04 Dec 2017 08:41:40
Well there we go, just when we thought the manager had come to his senses he reverts back to his old ways. The side he put out to start yesterday and the slow ponderous play just confused me. Two recent performances with strength and purpose going forward have been replaced once again with the same old same old. It wasn't until half time that he got it and by then we were chasing the game. The outstanding performances by Hojbjerg seem to have been basically ignored. Pied is nowhere near match fit so why play him in such an important game even though Cedric is injured. I think we could have played Yoshida at the back along with VVD and Hoedt and played Redmond as an out and out winger. Lemina was brought on for the last few minutes along with Gabbiadini the reason for which I just don't see the point, it was never going to change the game. If we had played from the start as we did in the second half we would have won this game comfortably . The manager just doesn't seem to tactically have much of a clue of how to take teams on by going on the front foot, we have some seriously gifted players and top class defenders so why not use there skills properly and not make them play so negatively. Their first goal was a mistake by Hoedt agreed but I wonder if he would have made it if we were not playing with such slow build up play. Having Lemina on the bench for the whole game just didn't make sense and why we persist with JWP to me just defies logic. The Everton result may turn out to be a freak of the season let's hope not.

1.) 04 Dec 2017
04 Dec 2017 10:24:50
Lemina is only just returning from an injury and with a hectic period against the top teams coming up he wants him fit. Jwp didn't take his chance so MP made the change at half time. good management. Yoshida is awful at right back so why not play pied? Bringing on gabbiadini at the end was fresh legs and pushing for the win.

We nearly grabbed the 3 points at the end. What's the issue? Tadic is crap and has been for a while but what are our other options right now? Nothing. Get off pellegrinos back and bring some positivity to the team please.

2.) 04 Dec 2017
04 Dec 2017 10:26:17
As for hojbjerg, yes he has played well twice in a week. after not playing for the whole of the season so far making him start 3 games in 7 days is risking injury. Ridiculous, ignorant, negative comments.

3.) 04 Dec 2017
04 Dec 2017 12:32:00
If you think I'm being ignorant well that's up to you Milky. Just my opinion on how I saw the game and I somewhat take offence at you calling me ignorant when all opinions are open for discussion however by your comments it seems you know best. I appreciate other people's input on this site whether I agree or not but would never take their responses to a personal level and decry their right to speak honestly about how they see things.

4.) 04 Dec 2017
04 Dec 2017 16:41:44
"Pied is nowhere near match fit so why play him in such an important game even though Cedric is injured"

well. who else is going to play there? Yoshida? You'll moan about that too. Redmond starting? You'll moan about that. Playing 3 at the back with no defensive cover on the right? You'll moan about that when it goes tits up.

There was a few good chances in the first half, Austin hit the bar and headed over when it was easier to score and VVD headed wide from a corner when he really should have scored. If we played the same way yet scored even one of those chances, would you be moaning about how we played? I suspect not.

Hoedt gave the goal away and yes he would have made it regardless as I counted 4 times he'd gotten away with the same thing before he got caught out

As the others have said Lemina and Hojbjerg aren't fully fit but you want them to play and look off the pace like Pied? So you can have a moan about them when it happens?

5.) 04 Dec 2017
04 Dec 2017 19:20:02
You're right Chris, we're all entitled to our opinion. maybe I should have used "uninformed" instead of ignorant. but the latter made more sense. None of your complaints or suggestions did.

6.) 04 Dec 2017
04 Dec 2017 21:27:33
All I will say is we are a better side than the standard we are achieving. We were able to frighten a few teams at St Mary’s but rarely do we go to the stadium with confidence these days. For the first time I will compliment FF, not perfect but a lot better, if not for him and an horrendous decision by the referee over the penalty we would have been 3 down by half time. I mentioned Yoshida as he will bust a gut for the team, Pied was on the half way line when they scored what kind of defending was that. Just think he got the team selection all wrong and when you say Hojbjerg has played two games in a week having not played in the PL all season I really don’t see your point. The likes of Paul Scholes, Roy Keane etc. would never be rested and nor would they have wanted to be, It’s their job to play football and most of them don’t want to be rested. Remember the 60’s and 70’s with small squads, don’t remember much tiredness back then.

7.) 04 Dec 2017
04 Dec 2017 22:38:23
Pied was on the halfway line because we were in possession and he wouldn't have been expecting a premier league player to be as sloppy as Hoedt was, try something stupid, again and give the ball away. Look at where Bertrand was - no blame for him doing the same thing?

RE: Hojbjerg - When you're playing week in, week out it's easier to play every game.

Imagine if you do 30 mins on a treadmill every day, once you've built that level of fitness it's easy but if you have a week off and do 30 mins it's harder and gets even harder the more time you have off. Players train but it doesn't compare to the intensity and physicality of playing an actual match. As sports science at school taught me - you lose fitness 4x faster than you gain it so of course a player who hasn't played for 13 matches is going to be no where near as fit as a player who's been involved for them. Same reason injured players are given less time when returning and even why clubs have pre-season games.

8.) 05 Dec 2017
05 Dec 2017 12:05:19
Chris to expect a player who hasn't played all season to suddenly come in and play 3 times in a week is a high risk of causing injury. When he's just had two very good games why not rest him so he's 100% for arsenal etc? Same with lemina. Scholars and Keane were rested. Utd had Nicky butt who could come in, amongst others.
The 60s and 70s? Are you joking? The pace of the game is nowhere near the same. The sport science involved, injuries, volume of games. how can you make a comparison. You're embarrassing yourself now mate lol.

9.) 06 Dec 2017
05 Dec 2017 23:16:16
JWP on the RWB position. any takers?

10.) 06 Dec 2017
06 Dec 2017 17:01:57
Don't think he's got the pace or stamina for that role. in theory would be great to have him wide and whipping in balls.

11.) 10 Dec 2017
10 Dec 2017 11:40:46
StaffsSaint guess we will find out today! Maybe Pellegrino reads this page?! Lol.