Dman

When you look back over the recent years, we've always played best when we either won the ball up the pitch high (Ralph / Poch) or played direct, quick counter attacking football (Koeman). It was fun, exciting and generally speaking really successful. None of those enforced a lump it forward style and found a nice balance of quick / direct attacking football, with knowing when to slow play down and keep the ball. I'm just not sure that total possession football is suited to english football. We don't have the technical players like Spain, as an example and more often than not, teams will stick 10 men behind the ball and then counter at pace.

Probably worthy of a thread. Once touted as the conduit behind the players and Ralph, some even said 'the brains behind Ralph'. After leaving us he went on to assist, with varying success at Munich and the German national team. Now looks set to take his first step into management with Sheff Weds (for me, a bit of a daft decision on his behalf - much like Selles to Reading was). A good coach doesn't always make a good manager, so if he'll be a success or another Selles, its yet to be seen. Personally, whilst a huge gamble, I wouldn't have been too against us taking a punt on him at the start of the window.

Its alright, they're bound to fall away. They're debt ridden, skint and we're in a much better position - innit

Of course they are. They defend deep, compact and committed and then will try and counter / win bits and bobs from long balls and set plays - practically the ideal way of playing against a team who move the ball slowly and have more interest in possession stats than shots / goals. Teams like City can get away with it, because they have the best possible players. Championship sides not so much. Leicester keep the ball, but they pass with purpose. We don't.

Tel Aviv & Jerusalem. the 'country side' is a bit middle east desert, from what I saw of it.

I said at the time haggling, threats of court, throwing weight around etc over a million quid or so, was stupid considering we'd want to buy 3 or 4 of their players. I still can't believe we didn't sign him. Ridiculous.

yep, the way i've always seen it. It sounds like the main selling point is / was that its the cheapest place to get a ST in the ground. The reason its cheapest is because people generally don't want to sit there - as soon as popularity rises, so will the price.

He's doing what you'd expect a keeper to do - that's about it

The sort of game we should be stamping our authority on. If we have any hope of promotion this season, I'd expect us to really dominate this in terms of scoreline, possession etc. After a well earned great week, it'd be great for us to start fast with an early goal (or 2) then settle in working on attacking patterns etc. Think we'll need to score more than 1 if we're to win - Would expect them to get one from a set piece. Wouldn't change a winning team, especially with international break up coming.

A hipsters dream.

Brings a tear to my eye watching that - what a team we had back then which makes it even more sad to see the way its gone really.

I said the same at the time. In games gone by he was parrying them straight into the middle of the goal. I'm not a huge fan of Baz, but he's been far from our worst player this season - solid enough at this level imo.

Do we ever win these sort of games? Think it'll be a score draw, which at the start of the week, I'd have taken 4 points from these 2 games.

Best performance of the season for me, especially that first half. We passed with intent, long and short and were clinical. Front 3 were brilliant. Second half I think we managed the game well - Whilst nervous, Leeds never really looked like having a sniff. FWIW, I thought Leeds were very poor.

well done - gold medal for you

What these stats don't show is that 1 (maybe 2??) of these for AA were penalties and another was off the back of his head.

The same bloke who's appointed Darren Furguson about 5,000 times, I'd take what he says with a pinch of salt.

Just my few thoughts and comments. Removing most of the fluff and shite he comes out with every week.

If he means Adam Armstrong, he needs to get in the fucking bin. Worst decision the club has made since replacing VvD with Hodet

Lighthouse trying to hide it away in the lounge 🤦‍♂️

I think you've got the wrong person bro, not sure i've ever said that... The fee we got for Mane at the time was reasonable - Looks low now, but that's because prices went made very shortly after. Also - what on earth has that got to do with the price of chips anyway? we weren't a relegated side in desperate need for a rebuild when we sold Mane, like were this window. Very odd response, not quite the W you thought it was.

@Smirking_SaintDo you remember when you called me clueless, a skate etc. because I said Leicester done the right thing by getting players in (and a settled squad) early in the window and we should have done the same... yeah, turns out the club agree with me... Disaster class of a thread for you and mental manji 😂 https://x.com/TheSaintCentre/status/1707421084679606606?s=20

He could probably do with some time 'out of the game', watching training sessions, learning a different way to play. He basically went straight from playing to MK, then to Swansea, then to us. He's never had a chance to learn and adapt really. Much Like how Eddie howe took some time out and has come back a better manager. I think there could be a manager in Martin at some point in the future - He seems to have the ear of the players (which is one of the biggest challenges) and when it works, it works really well. He's just tactically too one dimensional and naive at the minute. Maybe he could do with someone with a touch more experience in the dugout with him, but I think he's too arrogant to listen to anyone who he doesn't trust. Any appointment is a risk, especially when goign for someone young as a project - Enzo would have been a risk but there was a degree of unknown, Martin has never proven himself despite many chances. I said at the start of the season, Leeds and Leicester had appointed better managers than us, it was obviously laughed off, but it was clearly true. Farke was a really sensible appointment by Leeds - nice style, proven at this level. Should have been on our list ahead of Martin.

expectations have somewhat changed. We weren't expecting to be in a fight to stay in the league in the summer..

yep - IIRC there was talk of waving white hankies at the Everton game 😂😂 I'll be honest, I was pissed off at the time. How wrong was I.