tajjuk

Unless they give us Jesus (which isn't happening) I doubt any cast off they give us is going to help us. They don't even have that big of a squad. We need cash to re-invest in a new striker, maybe someone like Toney if Brentford don't go up.

Said this before on other threads, but part of the reason we play the ball around at the back is draw teams out onto us that creates space in behind or between the mid and defence, isn't always going to work, but its often deliberate. At the end of the day we have limited player options, we don't have people with electric pace, we don't have a target man type player who can unsettle defences by holding it up, backing in and allow us to put more crosses in and we don't have some super talented creator who can unlock gaps in deep defences, the last thing being a problem we've had going back about 3-4 years really. Under successive managers we have always struggled to unlock deep defences, especially at home, it's why we have a relatively poor record against Newcastle over recent years because they tend to just not really play and camp in their own half a lot, that has been their style under Bruce and Benitez. We only beat at them at home this year because we pressed them and that caused them to make mistakes around their own box. The other thing we have been consistently bad at is dropping points from winning positions, again that stretched back from before Ralph, and has to be a mentality thing, and maybe a squad depth thing as well, not enough leadership maybe on the pitch at times, maybe not enough leadership in the team full stop. We are still a relatively young squad, it's why you look at shrewd signings like Jonny Evans for Leicester, someone who clearly leads and organises that Leicester team, we don't sign players like that and it's where Steven Davis has probably missed, that experienced older head we can bring on into games. Basically though losing leads and struggling to break teams down are problems that we've had since Koeman I think, they seem more inherent to the squad than particularly problems with Ralph. We've lacked a clever playmaking no.10 type player since Tadic left (and he was basically phoning it in for his last season or so) and we've not had a decent physical forward/target man sort of player since Pelle left. Both of those would help breaking down those teams. And I think we lack experienced and calm heads to bring on in games to help us hold onto leads and stop us capitulating.

We need to start getting him game time because Stephens is Stephens and Bednerak seems to be out of form.

Yes you are.

Because we were unlucky, we defended poorly yes, doesn't mean the rub of the green didn't go our way, the two are not mutually exclusive.

They were poor defending, obviously McCarthy's poor pass basically created his chance but then I think he got beaten too easily by the shot seeing as it was on his side, and then Bednerak got done too easily by Saint-Maximin. I more meant all teams miss chances, even the best strikers but Newcastle seem to get very lucky with this, they barely create anything in games but manage to score from pretty much every half chance. They had 6 shots that whole game and 4 on target, they get 3 goals from it. I am sure last time we went up there they basically scored from 2 from like 3-4 shots. Plus you know Bednerak gets unlucky and the deflection has to go straight in to the goal beating the keeper, but Ings hits the post unluckily and then the rebound goes straight to their keeper as well, just highlights the poor luck. We need someone to help us have a plan B a bit, someone with a bit of guile and passing to unlock those deep defences that is where we struggle and having a target man option would be good I reckon, back in the Koeman days having Pelle to back into people, wining fouls, flick ons, knock downs just gave us something extra.

Looks well on his way to that PL free kick record Beckham has, seems to be getting better and better. Be interesting to see what his conversion rate over the last two years or so is, because I am pretty sure his conversion rate for his career was already good. Probably has been our most consistent performer for a good two years now. Whilst yes there is always a danger of your best players going, I can't see him going abroad unless like a weird bid from Inter or something, but not sure they have the cash and that would leave the big 6 here and I think they are well stocked in midfield, he's not going to get ahead in an attacking role than the likes of De Bruyne, Fernandes, Silva, Nodombele, Pogba, and doubt he is going to replace Henderson, Fabinho or Thiago at pool, and he's not really a out and out defensive mid like Partey or Rodri. So can't really see any of the big 6 spending £50 million for a 3/4th choice centre mid. I think Ings is the one likely to go, try to get £30 million plus for him and re-invest in someone like Toney or Armstrong from the Championship maybe?

Hopefully the goal should give him confidence and the start of some form, because Ings, Adams and Redmond are all off form at the moment. The bad luck seems to be impacted Ings, that goal ruled off against Villa and then hitting the inside of the post like that.

I swear we get no luck when we go to Newcastle, they seem to score from every shot, do very little in the game and their goal lives a charmed life. How does that shot from Ings bounce back out at that angle like that? and straight into their keeper as well. I swear they are basically surviving relegation on pure luck. Got to say again a McCarthy pass give the opposition a goal as well, plus he's clearly off form on shot stopping, plenty of recent goals he should have been doing better imo. Weirdly it might be time for Forster, just to give McCarthy a break and some time out of the firing line. He's face 27 shots on target in the last 4 games and 16 of those have been goals, that's a near 60% conversion rate. The worry is the confidence again, it's going to be shot, own goals going in, opposition scoring from every shot, decisions going against them, chances being missed, its all going to pile on. The 9-0 was a freak result, but they easily played well enough and created enough to win this game and the Villa game, but didn't, that is the worry. I'm hoping Vestergaards return hopefully brings some calm to Bednerak, as he seems all over the place.

Like a solid 3-4 to nil win would be so amazing just to put the previous result to bed quickly, but I doubt its going to happen. We never seem to get much luck up there, battered them last year IIRC and then they scored with like their only two shots or something.

He's not super prolific going by his goal record, around a 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 maybe level, but I'd take that if we could get 5 goals out of him and a couple of assists.

That very clearly shows the problem, Ings against Villa, the frame they used very clearly the ball has already been played, but they ruled him offside by mere CMs, even though he could have clearly moved way more than that between the frames. The offside then basically comes down to the person applying the lines in the VAR box, if they apply it on Frame A, onside, if they go with Frame B, they decide offside.

Just watched this video from TIFO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhv-RL7za3E (very insightful channel btw, highly recommend) about the impact on Liverpool's shape and attacking play from losing Van Dijk, and it made me wonder whether part of our attacking troubles has also come from the loss of the much improved Vestergaard? Now of course I am not saying they are even remotely the same level of player, but in terms of role I would say they are pretty similar (though Vestergaard does not have the pace on the cover like Van Dijk does to hold a high line). A lot has been made of Vestergaards range of passing from the back being very important for us in our build up play and transition, he has at times pretty much played like a quarter back, he can spray some quality passes about with ease on either foot (something I am not sure even Van Dijk is as adept at), which are very important for the way we play. Not only is he a very comfortable option for the midfielders to recycle the ball to when we are trying to keep possession and draw teams onto us, but his passing ability allows fast accurate balls into space either bypassing the opposition midfield or passes into the channels for strikers or wing backs to run in behind from. For example it was Vestergaards left footed pass in behind that led to the pen that KWP got against Brighton, it was Vestergaards ball into Adams that took out the whole Arsenal midfield that led to Walcott's goal in the 1-1 draw, which whilst not direct assists show the kind of passes that help us create chances. Then of course there is his threat from set pieces, not only the goals he has scored and can score, but much like it is noted in the above video, a player like that is a threat and distraction even if he doesn't actually head the ball, drawing players to him and creating spaces for others. He last played against the 1-0 loss to City, where whilst we didn't score, we were threatening in the game, since then we have mustered just 2 goals in the league from 7 games, of course injuries have also played their part and some bad luck but I am wondering whether Vestergaard has become a more important cog in our play than maybe we think?

He is not the best full back, good crossing and passing ability, not the best defensively and regularly gets done for pace. He does ok for Villa because he has Grealish in front of him who is such a threat teams often double on him, leaving Targett relatively free in most games, but you see when good wide players get at him he struggles. The cash for him was a decent deal for a player who was never much more than a back up, and is probably one of those players who is not quite prem quality but too good for the championship.

Well the other stupid thing is we damn know full if he hadn't given it, VAR wouldn't have over ruled him that way either. VAR isn't correcting bad decisions, its reinforcing them, it just leans towards whatever the ref decided. In Cricket if it's clearly been caught or a very clear LBW that the Umpire has missed, then DRS they literally say 'you have to overturn your decision there', not 'hey fancy having a look at it, see if you feel like admitting you made a mistake? No, ok then no bother'.

Also should be remembered that this season probably two of the greatest club sides in history, with two of the greatest managers probably in history, with their full teams have been on the end of thumpings, and they had no sendings off nor any dodgy decisions against them. We are a club with about 1/4 if not less of their budgets, who were missing 9 first team squad members, had two players sent off and some officials hell bent on giving everything against us. It's an anomaly result in a season of weird results, we just need to get back on track as soon as possible and get out first team back on the pitch, which we know can compete up there with the very best in the league and we can still have a good season to build on for next year (and hopefully new better owners as well). We are still a work very much in progress, this is just a little embarrassing bump in the road.

Yeh basically this. It's why VAR is failing, because none of these refs want to correct the other refs, because then next week the roles are reversed. VAR needs to be taken out of the hands of refs, need a panel of ex-pros or something that vote on it and that decision is final.

It's been explained that is to cover basically everything, there was worries about having to repay TV monies etc. I am not sure the loan is particularly much to worry about. I am not sure there is particularly anything rotten at the club, we lost a game badly because we had a lot of injuries, went down to 10 men, were facing a very good team (who have like 6 times the budget of us btw) and a terrible ref piled on the misery. Last night was IMO just pure bad luck, a freak result where everything that could go wrong for us pretty much did, when were already up against it with the injuries. The people running the club seem good to me, Seemens seems a good CEO, Ralph is obviously excellent, Crocker is over seeing changes and our recent scouting/transfers have been pretty good, players we are getting in Ings, Vestergaard, Diallo, KWP are generally making good contributions, jury is probably still out on Djenepo and well Salisu is unknown at the moment but the club don't seem that worried. But we are still paying the price for Carrillo, Lemina, Boufal, Elynoussi, Forster contract, Hoedt etc. still paying some of their wages likely, still probably paying some of their transfer fees and yet most have barely played for us let alone made a contribution to the team. Add Covid on top and the finances are even worse, and we are trying to tie down our better players with new contract, like JWP, Romeu and even Ralph himself, presumable money has been budgeted for Ings' contract even though he hasn't signed it, all constricting the spending even more. The owner isn't putting any investment in, aside from that I am not sure what else is actually wrong with him, we could honestly do a lot worse, as the Burnley takeover shows (and the warnings about the De Grossa takeover). Yes an owner who invests would be nice, and let's hope that happens. But at the moment we are a project in progress still struggling to shake off previous failures and are rebuilding, not sure what one bad loss with a lot of bad luck, in an otherwise decent season suddenly means things are bad in the club. We've seen nothing to suggest that really.

Exactly he could be interfering and changing things, he doesn't and he's appointed good people to run the club, who have instigated changes to improve things behind the scenes. But financially we are still dealing with Carrillo, Hoedt, Lemina, the Forster contract, Elynoussi etc. Probably over £100 million in transfer fees and wages wasted, if not more, on players that have basically made very little contribution to the club and several of them are still probably dragging the wage bill down.

It's just a poor decision, its not the technology, its the humans operating it are failing. All of him is either level or behind where Maguire is, his feet and body are behind Maguires and at worse his 'arm' or 'shoulder' are level, it's just a bad decisions. -------------------------- Overall I think we can say we have been very unlucky with decisions over the last 4-6 weeks. The only 'contentious' decision I feel has gone in our favour that might not have done was the pen against Brighton.

It would be good, but so many bad potential owners out there as the Burnley deal shows. Gao is pretty neutral, he just won't invest anything and we are hamstrung by previous transfer failings we are still trying to recover from. Even someone with a small amount of cash to invest each year would probably help massively, I think in usual circumstances, i.e. non-Covid we can probably afford to maybe sign £30 million worth of transfers without having to sell, so someone who could maybe push that £50-60 million would help a lot, if we could improve the squad each year with 2-3 key signings.

Near future? Should be never. Also serious questions should be asked of the FA that is clubs are forced to do this and have highlighted refs as being poor against them on a repeated basis then he is basically failing at his job and should be fired. How the F is he an elite ref? he's terrible.

No and I think this thread is silly. All these people going 'teams shouldn't capitulate like this etc etc.', are missing one thing. Our players week in week out train and play to do high intensity pressing game, pushing their opponents back and working on very specific actions, 'automations' or something I think Ralph calls it, so all this play is basically second nature to them, this is how they know how to play and what they train for all the time. How easy do you expect the team to just switch that off and suddenly play a narrow ow block? Not very easy. We have to accept for the style of play we have and for the great and exciting games to watch, when things go wrong, we get injuries and some bad luck there is chance for a spanking in there, much like Leeds as well. Our players attitude and mentality is to constantly play on the front foot and its difficult to suddenly switch that up, and you have to remember we don't have a world class squad full of experienced players who know what to do in every situation in football. We have a relatively young squad lacking a lot of first teamers out there, I would reckon Vestergaard and Romeu asides being very important players are big leaders and communicators, which means we didn't have that on the pitch. Let's be honest Ralph has the vast majority of the time got this squad to overperform, the last few weeks largely can be put down to bad luck with injuries and poor decisions IMO, even if what happened tonight (which it wouldn't without the injuries and poor decisions), more of the squad available and some less terrible decisions and we'd probably be still amongst the top 5 or 6, we should have had a point or more against Villa, and I reckon with less injuries some of those draws would be wins and suddenly we have 4-6 more points. Let's also put this into perspective, we just lost 9-0, we have massive amounts of injuries, and yet we are still only 6 points from 5th. And we do it with a very fun to watch style of play, that sometimes causes us to fuck up, but I'd honestly much rather us lose 9-0 once a season than be like a Newcastle or a Burnley and be less exciting than watching paint dry.

This is a very key point and my main problem with 'VAR', in that there isn't really a problem with VAR as in the technology itself, but instead of it currently being used to make the RIGHT decisions more often, it is currently being used to support Refs and often back up their bad decisions. It needs taking out of the hands of the referees union and it needs powers to probably over rule refs and says no you were wrong there, change your decision, plus it needs some proper clarification on the offside rule where benefit of the doubt is given to the attacker because currently the technology of drawing line on often the wrong pixelated freeze frame is not accurate nor good for the game. If they have to draw line and the lines are pretty much interacting with each other then they have to say onside and give the benefit of the doubt to the attacker because they simply cannot be that accurate. Currently you are having decisions that instead of people working out is that a good and right decision, it's lets find any possible way we can to prove this ref made the right decision, hence the incidents we have suffered from the last few days. 2 bad offside calls where clearly our players are level but they draw these lines and take the freeze frames to squeeze the player being offside (which has happened a lot this season, the Mane one at Everton is another example). And two penalties that were two failures by the on field official that VAR then just confirmed. Also if we'd scored a goal, which we did and made it 4-1, we are not conceding 9 IMO not even 6, I don't reckon. If that pen had not been given and we hadn't gone to 9 but Martial had been correctly booked for diving, we wouldn't have conceded 9 either. Both decisions will massively impact the confidence and cohesion of a team already losing and down to 10 men, those terrible decisions will have been a mortal blow to our players and taken all the fight out of them, coupled with pretty much every other decision going against them anyway. I've played in amateur level games like that, where the luck goes against you and then the Ref seems hell bent on basically making you lose, you feel hopeless. Let's also remember these guys had just come from a game where they thoroughly outplayed Villa, and had poor decisions take away the game from them, only for it then to happen again. I struggle to think of any team that has that many shocking decisions go against them across two games back to back, if this stuff 'evens itself out' over the course of a season then we are due some massive luck between now and the end of the season.

We are also literally get screwed over by armpits and thighs. Armpits are apparently offside (if you conveniently move the footage forward so they are) and if you save a goal bound shot with your hand but it just brushes your thigh first the its all dandy, but if a human being gently brushes a thigh again another human being they go down like they have been shot and win a penalty and we get a red card.