We definitely played better than a very poor sunderland and probably should have won, but we were hardly good yesterday.
Sterling only started playing 5 mins before the equaliser. I cant blame the lad he is only 17 but even with a good 25/30 mins he still got motm. It really does speak volumes about the rest of the side.
We were poor again too much huff not enough puff as per usual, we have no plan b. Since the start of 2012 we have been woeful and we must only have a handful of league wins in that period. Its just not good enough.
Brendan needs time I agree, he probably feels he hasnt got the players at the club to play his philosophy, thats fine. But good managers use the tools at there disposal and make a system that works best for them.
This is our worst start since 1911 and up next is United, how long do we wait before brendan has to change tact and develop a system that suits the resources he has available to him.
Another concern is the depth of the squad, its evident its a weaker squad than last season, the players on the bench proves it. Just 3/4 injuries at any one time and we will be in serious trouble.
The extra games through the europa won't help either.
Only so long can a side say, we were unlucky, we had more chances, we had more possession, they only had one shot. Well thats a very damming assesment of our team this year. Weak upfront, costly at the back thats not a recipe for success.
I fear for the season ahead sorry. Lets hope it turns round soon.
Just my assessment from yesterday
posted on 16/9/12
Just seen motd and fully agree with shearer that Allen should look to pass forward and not sidewards. He had so many opportunities to feed the forward players but took the safety first option.
posted on 16/9/12
We are playing nice football. We are dominating the midfield but we are missing the goals. We had similar problems last season but at least we were defending better. This season Skrtel has lost his concentration. He is making too many mistakes. Reina is the same. If we are not scoring then at least we should avoid the school boy errors at the back.
Another worry is the bench. Looking at the bench we don't have anybody who could change the games for us.
Also, with all our problems we don't have the luck with the officials' decisions. WBA two soft penalties plus Agger sending off. Stone wall penalty against Arsenal with Mertesacker professional foul. Last night, Suarez and Sterling denied penalties.
I'm disappointed with Borini performance so far. He is working hard but he is not a natural goal scorer and doesn't seem to have the skill to create goal scoring opportunities for himself or his team mates unlike Suarez. We definitely need a striker in January but who could be available?
posted on 16/9/12
This is exactly the reaction of a fan who wants short term success and not long term success. Change the system to suit the tools? And how are the players going to get used to BR system if he abandons it after 4 games........the same system BR has been using for 20yrs+ by the way.
Even if we lose to utd i will still have patience, the vision isnt formed by playing 4,5,....20 games its by playing season after season and this is the unpleasant part we are now in.
Did you rate Shankly? Do you think Fergie has good domestic success? Unless you have city and cfc money ie £1B+ then its a steady progress that maintains a structure that lasts decades.......you know like the won we had!!!
posted on 16/9/12
I said that we'd struggle to penetrate when I saw the players bought and the players moved on. However I would still stick with the system, it's only a matter of time now before it clicks.
posted on 16/9/12
We've had a very difficult start this season. Still learning a new system without even some key players yet we're winning. Arsenal couldn't even score one past Sunderland and we'd be 3 points of them if we beat United and they lose to Man City.
posted on 16/9/12
Winning
We're not doing too bad..
posted on 16/9/12
Although the systems are different, I think we're struggling with the same problem that haunted us for the guts of Rafa's reign - we need to start games off as if we're 1-0 down. Not headless chicken stuff, but a bit more urgency, a bit more willingness to ask serious questions of defences and pull them around a bit more.
Yesterday's performance (nothing special for 60 minutes, then battering the door down for the last half hour) happened so often under Rafa, and it was only during the second half of the 08/09 season that he successfully addressed it for a sustained period.
Unfortunately, we're also having defensive problems to boot, but I hope we'll begin thinking to ourselves at the first whistle "Ok, the score is currently 0-0, which isn't good enough" and really go about trying to create chances early on, rather than concentrating simply on being on top of the game possession wise.
Early days, I know, but it's easy to start feeling that you're doing enough in the game just because you've had more of the ball.
posted on 16/9/12
One thing bothered me about yesterday... We has Assaidi on the bench but we didn't utilise him.. I would've thought sterling playing all 90 would be unlikely.. And Assaidi would give us something different. Wasn't even brought on, also Sahin didn't feature either.
2 talented players not getting a look in when we had territorial advantage was weird.
posted on 17/9/12
^ I agree
I heard Assaidi is quite the player, and could fit well into your system, there is also no doubt that Sahin is a better player than Shelvey.
What do you all make of Borini? I'm not Wumming but I find him very mediocre. That and he is being played out of position, although he moved into the middle during the game.
posted on 17/9/12
Borini, lots to prove. Was anonymous v Sunderland I thought.