Lush Vlad

@PauloGeordio slipping with the Twitter updates.

Weren't you actively looking for managers and it was an open secret that Ten Hag was basically on the way out? Then nobody they wanted actually wanted the job. So Ten Hag stayed? Or did every media outlet and supposed ITK just make that up? Also, how incredibly short-sighted to want to keep him off the back of a cup win. When you had game after game across league seasons where performances were all over the place and you had no recognised, discernible style or play and were often incredibly easy to play against. Might work out in the long term, though. If you get Amorim and say he wasn't interested or not available in the summer, but now he is. Then in theory, that was worth keeping ETH around for a bit longer.

Can't say I have seen much of Sporting. Bar the constant Gyokeres highlights. But I'd be really interested to see the 3-4-3 in the PL and if it work and if so, how many teams follow suit trying similar. The same way so many teams started doing the box midfield with the full backs coming inside after Pep did it. Or how Arteta started playing 4 CB's after Tony Pulis did it Actually looks like they have the right kind of squad for it, as well. Onana to build from the back. Martinez is good on the ball. Dalot is a great attacking full back. Mainoo and Ugarte holding. Plenty of attacking options further up the pitch. Might even get the best out of Rashford....... Annoying that it looks like he is going there. As it is an exciting appointment. @Froggy how come you weren't in for him in the summer when West Ham and Liverpool were heavily linked? But now after 9 more games of awful Ten Hag ball and buying more of his players. He is seen as the right man for the job? That seems a bit odd, to me?

Very small sample size and it was early on in his time here. But I think he played in the deeper role against City in the cup and I also have someone else in my mind where he played as the '6' (hate that term). He certainly wasn't press resistant and didn't have the Bruno ability to find space in a phone box, turn and start an attack. Don't think it would hurt to at least try it at times. As what we are currently doing isn't particularly effective. I also agree with @CPL about him taking some set pieces. They have been the worst we've seen in a long while and he took pretty much all of them for Milan, didn't he?

We're not winning the Prem any time soon. The FA Cup will be just as hard as the League Cup, really. As we're going to end up playing the top sides at some point. We don't play in Europe and unless it was the Conference League. I can't see us winning the Europa or CL as it stands Trophy snobbery from this place. Well I never. That Fairs Cup is not really comparable to the other major European trophies. Surprised we count it, really.

Palmer plays in the 10 and seems to have a free role. He hasn't played wide for them this season as far as I can tell. He has that uncanny knack of standing still and letting the space find him. Easier said than done to mark him out of the game. Especially when we don't have mobile CB's to engage him or a recognised defensive midfielder. That said, it's hardly just us that has had trouble stopping him. He wasn't great at Liverpool, but he seems to have an impact on every game he plays.

Yes. We've been winning so many pots of late. This tinpot one can wait. Shittiest competition we're in. Pointless. Not point in the Europa Conference League, either. I'm glad we didn't end up qualifying for that and all.

He obviously is a top player based on his time at Milan. But despite some very promising games for us, for what we have paid. He spends long spells of games not being involved. Our midfield is a bit like that at times, though. So that is more of a system issue, as the same thing happens to Willock and Longstaff. Bruno has to be involved as all of our play goes through him in the middle of the 3 and Joelinton is always involved as he likes barreling into people The price tag isn't his fault, either and I think people, myself included, are probably expecting him to be contributing a lot more. I think/hope he is just still a bit rusty after so long out.

Yeah, subbing him against Brighton seemed a bit mental. He was totally ineffective on Sunday. So not even that arsed about the sub. I suppose the argument could be that as the game opens up. Who has more chance of making something happen on the ball, Longstaff or Tonali? That said, I'm sure they are looking at the fitness data and there are good reasons he isn't doing a full 90 yet.

Never gets a run of games as a starter and it always seems like he gets subbed off after 60 odd minutes, anyway. However good, bad or indifferent he is on the day. Hard to fully judge him as a starting player IMO. As he is in and out of the team every 5 minutes. He was not good on Sunday. Although Gusto was decent against him, plus he did get away with numerous fouls on him. Well, in the ref’s view whenever it was someone else doing it they were I still thought we managed to get him 1 v 1 a few times and it was often promising. Just one too many touches or the attack breaking down. I’d like to see him get a run on the left if Gordon is out for a while. It’s hardly like we have many goals in the team as it is.

Yep. Said when he first signed I was surprised how quick and mobile he was. He hasn’t been anywhere near that for quite a while and last season he was miles off where we needed him to be.

This is also true.

Agreed. I also think that Vinicius Jr and Real Madrid throwing their toys out the pram sums it up. Would barely be top 10 in some of the previous golden years.

A more rounded striker than Isak, FFS. If he is worth say £80-100m. What would a better/more rounded striker cost

Anyone seen a clip back from when he was fouled when through on goal? Not heard much mention of it or seen it on TV. But a few people have said to me it was a blatant foul and could have been a red?

I actually thought he looked good first half. Was much more aggressive with coming off his line and the old sweeper keeper was back. Made what seemed like a top save at the time off the deflected shot. No issues with him choosing to punch, most seemed the right call. Apart from that one he punched over for no reason. Then caught the corner straight after when under loads of pressure Palmer's goal is terrible all round. Isak losing it cheaply fucking about on the ball. Schar backing off more than Danny Simpson and the others just not even attempting to engage him. I vaguely remember comments from Burn where he alluded to shots from range and he has to shut off the near post and make the opposition beat Pope by hitting it across him. Schar does nothing at all to help He doesn't close the angle, doesn't block the near post and just lets him run 30 yards and have a free hit. Worst I've seen Schar play in a long time. I am playing devil's advocate, mind. As Pope's positioning was equally shit and he still should have saved it.

He is a very good 1 v 1 defender. Neto had a good game, but at the same time. Tino did a good job against him for the most part and actually kept pace with him a couple of times. The first goal was some poor defending all round and also a quality pass from Palmer to carve us open. Carries the ball forward well but goes a bit headless chicken when he gets near the box. He lacks quality with his passing from deep and we badly miss Trippier's progressive passing.

Sort of combining various thoughts and comments from other threads. But the midfield 3 really doesn't work and I don't even think it is down to personnel now, or last season when I thought it was more because of injuries and fatigue. We are just dead easy to play against and teams find space against us for fun. I don't think any of the midfield are immobile, even Bruno gets about despite being slow. But out of possession, we often look a yard slower and teams pass round us with ease. Seems like our lads are chasing shadows and the passing patterns other teams deploy against us sees the midfield 3 just doing doggies and chasing shadows. Like if you've ever played CM against a player or team that are clearly better than your level. You always feel a yard off it and like you can't quite get to the ball or man in time. I just don't believe that so many midfielders are so much better than our 3. So surely it is a system issue? In possession, it is pretty tragic. Tonali and Joelinton get so wide or run off up the pitch and then effectively mark themselves out the game. We occasionally stumble on some sexy passing moves. But it always feels like it is off the cuff and not because of a discernible style of play. Our build up from the back to the midfield is still just 'give it to Bruno. If he really is being marked too tightly, pass it along the back for ages and then boom it long and see if we can get in behind or win the second ball.' It was evident how bad this was yesterday, as Schar had a dreadful game and his long passing was off. Hall's wasn't quite up to scratch, either. Also, we used to be a nightmare team to play against. I think teams probably dreaded our shithousery, physicality and style. But it does feel like we have been worked out and of course, gone a bit stale. Not gone backwards, as such. But stood still, not refreshed the squad and I suppose at this level. Others overtake you and you have in fact gone backwards. The set pieces are atrocious and have been for a while. I know there obviously is planning that goes into them, but it doesn't look like it. It just seems like for corners, it is an inswinger aimed around the penalty spot or back post. That's it. Free kicks from anywhere near the halfway line. Clip a diagonal and hope one of the CB's wins a flick on. It's pretty basic, boring stuff. Not sure what metric you would use. But they must be up there (down there) with the worst in the league?! The Joelinton/Willock link up on the left was a minor positive from the game for the short time we saw it and worked quite well. But that will only happen when Gordon isn't available. Despite all my moaning. I do feel like with some better individual decision making and finishing. Along with cutting out some individual and collective errors, we could have got quite easily got 7 points from our last 3 games instead of 1 and the complaints would be a lot fewer in number. The performances have been slowly going the right way in some ways and it has been fine margins that have cost us points. Not being totally outplayed or outclassed for 90 minutes. TL;DR - Squad has gone a bit stale. Teams have figured us out. Individual fuck ups the last few games have cost us just as much as the balance of the side. I think Howe needs to change the midfield set up. I think he is more than capable of doing so based on how detailed he is and he could tinker and come up with a more balanced side. But perhaps, and this is a total guess. He is stubborn and has a approach similar to Klopp regarding his plan A. Something like 'if plan A isn't working. Then we need to work harder' or words to that effect.

I said I wouldn't single players out in another thread. But I thought he was anonymous yesterday. As were most of the midfield when it came to controlling the game, TBF. I would wager around 2/3 of our possession, comes from almost pointless passing across the back in our own half. Joelinton and Tonali get shoved out wide or bombing up the pitch, almost marking themselves out of the game. It can't be their own doing. The flat 3 has been found out and is getting exposed time and again on and off the ball. FWIW, I don't think we are particularly better or worse with Longstaff and he is far from the answer. The problems still exist and then we have someone worse on the ball. But is perhaps more involved? So no real gain there, IMO. I thought last season it was mainly due to the injuries, fatigue and having an injured Longstaff and a not Premier League ready Lewis Miley often forming part of the 3. But it runs deeper than that. Time to tinker with the set up please, Eddie.

The in form Isak of last season has 4 goals in his last 2 games. Seems to have lost his ruthless, ice man streak.

It is mad that the stats were quite similar in terms of possession and number of passes. As I felt like most of ours was meaningless possession and the slow passing around across the back 3-4, with Bruno often showing for it whilst being marked by a player or two. With everyone else fucked off up the pitch and not really offering anything at all. It is becoming a real problem. I haven't seen decent highlights back. The Sky ones show fuck all. But I thought they were below par and there for the taking during large spells of the game. Yet unfortunately for us, so were we and at the same time wasteful/unlucky in the big moments, again. Was it Colwill that headed one out from right under his own bar and then sort of cleared Isak's header off the line not long after? Isak deciding to try and skin half their team instead of trying to sneak one in on his left or play it to Longstaff or Joelinton was another massive moment. Not sure our performances earlier in the season deserved much. Yet we were picking up points. We now have 2 points from 15 available, which could easily be 8 and probably should be based on the last 3 games. I think the performances are actually slowly trending in the right direction. But still some glaring issues that Howe seems too stubborn or incapable of fixing with the players available. The building from the back is still lacking, the huge space between the back 4 and the midfield is still there, the CB pressing tactic with immobile CB's, the inability to sustain attacks or create decent chances on a more regular basis and the truly awful set pieces. Nobody played particularly well bar Hall and Livramento (as a 1 on 1 defender, fairly poor on the ball again). Hall probably MOTM, for me. Joelinton put his usual shift in. But was pretty bad getting caught in possession a few times which I think marks him down.

Watching their highlights from yesterday. It almost seems harsh to sack him after that. But he's been a dead man walking for ages. Horrendous from the board to keep him on after last season and the summer where they couldn't find anyone. So he sort just ended up staying by default. The fact they have continually backed him in the transfer market. Spending eye watering amounts on what look like his choices and overall, over-paying for bang average players. Is absolutely mental! They'll improve, I'm sure. So it's a bit annoying. I was hoping he would hang around all season.

I'm sure Ashworth would love to work with him again and vice versa

Yet the 2 games recently where this place seemed to have people losing their minds and get more down in the dumps about losing him. Saw him playing as a 10 and putting in stellar performances. Perhaps more to do with those games being televised. But I never saw him in other games or on highlights and thought ‘we really miss him.’ I don’t think the complaints were quite so loud, either. Then the last two games. He looked like one of the best, if not the best player on the pitch in a bit of a free role. Either way. I still think he was positionless in our system and was fairly average to poor in our flat midfield 3. Although not many are excelling in that midfield setup this season, either. But that’s a different conversation….. You obviously watch Forest a lot more than me.

I thought everyone bar Hall was between average to bad to shite yesterday. So not sure I’m even going to single anyone out. I was stood next to his Dad in the away end. Which I only realised after half time. Unsurprisingly, as Dan always seems so sound. He was a really nice bloke.