Today's Football 2014/15

[Prevenger17]

He was pretty awesome the first game I watched him play too. I don't know. I understand what you are saying about it might be too early but sometimes you can just tell.

Ah yeah, you could well be right, like. I'm going to wait until I see him against a decent full back.

 

[Khalekan]

They certainly have the better attacking players however Lukaku, Barkley, Mirallas and Lennon aren't that far off them.

Our problem remains that we haven't yet either played them all and those players aren't playing to their ability. We still perceiver with workman like players like Naismith and over the hill players like Barry. The amount of times our possession broke down because of those two is unreal.

We've played both Liverpool (home and away) and Spurs (away) and in all of those games we weren't out played or out classed. Our issue has been more due to confidence and the reliance on players that aren't good enough when there are other options.

We have looked OK against all the "big" teams this season.

We should have beaten Arsenal, we cut our own throats at the Lane, it took a penalty miss and a world class goalkeeping display to deny us at least a point at OT, City needed a dodgy penalty to beat us at their ground and the RS couldn't beat us.

We were never put on the rack by any of these teams.

Even the home defeat to Chelsea was a lop sided result and we never looked dead and buried until their final goal went in, after a disastrous opening six minutes.

The difference between us and these teams has been their ability to grind out results even when playing badly agsinst the lesser lights.

We have not.....hence our lowly league position.

The RS at QPR being a prime example......Spurs away at Villa and Hull......United in any number of games where they really should have been beaten.

 

[marty mcfly]

Still miles better than us, though. Look at the league table, they've had a woeful year and are still miles ahead of us. In fact, I think we won't even get the points they are on now, even after 38 games. I think we'll scrape home with 40/41 points. We've won 6 from 24, so what turn of events is going to mean we'll win another 5 or 6 games? Sad times.

We actually have a very easy finish to the season. If we can pick up some points at Chelsea and Arsenal we probably won't be too far off 7th.

 

[Big Fat Sam]

We actually have a very easy finish to the season. If we can pick up some points at Chelsea and Arsenal we probably won't be too far off 7th.

Easy?!

Look at the points we've dropped this season.



We're finishing in the bottom half mate, accept it. Just hope we can sneak through a few more rounds in the Europa.

 

[marty mcfly]

We have looked OK against all the "big" teams this season.

We should have beaten Arsenal, we cut our own throats at the Lane, it took a penalty miss and a world class goalkeeping display to deny us at least a point at OT, City needed a dodgy penalty to beat us at their ground and the RS couldn't beat us.

We were never put on the rack by any of these teams.

Even the home defeat to Chelsea was a lop sided result and we never looked dead and buried until their final goal went in, after a disastrous opening six minutes.

The difference between us and these teams has been their ability to grind out results even when playing badly agsinst the lesser lights.

We have not.....hence our lowly league position.

The RS at QPR being a prime example......Spurs away at Villa and Hull......United in any number of games where they really should have been beaten.

Exactly - Against the top teams we haven't been shown up by any stretch of the imagination. We've just shot ourselves in the foot and then in the head for good measure over the course of the season and especially over Christmas. It's cold comfort but we should be optimistic about next year and perhaps even Europa

 

[marty mcfly]

Easy?!

Look at the points we've dropped this season.

lol

We're finishing in the bottom half mate, accept it. Just hope we can sneak through a few more rounds in the Europa.

What do you want to bet that we won't?

 

[Khalekan]

Exactly - Against the top teams we haven't been shown up by any stretch of the imagination. We've just shot ourselves in the foot and then in the head for good measure this season over the course of the season and especially over Christmas. It's cold comfort but we should be optimistic about next year and perhaps even Europa

And this is what people forget.

Prior to Spurs away we were on a great little run.....climbing the table and doing sexy things at Wolfsburg.

Even in that game, they never got a kick in the first twenty minutes then we presented them with two goals before half time.

Since the Hull game we have looked really solid......winning at Palace, where both Spurs and the RS slipped up, drawing at home with both City and Liverpool......and missing out on all three points against Baggies thanks to a penalty miss.

It is just that disastrous month between Totenham and Hull which is colouring all our thinking.

Because the "whole season" has not been a disaster.....just that very important segment of it.

 

[bigbear]

Exactly - Against the top teams we haven't been shown up by any stretch of the imagination. We've just shot ourselves in the foot and then in the head for good measure over the course of the season and especially over Christmas. It's cold comfort but we should be optimistic about next year and perhaps even Europa

We don't have to break the top teams down as they come at us leaving themselves open. Our problems are against teams that give us the ball and sit back.

 

[Big Fat Sam]

What do you want to bet that we won't?

Mars bar?

 

[Prevenger17]

What do you want to bet that we won't?

Mars bar?

Avatars lads, put your money where your mouths are.

 

[marty mcfly]

And this is what people forget.

Prior to Spurs away we were on a great little run.....climbing the table and doing sexy things at Wolfsburg.

Even in that game, they never got a kick in the first twenty minutes then we presented them with two goals before half time.

Since the Hull game we have looked really solid......winning at Palace, where both Spurs and the RS slipped up, drawing at home with both City and Liverpool......and missing out on all three points against Baggies thanks to a penalty miss.

It is just that disastrous month between Totenham and Hull which is colouring all our thinking.

Because the "whole season" has not been a disaster.....just that very important segment of it.

It's a bit more than just that month. We didn't get a few results at the start. Turned it around a bit but never really improved the mood and then we hit a disastrous spell when the crowd was totally on the team's backs. I suppose the fans after last season where hoping almost expecting us to be playing like a top club and when that didn't happen it became difficult. It happens and I suppose all we can all do is learn from it. It won't be a quick fix but we need to support the team and the manager no matter what.

 

[The Equaliser]

And this is what people forget.

Prior to Spurs away we were on a great little run.....climbing the table and doing sexy things at Wolfsburg.

Even in that game, they never got a kick in the first twenty minutes then we presented them with two goals before half time.

Since the Hull game we have looked really solid......winning at Palace, where both Spurs and the RS slipped up, drawing at home with both City and Liverpool......and missing out on all three points against Baggies thanks to a penalty miss.

It is just that disastrous month between Totenham and Hull which is colouring all our thinking.

Because the "whole season" has not been a disaster.....just that very important segment of it.

I'd love to believe that it was just a bad month which ruined this season but I think that month was coming and was the consequence of poor preparation and being complacent about the levels that were set last season.

We've shown enough in the last month to stave off any possibility of relegation. But the jury is still out for me as to whether the heights of last season will ever be reached again under Martinez.

Hope they will be like.

 

[Big Fat Sam]

Avatars lads, put your money where your mouths are.

I'll send a Mars bars to you too if we finish top half. It'll be worth the 50p or whatever it is they cost.

 

[marty mcfly]

Mars bar?

Did Pardew ever give him that Mars bar? However I was thinking some really embarrassing avatar message.

 

[marty mcfly]

I'd love to believe that it was just a bad month which ruined this season but I think that month was coming and was the consequence of poor preparation and being complacent about the levels that were set last season.

We've shown enough in the last month to stave off any possibility of relegation. But the jury is still out for me as to whether the heights of last season will ever be reached again under Martinez.

Hope they will be like.

It's hard to say really but what's important is what we do from here. Hell I pull my hair out with some of Martinez' selections but he's a very smart man who wants to play the game and build the club the right way. Even if I might disagree I still have faith in him.