The College Dropout

WBA have looked great at times this season. A counter attacking team who don't always get the rub of the green on their travels and the Hawthornes just isn't a fortress. Recipe for bad news. I rate Clarke and they'll be okay. Happy for Hughton though. Like I mentioned earlier, the players fight for him and they pick up important wins against teams of their stature.

I said he was horrible as a AM and he was. I've said he's been a threat out wide since moving there and he's helped us look a much more solid unit. I don't hold vendettas. If you play well I'll praise, play poorly I'll criticise. The only player I consistenly criticise is Cisse and he's been consistently shit.

Can't wait for the upsets. Something tells me Spain won't make it out the group phase.

Both of them have more possession than Arsenal but whatever mate.

Evra's has been a fine defender, Rafel's a good one. In a team of the season I read they had Valencia/Welbeck in the wide spots. Two very hardworking players. This only further demonstrates my point. Everton have the other example I used - have wide players so good going forward they force their opponents back. I suggested that as a possibility but as we've seen this season, that won't work. Everton dominate possession this season. Spurs do dominate possession and have the most athletic right side in the league. I don't know what youre trying to say. We play a 4-4-2. We don't have a spare man to drop in defence. If anything it demonstrates you need a hardworking team. SAF has always demanded good work ethics for the whole team and not just the wingers in isolation. I have nothing against workhorses but again you speak as if that's the only viable option. You talk of Barca and Arsenal dominating possession, I give you that. And then you mention Everton and Spurs dominating possession in the same breath. http://i.imgur.com/dSTnS3s.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/2chD4Fd.png Aye, dominating possession. We do not play a simple 4-4-2. Sissoko often drifts into the middle when Debuchy/we are attacking. That's 3 players in the middle affording protection when needed. Even in a flat 4-4-2, you could always demand a FB holding his defence when the other is attacking. Nee idea why you think hardworking wingers are the be-all-and-end-all, discounting all other alternatives without proper thought. You always loathe to concede ground in your footballing opinions no matter how good/bad they are. You're an idiot. If it wasn't Friday afternoon I would give up on you. The reason hard-working winger is because (surprise surprise) I want a hard working team. Hard working components = hard working team. Do you understand this? Spurs (5) and Everton (3) are in the top 5 for possession in the league. So yeah, checkmate.

Evra's has been a fine defender, Rafel's a good one. In a team of the season I read they had Valencia/Welbeck in the wide spots. Two very hardworking players. This only further demonstrates my point. Everton have the other example I used - have wide players so good going forward they force their opponents back. I suggested that as a possibility but as we've seen this season, that won't work. Everton dominate possession this season. Spurs do dominate possession and have the most athletic right side in the league. I don't know what youre trying to say. We play a 4-4-2. We don't have a spare man to drop in defence.

That's not really true though is it. Man Utd. tend to play with hard working wide men anyway. They also often play a natural CB at FB. And they often just leave the 2 CB's at the back by themselves. Arsenal do it but they pretty much always play a midfield 3. They also dominate possession mostly.

That's the only alternative i've seen. A player we don't have on our books, which I don't think would work anyway.

What other possibilities? This awesome FB that doesn't need any protection? The rampaging FB? A whole new manager with a different philosophy. We have Debuchy and Pardew.

FWIW I'd like Anita to be given a pro-longed run in the first team. BUt i'm not sure what to expect tbh.

Pretty certain I already mentioned the two sitting midfielders. Could play 3 at the back. Could change manager and bring in one with a different philosophy. I don't understand why hard-working wingers is such a dirty word. It's been part of the DNA have the most successful PL team.

They also have 70% possession. Most teams are so inferior they just want a respectable scoreline. We aren't in that position. Regardless Santon's not a stay at home FB anyway so that comparison doesn't work. Man Utd does not have Barca-esque possession either and they still play with 2 attacking FBs. All you need is to have one of the FB staying back when the other is attacking. Or do you think only with hardworking wingers will any system work? They often play with 2 hard working wingers like i've already said. In his pomp Evra was a fantastic defender and Rafael is pretty solid. For a couple seasons Rafael was a legitimate liability however. AND they play CB's at FB on a pretty regular basis.

I'm not saying he was the only cause. But he was playing and that did happen. That's more evidence than "we don't look anymore vulnerable when ANita plays". In his only run of games we conceded bags, how have you reached that conclusion? Atleast i'm using a practical example.

They also have 70% possession. Most teams are so inferior they just want a respectable scoreline. We aren't in that position. Regardless Santon's not a stay at home FB anyway so that comparison doesn't work. That's not true. A good number of goals are conceded from crosses by wingers and fullbacks.

We say that but the last time we had ANita have a solid run at CM we conceded something like 10 goals in 2 games.

I don't think that's really possible. IMO the more effective route is to have a super attacking tandom down a flank that forces the opposition to think defensively about their opposing wide men. Think Baines/Pienaar or Cronaldo/Marcelo. I remember Vertoghnen a fantastic defender getting torn to shreds a couple times last season when AVB had Bale in the Cronaldo freedom. After a few weeks Bale went into superman mode but I don't think HBA has that ability. Otherwise the FB is going to need a decent level of protection in the modern game. One of the reasons SAF liked Young and Valencia is that they are legitimately hard working.

Footballing God you know.

No it isn't, they are improving and yesterday was daylight robbery. They will finish top 4 its pretty obvious.... for one the contenders are not good enough and will choke as f*cking always. Anyway didn't you say Liverpool would challenge for the title? L'pool are 1 point behind Man City who are still the favourites. Not that I think they'll sustain a title challenge but you coul hardly laugh at the idea. I don't believe the top 4 is obvious. I reckon they'll end up 3rd/4h but it'll go down to the wire. They have the potential to put together an 10 or so match win-streak.

He needed his own marquee signing. He got Fellaini. I would say Cabaye is bette than all of their CM's except Carrick/.

I don't know if he was better, but both were at least equally s***, yet people rather have Williamson on than Colo. Against Man U I'd play MYM and Colo, no need for having Willo against technical players such as Kagawa and possibly RvP. ManU are bound to get a few corners. They're also quite good from them. I'd have a CB on who can jump. Evra is better in he air than Colo ffs. Pretty certain they'll score one from a corner/set-piece regardless of who we play.

Glad people are finally seeing the abject performances he's been putting in for over a year now.

Fucking Villa score 3 and Benteke doesn't score.

C is about right.

Norwich have won most of their real crunch times. When it looks perilous for Hughts they'll win a home game against a side you expect they should beat if they are to survive. He could do with a decent away result or two to really alleviate the pressure.

Although I went for him, Mackay & Hughton (before tonights result). Hughts won't lose his job