Silverdaz Posted 20 October 2014 Share Posted 20 October 2014 Last season we had back up strikers GTF, Waghorn and Wood. Yesterday, our subs were Nugent and Vardy. We have better and more attacking options now. We've got more midfield options now to choose from. The only thing we haven't improved is our defence. A top class centre half who dominates his six yard box was the one player I desperately wanted us to get over the summer. We didn't We have once Upson is fit he will go straight into the side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Socks Posted 20 October 2014 Share Posted 20 October 2014 First 5 games ? yes definately But it seems to have died out now I think the Adrenaline was there, but thats burnt out now and we will see some poor results for a while definately need to recruit in January 4-5 players I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babylon Posted 20 October 2014 Share Posted 20 October 2014 Yes of course we have strengthened. It's the quality of the opposition that's much better. Give me playing Watford or Forest over the likes of Palace, West Brom and the like, every week. The difference in quality, IMO, is much better. It's almost like the idiots on here thought we were going to walk the league again. It's as clear as day the squad is stronger, this squad would probably have pissed the league by even more last season than we did. As you say, we aren't in the championship any more, even the worst teams in this league have match winners and we need to start accepting that this season we're going to be in a scrap and a decent season is just staying up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain... Posted 20 October 2014 Share Posted 20 October 2014 also dunno if i'm alone here but if we'd played last year's side and system in our last 3 games we would, a million percent, got more than 1 point. Really? Because it was pretty much last years side and system that threw it away against Burnley. the overreaction on here is laughable, we are 13th in the PREMIER LEAGUE and UNBEATEN at home. Can we improve? yes and we do need to, but there really isn't any need for all this doom and gloom, a bit more composure and experience we would have 3 more points and be nicely in the top half. We threw away those 3 points and that is frustrating, but the fact that it is only our mistakes that cost us shows that something is working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuchsntf Posted 20 October 2014 Share Posted 20 October 2014 It's almost like the idiots on here thought we were going to walk the league again. It's as clear as day the squad is stronger, this squad would probably have pissed the league by even more last season than we did. As you say, we aren't in the championship any more, even the worst teams in this league have match winners and we need to start accepting that this season we're going to be in a scrap and a decent season is just staying up. Really? Because it was pretty much last years side and system that threw it away against Burnley. the overreaction on here is laughable, we are 13th in the PREMIER LEAGUE and UNBEATEN at home. Can we improve? yes and we do need to, but there really isn't any need for all this doom and gloom, a bit more composure and experience we would have 3 more points and be nicely in the top half. We threw away those 3 points and that is frustrating, but the fact that it is only our mistakes that cost us shows that something is working. 2 posts that puts everything into perspective really...We did chuck it away with Burnley, that would of gave us 11pts. > top 10 < CHELSEA, PALACE, and Newcastle, stay lost points, and no ifs & buts.All 3 sides dont forget still had the better chances. Burnley and QPR,Sunderland havent played that bad, and in some of their games, even Sunderland in their latest loss,had some great chances, before they succumbed. We cant afford, even as fans believe there are easy points on offer (Yeovil-syndrome, Burnley this Season.) I believe this season is a gimme, where as a fan we sit back and enjoy, this 1st half back in the PL. Be clever, its too early for heavy criticism, We have had just 8 games... My Dyche impersonation....not 1 with prefered choice, started season with 1st choice injuries,Old powerhouse not yet played more than 1 game together, Pacey striker not yet played half the games, new players need to bed in, squad needs as a group, time to get use to the PL rythm.Give the manager room and some time to knit the group together. Individual games critics and opinions should always be expected, but far too early for doom merchants, wanting wholesale changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col city fan Posted 20 October 2014 Share Posted 20 October 2014 It's almost like the idiots on here thought we were going to walk the league again. It's as clear as day the squad is stronger, this squad would probably have pissed the league by even more last season than we did. As you say, we aren't in the championship any more, even the worst teams in this league have match winners and we need to start accepting that this season we're going to be in a scrap and a decent season is just staying up. Couldn't agree more.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuchsntf Posted 20 October 2014 Share Posted 20 October 2014 In the logic of the question, the answer will always, be a big NO.!! We won a league by alot of points last season. We already know we wont win this one we are now in. Even if we are stronger, we still could get relegated, so where is the comparison, how can strength be compared??. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Posted 20 October 2014 Share Posted 20 October 2014 It's almost like the idiots on here thought we were going to walk the league again. It's as clear as day the squad is stronger, this squad would probably have pissed the league by even more last season than we did. As you say, we aren't in the championship any more, even the worst teams in this league have match winners and we need to start accepting that this season we're going to be in a scrap and a decent season is just staying up. Can someone please post the emboldened text at the top of every page until our next win? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thracian Posted 20 October 2014 Share Posted 20 October 2014 It's almost like the idiots on here thought we were going to walk the league again. It's as clear as day the squad is stronger, this squad would probably have pissed the league by even more last season than we did. As you say, we aren't in the championship any more, even the worst teams in this league have match winners and we need to start accepting that this season we're going to be in a scrap and a decent season is just staying up. Don't think the question actually mentioned the squad and it doesn't matter really because what matters is the team we choose and how we use the bench. Nothing else really counts. I'd tend to agree that our squad might finish every bit as high as last season's Championship Champions if we couild play that many in a match but we can't and don't. We started the season with a really solid, basically well-balanced side that cogged well together, turned in some exciting, positive football and collected more points than almost any of us imagined in the first five games and might even have had more. I said before the season that pressure and retaining possession were paramount so what do we do post Manchester United. We try to play canny and beg games....not against the likes of Arsenal, Everton and Chelsea but against, Burnley, Palace and an absolutely woeful Newcastle who must hate playing at home more than playing away right now. What's changed? Well our best players for pressing the opposition from the start have had bit parts and Vardy, by far our best player for consistently unsettling defenders with his speed is hardly involved. Secondly we've lost King's ability to pass and move under pressure, to selflessly fill in gaps, to help cover dead ball situations, to pass, move and have a worthwhile shot and for what - so little that I'd call positive because the passing and moving's gone, we've conceded too easily from dead ball situations and we've hardly created anything because there's so rarely been any options. Little of this is aimed at individuals although I really feel there's too much danger coming through the right-back area. But Ulloa doesn't pressure people at speed (it's not his fault it was a known) and can't carry a Premiership attack on his own, Mahrez, talented without a doubt, is not the ideal cover for DeLaet, Cambiasso leaves runners free (as King used to do once), Drinkwater doesn't seem to have the command he used too and is little help defensively and Schlupp is still at the stage where he's doing what he's told rather than what he wants. Altogether we've lost pace, penetration, the ability to move back and forwards as one and the willingness to pose questions by attacking in numbers and with different skills. We're hardly recognisable from the side that played our first five games and whatever the names in the squad our team post-Manchester United has not played with anything like the fluency, concentration, invention and self-belief of last season's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot Posted 20 October 2014 Share Posted 20 October 2014 Of course we are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babylon Posted 21 October 2014 Share Posted 21 October 2014 We started the season with a really solid, basically well-balanced side that cogged well together, turned in some exciting, positive football and collected more points than almost any of us imagined in the first five games and might even have had more. Was the Newcastle performance that much different to the Stoke performance? We conceded ground to them and let them play first half, were poor, changed things second half and improved slightly as an attacking force. The difference between the two games was that we finished our one good chance at Stoke and James fluffed it against Newcastle. Lets no overplay the first five games performance wise, First half against Everton we were shit, mild improvement second half, Stoke we were awful first half and improved a bit second half. We got something out of those games that perhaps our performances didn't actually warrant. We were great against Arsenal and Man U, but you can't expect performances of those levels all the time. We didn't produce them consistently last year and won't this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thracian Posted 21 October 2014 Share Posted 21 October 2014 The Stoke game was probably the start of our lengthy spell of indifferent football for all that we won. And, although it wouldn't marry with my own philosophies, i wouldn't argue against the notion that our tactics won the day - however fortunately - and therefore the means justified the end whatever my personal reservations. Unfortunately if you accept that yardstick, then the kind of cautious (conceding the ground) philosophy that stole us the three points at Stoke also led to the misguided belief that we could continue begging the points in our other games. Result? One point out of nine against seriously average opposition. Worse though is the fact that, while the games against Everton, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United were excellent to watch and offered an excellent advert for our club, the games since have been grim. Well into the season I'm not even sure Pearson knows his best side never mind the best way of using those players. The more people he has available the more uninspired we look. It doesn't help that he got the squad together too late, something many of us complained about, and left himself snookered in some ways because he started (effectively) with the basis of the side that won us promotion and then found himself with a lot of other players around him who also needed a game. Getting knocked out of the League Cup so wretchedly didn't help because it limited his options still further. Don't get me wrong - there's much to be said for counter-attacking football - providing you do it quickly and in numbers. We did exactly that against United but there's a world of difference between that kind of commitment and the half-baked idea of sticking Ulloa up front on his own and expecting Schlupp or the still-rusty Albrighton to get lucky with a cross when there's so little movement and support around them. As for leaving both Vardy and Nugent out of our starting line up, it's beyond belief and sends all the wrong signals. It concedes the initiative from the start. We looked like a team with a decent combination of attitude, organisation and ability up to and including the United game. since then we've looked like a team embarrassed at where we've found ourselves and unsure of how to stop getting lost. The answer is to get on the right path again - and start scoring goals. The only way we'll do that is by playing people with the pace, passing ability and finishing capabilities to do that. Not by leaving lots of them out. Two "holding" players? Holding what? We "held" nothing. Give me two scoring players anytime and as many more as we can find around them. I didn't think we'd be good enough to win so many points from our opening games but having done so we could and should have been a third of the way towards safety by now. Instead we've wasted that wonderful start and with hardly a whimper. I really would rather we'd lost 4-3 having a go than going all slack on the job. The change of attitude forced on Allardyce seems to be Godsend for the Hammers and it's perhaps time our owners took the same line with Pearson. If we go down we go down but if we stick with a positive philosophy there's no reason we shouldn't bounce back even stronger...and actually stand for something. The last few games we've stood for nothing adventurous or imposing. We've been a month-long advertisement for unexciting indifference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thracian Posted 21 October 2014 Share Posted 21 October 2014 Can someone please post the emboldened text at the top of every page until our next win? Thanks. You're right - and we sit ours on the bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orbison Posted 21 October 2014 Share Posted 21 October 2014 we are stronger by virtue of more quality players, but i think nigel has created a dilema by changing our style of play to accommodate ulloa, on the one hand he will score goals and he tries very hard, but the ball has to be carried to him in a way like wood and before that beckford, i believe when we played vardy and nugent last season admitted against weaker opposition, they pressed high up the field and ran into good positions, their workrate bought time for our midfield and back four, now that is missing every game we are being overun in midfield, no wonder we are shipping goals. a team is the sum of all its parts and how they integrate with each other, vardy and nugent are playing in positions totally unsuited to their particular skills, and i cannot see nigel ever dropping alloa because of his price tag, i think we caught a fluke with the united game however great it looked, but i fear we are going to concede an awful amount of goals by trying to play from the wings and not through the middle, i hope im wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MattP Posted 22 October 2014 Share Posted 22 October 2014 Yes. The team we pretty much finished with last season was the one that looked so poor against Burnley in the second half. The only area of the pitch I'd say we don't look stronger than last year would be in defence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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