I just said people don't write long posts about each game and topics as they don't want to or haven't got the time. Also said everyone can do what they like so don't know where you got that idea from?
If we deserved to be 8th bottom that would be 17th in the table, although I expect someone would dispute that fact
- I'm happy we won. - I have no clue what our 'true' league position, nor do I care. - Our current squad is diabolical compared to what it was just a few short years ago (and totally unnecessarily so). - A lot of our fans did indeed slate Deulofeu for lack of work rate, inconsistency etc. - I only deal in FACTS.
I always appreciate when you post, even when I disagree because there has been times when your view has been proven right when I debated in the past (Especially when I've viewed squad quality these past 2 seasons when I gave too much credit to some players as I'm naturally an optimistic mindset and try to see where they would ideally fit and operate) Being honest and stating your view on things is what makes this Forum engaging along with others here because it's thought out and (generally) rational. I disagree with how you view the eye test vs xG but I can see where you're viewing because the game isn't all about stats and not everything in a game can be truly quantified through metrics and individual clips which is the beauty of it. I do think you've been unusually dogmatic in the last month or two at times when it comes to some things. I appreciate and agree thay VI has been more lucky than quite a few encumbant managers previously and that relying on luck alone for too long will end badly but it doesn't feel like you also appreciate that we've made a lot of our luck this Season being a fitter and more mentally resilient squad than most others in the league and that goes a very, very long way to why we've consistently done this as well. Another Season we wouldn't have half the points in similar circumstances but that's where the intangibles like momentum and belief come from and instilled by VI and his team this year because he's generally involved the whole, trimmed out squad who but into his style and listen to whay he wants them to do. They're not strictly quantifiable and it doesn't last between Seasons. But right now we are a team that believes to the last and will fight for each other and that is something a lot of teams this year are lamenting themselves.
You’re a good guy so I’m not going to take issue with you. Read back what you posted though. You were telling me not to write such long winded posts, then changed it to a more general take such as people don’t have the time. It’s ok though, but you must understand my response. Please don’t spin it, leave that to the others, that’s not your style.
I always like your posts. It’s good as I’m talking with some quality posters tonight such as your good self, wfc4ever and Reids. I like all you guys. I don’t have an issue with arguing the point with intelligent people. But I have many times given Ismael great credit. I’m praising him all the time. He’s the only reason we’re doings well as we are. I’ve regularly sighted the fitness and hardworking nature being fundamental in that. So, you are actually incorrect when you say I’ve not recognised this. It’s easy to tar people on this site, and think he’s always negative etc, but that’s simply not true and is a bit disappointing you’re not picking up on the times I’m positive, which is often. I like to have balance though. Malts is the same, but he tends to lead with the positives and hide the negatives at the end, as more of a throwaway, so stays under the radar. He’s good at that. I’m a bulldozer and that’s my style. If Livermore plays crap, I will call it. If he’s amazing, like he has been, I will call that too. It seems only the negative resonates and the positive gets filtered out.
I'll re-read some of your more recent posts then because I have seen you acknowledge it previously but maybe I didn't fully appreciate it in them. It just comes across that you're too dismissive of it at points so will come back to you with fresh eyes.
Did Deulofeu get slated that much? Pereyra perhaps, but he really did have quite a few games of being a lazy bu99er.
If we had drawn or lost today we would be in 13th place. We would have been three or four points away from a play-off place so reason for hope. Every team from 14th to seventh will think that they are in with a chance. This league is crazily competitive. Before the play-offs were introduced the season would effectively been over. To sum up, I don't think that it is possible to predict where we will finish BUT to win when we don't deserve it is cause for optimism. Hopefully, we won't play as poorly as we did today too many times between now and the end of the season. Even if we do we will still think that we are in with a chance, which makes a nice changed compared to last season.
I was about to reply that is was more recent than that - 2006. Bloody hell time flies, that IS 18 years ago!
I dont post much on here more of a reader with the occasional reply .due to work i havnt watched us much especailly last 4 years and before this season almost didnt care about our results. But this group of players have drawn me back in there is more effort there and they seem genuinely gutted when we lose.
It's quite problematic to put you on ignore. I've tried it a few times but a lot of the match related threads just don't really make sense as so much of the debate and subsequent argument revolves around you. I've tried ignore with 1 or 2 other people on and off and the ignore function works OK. I'm genuinely not seeking to argue with you or convince you of anything just pointing out that in my honest opinion the ignore function doesn't necessarily always neatly resolve everything.
It’s good to know if you blank out my posts, nothing makes sense on the forum. I’ve been telling you that for years, so I’m pleased that penny has finally dropped for you. But try skipping past anything I write. It’s easy to do. I do that for 90% of what’s written on the forum, and the other 10% is written by me, which is always an enjoyable read.
I don't see him listed as playing left back at all since the twice he did in late August and early September, but either way, he's clearly our first choice left winger. We don't play wing backs in our formation as standard. It's churlish to suggest he's in the pecking order as an excuse for Morris, as I already said in the comment you replied to, because he is our first choice left winger - something that's even more clear with Martins' performance in his absence. Morris is our backup left back in a squad that has all its players available in the position they are ideally fielded.
Well Donald I guess we won’t be hearing from you soon as you will have more important games coming up soon in the states than ours!
You should be grateful, as you do know I’m pulling the strings behind the American takeover don’t you? I’m going to rename the VR end, Trump Tower or maybe Golden Shower, I’m undecided, so you better prepare yourself for that. I’ll also dedicate a corner for orange fans. So far only Arsenal’s Ben White has qualified for entry.
Getting ‘one back’ at you about what? I don’t post enough here these days to care about you or what you say. Thought that was obvious.
With King Ken we are guaranteed more crosses from the left than we have experienced recently, some fans moan about him but when he doesn’t play he is missed!
Whatever stats you looked at there perhaps only counted when Sema started at left-back, rather than when he either was shifted there later on in the match or came on there as a sub. Lewis was the starting left-back in all the games from October through to December, and all the times he came off it was Sema who filled in. I agree that Sema is also our first choice left-winger and Martins hasn't been good lately, but I would still rather have Sema LB and Martins LW, than having Morris LB Sema LW. Because Martins always wants to cut inside, he benefits from having a LB capable of overlapping round the outside to either make space for him or give him the option to pass so a cross can be put in. But Morris doesn't really have the pace or dribbling ability to offer anything in support of Martins in attack. It's also not impossible Martins can rediscover some of the early season promise he had.
I am gagging for him to return as I know he improves this squad no end, for the reasons you state. But doesn't that just prove how crap we are? He was the weakest link in our premier League squad.