pmcla26

Definitely the best move. Maybe add in the Premier League license, too (if possible).

I don’t necessarily want him out as I don’t have any dislike for the bloke, the feeling is nothing. I just want him to see the obvious. Annoyed he didn’t see the obvious in the summer when he directed us to sign Ayew and BDCR, too. Glover needs to take some responsibility too for deviating from the plan, although he’s not the one sanctioning the deals so there’s multiple people behind the scenes at fault.

I think that’s just someone gauging fans feelings and looking at performances. Classic case of 2+2 etc. We all know he’s under pressure to succeed but that Bournemouth win has no doubt given him time. Obvious to us all as fans though that we’ve regressed from last season.

I’d agree, but unfortunately it’s one of the least important ones that will contribute to a side getting enough points to stay in this league. Look at Luton last season, and you can bet Ipswich will fight until the end too, but you need a bit more than players fighting to stay up. We have the quality, it’s just not being used right. I don’t understand how Fatawu doesn’t start every game, for example.

Rather Daka than either of these 2.

Fatawu over Ayew, keep the rest the same. Southampton struggled a lot when Bournemouth were direct and went at them with speed - we need to do the same with Fatawu, Facu and Mavididi.

Last season 90% of the players fitted into Maresca’s system. Our window meant we got the right profile to have two of each player in nearly every position that could slot seamlessly in. This is one of Rodgers’ squad building faults where we ended up having a disjointed team in 22/23. Players like Ayew, Edouard and BDCR who aren’t like for like/similar to others in their position, but in fact completely different, upsets the balance once again.

Tbf we could have made that same sub for Ayew but played him as a 6 and pushed Skipp and Ndidi both to 8s to have the same assets on the pitch.

Winks has been poor in a double pivot for years. He's very good as a lone 6, but not suited to play elsewhere.

I disagree, if we had been playing more progressive, attacking football in a similar style to last season and hadn't quite got the points yet then I think that I'd gain more encouragement than from what I've seen so far and be more willing to give him time. The underlying data and consistently not picking our best players/making odd substitutions makes it hard to feel like a PPG (like we have currently) is sustainable. I'm happy for Cooper to get his first win at the weekend though. I have nothing against him personally and think he seems like a decent guy, but he seems to have a bit of an inferior mentality and I can't get on board with his team selections/style of play.

Wouldn’t go that far.

Is that on Cooper or the quality of our players, though? He’s said multiple times in press conferences about us becoming a premier league team when we’ve got loads of players with plenty of premier league experience, then signed Ayew and Reid who don’t improve our squad to try add to that. I just can’t get on board with his mentality, if we win games then I’m happy, but I’d expect our squad to be capable of staying up.

If there’s one thing Daka has got it’s pace. He’s got clear technical deficiencies in parts of his game but to say he’s not fast simply isn’t true.

Moyes would just be Cooper 2.0 - negative football. Potter would at least give us a definitive style of play, a bit like last season.

I'm a fan of Daka and think a front 3 of him, Mavididi and Fatawu could really hurt teams on the break in the Premier League with all that pace (if Cooper dares to play all 3 at the same time).

If we used last season's set up I don't think he'd be terrible as one of the 8's.

You know if we play 3 centre-halves with our current manager's style of football and the malaise we're in that we'll just be sat on the edge of our box for most of the game.

Really hurt watching that Chelsea game last night with Chelsea supporting mates. That should be our manager and talisman. Feel the same watching Barnes' performances last few weeks.

You're right, but on that topic I can see it being an extremely low total needed to survive this year. Was 27 points last season and think it could be even less this time around.

Daka, Iheanacho, Vardy - don't think Enzo didn't fancy him, he just had 3 better strikers to pick from last season in a one striker formation. Would always be a struggle to give Cannon game time.

Outstanding performance but needs to carry on scoring consistently before we get excited. Good for him after a tricky start though.

Hermansen Okoli (I would've signed a left-footed centre back in summer, instead, but now would put Faes in that role, or JJ) Vestergaard Faes Ricardo Winks Fatawu Ndidi Facundo/Bilal Mavididi Vardy Would be my 11

The 3-2-4-1 is by far the most effective in-possession shape in football currently. Why on earth you would come in and deviate a squad away from that is beyond me. Didn't even have to coach into them - they all already knew how to play it.

Yeah not when they're Jordan Ayew, Odsonne Edouard or Bobby Reid, though

But the facts are we didn't, and Cooper's subs in both games had negative effects on the team that played a part in us conceding late goals.