pATRICK vIEIRA'S cROYDON cockney wannabees v eDDIE hOWE'S slightly goal shy gEORDIE heroes.

[Polarboy 2124]

2 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

this team and manager are definitely good enough for top 4. The only team to really trouble us since Liverpool away was Arsenal away. Happy days tbh

 

I agree and I disagree. This team without Howe getting every drop out of players like Almiron, Longstaff, Joelinton, Willock etc aren't top four. We'd be doing well to be top 8. 

[Holden McGroin 4855]

Willock looked dangerous last night. Was very unlucky to be hooked.

[Dr Gloom 19822]

Just now, Polarboy said:

 

I agree and I disagree. This team without Howe getting every drop out of players like Almiron, Longstaff, Joelinton, Willock etc aren't top four. We'd be doing well to be top 8. 

we’re 3rd and are more than half way through the season. It isn’t by accident that we sit where we do. I’d be more concerned if we weren’t dominating most games. The goals are will come and then the confidence will return. Someone is due a hiding soon. Hopefully West Ham - the next game I’m going to 

[Polarboy 2124]

24 minutes ago, Holden McGroin said:

Willock looked dangerous last night. Was very unlucky to be hooked.

 

He's "looked" dangerous all season but he only has two goals and two assists to his name which is pretty poor for a player who's our attacking mid pretty much. 

Edited January 22, 2023 by Polarboy

[Renton 17767]

11 minutes ago, Polarboy said:

 

Firstly I do believe we are where we are on merit, but at the end of the day the amount of draws we're collecting could do for us come the end of the season. If we continue drawing a lot of games and some of the teams below us go on a winning run they could soon overtake us. Chelsea are unlikely to over take us, but Liverpool have a game in hand and then seven point becomes more doable. It would be a mistake to assume that Spurs and Liverpool can't string together a run before the end of the season given the quality of their squads, or at least the quality of their big players in Spurs' case. 

 

 

I'd say one goal is four and three draws to along with our general propensity to draw this season compared to our rivals is a worry. The problem is the missed chances. The missed chances are a sign that we don't have enough players who are clinical when in good positions. Longstaff is the prime example. He's a good player with many laudable qualities but he's not quite good enough to be a top four level player, and he won't be unless he turns around his conversion rate. I hope it's the case that players like Wilson, ASM and Almiron get their shooting boots back on soon and this mini drought in front of goal is just a blip, and or Howe and Ashworth make some clever signings or loans to bring us up a level in front of goal. 

 

Very glass half full that, even to the extent you censored out our league cup win over Premiership opponents. The time to start worrying is when you don't create the chances. And when you start leaking goals. Neither of which has happened. I'd much rather be drawing games than losing them. We drew most our games at the start of the season, then started winning. We're in another phase of drawing. We'll start winning again soon imo. We won't be overtaken imo.

[Renton 17767]

I'll add again, GD rolls you a lot about a team. Look at ours compared with everyone outside the top 4 (and ManU in it). 

[Howay 12452]

12 minutes ago, Polarboy said:

 

I think that's plausible, but surely teams would have cottoned on to the way we play and our form sooner than the last four games. And we obviously drew a  fair amount of games in the first half of the season. 

The difference is teams will have believed they could compete and go toe to toe earlier in the year, whereas palace, Leeds, and Fulham all were clearly happy to play for a draw - it’s a shift we need to adapt to, Almiron isn’t getting the space he had on a regular basis etc as these teams are sitting deeper. I’m hoping West Ham will fancy themselves and try to attack us more which will give us more space to attack. That’s why we need to improve in terms of quality as while Almiron etc have done very well this season they don’t have that quality on the ball to scythe through teams who sit deep. 

[Polarboy 2124]

2 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

we’re 3rd and are more than half way through the season. It isn’t by accident that we sit where we do. I’d be more concerned if we weren’t dominating most games. The goals are will come and then the confidence will return. Someone is due a hiding soon. Hopefully West Ham - the next game I’m going to 

 

Nobody is saying it's an accident or not by merit that we're third. A hell of a lot of hard work by Howe and the players has led to our current position, but hard work sometimes isn't enough when you are lacking that bit of inspiration and ruthlessness in front of goal to turn those draws into wins. As another poster was saying teams are playing a low block against us, but I think it's a combination of that added to a general lack of elite quality in front of goal that's led to so many draws. 

[wykikitoon 16635]

13 minutes ago, Holden McGroin said:

Willock looked dangerous last night. Was very unlucky to be hooked.

He looked pissed to be hooked too.  IMO his pace and runs were causing Ward problems. I would have hooked Longstaff over Willock.

[Polarboy 2124]

4 minutes ago, Renton said:

 

Very glass half full that, even to the extent you censored out our league cup win over Premiership opponents. The time to start worrying is when you don't create the chances. And when you start leaking goals. Neither of which has happened. I'd much rather be drawing games than losing them. We drew most our games at the start of the season, then started winning. We're in another phase of drawing. We'll start winning again soon imo. We won't be overtaken imo.

 

I'm talking about our league position. What we've achieved in the league cup, which is great, wasn't relevant. And I hope you're correct that we'll copy the first half of the season and go on a winning run after a run of draws. 

[Polarboy 2124]

5 minutes ago, Howay said:

The difference is teams will have believed they could compete and go toe to toe earlier in the year, whereas palace, Leeds, and Fulham all were clearly happy to play for a draw - it’s a shift we need to adapt to, Almiron isn’t getting the space he had on a regular basis etc as these teams are sitting deeper. I’m hoping West Ham will fancy themselves and try to attack us more which will give us more space to attack. That’s why we need to improve in terms of quality as while Almiron etc have done very well this season they don’t have that quality on the ball to scythe through teams who sit deep. 

 

I very much doubt Moyes will be adventurous in his tactics against us. And look you may be right about how teams line up against us, but again it seems odd that it's seemingly taken them this long to cop on. 

[Renton 17767]

1 hour ago, Polarboy said:

 

Nobody is saying it's an accident or not by merit that we're third. A hell of a lot of hard work by Howe and the players has led to our current position, but hard work sometimes isn't enough when you are lacking that bit of inspiration and ruthlessness in front of goal to turn those draws into wins. As another poster was saying teams are playing a low block against us, but I think it's a combination of that added to a general lack of elite quality in front of goal that's led to so many draws. 

 

Fair enough, agree to an extent. Although in this situation I still think we have enough because I honestly think we'll beat Arsenal, Linerpool, Spurs and ManU at home. They won't ser up like Leeds or Fulham. I'll be somewhat concerned if we make no attempt to replace Wood I admit. But then again no point buying for the sake of it.

[Toonpack 6846]

1 hour ago, Howay said:

While the lack of goals is a bit of a worry I think it’s due to a shift in how teams are playing us, a lot of teams are now happy with a draw against us and are setting up deeper. We’re one of the only teams other than the top 2-4 that look good in games consistently, we just need to now alter our attack to adapt to this shift with how teams are treating us. I think we will add more quality in attack before the window is closed. 

irrespective of any other team adjustments, we’re still creating plenty of good chances, the top and bottom of it is, we aren’t taking them.

[Dr Gloom 19822]

1 hour ago, Renton said:

 

Very glass half full that, even to the extent you censored out our league cup win over Premiership opponents. The time to start worrying is when you don't create the chances. And when you start leaking goals. Neither of which has happened. I'd much rather be drawing games than losing them. We drew most our games at the start of the season, then started winning. We're in another phase of drawing. We'll start winning again soon imo. We won't be overtaken imo.

what he said 

[Dr Gloom 19822]

1 hour ago, Polarboy said:

 

Nobody is saying it's an accident or not by merit that we're third. A hell of a lot of hard work by Howe and the players has led to our current position, but hard work sometimes isn't enough when you are lacking that bit of inspiration and ruthlessness in front of goal to turn those draws into wins. As another poster was saying teams are playing a low block against us, but I think it's a combination of that added to a general lack of elite quality in front of goal that's led to so many draws. 

The only issue for me isn’t we’re not taking enough chances. We’re bossing games, dominating possession and creating chances. The goals will come 

[Sakisle 20]

19 hours ago, Renton said:

 

I'm looking forward to your display tomorrow marra. 

😂😂

[Renton 17767]

1 minute ago, Sakisle said:

😂😂

 

I missed the first half marra. Did you have a card display of a Sunderland hero again marra, like Darren Bent?

[Sakisle 20]

4 minutes ago, Renton said:

 

I missed the first half marra. Did you have a card display of a Sunderland hero again marra, like Darren Bent?

I thought you was looking forward to it I know you enjoyed yourself.

[Tom 13845]

They weren’t allowed to do the card display in case they threw them on the pitch  

[thebrokendoll 7090]

37 minutes ago, Tom said:

They weren’t allowed to do the card display in case they threw them on the pitch  

 

didn't they get banned from taking their flag to wembley as well on account of it being made out of the material equivalent of napalm?

 

the stupid mackem cunts. 

[Tom 13845]

aye  

[Howay 12452]

52 minutes ago, Sakisle said:

I thought you was looking forward to it I know you enjoyed yourself.

It’s were you illiterate, paedophile sympathizer. 

[Howay 12452]

1 hour ago, Toonpack said:

irrespective of any other team adjustments, we’re still creating plenty of good chances, the top and bottom of it is, we aren’t taking them.

Agreed, that’s why I feel we need more quality in the forward positions, especially left wing. 

[MMXXVIII 1042]

3 hours ago, Howay said:

The difference is teams will have believed they could compete and go toe to toe earlier in the year, whereas palace, Leeds, and Fulham all were clearly happy to play for a draw - it’s a shift we need to adapt to, Almiron isn’t getting the space he had on a regular basis etc as these teams are sitting deeper. I’m hoping West Ham will fancy themselves and try to attack us more which will give us more space to attack. That’s why we need to improve in terms of quality as while Almiron etc have done very well this season they don’t have that quality on the ball to scythe through teams who sit deep. 

 

The way we play is excellent - the way we improve from here is changes in personnel. Whilst it's great to see a local lad doing well Longstaff needs replaced and Miggy's form this season isn't permanent.

[Christmas Tree 3997]

Hopefully Eddie will experiment on Tuesday and drop Wilson and Longstaff for Isak and ASM.