KaKa

Anyone else sick of hearing "if Rafa" blah blah.  I can't be the only one who didn't really enjoy his negative sideways style football.  Call me dinosaur old school (or considerably worse probably), but I like football played on the front foot, even if that does involve some high balls with support players feeding off them.

He wasn't being allowed to bring in the players he wanted

He then still managed to put together a team to grind out results that wasn't a complete embarrassment to watch.

As soon as he was given a tiny bit of leeway with Rondon and then Almiron coming in you could see a vast improvement in play, and so one can only wonder what he could have produced if they'd let him get on with things.

Well we mostly played terribly against every calibre of team last season, and so it's looking like an improvement of sorts.

Moyes just doesnt know what to do with someone who likes to play football.

 

How players like Anderson, Yarmalenko and Lanzini arent getting a game is ridiculous. Imagine facing that front 3 yesterday?

Arguably their three most dangerous players

They just can't get their manager right and it's ridiculous.

After Pellegrini brought all those types of players in, but was just to dull to motivate them, they should have just gone for someone younger and more energetic that knows those types. Instead they swung too far the other way in a PFM that is lost with those players.

If they brought in Pochettino tomorrow that same squad would be a problem.

Bruce talked about being concerned about West Ham's size on set pieces at the start of the game, and I think that's really what influenced his selection.

It was a pretty big strong team we went with yesterday to counter that, and it worked really. Good to have those sorts of options.

Man ... that must have sucked for them big time. Rough.

Kaka is so wordy

I like the intricate details of this sort of thing 

Arsenal have been doing something similar with Maitland-Niles of late. Defends in a back 5 as a left wingback when Arsenal don't have the ball, but slots into the left side of central midfield when they have the ball.

Give managers the types of players they know and things might just work a tad bit better. Revolutionary stuff.

If only the previous manager was treated as fairly. Oh well.

Might be a better option than Shelvey in the middle

 

Is he fuck a winger though, and a header and nice shot won't convince me of that

He wasn't meant to be playing as a winger.

He was essentially an extra midfielder when we had the ball, allowing us to match up well with West Ham's 3, with Manquillo then given even more license to push forward from right back in the space on the wing. It's why Hendrick then got into the positions he did for both his assist and his goal.

When we had the ball he was pretty much playing his preferred role in more central areas. Thought it worked well, as it also allowed for him to cover for Shelvey centrally, when Shelvey occassionally went forward as they were both on the right side of the pitch.

Shout out to Lascelles and Fernandez.

Strong dominant performances at centre back.

Yay. We won. We played 442 and pumped it long to a big number 9 for 80 minutes, but, yay. Cant wait for more.

 

It certainly boggles the mind to see so many people who've spent the last couple of months screaming that they're done with NUFC forever, get back on board after a fairly turgid away win against relegation fodder.

It wasn't aimless hoof ball at all, and it wasn't a turgid performance.

I get it though. You're doubling down because you're annoyed the team did well.

No need though. There'll be worse days then you can have your fill then.

Some embarrassing comments in the first half mind.

 

The first 30 minutes or so were shite imo. The standard front both teams that was

 

We've been much improved this half however.

Think the team has been solid throughout. Plan worked really well and I have to hold my hands up because the lineup did not convince me when I saw it.

Really prefer Miggy on the left.

Hahahahaha ... Jeff Hendrick. Oh boy!

Had a fantastic game. Lovely play Almiron to set him up.

Keeping Carroll on for set pieces. Mentioned them at the start of the match.

Nice ball from Hendrick to Manquillo. Working well together down the right.

Hayden man. Without fail

Hendricks is that 7 out 10 every week player that fans don't always appreciate, but mangers and teammates really do.

Yup. Noticed as well that when Shelvey has got forward he has dropped back and covered him centrally. Doing a lot of good things for the team.

Is Joelinton watching

Leave Joelinton alone man

Think he'd look alright partnering Wilson eventually in this setup. Then he can drop in as much as he likes and set Wilson up.

Good stuff. Hendricks doing a good job of getting into the box from out wide to flick that on.

Solid half. We've looked good.

Direct sometimes but not in a hit and hope way. Carroll has been really useful and effective IMO.

Wilson is making a big difference as an out and out striker and Lewis looks smooth and classy getting forward from left back.

Hendrick has been okay. Really good defensively and seems to have a more free narrow role going forward, allowing Manquillo to bomb on.

Encouraged by how good the team looks when defending, as Shelvey hasn't been a glaring issue.

Think he will play a 433. Carrol as lead and asm and wilson wide

Literally never seen Wilson play out wide.

What a muppet Rodrigo is man. Clown.

That's an attacking left back with Hendrick tucking into cover the overlap, with ASM on the right, Manq doesn't need to overlap.

 

Looks quite sensible on paper, but it isn't if you don't fecking attack.

Going forward that might work out okay.

How do we lineup defensively though? Shelvey will be exposed in a midfield pairing.

I am quite looking forward to having some goal threat with Carroll and Wilson up top so 4-4-2 isn't all bad. Think we'll be vulnerable at the back though.

Come on man ... just because you play two up top doesn't automatically mean 'more goal threat'. That's Parew level thinking.

A midfield two with Shelvey in there is terrifying. How are we going to work the ball up the pitch. We'll get over run.

This better be some sort of 4-3-1-2. For goodness sake man.

I don't understand how he goes 4-4-2 and leaves 3 wide men on the bench for Hendrick.

Almiron should just go on the left and ASM on the right in this setup. It's so obvious man.

This is absolutely terrifying stuff.