the definition of insanity.........

[oldskoolvillan]

Is to repeat the same think over and over and expect different results. The majority of this team is the same one that performed so badly under the previous two managers, Unai managed to get a tune out of them for a while, and now they have reverted to type and we dont appear to have the depth to replace them, or Unai doesnt think so as he isnt playing them. We need to spend an awful lot of money in the trickiest of transfer windows just to maintain a presence near the top half if current form is the norm.

[westcountryvillain]

Shocking performance, Chelsea were everything we were not - the goals have dried up, we can't keep clean sheets, can't keep possession and our passing is terrible. We are very easy to play against and will finish no higher than 10th unless some big changes happen.

[dazzyowen]

I do wonder that the opposition have sussed are tactics/high line cos our defence is shocking this season..

We seriously need a win against Brentford or we are heading towards the in trouble area of the table..

Just not good at all lately n need to get out **** together big time

[Exiledvillan]

Have other teams sussed Unai's tactics, or have the players been sussed?

Oppo managers/coaches look to play on our players' weaknesses, cramming them for time and space. It doesn't matter what tactics Unai uses if the players cannot perform under pressure. Technically, I think that we are wretched.

When in possession we dilly-dally on the ball and get closed down, especially playing out from the back. Last season teams sat off us and we prospered. Teams who smashed us, Olympiacos, Liverpool etc, pressed us. This season, everyone is at us, and we panic, with yesterday (CFC) being a prime example.

Discipline and fitness are also issues. Needless fouls leading to ump**** yellows and dangerous free kicks. Barkley twice now, Bournemouth the other week, and Chelsea yesterday, no fking need for either foul. He was beaten for skill and pace, so legged em up. No football intelligence.

Dunno how long it will take to put right.

[westcountryvillain]

If I were in Unai's position I would go back to a pragmatic approach that got us to 7th from just above the bottom 3 - resilient, organised, everyone knowing their job and no going off piste. It got us results and right now it's what we need to get some confidence - tactical tweaks need to come back, we are far too one dimensional.

A word on Duran - I really like him, chases lost causes and often recovers them, willing to get involved & not let the game pass him by. Should he be starting and play Ollie in behind? How about Maatsen at left midfield?

[oldskoolvillan]

Think its a combination of what Exiled and Westy are saying, plus the ability level within the team, as for Duran I would play him as an old fashioned 9 and play either Ollie or Rodgers behind him picking up the bits, would definately go with a more pragmatic approach to defense, something I suggested in a previous post. Unai is a teriffic manager, but he needs to change things up to get us picking up points again. I also think we need reinforcements in the window, we dont improve in my opinion until we have people like super john fighting for a place because we have better players to choose from, not singling him out by the way, just an example. If the players we perceive as being amongst our best are benched, the team, and therefore the squad, is improving.

[Exiledvillan]

We had it in the bag, again. We were playing well. As soon as we scored, Forest stopped fking around with their Tippy-tappy and went high-octane, straight for our jugular.

Hey presto, we crumble, and concede in quick succession, as always happens when it is put on us.

The usual suspects, making the usual mistakes, in the usual areas.

Deja-fking-vu.

[westcountryvillain]

We had it in the bag, again. We were playing well. As soon as we scored, Forest stopped fking around with their Tippy-tappy and went high-octane, straight for our jugular.

Hey presto, we crumble, and concede in quick succession, as always happens when it is put on us.

The usual suspects, making the usual mistakes, in the usual areas.

Deja-fking-vu.

We had 4, FOUR players around their goalscorer and we still can't clear it.

We check back and p1ss about with the ball when in transition, allowing teams to get set, it never works against those teams who sit deep.

We don't shoot and instead try to carve out the perfect chance

We have forgotten how to close out games from winning positions with 80mins+ gone

We start Duran but never went long

We had control of this game and choked - we're a top half team but only just.