[Forevergiggs1]

Indeed.

I like that he's kept Ronaldo out of the starting eleven too, as it sends a valuable message to the rest of the squad: spending the whole summer trying to force a transfer out of the club (and failing) will only result in you spending the following season as backup to those who want to stay and help the club progress.

Wouldn't read too much into the Ronaldo situation until after the window closes. Could be the club/Ronaldo himself doesn't want to risk playing many minutes if there's a chance of a move. Get injured and everything's off the table.

 

[James35]

Watch Casemiro come on for Eriksen or someone. Bloody McTominay has one attribute. Height. He’d be nowhere near the first team if he was short.

Happy with the defence but we are crying out for a player (Antony) so Elanga doesn’t have to start for us.

 

[Shark]

Mctomminay with Eriksen is a risky move.

 

[BrilliantOrange]

Watch Casemiro come on for Eriksen or someone. Bloody McTominay has one attribute. Height. He’d be nowhere near the first team if he was short.

Happy with the defence but we are crying out for a player (Antony) so Elanga doesn’t have to start for us.

Yeah... Ten Hag is obsessed with height and large players.. Its the main thing for him to evaluate players..

 

[Loony BoB]

I meant that I expect, not stating any facts I swear I just felt that way cause of him ruined with the ball, delaying a pass and then losing it a couple of times this season. Great analysis though, fair deuce!

Not a dig at your opinion at all! I am just a massive fan of player analysis and statistics, I grew up that way because I was always good at math. I like putting together relevant stats to see if our personal biases (and I have them too!) weigh up. It's really interesting what you can discover when you actually compare players in this way. Of course, numbers can be forgiving and brutal, so what actually happens on the pitch is still important. But when it comes to giving the ball away, thankfully, these stats are pretty reliable.

 

[SuperiorXI]

Am I right in thinking that it's only Arsenal away after this that we'll have to see this horror show of a kit again?

It's not that neon light bollocks again is it?

 

[Spark]

Wouldn't read too much into the Ronaldo situation until after the window closes. Could be the club/Ronaldo himself doesn't want to risk playing many minutes if there's a chance of a move. Get injured and everything's off the table.

Yeah that and also the fact that we’re literally better without him. It’s a purely footballing decision in my opinion and an obviously good one.

 

[Alemar]

Why wouldn’t Casemiro be not ready to start yet? He trained and played at Madrid, don’t think their physical training is any worse

 

[MrSingh2002]

No Maguire and Shaw for two weeks in a row is a big positive for me

For sure. I'm glad Ten Hag showed that he's going to go with what he knows and can see. Instead of being forced to play certain players for PR.

Maguire, Shaw and even Ronaldo can't fit in the lineup for him and I'm glad he's been strong enough to realise that and act on it within 2 league games. Would have been great had he done it immediately but too many fans even on here were still championing Shaw and Maguire over Malacia and Varane (disgrace).

Now the ***** can't say a thing.

 

[Olecurls99]

Am I right in thinking that it's only Arsenal away after this that we'll have to see this horror show of a kit again?

Don't we have a blue one?

 

[TMDaines]

Don’t love the team and didn’t on Monday, although it soon became clear that Elanga was a particular adjustment for Trent. I just don’t trust our attacking players to work hard enough to make this very attacking team function each week. Think we may get run over for larger periods of games and it will cost us.

 

[OrcaFat]

https://www.squawka.com/en/comparison-matrix/?compare=uNx-ajmC8w1qWjdUoZws5

Interesting - so far this season, he's lost possession less per 90 minutes than any of our CMs bar Donny, and has a comparable pass accuracy to everyone (again bar Donny). All while having the second lowest (behind Fred) percentage of backwards passes and a higher forward pass percentage than both Donny and Fred. Donny's pass accuracy is probably improved by him having the highest % of backwards passes out of all five of them, and the lowest % of forward passes out of all five of them.

Scott's biggest flaw is not his pass accuracy or his direction of passing, but the amount of passes he makes per game. I'd say his goal shouldn't be to improve his accuracy etc. but to improve his positioning in order to make himself more available to receive the ball and thus allow himself to generate more passes per 90 minutes.

Scott - FW 29% BW 14% SW 57%

Fred - FW 26% BW 12% SW 63%

Eriksen - FW 34% BW 15% SW 52%

Bruno - FW 34% BW 20% SW 46%

Donny - FW 23% BW 23% SW 54%

Very interesting post, thank you.

 

[Red Shorts]

2-1 to us. Let's go!

 

[saik]

Why wouldn’t Casemiro be not ready to start yet? He trained and played at Madrid, don’t think their physical training is any worse

Ten Hag's response :

"We have a squad that's quite competitive, it's always difficult decisions. We had a really good performance on Monday then we stick to it.

"It's also to give Casemiro the time. He has not played 90 minutes, he has to adapt to England and to Manchester United and it's to give him time to integrate into the team."

 

[Hughie77]

Same team as Monday. OK we could let argue with that realy. Its that shity green kit there probably wearing. Big game this need to get up for this Same intensity as Monday . Come on lads .. Still don't like this green kit.

 

[Beans]

What message would it send to the players that bust a nut against Liverpool to be dropped for this. As a previous poster said its up to them to continue and prove they deserve to play. If the performance dips in this then the manager will make his decisions.

Personally prefer this approach. Sends the right message in my eyes.

I don't mind it at all, a sort of "keep winning and the place is yours" mentality. Seems especially helpful for a new manager who needs to set the tone of serious dedication. If you think you can keep your place with a super human performance, you're more likely to give it, versus feeling like you'll be rotated on a plan no matter what.

Though I do miss SAFs ability to pick the right team for the opponent, uncanny that man is with his rotation. Always gave bench players scattered starts in case they were needed later in the season, I think it was very helpful.

 

[pascell]

I'm not complaining but just asking for illumination from an expert like you.

Some people here argue about anything under the sun!

And I've just given you the reason, we've just won our first game in a long time in the league, why would he disrupt it by bringing in Casemiro who's only trained this week and rock the apple cart?

We need to build confidence within the squad, not smash it to pieces after one win.

 

[Random Task]

Never been a fan of the logic of "you don't change a winning lineup" because the "winning lineup" was specific to one game against an opponent that is not going to be the same.
Surely the line-up to be picked should almost always be reflective of the best players available and should be reflective of study of the opponent and not merely based on historical games against different opponents.

Nevertheless, this is a big game for us and hopefully they carry on from where they left off on Monday.

It's not like the side we fielded against Liverpool was made up of reserves & academy graduates, it was the best side we could put out.

The same side should have little trouble dealing with Southampton, with or without Casemiro.

 

[Dannn411]

Well Martial was supposed to be back for this game but he only went ahead and got injured again and Casemiro might not be ready to start yet. Apart from those two who would you have preferred to start??

I personally would have gone with 3 in midfield and would have played with an actual DM because we are away from home and we likely need more midfield control on the road to take the crowd out of it and play our game. So my midfield would have been Casemiro, Eriksen and one of Mcfred.

 

[Superunknown]

https://www.squawka.com/en/comparison-matrix/?compare=uNx-ajmC8w1qWjdUoZws5

Interesting - so far this season, he's lost possession less per 90 minutes than any of our CMs bar Donny, and has a comparable pass accuracy to everyone (again bar Donny). All while having the second lowest (behind Fred) percentage of backwards passes and a higher forward pass percentage than both Donny and Fred. Donny's pass accuracy is probably improved by him having the highest % of backwards passes out of all five of them, and the lowest % of forward passes out of all five of them.

Scott's biggest flaw is not his pass accuracy or his direction of passing, but the amount of passes he makes per game. I'd say his goal shouldn't be to improve his accuracy etc. but to improve his positioning in order to make himself more available to receive the ball and thus allow himself to generate more passes per 90 minutes.

Scott - FW 29% BW 14% SW 57%

Fred - FW 26% BW 12% SW 63%

Eriksen - FW 34% BW 15% SW 52%

Bruno - FW 34% BW 20% SW 46%

Donny - FW 23% BW 23% SW 54%

Your summary about Scott making himself more available is spot on. He 'hides' too much or isn't available for the pass, which then puts pressure on those around him as they are one crucial passing option short.

I quite like him still and feel that he has a place in the squad. But, a midfielder in that crucial position has to make themselves as available as often.

 

[DJ_21]

Well he went with McTominay and Eriksen in the end. Thought Eriksen was pretty meh against Liverpool and isn't the strongest physically so I'm bit worried with how we'll cope in midfield. We usually struggle against Saints at St Mary's.

Ye agreed, eriksen is a bit dodgy playing in the middle against more physical sides, he has to play further forward but then it will be a choice between him and Bruno for the number 10. Fred and Casemiro seem like it would be a decent strong midfield 2. They’ll already have a connection aswell which will help.

 

[PoTMS]

How short is Scholsey?

 

[PoTMS]

Lump on Che Adams FGS.

 

[Red Royal]

And I've just given you the reason, we've just won our first game in a long time in the league, why would he disrupt it by bringing in Casemiro who's only trained this week and rock the apple cart?

We need to build confidence within the squad, not smash it to pieces after one win.

I agree with you, though this season... and probably starts vs Leicester we need squad rotation. Maybe not back 4 but in MF and up front key that there is rest for the likes of Bruno, Eriksen, Casimero.

 

[Loony BoB]

How short is Scholsey?

5'7" / 1.68m

 

[saik]

I personally would have gone with 3 in midfield and would have played with an actual DM because we are away from home and we likely need more midfield control on the road to take the crowd out of it and play our game. So my midfield would have been Casemiro, Eriksen and one of Mcfred.

Well, Ten Hag clearly feels it's too early for Casemiro to start so he went with the same midfield that worked for him against Liverpool and what he thinks is our best. Would you rather McFred again or DVB in there?

 

[Olecurls99]

Your summary about Scott making himself more available is spot on. He 'hides' too much or isn't available for the pass, which then puts pressure on those around him as they are one crucial passing option short.

I quite like him still and feel that he has a place in the squad. But, a midfielder in that crucial position has to make themselves as available as often.

This.
The original posters point still stands. Not having a passing option is a key reason for why we lose possession so much.

 

[Random Task]

How short is Scholsey?

In terms of height or... another body part?

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

And I've just given you the reason, we've just won our first game in a long time in the league, why would he disrupt it by bringing in Casemiro who's only trained this week and rock the apple cart?

We need to build confidence within the squad, not smash it to pieces after one win.

How would changing one player rock the apple cart? McTominay was dreadful in the first two games and wasn’t even that good against Liverpool.

 

[Champ]

Anyone got a river?

 

[TheGame]

For sure. I'm glad Ten Hag showed that he's going to go with what he knows and can see. Instead of being forced to play certain players for PR.

Maguire, Shaw and even Ronaldo can't fit in the lineup for him and I'm glad he's been strong enough to realise that and act on it within 2 league games. Would have been great had he done it immediately but too many fans even on here were still championing Shaw and Maguire over Malacia and Varane (disgrace).

Now the ***** can't say a thing.

Please outline any posts that were championing Maguire over Varane otherwise as expected you are talking bollocks.

 

[Cantona in disguise]

I don't mind it at all, a sort of "keep winning and the place is yours" mentality. Seems especially helpful for a new manager who needs to set the tone of serious dedication. If you think you can keep your place with a super human performance, you're more likely to give it, versus feeling like you'll be rotated on a plan no matter what.

Though I do miss SAFs ability to pick the right team for the opponent, uncanny that man is with his rotation. Always gave bench players scattered starts in case they were needed later in the season, I think it was very helpful.

Absolutely no good us all asking for effort and commitment and then dropping them. They gave us it now they have to continue it.

Yeah fergie was another level of genius. His man/squad management was ridiculous. Look back at some of the teams we put out and stayed competitive. He may not have had fancy modern tactics but he could get blood from a stone that man.

 

[fergies coat]

How short is Scholsey?

Size doesn't matter. That's what I keep being told anyway.

 

[Keane's Prawn Sandwich]

Not a dig at your opinion at all! I am just a massive fan of player analysis and statistics, I grew up that way because I was always good at math. I like putting together relevant stats to see if our personal biases (and I have them too!) weigh up. It's really interesting what you can discover when you actually compare players in this way. Of course, numbers can be forgiving and brutal, so what actually happens on the pitch is still important. But when it comes to giving the ball away, thankfully, these stats are pretty reliable.

All good buddy. Will be interesting to see what Casemiro's stats are in the coming weeks in relation to the rest of the midfield. Trying to get more info in this field myself, mostly for FPL though

 

[No Idea For Nickname]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[FiiiiveTenHaaags]

I can’t believe this cursed kit is back!

I understand why we’ve gone with the team we have - would be nice to see Casemiro get even a few minutes in the second half.

I think the best thing about signing Antony would be not having to see Elanga start again. He’s just not high enough quality.

 

[Random Task]

Does anyone know a way to remove those annoying chat boxes next to your stream? There are only so many fake scorelines I can deal with before losing it completely.

 

[BenitoSTARR]

Feel like once again Ronaldo is trying to get a bit of screen time there knowing he’s not starting.

Maybe I’m just cynical.

 

[MyOnlySolskjaer]

This kit is so shit.

 

[FiiiiveTenHaaags]

All good buddy. Will be interesting to see what Casemiro's stats are in the coming weeks in relation to the rest of the midfield. Trying to get more info in this field myself, mostly for FPL though

Alright me old newbies forum friend? Good to see you pal! Reckon we’ll do alright today?