14 Feb 2024 00:45:32
The last games, I think it's too much to say we've been 'found out' . but it has been great to see opponents take the game to us.
They ran at us, they ran between the lines, they moved the ball around rapidly.
All it took to overthrow our possession style football from the back, was for a team to go for it! And to be honest we weren't in the game at all, despite RM, saying that he thought we would win the game?
I don't think he started with the correct lineup, we are a much much better team with Fraser in the starting lineup .
Charles I'm not a fan off .
We attempted to play our very laboured football at the back, but total respect to Bristol, who decided they would control the game and not us!
Bristol deserve the win, 100%, we didn't even deserve a draw!
RM needs to learn very quickly what to do against teams that come at us, especially at Speed.
If you're going to lose your winning streak, at least go down fighting

1.) 14 Feb 2024
14 Feb 2024 12:07:35
Good post South Hants Rich, but I do think we are very vulnerable if teams take the game to us.

We probably missed Downes last night. He’s the kind of player whose true value is not fully appreciated until he’s absent. I agree, Charles is not good enough but appears to be an RM favourite.

We lost our mojo last night and that’s not a switch you can easily turn back on. We go into Friday’s match as underdogs IMO. They will most certainly be up for it and it’s not a great hunting ground for us. They are good for the play offs so they will be going all out for the win.

Now the bubble’s burst it will be the biggest test of how far we’ve come. Last night’s game was just that - one match, but it was the lack lustre manner of the defeat (similar to first half against Huddersfield) which is the bigger concern.

RM said last night he would watch back the match several times to try and understand our performance. I strongly recommend he has his players sat next to him.

2.) 16 Feb 2024
16 Feb 2024 10:07:58
You are both correct, teams have sussed out how to play against the RM system. We will find out if he is a top coach by how he tweets the team and system. Downes makes all the difference, a top player of premier league quality imo.

3.) 16 Feb 2024
16 Feb 2024 14:50:10
2408 :
Spot on.
If we truly can’t fully function without Downes, then we need to beef up the midfield until he’s back.
We definitely should stick to our attacking lineup, which definitely should include Fraser.
but we need to give much more cover to the back line .
tonight will be interesting. They’ve seen us concede six goals to teams that have gone for us.
I’m expecting the same ….

4.) 16 Feb 2024
16 Feb 2024 19:46:06
Not my team of choice with the inclusion of Che Charles and Stephens. Neither offer much other than uncertainty and wasteful in possession.

Hope I’m wrong

COYS

5.) 16 Feb 2024
16 Feb 2024 22:26:18
I was really disappointed and surprised at the team selection and substitutions tonight.
Firstly Fraser is an absolute class act, the way he strokes the ball in is pure class.
So .
Taking Fraser off and leaving Mara on?
Bringing on Aribo before rothwell and brooks?
Playing stephens left back?
Playing Charles?
Delaying the introduction of rothwell, especially after his superb performance .

Yes we won, but at no point did I feel we would win .
Our messing around at the back is bordering on criminal. I was coached at a very early age to get the ball out of the box!
Even worse, having worked it out of the box, our forward play is soooo slow!
Why? Why are we risking this? to take the Russell Martin possession box?

To me, we resulted back to that period when we were winning games by one goal. just!
Yes, we won… but very unconvincingly.
There was a period in the first half when we played super football, we controlled the game, but we just didn’t score that second goal….

If we try and play that possession, football in the Premier League, we will get hammered
.