HoustonFox

Needs a break next game. He’s become invisible

He gets the Arsenal game - it’s a free hit and if we don’t show spirit and fight, along with some degree of organisation, then he’s got to go. With the games coming up after the next one, and him staying so timid and barely attacking, I don’t think we can afford to keep him. The last two games have really irked me. Tactics and play against a rock bottom Everton and then followed up by the performance against Walsall. We need a manager who is going to look for wins against Bournemouth, Southampton and Ipswich if we want to stay up. I just can’t see it being Cooper right now unfortunately but happy for him to prove me wrong.

Cooper’s job saved by Danny Ward… ….first thing he has bloody saved…

Great analysis as always! I would have liked to see a little more on the goal we conceded (and chances in general) which you get into a bit here but don’t delve in. Hot topic is as you said the goals down the right but I think a lot of hate is being heaped on JJ as he’s the RB but also because he’s not Ricky P. Faes is the RCB, Winks is the CDM and Cooper is the manager and if the tactic is to have JJ bomb on then these 3 need to sort themselves out massively. Yes, JJ was beat on the 1-2 but where was his cover? Faes was (again) in no man’s land and to call what Winks did to stop the shot is an insult to defending. Cooper needs impose a lot more positional discipline, especially if we have overlaps. As you said, we are too easy to counter and open up and players out of position and not covering compounds this. I honestly couldn’t tell if we are 4231 or 433 last match. I think more the latter but the 8s need to help out if full backs push on. That’s how Enzo and pep operate, as do Liverpool. Winks is not going to be a covering 6 and was successful last season because he wasn’t expected to be. Part of him being a shadow of himself is this. I think you can only play one of El-K, Wilf or Buonna right now if Winks is in the team. He worked as a 6 because we had a back 3 base and Ricky stepping up to help and also helping cover right. The new Wilf is great and pressuring and tackling up the pitch is all well and good if we do something with it, but we aren’t. He needs to help out more further back and on the right. Midfield 3 for me is Buonna, Wilf and Skip. I’d keep JJ but as 3rd CB and bring Ricky in, either from right or left. We just need a firmer base that provides more stability and closes gaps at the back more effectively. Once again (like the Spurs game), we were lucky with the draw based on the quality of chances our opposition missed

Thought he played well again yesterday as the lone central defender. Not sure why we played 2 right backs though…

It nearly worked but didn’t. Here is my issue with Cooper yesterday: The change in set up allowed Palace to live in our half and own midfield with little to no pressure and when we did get the ball we had no one who could look after it, no outlet ball and therefore no attacking threat they had to be mindful of, allowing them to pile even more players forward without worry of a counter. Because of this they could bring on even more creative and attacking players - look who Coady fouled… Sarr who was brought on to replace their wingback and he played full on RW. That for me, is why I am, and many others, are so mad with Cooper’s game management. Also look at the talent we left on the bench. Two midfielders who can keep the ball, one of whom we just signed for £20m The guy needs to learn and fast. If we don’t get something next week, I think he’s in big trouble

Couldn’t have made two worse subs. They were overrunning us completely in midfield and we just gave them even more space by bringing on a guy who has zero tactical discipline and a defender who is not match sharp and his complete slowness led to a needless and clumsy challenge

I can’t even…

…and Hamza has no tactical discipline

Full on “protect the lead” which is actually, let’s invite pressure and then have no forward threat

Buonanotte MOM vs Spurs and had energy and ball retention El K - has good ball retention. Oh, let’s bring on Hamza

Ayew has about 1 fitness right now. Can barely move

Still not convinced and surely the line would have been drawn comparing him to Mateta? Anyway, need to move on for sanity

He does. Need to shore up midfield (and right back)

I really like Skipp. Way more mobile than I thought he’d be Winks has been quiet today

Oh… they have the cameras…

No. Not even the officials, cos they didn’t even show the whole picture

No one does. That’s the point….

~340,000 and counting. My wife is out getting people to register at the local colleges right now here in Houston. So much apathy among people and misconception their vote doesn’t count or they “just don’t like both” without understanding what this really means. The number of times she has told them about the issues at stake and they have been like “wow” is insane. I think Kamala did a great job of making it about real issues for real people in the debate but I’m just not sure how many truly undecided people voted. It’s not just more people voting it’s, as you said, where they turn up that counts

He’d still do that anyway. We don’t need (or want) him to win to have him continue to spout crazy shit. Maybe he can go back to TV?

Appreciate that insight Mark. Gaming has been quiet because everyone is waiting for the new FIFA (or if you are @Finnegan - some massive new mindblowing open world RPG). 🤣 Personally I finally started playing God of War (2018) so I’m way behind! LOL

I struggled to find it and now they are all distributed

The 1-2 with Stephy made me feel all tingly

Amazing how we said that about spurs too…