pommpey
THE FUTURE ... AS IT USED TO BE
- Banned
- #1
Again, we've been found out. This time it has developed us into the just-up-from-the-championship-feytin-relegation squad people said we should be. Garth Crooks, the fat bastard, must be feeling pretty smug now.
After today, I think we can forget Europe and also the Hawkeye goal now for good. We weren't good enough in that game, certainly weren't good enough against NUFC and now have been shown what real PL class looks like against a pretty average MUFC side. I'm not really at a loss as to what has gone wrong with us as a football team (although it's both puzzling and obvious in equal measures) moreso what we were expecting with the players on the pitch today, versus that Man U side.
Firstly, we can't keep playing 3-5-2, or whatever it is. Today, their midfield was a class above ours and outskilled, outpassed and outnumbered our three. It's to be expected given who was playing and the formation. 4-2-3-1 is difficult to move through, especially when we don't seem to want to provide options or be mobile. Every time a Man U midfielder received, he looked up and there were three options moving away from their marker to receive. As soon as one got that pass he looked up and there were three, and so on. Our midfield's heads were physically wobbling from simply chasing the empty space behind a pass. If we had gone 5-4-1, even at 1-0, we'd have weathered the storm better and possibly been able to utilise Stevens and Baldock better on the overlap.
Secondly, out signings have been abject failures. I simply don't accept Berge and the excuse he is young and needs time. There isn't time. Okay, we aren't fighting relegation, but there has been nothing - and I mean nothing - which suggests this bloke is any better than say, Nick Montgomery or Michael Doyle. His input into the game, his positioning and his workrate is way, way below Premier League. Simply, Genk must be laughing their cocks off at us now with all that cash burning a hole in their pockets. McBurnie 'tries' ... but that centre from Basham (of all people) today was right - on - the - fucking - button. I'd have fucking nailed that, and I am quite sure many on here would have. Score that, and it's a more interesting game with wind in our sails. Moussett? What the fuck is wrong with this lad? We are a PL side, with some pretty canny sports scientists and physios, I'd like to think good conditioning and dietary specialists and the treatment and physiology crew to keep these well paid individuals relatively free from injury. Yet this one is constantly sicknote, even on a world stage at Old Trafford. Again, Eddie Howe must be snorting up his sleeve. Cheers, you fucking cabbages. You've relieved me of one hell of a fucking suitcase. The rest of them ... save Henderson, even the loanees ... are dismally poor. Are Wilder and Knill really that naive? Tell me. Who is the only other permanent signing we have made who came from a PL club when we went up? Yep. Phil Jagielka. On a free. Yet we spunk £22m on Berge and £20m on McBurnie clearly at a level far below PL standard.
Thirdly, we are now playing at 'relegation level', despite our rejoiced league position, which is looking more and more like fortune than fate. At this rate, it is difficult to see where our next goal will come from and even our next win, even at an empty BDTBL. Furthermore, we have to presumably do with this squad next season, as revenues will be pretty marginal, if at all. We have to recover. We have to start playing like we did.We need strength in depth and art and capability in midfield to push on and create chances. Compare our performance v Burnley at home this season where we were pretty unstoppable versus today, where we barely started.
Moore 4/10: The first two goals. Henderson would have been moving out and spreading as Martial drew back his foot to shoot. Moore however waits until the shot is made and then flails. He's not good enough at this level.
Baldock 5.5/10: Pretty much outplayed on that flank and found it hard to involve himself in anything going forward.
Basham 6/10: The poorest I have seen him play TBH. He does bloody try, but was outfoxed by Martial today on all three goals.
Jagielka 6.5/10: For a mid thirties vet, he did his best with some seasoned interceptions and okay-ish judgements, but he's way past his best playing against ... Manchester United.
Robinson 6/10: Was largely passed through or around. Again, a fair attempt against a pretty relentless opposition, but with two others he hasn't even been part of a defence with, he had his shortcomings. But, again. 'Manchester United'.
Stevens 5/10: Well off his game, once again. As Man U were swapping wingers, he had snags with both and where you usually get consistency and graft, he sems to have come back far short of that
Lundstram 4/10: Was marginally our best midfielder today, and that's saying summat. He dug out, but couldn't get near the ball and was knackered by 70 minutes just chasing fuck all.
Norwood 4/10: Okay, he didn't give the ball away to day and started finding people with long passes, but what is it with those overhit corners and crosses?They are chances squandered. Fuck's sake. You are meant to have one of the sweetest right feet in the division, but this 'knock it long to the back stick' bollocks finds no one. It goes out of play.
Fleck 3.5/10: Nope. There is something afoot with Fleck. Some 'offer' has been made, or he's fell out with someone backstage. For someone to go from Michael Brown to Michael Doyle over the lockdown there are other issues at play here. He is anonymous now. He used to run the fucking game for us.
Mousett 2/10: A busted flush. Okay, he's scuffed goals v West Ham and Arsenal, but I was expecting blistering pace and savage finishing, not him limping after five minutes after a challenge (and he was, today) and then binning out of the match at half time.
McGoldrick 5/10: Never in the game much. Did some moderately entertaining flicks and stuff, to which Maguire must have smiled patronisingly and patted him on the arse for.
Subs:
McBurnie 3/10: Piss poor. All those campaigning for Maupay - you were right. But think on. Brighton would have possibly got McBurnie and he'd be on 12 goals by now and Maupay loaned out. It's the Baldes way
Berge 2/10: No idea what the plan was to bring him on. Even in 'his position' he looked out of position. He offers nothing. He isn't skilful, threatening or defensive enough to carry the role and Norwood was doing better.
Zivkovic 2/10: Only because he must have been thinking, "what the fucking hell is this team I have joined?"
We got the beating we deserved today, to square our actual position in this league versus where we are. the NUFC game was the warning and the AVFC the warning for that.
Arsenal in the cup? Not a fucking chance. As shit as they are, they'll beat us.
Again, my opinion, so please comment on the game, not on what a cunt you think I am being critical about the game. We can disagree. It's allowed.
pommmpey
After today, I think we can forget Europe and also the Hawkeye goal now for good. We weren't good enough in that game, certainly weren't good enough against NUFC and now have been shown what real PL class looks like against a pretty average MUFC side. I'm not really at a loss as to what has gone wrong with us as a football team (although it's both puzzling and obvious in equal measures) moreso what we were expecting with the players on the pitch today, versus that Man U side.
Firstly, we can't keep playing 3-5-2, or whatever it is. Today, their midfield was a class above ours and outskilled, outpassed and outnumbered our three. It's to be expected given who was playing and the formation. 4-2-3-1 is difficult to move through, especially when we don't seem to want to provide options or be mobile. Every time a Man U midfielder received, he looked up and there were three options moving away from their marker to receive. As soon as one got that pass he looked up and there were three, and so on. Our midfield's heads were physically wobbling from simply chasing the empty space behind a pass. If we had gone 5-4-1, even at 1-0, we'd have weathered the storm better and possibly been able to utilise Stevens and Baldock better on the overlap.
Secondly, out signings have been abject failures. I simply don't accept Berge and the excuse he is young and needs time. There isn't time. Okay, we aren't fighting relegation, but there has been nothing - and I mean nothing - which suggests this bloke is any better than say, Nick Montgomery or Michael Doyle. His input into the game, his positioning and his workrate is way, way below Premier League. Simply, Genk must be laughing their cocks off at us now with all that cash burning a hole in their pockets. McBurnie 'tries' ... but that centre from Basham (of all people) today was right - on - the - fucking - button. I'd have fucking nailed that, and I am quite sure many on here would have. Score that, and it's a more interesting game with wind in our sails. Moussett? What the fuck is wrong with this lad? We are a PL side, with some pretty canny sports scientists and physios, I'd like to think good conditioning and dietary specialists and the treatment and physiology crew to keep these well paid individuals relatively free from injury. Yet this one is constantly sicknote, even on a world stage at Old Trafford. Again, Eddie Howe must be snorting up his sleeve. Cheers, you fucking cabbages. You've relieved me of one hell of a fucking suitcase. The rest of them ... save Henderson, even the loanees ... are dismally poor. Are Wilder and Knill really that naive? Tell me. Who is the only other permanent signing we have made who came from a PL club when we went up? Yep. Phil Jagielka. On a free. Yet we spunk £22m on Berge and £20m on McBurnie clearly at a level far below PL standard.
Thirdly, we are now playing at 'relegation level', despite our rejoiced league position, which is looking more and more like fortune than fate. At this rate, it is difficult to see where our next goal will come from and even our next win, even at an empty BDTBL. Furthermore, we have to presumably do with this squad next season, as revenues will be pretty marginal, if at all. We have to recover. We have to start playing like we did.We need strength in depth and art and capability in midfield to push on and create chances. Compare our performance v Burnley at home this season where we were pretty unstoppable versus today, where we barely started.
Moore 4/10: The first two goals. Henderson would have been moving out and spreading as Martial drew back his foot to shoot. Moore however waits until the shot is made and then flails. He's not good enough at this level.
Baldock 5.5/10: Pretty much outplayed on that flank and found it hard to involve himself in anything going forward.
Basham 6/10: The poorest I have seen him play TBH. He does bloody try, but was outfoxed by Martial today on all three goals.
Jagielka 6.5/10: For a mid thirties vet, he did his best with some seasoned interceptions and okay-ish judgements, but he's way past his best playing against ... Manchester United.
Robinson 6/10: Was largely passed through or around. Again, a fair attempt against a pretty relentless opposition, but with two others he hasn't even been part of a defence with, he had his shortcomings. But, again. 'Manchester United'.
Stevens 5/10: Well off his game, once again. As Man U were swapping wingers, he had snags with both and where you usually get consistency and graft, he sems to have come back far short of that
Lundstram 4/10: Was marginally our best midfielder today, and that's saying summat. He dug out, but couldn't get near the ball and was knackered by 70 minutes just chasing fuck all.
Norwood 4/10: Okay, he didn't give the ball away to day and started finding people with long passes, but what is it with those overhit corners and crosses?They are chances squandered. Fuck's sake. You are meant to have one of the sweetest right feet in the division, but this 'knock it long to the back stick' bollocks finds no one. It goes out of play.
Fleck 3.5/10: Nope. There is something afoot with Fleck. Some 'offer' has been made, or he's fell out with someone backstage. For someone to go from Michael Brown to Michael Doyle over the lockdown there are other issues at play here. He is anonymous now. He used to run the fucking game for us.
Mousett 2/10: A busted flush. Okay, he's scuffed goals v West Ham and Arsenal, but I was expecting blistering pace and savage finishing, not him limping after five minutes after a challenge (and he was, today) and then binning out of the match at half time.
McGoldrick 5/10: Never in the game much. Did some moderately entertaining flicks and stuff, to which Maguire must have smiled patronisingly and patted him on the arse for.
Subs:
McBurnie 3/10: Piss poor. All those campaigning for Maupay - you were right. But think on. Brighton would have possibly got McBurnie and he'd be on 12 goals by now and Maupay loaned out. It's the Baldes way
Berge 2/10: No idea what the plan was to bring him on. Even in 'his position' he looked out of position. He offers nothing. He isn't skilful, threatening or defensive enough to carry the role and Norwood was doing better.
Zivkovic 2/10: Only because he must have been thinking, "what the fucking hell is this team I have joined?"
We got the beating we deserved today, to square our actual position in this league versus where we are. the NUFC game was the warning and the AVFC the warning for that.
Arsenal in the cup? Not a fucking chance. As shit as they are, they'll beat us.
Again, my opinion, so please comment on the game, not on what a cunt you think I am being critical about the game. We can disagree. It's allowed.
pommmpey