Zola seems to have something of a charmed life. Depite a truly inept performance today, all the other results went our way. Pompey, Hull, Burnley, Wolves and Wigan are all deep in the mire still and in Hull's case, a home three pointer was chucked away. When we play Hull, Wolves and Wigan at home, we MUST win all three games! A point at Burnley is also a must! Four crucial points have been surrendered this week, we can't afford to surrender any more!
That's the main thing, innit? For months now, we haven't been able to field our strongest XI and have been particularly light up front. We have survived such games as Chel$ki @ home without being bottom at Xmas and Villa away without slipping back into the bottom three. It's not looking like we're gonna lose anybody in this transfer window in which all of the press were predicting. We now have crucial players like Parker, Cole and now Franco back into the fore and we now have Benni McCarthy joining us and maybe one or two more, here's hoping, eh? And although Jeff Stelling spoke in a more glass half empty fashion in saying that we have only won one game in five (league games) yesterday, in fact, you could also use the glass half full version in saying in which I heard the BBC state that we have on lost one game in five (league games). So I see a whole lot more positives these days than I could a couple of months ago and not to mention new ownership. Out of all the sides around us like Portsmouth, Hull, Wigan, Sunderland, Bolton, Burnley and Wolves, do you or anybody else for that matter, not think that we will finish above three of them? I do.
ReplyDeleteA point well made mate, but I would prefer three! The trouble is, injuries are part of the game and we remain horribly vulnerable because of the lack of cover in key positions. What happen if Upson breaks down? Do you fancy Da Costa and Tomkins as a centre back pairing? People are talking about Benni Mac as if he is a superstar - in truth, he has been off the pace for a long time now. Maybe a move will reignite his passion and ability but maybe it won't. We may have invested in a shot bolt. Meanwhile, we are woefully lacking in pace and creativity in midfield. The sale of Etherington is hurting us now - we have no pace down the flanks and so find it difficult to unlock teams who come to defend. I worry that Zola's tactics may yet fashion relegation. We are not good enough to pass our way out of trouble, nor to unpick packed defences. Be honest, how often do you find yourself yelling, "Just get it clear!" as we try to play pretty football on the edge of our box and how often, "For Christ's sake get it in the bleedin box" as we do the same at the opposite end. Arsenal short pass with purpose, we go sideways, sideways, sideways, back, sideways, sideways, sideways and the lose the bloody ball. There was one moment in yesterday's game that summed it up. Kovac, Behrami and Noble were stood in a line about 10 yards outdside the Blackburn box, we passed four times along the line, the passed back to Faubert, who passed further back to Tomkins, who passed to Green, who hoofed it upfield onto a Blackburn head. We retreated three quarters the length of the pitch without losing the ball and then gave away possession anyway. There was another moment when Kovac played a lovely little pass to Nouble wide on the left but then stood still even though he was only 10 yards outside the box and only Nouble was ahead of him - there was no thought of breaking into the box himself and giving the kid somebody to cross / pass to. As a result, Nouble had to stop and look backwards and all attacking impetus was lost. You cant win if you dont score and you cant score without commiting players into attacking positions. All our midfield havedefensive ball and chains tied to their ankles by Clarke because the back four are so vulnerable without excessive protection.
ReplyDeleteHF, I see you point, however, in pre season the plan was to have a front three of Jiminez, Ashton and Dyer, with Collison, Parker and Berahmi sat in behind them ... that is some awasome array of talent ... Asgton has retired, Dyer is on the verge of retiring and that meant to play the system was diresting his squad has gone out of the window and Jimi has now left because he doesn't fit a 4-4-2 ... Add to all of that the season long loss of LBM and the consequences are dyer ... we are simply unable to balance the midfield ....
ReplyDeleteAs for knocking who we have ... Fauberts mother died and we have twats calling him left right and centre as not good enough ... playing alone yesteday showed his commitment ... but even Ashly Cole would look average with an awol Diamante supposedly playing in front of him.
Its simply about survival and being greatlful we have an existance ... loath him or hate him ... Dux saved us from administration .. albeit he was part of the process that nearly put us there ...
As for the presnt ... you are right, we have no pace and no imagination ... thats because we have too many square pegs in round holes ... much like an England team trying to play all its best players ... but fitting them in anywhere ... that said the 11 out there yesterday grafted just as they did at Pompey ... but when we went to a 4-4-2 Blackburn ran us ragged ...
How about a blog on what we think would be our best strating 11 and why ...
Tom, I knew Ashton was never going to play again well before the start of the season and was blogging to that effect. Pinning any hopes on Dyer would be the height of stupidity. And as for Jimenez, he was unproven and so trusting to him would also be crass. If you are right, it just points to the utter stupidity of Zola doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteHF, you obviously knew more than Zola then ... or more to the point more than what he was being told ... the Dux issue raises it's ugly head again ..
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ReplyDeleterather confusing blogs lately, this cleared up some confusion I had.