Is Our Turgid Football Due To The Sides We Face Early On

[Groucho]

We've won them all, keeping clean sheets in all three.

If that's "Turgid", long may it continue.

Also improved a lot second half.

And Rooney belted into the area for his goal - haven't seen him move that quick in years.

I for one celebrate the return of clean sheets, and not crapping myself every time the opposition come at us.

 

[msb]

The results are because the opposition are poor. Eke out results Vs City, Chelsea away and I'll be somewhat convinced...but only somewhat.

as the old addage goes, you can only beat the teams that you are playing and we have done that whilst not yet at our best. Last year was great as a STH, I saw us win at home aplenty and mostly with attractive football. Stoke was a poor first half, capped with a lovely goal, but quite an entertaining second half. For me I'll take that over the previous two seasons of misery. And we did not capitulate to Stoke hoofball for the last 10 minutes. Again a significant improvement over previous seasons.

 

[Seathestars]

In the words of one of the greatest managers ever, Mourinho

'boring is going years without winning a trophy'

 

[Blues Harp]

They want out because we show no ambition and are a selling club, a feeder club to Man United
They want to compete and win things and feel they cannot with us that is why they want out. They have seen transfer window after transfer window come and go and we sign old has beens and hoodwink the fans about our ambition ....... people are beggining to see through the `talk` a new owner for instance with pots of money, the reality an investor who bought 49% of the clubs shares 2 years ago

Son of davek....no patience you...this is rks third window and you want miracles??? . its going to take time ...I as s fan have not been "hoodwinked" as you put it; one thing I am though is realistic....perhaps you should go elsewhere if you want instant success...

 

[davek]

I cant see us bridging the gap to the top 6 this season

Then he's a rubbish manager.

We had two "inferior" managers before this one apparently and they both did better than that with less cash.

 

[KaiserEFC]

Then he's a rubbish manager.

We had two "inferior" managers before this one apparently and they both did better than that with less cash.

It's been one game this season....

 

[Willow18]

While I understand that we have a bunch of new players trying to come together. I do feel (hope) that the way we've set up has been in readiness for the run of games..

I just don't see us playing Schneiderlin & Gueye together against the weaker teams this season because without world class players occupying the other positions it's just pointless.

However I do see the point in picking them against Stoke just to make sure they're not rusty come the following weeks.

 

[Lanolin]

It's unlikely that the players can work well together yet, so that must be a factor. However, as fans we tend to assume that all new signings will succeed but that doesn't always happen, particularly when a large number of signings are made.

Spurs, after selling Bale, spent unwisely, going through £110m in buying seven players and have only Eriksen left, though Nacer Chadl was a decent player I always thought. Liverpool, in their £117m splurge on Balotelli, Lambert and six others, have only Can, Lovren and Lalana who play regularly, and they seem to want to get rid of Lovren. Last year, after winning the title, Leicester spent £60m on six signings, including Slimani, all of whom, according to the Telegraph, were made available for transfer this year. Three have gone already.

Worth pointing out the three managers who oversaw the periods you're talking about were all sacked for their failure to get results.

 

[degsy]

as the old addage goes, you can only beat the teams that you are playing and we have done that whilst not yet at our best. Last year was great as a STH, I saw us win at home aplenty and mostly with attractive football. Stoke was a poor first half, capped with a lovely goal, but quite an entertaining second half. For me I'll take that over the previous two seasons of misery. And we did not capitulate to Stoke hoofball for the last 10 minutes. Again a significant improvement over previous seasons.

It's all part of life's rich pageant...but DCL at wing back - really.
tbh, the old 'you can only beat what's in front of you' is usually used when you've hammered somebody and people say yeah but they weren't much good, you didn't have to do much did you.

Anyway the word is in; Koeman gets until new year, says davek

 

[msb]

Anyway the word is in; Koeman gets until new year, says davek

He's already decided, was determined in his mind before we even signed him as manager.

 

[Foxache]

I welcome the younger signings and am happy with Rooney/Schneiderlin/Gana as they are clear upgrades

But also
Williams 31
Schnedierlin 27
Bolasie 27
Rooney 31
Martina 27/28
and main targets
Sigurdsson 27/28
Gana 27

Players sold
Lukaku 23
Stones 21
Deulofeu 23
seemingly Barkley 23

We've aged the squad without clearly improving the first XI.

Excluding the fact that the average age of the XI who lined up first against Stoke was 26.5 which is hardly over-the-hill, you've only looked at the facts to suit your case.

You've ignored the following signings who would make our first XI:
DCL 19
Lookman 19
Ramirez 21
Keane 24
Klaassen 24

and excluded those who left (age at time of leaving):
Oviedo 26
Gibson 29
Pienaar 34
Hibbert 35
Osman 35
Howard 37
Cleverley 27
McGeady 31
Kone 33

I don't know about you, but we were playing Pennington and Funes-Mori at CB before Williams, and I don't think you can say that he's a downgrade on them. Similarly, Bolasie vs Pienaar / Deulofeu, or Martina vs Hibbert / Holgate (who isn't a RB).

When you look at where we were 2 years ago, we had a major rebuilding issue with the likes of Oviedo, Gibson, Pienaar, Hibbert, Osman, Howard, Cleveryley, McGeady, Kone and if you look at who has come in, it's a definite improvement.

I don't disagree that the loss of Lukaku, Stones and Barkley are a real shame, but their situations forced the club's hand. Even the RS are a feeder club when the big boys come calling ...

 

[degsy]

I cant see us bridging the gap to the top 6 this season

Boo - boo I say, naysayer, bed wetter etc etc

 

[Woolverhampton_Blue]

Considering our next 4 league games, grinding out turgid 1-0 wins could be a good plan. If we still look disjointed after a few months, and against less difficult opposition, then maybe we should worry.

 

[Osamabindiesel]

In the 1st half, we literally had no option on the left. It is the most bizarre thing I have ever seen. I have no idea what Koeman was thinking, but that pretty much tells you the story of the first half. Baines and Jags had no option, so they just booted the ball into no mans land every time. In other words, Koeman is doing the team no favors by throwing square pegs in round holes all over the field.

 

[DanEFC92]

In the 1st half, we literally had no option on the left. It is the most bizarre thing I have ever seen. I have no idea what Koeman was thinking, but that pretty much tells you the story of the first half. Baines and Jags had no option, so they just booted the ball into no mans land every time. In other words, Koeman is doing the team no favors by throwing square pegs in round holes all over the field.

He admitted he got the team selection wrong in the post match interview.