Match Ratings vs Newcastle

comment by Edinspur (U1109)
posted 3 seconds ago
comment by Insufferable-Piffle, just in case, I'm so... (U4388)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Edinspur (U1109)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Insufferable-Piffle, just in case, I'm so... (U4388)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by The Hybrid Doos (U10416)
posted 1 minute ago
Definitely Lloris’ last season, he’s been a great servant to the club but it’s time he heads back to France or settles for being number 2 next season
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Probably correct, one issue is a top notch keeper won't be cheap and there might be other positions that need addressing?

Not in anyway saying he doesn't need replacing btw
----------------------------------------------------------------------

We need a GK and a RWB most importantly. Then other positions are less of a priority.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Absolutely agree on the WB situation and a new keeper would be a bonus, DC is also maybe weaker than you'd wish?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Its not the best, but the system makes it easy for the CB's to succeed so I dont think it needs that much upgrading
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I’d look at revising the deal with Udinese and bringing this kid Udogie in January, if at all possible. Sell Doherty and Emerson also. Find a proper RWB and Spence can play as understudy the rest of the season. WBs are pivotal in this system and the ones we have simply are offering much going forward and little in defence.

comment by BelfastSpur (U15068)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Edinspur (U1109)
posted 3 seconds ago
comment by Insufferable-Piffle, just in case, I'm so... (U4388)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Edinspur (U1109)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Insufferable-Piffle, just in case, I'm so... (U4388)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by The Hybrid Doos (U10416)
posted 1 minute ago
Definitely Lloris’ last season, he’s been a great servant to the club but it’s time he heads back to France or settles for being number 2 next season
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Probably correct, one issue is a top notch keeper won't be cheap and there might be other positions that need addressing?

Not in anyway saying he doesn't need replacing btw
----------------------------------------------------------------------

We need a GK and a RWB most importantly. Then other positions are less of a priority.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Absolutely agree on the WB situation and a new keeper would be a bonus, DC is also maybe weaker than you'd wish?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Its not the best, but the system makes it easy for the CB's to succeed so I dont think it needs that much upgrading
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I’d look at revising the deal with Udinese and bringing this kid Udogie in January, if at all possible. Sell Doherty and Emerson also. Find a proper RWB and Spence can play as understudy the rest of the season. WBs are pivotal in this system and the ones we have simply are offering much going forward and little in defence.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"WBs are pivotal in this system" absolutely

Totally essential if it is to succeed, one issue is that TOP WBs aren't thick on the ground and aren't cheap?

If we are honest even tho I know I am harsh we played a reasonably good side with at least 5 players who have no right to play in the prem because they are simply not good enough.

Lloris, Dier, Sanchez, Royal and Sessengon. Combine that with Son looking like he has no clue what he is doing and thats over half your team that are simply not good enough. What else did we expect?

How did Royal come straight back in? How did Sess start the game? How the hell is a manager allowing defenders to try to play out when me, you and the rest of the world know they are not good enough to do that. Every time a team presses our defence we collapse.

Our whole game plan and Contes "system" involves playing it around at the back and then whacking it long in the hope Son or Kane can get on the end of it.

£15 mill a year? Thats criminal for somebody who cannot even devise a tactical system to suit the players he has instead of forcing them to do things they are not capable of.

I would sack him in a heartbeat personally, his tactics are outdated and totally unsuitable for THFC and the players we have.

I rate Sessegnon but he is inconsistent.

What are Conte's tactics if you think they are outdated? I personally don't think they are at all - they are quite significantly different from Jose's and the nuances are pretty obvious.

comment by Edinspur (U1109)
posted 3 hours, 21 minutes ago
I rate Sessegnon but he is inconsistent.

What are Conte's tactics if you think they are outdated? I personally don't think they are at all - they are quite significantly different from Jose's and the nuances are pretty obvious.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sessignon was a total liability today.
Some crosses hit the opposite corner flag.
Most others were inaccurate, some laughable.
And he muffed a decent scoring opportunity.
Deserved the yellow too.
Would Davies be better? GOKs. Terrible choice for the manager.

As for Conte's tactics, we have a slim squad and two "go-too" players are out. Others such as Romero and Hojbjerg might have needed rest (?).
But I'm fed up with this 3-5-2 line-up.
It is a total joke. Kick the ball off, and this line-up immediately changes to a defensive 5-3-2. That happened today within 30 seconds..

What are Conte's tactics if you think they are outdated?

His tactics are pack the defence and play the ball around the back hoping to tempt the opposition to move on to us where we can then go forwards, normally with a lumped ball to Kane.

That would not be so bad but 99% of the time we have 5 defenders back and two defensive midfielders back who 9 times out of 10 get the ball off Dier only to give it straight back to him because they have nowhere to go. Include the goalkeeper and that leaves us with 8 men in our final third 90% of the time.

He relies on the fact that most teams get at least two or three chances a game so we HAVE to take one of thse chances to then defend a 1-0 lead. Its negative and so so easy to pin us back. All a side has to do is to pin our wing backs and we are fecked for options to get out.

Look at other sides and the way they push up as a block forcing the opposition back into their own half of the field.

When was the last time you actually saw our defence on the halfway line? You dont cos they dont push out leaving 75% of the pitch to play in. Thats fine for the opposition who outnumber us in midfield and then overrun us.

Chelsea did it and tore us a new one, much to my disgust so did woolwich and Utd. You saw exactly the same yesterday when Newcastle dominated us for most of the game.

The most precious thing in a game is THE BALL and when you regularly let your opponents have the ball for 65% of the game then the chances of winning are slight to say the least.

Keep hold of the ball at all costs but work it into an area where you can hurt your opponents dont mess with it in areas where your opponents can hurt you.

Our tactics change when we are in the lead though, you can see that we press way more when we are winning and look to keep more possession when winning as well.

Playing really deep both with and without the ball tends to be our main tactic when the game is level as he believes it’s the best way to create his artificial outside-inside counter attacks. Then when in the lead he prefers the control of pressing and possession - which is why I feel he is completely different to Jose (who just looks to get even more defensive and deep when leading).

I don’t think it outdated, it just isn’t pretty and it’s especially painful (and probably doesn’t work) when having to rely on Sanchez or Royal

I don’t think it outdated, it just isn’t pretty and it’s especially painful (and probably doesn’t work) when having to rely on Sanchez or Royal
------------------------------------------------------------------

I dont think it works period and it is painful to watch. The best form of defence is to go to or three nil up and play in the opponents half not to play in your own half.

As for the Conte substitutions they are nothing but a damned joke. Two defenders swapped for two defenders when we are losing 2-1? A joke

He does seem to believe that his system is the answer and makes subs more for freshness reasons than tactical changes.

In defence of him yesterday, we didn’t really have any options to change the team around other than freshening up the players due to our injuries

In this discussion I totally agree with grandspurs.
As I said, this silly 3-5-2 line up becomes 5-3-2 immediately after kickoff and is sometimes 7-3-0.

Conte does have a problem with personnel, I agree.
Injuries to Kulusevski and Richarleson, and less than good LCB's. Should pick Lenglet over Davies.

Bissouma is turning out to be a waste of space. That means the midfield battle gets lost and our opponents camp in our half.

If Conte started admitting this and going to the good old 4-3-3 system still played by some of the best European teams, I would be happier.