Motivation? Like Delia Smith at Norwich shouting "Let's Be Having You?" Not sure what Dux or Gino would shout to the players though. In seriousness, good point @carboy98 , we do need this. Foster can be a motivator at times, but seems interested in adding to his shirt collection too
The one run we really need to end sooner rather than later is our poor form on the road. We’ve not won away now since January, when we beat Bournemouth. I’m counting Newport as a draw by the way. This season has started as last season progressed since February. Better at home, but useless on the road. Something that has to be put right soon if we are to be challengers.
I agree......3-5-2 makes up very solid, but far too toothless up front. Games are 50/50 and whoever scores wins. We need more than that and with the quality we have we shouldn't be so close to the opposition. Pedro and Sarr are too good not to play, but they cannot play centrally. They are not good enough to do this, and get lost easily. We have to play these guys out wide. To be fair to Ivic, he's not had a central striker. Gray injured, Deeney injured, Perica suspended and Murray sh1t. So he's had to adapt and hopefully Pedro/Sarr could force something, but unfortunately has not happened. Now, with an international break, we've got the chance to get Deeney and Gray back. Hopefully we keep Welbeck and Geri and can eventually introduce these players as well. But that does mean a change of formation. We need a tactic which allow Sarr and Pedro to play wide and I believe we will carry a far greater threat if we do this.
Like I said.....you are a bit weird to even come to that conclusion.....and you do that with other posters too. Do you seriously believe people wait to read your posts, then just copy what you've written? You are quite up yourself if that is what you honestly believe. As I say, I don't mind you as a poster, but you are a bit strange.
Hell of a cameo by the messiah Murray btw, as literally everyone expected. I counted one touch (mis-control followed by pushing a Reading player over) and a bizarre dummy to nobody. Thing is, you can't even be angry at him. He's 65 years old. What can you expect?
If you think I am weird, then you must think you are weird yourself, because as I said earlier our posts are often uncannily similar.
Foster 7 - solid when called upon. Could do nothing with the deflection for the goal Ngakia 6 - quiet by the standards he set himself by his start to the season Femenia 7 - not his biggest fan but did well today. Is much more comfortable going forward and the formation suits him. Cathcart 6 - flat-footed for the goal, misplaced a few passes Kabasele 6 - went wandering for the goal to let Puscas in and turn Cathcart. Had better moments but a classic Jekyll and Hyde performance we've become used to Wilmot 7 - seems to be getting past some preseason rust evident in first couple of games. Aggressive, more comfortable on the deck and supportive going forward. More like we were expecting Chalobah 6 - has to start imposing himself on the game. Continues to be surprisingly lax with his passing Tom DB 7 - looked brightest he's been before injury, hopefully back soon Garner 6 - technically gifted and unlucky with the freekick, but like Chalobah needs to impose himself on the game and be more progressive with his passing Sarr 7 looked threatening first half, less so in the second. Will outpace pretty much anyone in this league but continue to be concerned that formation doesn't play to his strengths and that he and Pedro essentially playing the same role in it Pedro 6 still doesn't look dangerous enough, trying to play same role as Sarr when the two need to compliment each other. Also evident he has a lot to learn, needs to become cuter and make better decisions
I like Vlad. I hope he does not become one of those coaches who become fixated on a system for the sake of it rather than playing an effective system with players in their natural roles. I will give him the benefit for a while as the squad needs to settle down still.
Reading manager admitted we were well on top for 20 minutes and they couldn't cope. So they made a couple of tactical changes and guess it paid off for them.
He had gone stale here and needed a move but just goes to show how incredibly short sighted it was for people to think we could replace the quality of Doucoure and Capoue with any combination of Chalobah/Quinoa/Dele-Bashiru. It's not just the ability vs promise, it's the balance of a midfield. His start at Everton also makes a mockery of all those slagging him off when he left. We've played 3-5-2 in the Championship twice in recent years with some success. Both times we've had an anchor, a creator and a high energy player in our midfield. 12/13: Chalobah, Hogg, Abdi 14/15: Toszer/Watson, Guedioura, Abdi This time round we are definitely missing the high energy player but also the creator (Quina having desperately disappointed so far). Hughes could be our creator as he's the best passer of the ball we have but we need someone to get up and down. Chalobah and Garner were both doing the same role, the latter better than the former. And we really need someone in that's more experienced that will get up and down, drive the play forward and get in the opposition's face.
I don't think we were all that fearful or lacking confidence. For the first twenty minutes in each half we looked more than capable but for one reason and another we just seemed to lack imagination, guile and patience. We shoe horned players into roles they are not suited for and the lack of the target striker did not help. Losing TDB was one of the first issues and highlights the threadbare nature of midfield at the moment with Hughes unavailable as yet, Capoue lord knows where and Quina is not relied upon by Ivic at the moment. Tom was making the runs in behind, winning the ball in midfield and passing it well and had a couple of efforts on goal. Chalobah did not. Powder puff contribution.
From what I know of Vlad's career before us, he's most definitely not fixated on three at the back. I wonder if he's waiting on Hughes to come back before moving to a variant of 4-2-3-1?
100% this. I was stunned when Sarr kicked it out, and they showed a real lack of respect in their response,
I hope we batter them in the reverse fixture. I hope Ivic tells them never to kick the ball out unless it is a head injury. Those are the rules.
I don't think that was the problem today, our general play was bright early on, but far too often nobody was making the right runs. Gray and Perica are not the best finishers, but just having someone like them to get in the box would surely have seen us threaten them a lot more
A strong defence is the basis of all successful teams. At the moment Ivic is hampered by his options. For the central nine role he has one idiot suspended. Two others who are clearly not fit for even a cameo. I am sure like any coach he likes his team to score goals. He knows keeping clean sheets will only go so far with the task of promotion handed to him. Midfield is lightweight as well. With Cleverly, Dele-Bashiru, Garner, Capoue and Hughes fully fit that changes considerably. I am afraid to say Chalobah is depressing to see and a shame considering how he was playing until the patella split. Quina needs development as well.
Chalobah is a weird one, was brilliant last week, did a job off the ball today, but my God he lost the ball far too cheaply today, both overrunning it and with sloppy passes. I suspect Dele-Bashiru might be out for a while now, which is a terrible shame for him and us. Will we go back in the market for a midfielder now?
Depends if Capoue stays and can be persuaded back into the fold. It will be amazing if they splash any money out before Tuesday. Maybe a loan. Busquets ? Doyle. Both young but one far more experienced than the other.
Well, if we want to bring in Busquets, we need to do that soon, but we have a bit more time to bring in Doyle. The Capoue of the last few years absolutely pisses all over this division, but it's a question of how motivated he is, and indeed if he is able to handle the fixture list at his age. Dunno if he gets a move abroad in the next few days, but there might well be some interest from the Premier League, he'd improve a lot of teams even in the top flight
It's a long season. You need quality bodies in midfield. Midfield usually decides matches. I hope we get a decent player in midfield. Not a Barry Douglas. And another left back. Our squad seems far from healthy as yet. Players already carrying knocks and some have a poor recent injury record.
We can play Sarr and JP wide once we have a centre forward. Until then we're going to be toothless up front. And whatever Norwich's shortcomings in attack, they move the ball around quickly and accurately in midfield. Compare that with our cumbersome build-up.
Oh dear - been on beer since that horrendous effort toothless. Tbh I will get slammed but 35 - 40m for Sarr we need to take it. we need a striker - Pedro lots of potential but will never be a out and out striker. mid table comfortable so will be no panic but we should be thinking of how to get in top 6
It looks like Hughes will definitely stay, Capoue might well do as well. Ultimately with him it comes down to whether another club will pay his wages. they may well do, but with a three year contract with us to fall back on, even though he’s handed in a transfer request, he won’t be at all bothered of nobody comes in for him. Obviously only the club knows if he’s definitely off or not, but if we end up with those two staying that’s a big boost to our midfield and I don’t see them adding to it.
It’s very unlikely to be reinvested wisely so I respectfully disagree. Can’t criticise Sarr too much as he’s being shoe-horned into a system that doesn’t suit him. But it’s odd. We signed him as a winger when the manager at the time didn’t play wingers. Now We are very reluctant to sell him but still don’t play wingers. He’s head and shoulders our best player - he’s good enough that we should play a system to suit him rather than trying to make him fit in. We are a LB short of being able to do that - I’d rather we buy one of them than sell Sarr just because he doesn’t fit a busted system.
We didn’t even do that. The brick wall was down the other end of the pitch with a smile on its face who let we knocked little passes to each other miles from it.
I would hope Capoue stays but I think it’s extremely wishful thinking. The clubs comment a week ago was pretty clear that it was when, not if. I bet Valencia/Udinese are there for the back-up move if nothing else transpires. Be amazed if he’s here Tuesday.