MancFox24

Generally hate it when people talk about 'good vibes' at a football club. But that's exactly what we needed after last season. And I just don't think the type of football Enzo plays was ever going to get that connection between the fans and the players again. That's not to say it can't be successful, although I've got my doubts about how well it will work in the PL. Obviously Man City are the best team in the world but I can't say I enjoy watching them alot of the time and I think their fans struggle to connect with it, which is why Guardiola sometimes has a pop at them for being quiet. But they have the quality in the final third to make the system work and we don't have that currently. I would have preferred to see us go with a manager in the style of Klopp than the Guardiola style because I think that would have got the connection back with the fans. But the board has made it's decision about the way they want the club to play. Puel, Rodgers and Enzo all like to play a similar way so at least there's some evidence of the club knowing what direction they want it to go. I just hope we can keep winning games playing that way cus Puel and Rodgers both found out how quickly fans start to turn when you play this type of football and the results start to dip.

Not against the idea but it's not going to happen. He has a clear idea how he wants to play and the formation you've suggested wouldn't give us control as Enzo would see it. Like it or not, Enzo's made it pretty clear this is the way we're playing whilst he's in charge. I've got my doubts about whether it will work but that's the way the club has decided to go

Back to the system we played under Rogers...interesting

Thought Akgun was decent that half. The rest not so much. I'd say let's go and get the game won in the first 10 of the second half but that's just not how we play.

Thought we actually created more today than in other similar type games this season. One of KDH's best games of the season and Choudhary was good as well. Casedei reminds me alot of Soumare, just seems to be running through treacle when he's defending and doesn't spot danger at all. Would have Akgun coming on ahead of him in the future

Feel like I've seen this performance alot this season

Well worth a listen to the Athletic's podcast on this topic. People saying that it was only £20m over the limit ignore that they'd already been warned repeatedly by the PL about their transfer spending and alot of the costs towards their new stadium had been deducted from their losses. As for our position, I remember how frustrating it was last summer at the lack of transfer activity. Don't know how accurate reports were that we had to turn down signing Lookman for around £15m cus of FFP concerns. Then consider the goal that kept Everton up was scored by a player they bought for £21m, which was roughly the amount of their overspend. I know this is a simplistic way of looking at things, but I certainly get why people at the club would want to pursue compensation given the fine margins involved

Decent control of the game after the first 10. Need to see more from Casedei and KDH. Definitely should look to target Rodon when we're pressing, he doesn't look comfortable on the ball

Controlled the game well but still lacking fluency going forward. I've got no problem with patient build up but there were so many examples today of players going backwards for the sake of it when it was just as easy to move the ball up the pitch. That just allowed QPR to get back into their shape. Still, there's been alot of these performances this season and we're 13 wins out of 14. Let's step it up again on Friday

No doubt we were off it tonight, poor in possession from the start and really struggled to cope with their press. Casedei grew into the game which was good to see but we still missed wilf's aggression. Thought the game was made for some Hamza reducers so was surprised he didn't come on earlier. But it was a useful reminder that we won't get it all our own way in this league and I think performances like that will hopefully stop them getting complacent.

I'd be lying if I said I don't watch some of the chances the opposition has had against us this year and think we'd be 1 or 2 down against teams in the PL. But it's way too early to be thinking in those terms. We have no idea how this team will evolve, how strong the PL will be next year or if we'll even be in it. Let's just trust the process and get a good feeling around the football club again for now

Just let Vestegaard have the ball for 45 minutes if they don't want to press him

Casadei will have learnt alot from that first half. I'd give him the first 10 to see if his performance picks up. Winks has been the best player on the pitch

Difficult game to analyse tactically cus I can't imagine we'll come across too many teams who play like that this year. But even though we're far from the finished article, it's clear maresca has done a much better job than martin after taking over clubs in a similar poistion. I thought you could definitely tell those players who weren't away on internationals had benefitted from the last 2 weeks. The work rate of mavididi and mcateer was particularly impressive, and vardy looked like he could potentially be a better link up player than kel. Great to see JJ back as well and would be thinking he keeps his place over Doyle when Coady comes back in

Like the confidence from mavididi but bazunu left that side of the goal completely free

It would be hindsight if I was one of the ones slagging him off. I disagree with what you're saying about his performances this year. I think he's done alright considering this season it's a new role for him and looked dangerous at times.

Think that's the best we've played this season after they scored their goal. Looked threatening but in a good shape when we lost it as well

The point is I don't think he's been anywhere near as bad as some on here think all season. He just seems to have become an easy target for some and people seem to make their judgements without actually watching the games

The first 3 pages of this thread slagging wilf's selection look pretty silly now

Wonder what it's like to support a team that's a threat from set pieces

Big game this for Maresca. Both teams are in pretty much the same position after relegation and having to rebuild with a new manager so it will give a better indication of how much the message is getting through than the previous 5 games. Would obviously love a win but I think we need a performance more than anything to show the fans and more importantly the players that the tactics are the right ones going forward.