Funny, they dont seem to mention Flint pulling SAs man bun which caused the antagonism in the first place.
Agreed. The last ten games, it's not just been the results, but the attitude and performance. In January I was totally disillusioned and didn't even follow matches. It was awful to watch and the squad looked as toxic and unmotivated as ever. Something has clicked and at least this team deserves our support. I hope we can support them to 2nd.
Watched the highlights, apart from one moment of madness the keeper had nothing much to do. That is very impressive against such an in form team that score freely at home.
I think it is as simple as Deeney being out, with him we're just square pegs and round holes. On a similar note, Hughes playing in his favoured centre midfield role has made a massive difference too
For 2 years or more, many have been saying that Deeney is a toxic presence. He's been a common factor in our managerial fallouts, our seasonal tool downing, players falling way below their best and a stinking, fetid culture around the club. He's also been playing when clearly offering nothing in most games, but still forcing his way into starting line ups, week in and out, forcing the rest of the team to accommodate his non-scoring, non-running, non-assisting striker's role. If the last few games has taught the Pozzos anything, it must be that Deeney needs to be gone at whatever cost. Pay him off, whatever, but get him out of the club.
I am not sure that this has been said anywhere but one thing that really impressed me yesterday was JP's positioning he kept getting into little pockets allowing us to play through them and to feet. He is such an intelligent little footballer for such a young age.
Would have learnt how to look after himself growing up in São Paulo I would imagine. I think he is brilliant.
It seems extraordinary to think that this could be the case. It goes against every sensible management and business thought,to let one person have such influence in a multi million pound environment. Beggars belief really.
Indeed, but funnily enough, his touch let him down more than usual yesterday, which is very out of character. He needs to play games and he will get better and better. It's criminal that he was being underused to accommodate Deeney and Gray previously, who are both on the wane and cursed.
He will have a big say in the dressing room as all captains and senior players do. Think of all the big name captains and leaders of the past like Keane , Gerrard , Kompany and Terry. They will have their say. Mind you sometimes can be too much and in the public eye when it should be behind closed doors. And obviously you have to play well yourself !
While it does seem crazy to leave out our best striker in place of two duds, I wonder if it'll actually benefit us in the long run to have a fresher JP in the run-in? Brentford haven't been allowed to rest Toney, I wonder if he'll feel the effects soon
It's a lot more than that though. He's the go to mouthpiece of the club, he's got a much higher media profile than any other player, even much better players that have been here, our chairman felt compelled to defend him after our head coach benched him and the coach was immediately sacked, he has been guaranteed a starting place whenever fit and even when not, despite there being far better options available, he's the constant factor over countless episodes of dressing room discontent and disruption. That is not normal for a Captain or senior player.
Switch it around. 6 or 7 more points earlier in the season, during that extended spell of blunt 2 up top, and we would already be more or less home and hosed.
Hughes getting fit and then playing in his best position is the equivalent of the Ben Watson signing in 2015.
Deeney might as well have killed the sacred stag of Artemis in the groves close to Aulis, with the way that the winds were staunchly refusing to fill our sails earlier this season. His sacrifice is the Iphegenia we needed to get the fleet moving to the planes of Ilium. We just need to abandon the septic footed Philoctetes (Gray) on the way.
It is true to say he seems to be the media favourite but maybe not many not many of our other players have spoken up in the past or not wanted to ?
You can just imagine him sat on MotD or Final Score. arguing with Crookes and Mohammad while stuffing left over sausage roll down his gullet. Would be a thing of absolute beauty.
Seems no coincidence to me that at start of season when Deeney was not available and after he got injured team spirit and togetherness has been at its best. We have been far better without him. As Captain on the pitch he was the biggest culprits and the arm waving when ball was not delivered to him on a plate.
So was your point that the Gods don't punish Hubris? Because I gave a perfect example of one of the Olympians doing so. By the way, to anyone bemused by this Hellenic chat, this is important!
If we'd lashed Pedro in instead of Deeney in the run in last season we'd not be in this shyt league in the first place.
In all the years I've been watching football I've never seen a turnround like this. Moog's change of tune, I mean. Also the way this loathesome bunch playing slow, tedious, negative football has been transformed into a real team which it's a joy to watch.
I still hate the owners and i think The Kid is a lucky idiot, but that's enough. Ivic was a calculated destroyer of football. Javi was a rubbish coach too, but didn't annoy anyone and so managed to gurn his way to a record league finish and a cup final.
