Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber
Thus says Kemo
Poorly assembled squad profile
Weak meantally
Rubbish front office
Rubbish medical department
Weak meantally
Rubbish front office
Rubbish medical department
Absolutely 100% could not agree moreThe manager. Specifically the setup. It's as simple as that.
Even with Pep or Klopp, it would take a miracle for this squad to be genuinely challenging. But the collective quality in the squad is far better than what we are seeing demonstrated on the pitch. We demonstrated this for large parts of last season.
It all comes down the the stubbornness of the manager. Last season, he came in and tried to implement a similar style of play for a couple of games, and we got spanked by two small clubs. He quickly realised the squad wasn't up to it, and reverted to a style we had been used to playing... a deep lying, compact 4231, which relied on counter attacks, where the main attacking threat came from wide areas where the "wingers" (especially Rashford) were able to play more narrow on the last line of defence, and the width was provided by the the FBs. I mean, Rashford has been awful this year, but the manager has to take a huge chunk of the blame for that. Playing to none of his strengths, and to all of his weaknesses.
Last years shape played to the strength of our midfielders too, as there was significantly less ground to cover defensively in the middle of the park. So the lack of legs was not exposed. Only City and Newcastle conceded less goals than us, and that is with a midfield 2 typically consisting of Casemiro and Eriksen. It also mitigated the lack of pace in our defence, as they clearly aren't suited to playing a high line.
But for whatever reason, without anywhere close to sufficient enough change in personnel, ETH has decided that the squad is now suited to play a completely different style. He wants to play a high press with his 5 attacking players, but with a solo DM, and a back 4 who simply aren't athletic or fast enough to play high enough up the pitch retain a compact shape.
So we get what we see every week. An absolute chasm between the front 5 and the back 6. So when opposition beat the initial press, a single opposing player can typically carry the ball unchallenged from one box to the other. It is just suicidal tactics.
And out of pure stubbornness, the manager will just not hold his hands up to the fact that he has got it all wrong, and go back to the way we were playing last year.
You do realise lack of work rate is likely the major contributor to the press/shape being incorrectIssues in my opinion:
- Lack of shape / coaching (The press is just so random, huge gaps all over the pitch).
- Lack of work rate across all players. Some players work hard but we carry the likes of Rashford.
Pretty much thisPoorly assembled squad profile
Weak meantally
Rubbish front office
Rubbish medical department
Or maybe our Coach is just Shite!For me it's one of three things
Either we don't know or understand what way we are trying to play
Or
We do and couldn't be arsed doing it.
Or
Our "Game plan " is awful and hit and miss at best.
Or maybe a combination of all three
We should have a huge clear out, but the number one Priority is to get Omar, Dan and Jason all employed asap and create a org chart that has set definitions of roles at the club. Hojlund is a million miles from being ready to lead the line and the reality is we need to replace the spine with one Elite CB, Elite CM and Elite CFW.It's fairly simple and solvable in the transfer market I think.
The main challenge we have is are the players available and can we get them. We need solid but not spectacular, mentally strong players who can be relied on to be fit.
- We're fielding someone in the most important position on the pitch whose legs have completely gone, and is possibly already mentally checked out (Casemiro)
- Rashford has given up on football, meaning one of our main attacking outlets is frankly non-existent and we're also exposed from a defensive POV on that flank
- Almost our entire back line is crocked and we're unable to field a consistent back four - 26 different variations this season so far
- We have no deputy for Hojlund (Martial doesn't count) who is still young and adjusting to a new league
- Our most creative outlet (Bruno) works hard but gives the ball away far too often
In order of priority I'd go DM, CB, Striker, LW, LB. Sell Rashford, Casemiro and Varane. Bruno I'd keep as he becomes less of a liability in a more stable, hard working structure and Mount can deputise.
Yes, the two are linked but it's also coaching. Even when we do press it's disconnected. Also, the manager has had enough time to either get players capable of doing the press he wants or abandoning it for another tactic. To keep going is madness.You do realise lack of work rate is likely the major contributor to the press/shape being incorrect
Actually the best thing to do is to carry on and replace the players who cannot function in the system as you go (if you are planning long term)Yes, the two are linked but it's also coaching. Even when we do press it's disconnected. Also, the manager has had enough time to either get players capable of doing the press he wants or abandoning it for another tactic. To keep going is madness.
That's what I said. I said he's had enough time to replace the players.Actually the best thing to do is to carry on and replace the players who cannot function in the system as you go (if you are planning long term)
It's exactly that and what makes it even stranger is whilst Ajax played with similar gaps to create space, they played two midfielders or a tucked in FB to protect the counter.The manager. Specifically the setup. It's as simple as that.
Even with Pep or Klopp, it would take a miracle for this squad to be genuinely challenging. But the collective quality in the squad is far better than what we are seeing demonstrated on the pitch. We demonstrated this for large parts of last season.
It all comes down the the stubbornness of the manager. Last season, he came in and tried to implement a similar style of play for a couple of games, and we got spanked by two small clubs. He quickly realised the squad wasn't up to it, and reverted to a style we had been used to playing... a deep lying, compact 4231, which relied on counter attacks, where the main attacking threat came from wide areas where the "wingers" (especially Rashford) were able to play more narrow on the last line of defence, and the width was provided by the the FBs. I mean, Rashford has been awful this year, but the manager has to take a huge chunk of the blame for that. Playing to none of his strengths, and to all of his weaknesses.
Last years shape played to the strength of our midfielders too, as there was significantly less ground to cover defensively in the middle of the park. So the lack of legs was not exposed. Only City and Newcastle conceded less goals than us, and that is with a midfield 2 typically consisting of Casemiro and Eriksen. It also mitigated the lack of pace in our defence, as they clearly aren't suited to playing a high line.
But for whatever reason, without anywhere close to sufficient enough change in personnel, ETH has decided that the squad is now suited to play a completely different style. He wants to play a high press with his 5 attacking players, but with a solo DM, and a back 4 who simply aren't athletic or fast enough to play high enough up the pitch retain a compact shape.
So we get what we see every week. An absolute chasm between the front 5 and the back 6. So when opposition beat the initial press, a single opposing player can typically carry the ball unchallenged from one box to the other. It is just suicidal tactics.
And out of pure stubbornness, the manager will just not hold his hands up to the fact that he has got it all wrong, and go back to the way we were playing last year.