Lush Vlad

Why?

You won't hear me disagreeing that in a fair few games. Gordon should have been on the right or on the bench. With Barnes starting ahead of him. Hell, I even think Joelinton could have offered more to the team there in some games. But it seems a bit simplistic to suggest that Gordon playing below par for most of the season and Howe trying to back his player and get him back to some sort of form by playing him (then often subbing him after another ineffective showing). Is Howe instructing him to go out there and play poorly and instructing him to do things that don't particularly help the team or help Gordon himself perform? Plenty of other players have performed well at times this season and like I said. It isn't like Murphy plays that deep or has the same rendencies, albeit on the other side or Barnes for that matter whatever side he plays. I mean, you want Howe gone though and I don't particularly rate Gordon and wouldn't be overly arsed if he left. So I suppose we both have our pre-existing biases here when it comes to who's at fault.

See my post in the tactics thread if you can be arsed. We very rarely seem to work openings to get shots away from distance. Always just rushed off the back of a deflection or clearance and the ball falling to one of our players. We seem to get a lot of shots blocked and we don't put players around the edge of the box to set them for the shot. I think Tonali and when he's back in midfield, Miley. Should be getting more long shots off. As they both strike a ball well.

I'm not even sure we will change that much from Sunday. But I hope we do. Miley for Trippier seems nailed on. I'd also like to see Ramsey get a go.

You think he is instructed to drop deep searching for the ball all the while, ignore Hall on the overlap and not look to go in behind or down the line like he used to? Strange instructions from Howe

He gets subbed off a lot more than previous seasons, I think? Maybe to do with workload and rotation. But could also be because he isn't carrying out instructions? Murphy doesn't have that issue a lot of the time, albeit on the other side. Barnes finds space and even the odd run in behind, despite being slower than Gordon. I do think Gordon often goes roaming and looking for the ball. Which I kind of like up to a point. He is trying to make something happen. But he's not always the best when he then gets on it in regards to decision making and if he is always coming deep to get it off Hall's toes or stood in the same area as Hall to get it off Botman or a midfielder. Then it's a bit pointless.

Paully's blood composition must be about 85% lager

Not always, no. I'd argue that would often be to do with English teams having much bigger squads and strength in depth when that is the case. I thought Athletic Bilbao and Benfica they struggled a bit early on and then did come back into it later in the game. Whether that is because we had a lead and were happy to sit off is another matter. But it was noticeable. Athletic went a bit more gung ho as they had so many injuries and such a small squad, it felt like that was a tactic. But late on they were moving the ball about really well. Benfica we got two great late goals and they were pretty poor for the most part. But it certainly felt early like they were rabbits in the headlights and we could have killed them off. Before they actually settled into the game a bit. Milan the last CL campaign I felt the same and whilst it was a very different PSG side. They seemed a bit taken aback at how aggressive and fast we were in that first half. I often watch English teams at home in Europe, such as Spurs last night and it seems like players are just overmatched physically and seem shell shocked early doors. Rabbits in the headlights stuff from Dortmund.

I know plenty said people were reading too much into the quotes at the time. But it still really annoys me that Howe said that Gordon isn't comfortable playing on the right, or if you want to be cynical. He doesn't want to. It was mentioned loads on here when he did play there that it seemed like he was pouting and not putting in the same effort levels. Seems like that was the case. It's even more frustrating when Gordon's skillset is clearly much more suited to the right than Barnes'. He has the pace to get down the line, he is a pretty decent crossed of the ball and he can still drift inside at times. As he can play off his left a bit occasionally. Not going to change now though, is it doesn't seem like Howe will ever swap them mid-game. No matter how badly we are playing or how ineffective they both are on their side. So I shouldn't bother getting myself worked up over it. His best games for us have come in Europe this season. So hoping for a big performance tonight. The game should suit and end up open and end to end.

I was saying to a Spurs supporting mate this morning. Do you not think the styles and pace of the game come into it in Europe? As I think tactically and in possession, European teams can be just as good or better than us. Even the ones with much smaller budgets and no big name players. But watching you in that first half last night and in the European games I've been to at SJP. It often seems like early on, teams can really struggle to get to grips with how fast and physical the game is. If they ride that out, they often come back into it and assert some control. But an early goal often means game over.

They looked very good in the first half. I didn't watch the second. Even before the red, they should have had a couple of goals and Dortmund barely got out of their half.

Shocking keeping.

Sporting just scored. FFS.

Good shot. But Sommer should be saving that.

Harsh red. But you knew he was in trouble the minute you saw the replay. Spurs were battering them anyway. Going to be even more one sided now.

Yeah. It’s a load of waffle and doesn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know of that we couldn’t have figured out ourselves. You have to pay the Mail for such insight from Craig Hopeless?! Jesus fucking Christ.

If only we had sat off, countered well and finished our first two chances against them like Bodoe did tonight. Whilst at the same time pressing the life out of them like Man U did. As that is the way to beat them….. Piss taking aside. It does look like we made them look a lot better than they currently are. They’ve been poor for so fat in 2026 now. Bar our game and the Exeter game. Which doesn’t really count. Fucking Arsenal, Arteta and Gabriel winning the league

Agreed. I just wonder how much Howe actually trusts him? If Murphy is out for a while and Elanga and to a lesser degree, Gordon. Continue to not contribute in open play. Along with the lack of goals from the front men. Then maybe he will get a look in. I do think it is a typical case of someone getting better for every game they’ve been out injured, mind. He isn’t particularly good and still so raw and brain dead at times.

My mind immediately went here and all. Even read it in my head in his voice

They're not mutually exclusive, are they? I think teams have realised for a while we struggle against a low block. I'm sure if you searched that term and went back to the 4th placed season, even. You would see complaints about that. All teams struggle against it to some degree. But they often find a way to get a goal from a bit of magic, someone that can find that pass between multiple defenders, a long range goal, scoring from set pieces all the while like Arsenal do. But we do seem particularly bad at it. I also think certain teams figured out how to get round our press and they can quite easily get at the back 4 once they beat the first wave. So Howe could have looked to tweak how we do it, how often we do it to try and combat this in some way. I still see the CB's pushing high, leaving our front 3 up on the edge of the box, the midfielders pushing on into the box with their man, when required. It's not totally gone away. Someone who is great with stats on here, I forget who. Posted some numbers up, albeit from a month or so back. Showing that our defensive metrics in regards to high pressing, ball recoveries, shot creating actions etc. Weren't down at all and in some areas, were actually up. May have changed since, of course. Using the eye test. We are certainly not as good at it as before and it doesn't seem like we do it as regularly or with such intensity. Which I am guessing is down to the schedule, more than anything. Along with the league shifting more back towards physicality, a more direct approach and relying heavily on set pieces. Teams seem happy to play for long throws and corners now, more than ever. I read quite a few posters yesterday saying the same about our physical levels, so I'll plagiarise them here. Other teams have now caught up a bit, so we can't bully them. Along with our own levels being lower due to the workload. I think we have lost some speed going both ways because of this, too. We often look sluggish getting back in to defend when the press us bypassed and I think we have quite a few players who are generally just a bit slow in the team now.

It’s a soft as fuck pen. But whether he is getting the ball or not is rarely factored in is it? Gordon has won a couple for us when the ball is going off, I think? Simeone against England in 98

Half time comments from managers. WTF is this shit?! We’ll fully embrace our Yank audience soon. I can’t wait for the commercial timeouts and OVERTIME whenever there is a TIE GAME.

I think it has been mentioned on here a few times. But Capology seems like a load of bollocks. Even the way they confirm their sources sounds iffy as fuck.

I don’t think so. It’s been a while since it’s been discussed in detail. But I’m sure based on the fixtures and who plays who. We don’t have much chance of finishing top 8. Yet supposedly we are all but through to the play-offs in some capacity. Based on some model similar to Opta. Unless I’ve imagined all this

As good as Bournemouth have been. Brighton look terrible here.