sam of the south wrote: ↑Thu Nov 06, 2025 11:06 pm
Yeah, and they were dreadful champions, Van Persie carried them that season.
I’m not saying he did even a remotely good job, but it was a poisoned chalice.
Fergie knew what he was doing when he called time.
He knew most of that team needed replacing.
However having moyes take over was terrible decision.
My mate phoned me to tell me ferguson was calling it quits and Moyes was 6/4 fav to replace him and i started laughing because i honestly thought he was messing about.
When it became clear that it was going to happen i told anyone that could be bothered to listen that it would end in tears before the season finished.
A madhouse appointment
No point in spending 100 million and leaving them on the bench when needed moyes might not have wanted some of them but he has to integrate them into the team
Moyes did mention bedding new players in, thinking back how long was it before Baines got in the team? He was playing Lescott at LB for a good while. That turned out well so maybe all is not lost with Dibling etc. he’s had no choice but to use Barry because Beto’s been so shit
Saying that Moyes seemed a lot more positive and forward thinking last season than he has so far this
Biggest difference I saw today was an increased commitment to playing the ball over the top to runners in behind.
No, we don’t have a tremendous amount of pace in the team but when we focus too much on passes into feet between the lines, we become easy to pressure and those quick combinations get harder to complete.
Having the front four switch between showing for the ball and making those runs in behind the defense makes us a much harder side to defend. We all know Grealish is better with the ball played into his feet but the sporadic threat of him getting in behind the defense gives him a bit more room to do what he does best.
Biggest difference today imo was garner at right back he was able to take the pass from the Center halves and look up great combo with ndayie also Tim is so manic the way he plays creates chaos and upsets the opposition
Bumble wrote: ↑Sat Nov 08, 2025 5:36 pm
Just a lot better balance to the side with someone comfortable on the ball at right back. So I fully expect to not see that again for a few weeks.
Sometimes the front players and midfield will step up when the opposition is playing around with the ball at the back but the defense won’t follow them, leaving a huge gap in the middle.
One of their best chances (the one Myko deflected which bounced over the bar) came from Bassey running towards the sideline and smashing a long ball just in front of the defense. There were no midfielders there to make the attacker’s touch difficult so instant control for them with a numeric advantage in our half.
Perhaps it’s cohesion that needs to be worked out further in training, perhaps a slow back line that is worried to step up. Either way, it’s worrying how easily teams can get at us in that fashion if the midfielders lose their discipline (and they do often enough for it to be concern).
kramer wrote: ↑Sat Nov 08, 2025 11:46 pm
Structure off the ball is still a bit funky.
Sometimes the front players and midfield will step up when the opposition is playing around with the ball at the back but the defense won’t follow them, leaving a huge gap in the middle.
One of their best chances (the one Myko deflected which bounced over the bar) came from Bassey running towards the sideline and smashing a long ball just in front of the defense. There were no midfielders there to make the attacker’s touch difficult so instant control for them with a numeric advantage in our half.
Perhaps it’s cohesion that needs to be worked out further in training, perhaps a slow back line that is worried to step up. Either way, it’s worrying how easily teams can get at us in that fashion if the midfielders lose their discipline (and they do often enough for it to be concern).
We have two slow cb’s, and this will continue in Branthwaite’s absence
