chicago_shearer

Damn it Arsene, stop trying to fuck over my fantasy side and bring on Adebayor.

Martins wasn't exactly offering a lot was he? It really doesn't matter which out of form midget you have running about like a headless chicken. Viduka would have made more sense, but it isn't fair to say that was the decision that cost us.

True, but given what we saw today against a £100 mil pound team away from home, there is no excuse about Sam handicapping them with his tactics. It is down to the players. There is no formation in the world that forces bad passes and poor defending. What I'd like to see now is Mort come out and give Sam another vote of confidence, right away. Let the players know they are playing for their own careers, not his. There can be no sitting back and falling back on bad habits.

How the fuck does the linesman miss that? I can't understand it. He has ONE thing to do, it wasn't even close!! Jesus, I need a drink.

First half, 4-5-1, not good, zero shots on goal, wasteful posession. Second half, 4-5-1, score a goal, play good football. Now is that all down to the tactical shift of swapping Duff & Zog? Or could it be that Sam's tactics were always capable of a good result, and it simply required the players to perform? Which most of them (FUCK off Taylor) did.

I don't know why simply "winning" isn't an adequate answer? I'm prepared to give him a season or two to prove he can do that, but winning regularly is really the one and only goal. Nice football is a distant second. If we are winning consistently, then he does his job well and if he does his job well than he has won us all over. When we are losing, all this stuff about style, arrogance, his tactics, his techniques, his stupid head set, constant chewing and ridiculously large tie knots seem important. But when we win, nobody cares. And if you win a lot, then the flaws become positives (see Jose Mourinho).

I can't understand that attitude. N'Zogbia is 21 years old and probably a millionaire. He has considerable ability, although he is far from a complete player. He owes all his money and his fame to this club. He has had some good performances, and some not-so-good performances this season. Yes, he has been asked to learn a new position this year. Yes, he has to play with less naturally talented teammates. But that doesn't give him the right to have a strop, underperform, and ask to move elsewhere. If he did that, the last thing I would feel is sorry for him. I don't ask them all to bleed black & white, but we should demand a higher standard of pride and professionalism. Especially for young players like that. They do not run the show, regardless of what they might think.

This is a great post, and mirrors what I've been thinking over the past few weeks. Well done.

This may not resonate with those who don't think the players bare the most responsibility for their own performances and are merely puppets in the grand design of the manager, but I would collectively have a lot more respect for the squad if I thought their efforts this season had been adequate. And they haven't. Beye and Faye seem like dedicated professionals, which I can respect. I can also respect Given's service to the club. But we also seem to have a lot of motivationally challenged wasters at this club. And some annoying thugs.

Those poor little lads in the dressing room must be heart broken to have Big Sam show such little confidence in their abilities after the drive, passion and ability they have shown in the past few weeks. Sam is right on the money IMO. The players play the game, and they simply aren't performing. Sacking a manager after 20 games flatters the moody, talent deficient misfits wearing the shirt and exculpates them from the blame they also deserve. And if Sam needs to admit failure, it is in failing to bring in the appropriate level of ability and professional attitude to the club this summer. Not his tactics or team selection. You play where and how you are told to the best of your ability. And the useless fuckers in our current squad seem incapable of that.

If he did go, it would have to be Shearer or Keegan. Because I honestly can't see a non-supporter being interested in what would certainly become the worst job in English football.

Sack the players.

Fucking amateurs.

f*** this 4-4-2 s***. The problem isn't tactics, it's technical lack of ability and poor attitude.

I don't like or have enough confidence in the ability of our players to think that a new manager would make any real difference.

Why on earth would he be interested?

The same shit group of players will be there if we sack him. There's just no fucking point.

It's puzzling that Sam doesn't consider Milner a right-winger, but it also suggests that we will be looking the strengthen that position in January. Which is good, because I can't handle any more of this Oba/Geremi bullshit.

No. We could do with another striker, but not at the expense of losing one we already have.

Agreed. We didn't drop any points due to bad tactics today. The only questionable selection IMO (Zog at left-back) was a non-issue. We dropped points because Barton, Butt, Rozenhal & Cacapa didn't perform well. Blame the manager for failing to motivate them or train them if you find that more convenient, but tactics don't really enter into it.

At the moment, the problem is in the middle of the park. Central midfield and central defence. Neither have any control, and we are suffering because of it. If Sam doesn't recognize that and make changes next month, then we also have a problem in the dugout. I expect a replacement for Butt in January and some time for Barton on the bench.

I can't imagine how you can say we were all over them when we created so few chances. Would you be saying the same thing if Steve Howard had gotten his head to that cross when he was completely unmarked and made it 3?

Me too. Although I should also point out that I had Inter v. Milan on the other television.