Black and White Stripes V Red and White Stripes

Must be my go again to see if I can get the longest losing streak since @btripz failed so dismally,

So Newcastle away they cant win we cant win another 0-0 draw it is then

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9 games left.

9 points from safety.

We might actually have a chance. Newcastle at home won’t set up to frustrate us and counter attack.

1st half was rigidity of Burnley proportions yesterday. 2nd half we threw MP version of the kitchen sink at them

And couldn’t score…

0-0

Forum rules update

  1. No more mention of “must win”

  2. No more mention of “6 pointers”

I’m off to have a quite moment. We limp on. COYR

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This is a real 6 pointer that we must win.

0-0 then

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BTW good PES like thread title…

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The game should still take place.

Beyond that I don’t have a scooby.

The table is so tight at the moment. Couple of teams winning at the weekend changed the entire vibe for their fans and showed how important those 2 dropped points were on Saturday.

An unlikely win Saturday drops the barcodes into pressure.

The key issue now is fear. If negative tactics bring it to the players we have no chance. If they believe the shit they put out all week then the unexpected could come from Sims.

I’d start the same team as Saturday but swapping PEH for Romeu.

Tadic has one of the highest goal assists in away games so don’ see him getting dropped.

Counter attack and they play open football. We do have a chance to play our way for a change.

3 points changes everything

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Good shout on the team selection, Phil - Romeu looks slightly off the pace at the moment. I might start Gabbiadini in place of Carillo, too.

Emotively I would agree. BUT I still think there is something not 100% right with Gabbi. An inch of pace, 15 minutes of fitness or even something mentally (like Long’s allergy to the onion bag)

Garillo may not be a fox in the box (yet) BUT he is a better target man and covers yards in our set up. Long is a more extreme version and is pacier but less ability to challenge in the air and a far worse 1st touch. Not sure Gabbi does that type of role as well, and the entire fluidity of the team is built on that “movement” under MP.

We are Turgid, no question.

But then watching glimpses of games last night, Arsenal are even more turgid (and predictable) than us, and even Chelsea seem to be catching the disease.

Yes we all cry about Passion, but let’s face it, modern footbal is so built on possession these days that technique & organisation is more important.

We need to be organised, we need to play on the deck and we will beat passion and flair. What we cannot beat are teams that are equally organised. That’s why I think Geordies at home could be taken.

But still expect turgid 0-0

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Think Rafa will have target this game for 3 pts, and will have a clear strategy on how to get them. Our manager, not so much.

Newcastle 2-0 Saints

I think Gabbiadini just needs game time. He’s expected to come on as a saviour sub when we are up against it, but he’s a cultured player and has a greater influence on a game the more he’s on the pitch.

Biggest problem for me is the persistent use of the wings as our main method of attacking. Tadic is a shite no 10 (good in other ways), so Carillo ends up working the channels to make up for his lack of positional play. so when a cross comes in, he’s either out of position or has two big units flanking him. If a cross is coming in from the left, then the only other option is either Sims of JWP, neither of whom have any aerial threat whatsover. Ditto, Redmond / whoever else is on the left. And i don’t think i have seen Tadic head a ball in 3 years. I think crosses are reasonably pointless unless we have Austin up front.

When we went 4-4-2 on Saturday and went through the middle more, we were far more effective. Lemina looked like he had been uncaged with his forward runs, the two strikers pulled the defence in so the flanks were available for attacking full backs / midfielders and their penalty box was much busier all round. I hope the Manager sticks with this approach, but fear he will still play his default formation from the start.

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Rafa vs. Diet Rafa. Brilliant. I cannot wait for this one.

Its like supporting Saints at the dell

Six pointer after six pointer

Football just like the old days

It is almost exciting

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Listening in the pub last night with one ear to Keys & Gray’s guests

Hughton set up Brighton to beat Arsenal by attacking them down the flanks.

Because Arsenal LIKE to try and play through the middle of you (similar to Citeh & Scousers tbh)

So DEFENSIVELY he set Brighton up to actually conceded space on the wings - he simply knew that was not the favoured route and that their striker/midfielders could be nullified by his lumps. They showed lots of examples and they (Arsenal) looked no different from Cedric or Betrand hoofing a hopeful ball in. But then when Brighton ATTACKED down the wings, they were lumping the ball in towards Glenn Murray. Not a system but in fact playing to the strengths of your players

Was interesting, we seem to at least TRY and play both ways - just never bloody execute it very well.

Equally it made me realise how fvcked we are that we keep playing to a system NOT to the abilities of our players.

Damn we need Chazza back

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We’re boring shite, we can’t score as we don’t have the confidence, talent and tactical nounce to change or do that now, we don’t have someone who is talented or confident enough to shoot, run passed a player or play a quality through ball.

We on viewing alone should be relegated already, what utter crap they serve up and I know at least 5 people not renewing next year as they have had enough, 2 seasons of woeful unispiring football is one thing but it is the propaganda and excuses that grind the gears, if they told the truth with some passion to why they are failing it would help, if we could see they were hurting (they arent they looking for moves already and will get some) it would placate the fans somewhat as this is easily as bad as it is under Branfoot as we’ve fallen from far higher reaches, they have to admit their system isn’t working and was always built on sand.

Name me one successful Chinese ownership in the Premiership?

Is it the chinese generally you don’t like or just our ones.

The Arabs seem pretty shit hot at football ownership. So to the Russians. The Americans aren’t doing so bad. So it cannot be foreign ownership that makes team suck. If fact some of our worst owners have been British.

Our ones? What does that mean?

You mean our owners who happen to be Chinese?

I mean all Chinese owners in the Premiership and I use the Chinese as an example as they own our club so it is totally relevant.

See Palace have a bit of character.

What, because they’ve scored the first goal in a game?

No, they have shown their character by having 28% possession

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