say, I'd love to hear how we could have 'risked' it a bit more.
thebluefox
Player Valuation: £50m
and dont tell lies,
sageyefc
Player Valuation: £90m
That mistake from osman has been coming all season, when barry, macca or gibson drop back to collect the ball they take it and turn fast and uselly have a plan where there gonna play it. All year when ossie has done it, he casually jogs back, receives, turns like a barge and then takes ages thinking where hes gonna play it.
Looking at the points I've quoted in bold:
1) We didn't take the risk in that we kept both Barry AND McCarthy on, and allowed ourselves to go one short in attack despite the fact we were losing, Mirrallas was obviously unwell and Pienaar had been nullified. One or other of Barry and McCarthy should have come off because, as you yourself pointed out later in your reply, Sunderland were NEVER going to commit men forward.... unless of course we offer them a glimmer of space and tempt them in to coming forward, opening up space in turn for our own attacking players? If they don't take the bait then you lose nothing, because you defensive midfielder has little to do. If they do take the bait then the space opens up between their defence and midfield and MAYBE we steal an equaliser.
2) So you have to tempt them to bring players forward. The most tempting thing would be the chance of a second goal - if they don't take the bait, fine. If they score a second, so what - we were losing anyway. Points matter more than goal difference.
3) Potentially a fair point. However, if his normal duties are not required on the pitch due to the opponent refusing to attack, and he is not capable of offering anything in attack (he didn't even have a long-range effort that I recall) then take him off and put a more attacking player on. Please note that I'm not DECLARING that McCarthy has no attacking ability, I'm simply saying that he offered nothing in attack YESTERDAY.
4) We brought on a second striker with 14 minutes left to play - that's more than 45 mins AFTER going one down - which is a little too late IMHO. And we took an attacking midfielder off to do so, leaving two defensive midfielders on against a team parking the bus. Is that going to make them come forward? Considering they didn't I'd suggest that the answer is no.
The myth of Mannone's "game of a lifetime" does not hold up to scrutiny. I watched that game online and he made ONE top-drawer save. We didn't ask him to make any more and others have posted the stats on this thread to back that up: Nine shots on target in the entire game, two of which were from inside the box and one more which was blocked by a defender.
Your paragraph re Pienaar is addressed I believe by my answers to 1) and 2) - had we managed to create more space by tempting Sunderland out of their box, Pienaar might have had more space in which to work.
My opinion remains that we did not make the necessary changes to chase the game. We knew Sunderland would sit back on the one goal lead and we HAD to do something to draw them out... but we didn't, so they won. McCarthy or Barry off in favour of Jelavic or Naismith shortly after half time MIGHT have drawn Sunderland out from their penalty area, creating more space for Pienaar in the process. But keeping two defensive midfielders in front of the form back four in the premiership is not going to tempt Sunderland into risk-taking.
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Bungle
Player Valuation: £90m
Tell Chicoazul to get the Southampton match preview done. Waiting round here. He was to blame for yesterday too.
Bungle
Player Valuation: £90m
He has a lot to answer for
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