Rafa's tactics tonight

[Zippity]

I thought he got them spot on, tbh.

I know they had more quality on the ball but a few hundred million will do that.

But, we had the chances, albeit they fell to Atsu who couldn't hit a banjo with a cow's arse...and I mean it that way round! They didn't really create clear cut chances and I think we panicked their defence at times.

And the plan was working right up to the. er, flaw in the plan...and that is the quality of the players. Dubravka made a shocking mistake-it happens- and the defending for the second was comical right from Hayden losing it to the lack of challenges. Atsu worked really hard to get in some very good positions but lacked the footballing ability to make the most of them or the footballing brain to create a chance for someone else.

The game showed our season-or more or less our time under Ashley-in microcosm. Rafa's plan would have worked if he had a squad fit for purpose...which he doesn't...and that is entirely down to one man. Rafa is good enough, the players aren't and if fatso doesn't allow Rafa to spend this team, as it is now, will go down.

[tooslomofo]

I thought he got them spot on, tbh.

I know they had more quality on the ball but a few hundred million will do that.

But, we had the chances, albeit they fell to Atsu who couldn't hit a banjo with a cow's arse...and I mean it that way round! They didn't really create clear cut chances and I think we panicked their defence at times.

And the plan was working right up to the. er, flaw in the plan...and that is the quality of the players. Dubravka made a shocking mistake-it happens- and the defending for the second was comical right from Hayden losing it to the lack of challenges. Atsu worked really hard to get in some very good positions but lacked the footballing ability to make the most of them or the footballing brain to create a chance for someone else.

The game showed our season-or more or less our time under Ashley-in microcosm. Rafa's plan would have worked if he had a squad fit for purpose...which he doesn't...and that is entirely down to one man. Rafa is good enough, the players aren't and if fatso doesn't allow Rafa to spend this team, as it is now, will go down.

We can close this thread now...
Hit the nail on the head zip
What more can we say??

I concur

[trinitoon]

Didn't think we'd be getting much change out of Manure, especially with Frodo Baggins at the helm.

[Zippity]

No...the result wasn't a surprise but the manner of it was a huge disappointment. It was very evenly poised until Dubravka's howler.

[Jammy89]

I didn't think we'd get anything and i'm not surprised we didn't but i thought despite the loss we actually did decently. As Zip said you could see the plan and it was working but we don't have the quality.

As Zip said.

All in all, great post and perfectly summed up our situation.

[Zippity]

The fallout from tonight's match could make it worse yet...

Diame has done his groin and Yedlin needed treatment at the end of the game; Schar was crocked too. And the way the FA are with us, I'd put a lot of money on there being more than a few there lobbying for Shelvey to face a charge for his challenge on Pogba.

Gonna be a long 4 weeks with Chelsea, Man City and Tottenham to play in the next 4 League games.

Fuck me, this is grim, man.

[toonlegend]

they got a free kick. so shelvey can't face a charge as it was dealt with at the time.


now pogba's stamp..........

[Zippity]

Didn't know there was one? What happened?

[Scott Kirkland]

We should have had signings lined up to join on the 1st. Our squad is far too weak no strength in depth. Atsu ****s himself when he gets a chance. Perez knows we have no one else to replace him. Hayden and Diame championship players. What happened to that having 2 purple players for every position. Derek Lambias & Lee Charnley know **** all about football. Did Mike appoint Dip ****s like these in Sports Direct?

[TheBigSausage]

While we sat back and gave them 75% possession until they scored , we made them look better than they were.
Their defence was shaky and slow and when we started attacking they looked dodgy .
Benitez must tell the team you ain't good enough to play possession and not good enough to attack so we defend for 90% of the game .
This was a lack lustre manure team and certainly didn't justify giving them 77% possession for long spells.
The tactics of writing off any hope of playing football against better teams will bite us on the arse as we need points . Waiting to pick points v the lower teams , who may well strengthen in Jan and put up more fight could well backfire.