Troubador
Player Valuation: £500k
Said in the match thread, that the major difference for me was not feeling like we'd concede once we went ahead (apart from when WBA got that free kick in the 94th minute).
Early days, obviously, but from the first two games, there's so much more urgency, closing players down, there's a nice mix of patient build up play and going direct, the defenders look so much more confident (Holgate has been a revelation) and we now appear to have a manager who is adaptable and flexible in his tactics, as opposed to unwavering rigidity, regardless of the opposition.
As has been said elsewhere, there is the fear that we could be enjoying a new manager first season bounce, like we did with Martinez.
However, the difference here is that Koeman has done consistently well as a manager and doesn't have a record of having teams seemingly unable to defend.
I'm optimistic, genuinely optimistic, for the first time in ages. I think with Moshiri coming in, getting shut of Martinez, getting a proven winner in Koeman in along with his back room team, together with Walsh, we might just be hitting the perfect storm.
But, as I've said, it's only two games and we will need to see how Koeman and the players do when/should we have a bad result or poor run of form.
But, for now, my glass is beyond half full.
Early days, obviously, but from the first two games, there's so much more urgency, closing players down, there's a nice mix of patient build up play and going direct, the defenders look so much more confident (Holgate has been a revelation) and we now appear to have a manager who is adaptable and flexible in his tactics, as opposed to unwavering rigidity, regardless of the opposition.
As has been said elsewhere, there is the fear that we could be enjoying a new manager first season bounce, like we did with Martinez.
However, the difference here is that Koeman has done consistently well as a manager and doesn't have a record of having teams seemingly unable to defend.
I'm optimistic, genuinely optimistic, for the first time in ages. I think with Moshiri coming in, getting shut of Martinez, getting a proven winner in Koeman in along with his back room team, together with Walsh, we might just be hitting the perfect storm.
But, as I've said, it's only two games and we will need to see how Koeman and the players do when/should we have a bad result or poor run of form.
But, for now, my glass is beyond half full.
