SAINTS 1 QPR 2 >> Reaction

[hasper57saint]

What really p's me off is that QPR were crap. Like the Chancellor we had an Osborn Moment - We just didn't know what to do. Where was the agression? Redcrapp sussed that we don't like any 'heavy stuff' and dicked us. Three attacks on goal and two goals.Possession is worthless when you don't use it.

'Knowledge is what you've learnt. Wisdom is how you use it'

I still feel totally deflated with that.A 400 miles round trip wasted again.

[Wade Garrett]

We reverted back to 'propoganda' football, passing sideways and backwards because of a serious ack of movement. It was a shame Lallana got done, because his movement was causing them problems and quite often he found himself in space. JRod was the only attacker we had that wanted to run at the QPR defence, and he caused them problems. Worse game I've seen from Ricky.

Clyne and Puncheon were no attacking threat down the right. The first goal was a joke, and Yoshida's challenge for the second one was embarrassing. Where is Forren?

Just one more thig, I was quite near Hill's challenge on Lallana, and it looked deliberate and was sickening. I haven't seen it on telly yet, but hopefully the dirty bastard will get done for it.

QPR were poor today, but we put in one of those really flat performances. Pochettino is going to have to earn his corn now. Give them a few home truths and get them back to playing decent stuff again.

On the positive side, I thought Fonte, Cork and JRod did ok.

[Saint Without a Halo]

Sunday Morning working here, still dejected! However onwards and upwards bring on Norwich!

[Chez]

not watched MOTD. Not sure I can bring myself to see the comical defending for Yoshida et al. One question, where did the pressing game go? There was a two minute spell when we `charged', but other than that our pressing game was non existent

[Charlie Wayman]

It was entirely down to Pochettino & his gang. They've no idea what they're doing. One win from 6! Europe here we come.

 

The Adkins momentum is wearing off now after 6 weeks and it's evident this lot haven't got a clue and we are going backwards. So, Yosh plays on the right for a few weeks does nothing wrong and then "great idea let's move him over to the left again" and bring in Fonte who hasn't played for weeks.

 

What was Rickie up to? OK, Samba man marked him out of the game so why not roam around and drag the bloke out of position instead of just standing there like a spare ***** at a wedding. Frankly he looked knackered from the start.

 

This is going only one way now because as the conviction ebbs away so will our performances and with big home games coming up it cud be a while before we win again. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!

[Elias]

The only saving grace is that we're still 3 points above the relegation zone. We have a seriously tough month though.

[alehouseboys]

not watched MOTD. Not sure I can bring myself to see the comical defending for Yoshida et al. One question, where did the pressing game go? There was a two minute spell when we `charged', but other than that our pressing game was non existent

 

They beat us at our own game.

 

 

It was entirely down to Pochettino & his gang. They've no idea what they're doing...This is going only one way now because as the conviction ebbs away so will our performances and with big home games coming up it cud be a while before we win again. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!

 

[torsaint]

We were up against 2 massively experienced managers last week and this and it showed. By comparison Pochettino is a novice and it showed. Suspect the search has already strted for his replacement.

[Ash]

Kneejerk much?

To be fair, due to the manner of the managerial change it has to get assessed in the short term, which will end up being on a result-to-result basis. We won't be able to judge his results after ten season. MP is going to have under half a season, if we go down it will prove to have been a bad decision.

 

For me, and I've always said this even after the Man City game, sacking Adkins when we did was high risk. We had half a season of Nige' learning the Prem, now we're likely to get half a season of MP learning the Prem (and the squad).

 

In terms of the game, I was feeling very dejected after the result. The thing that annoyed me the most is how only JRod tested Julio Cesar when he was struggling with injury. He could barely move, we should have been pinging them in from range and following them up, but we were knocking it around on the edge of the area.

 

I thought Fonte, Schneiderlin, Rodriguez and Boruc were the only players to come out of the game with any credit (but not much). Onwards and upwards.

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

 

... I thought Fonte, Schneiderlin, Rodriguez and Boruc were the only players to come out of the game with any credit (but not much). Onwards and upwards.

 

I thought JRod did okay, Morgan was rather subdued (by his standards) and Boruc did nothing much worth mentioning. Agree Fonte had a decent game all things considered. However for my money Jack Cork was easily our best player yesterday.

 

But it's all abouts opinions isn't it!

[Window Cleaner]

I thought JRod did okay, Morgan was rather subdued (by his standards) and Boruc did nothing much worth mentioning. Agree Fonte had a decent game all things considered. However for my money Jack Cork was easily our best player yesterday.

 

But it's all abouts opinions isn't it!

 

It certainly is, Cork faded very badly in the second half and most of what he did ended in him running up his own backside.

Schneiderlin was by a country mile our best player yesterday, my are we going to struggle when he's gone next season.

Our main problem yesterday was lack of punch in the last 30 yards again, just JRod taking it to them all by himself most of the time.

[Ziggy]

That was the most dejected I left a game since the last relegation season. We were terrible. They were worse but beat us. I am still trying to assess the benefit we had from sacking Adkins. I can't see any.

[Bucks Saint]

It certainly is, Cork faded very badly in the second half and most of what he did ended in him running up his own backside.

Schneiderlin was by a country mile our best player yesterday, my are we going to struggle when he's gone next season.

Our main problem yesterday was lack of punch in the last 30 yards again, just JRod taking it to them all by himself most of the time.

 

This 100%

[Wes Tender]

Doesn't Match of the Day give a stilted view of the general play? It looked as if we should have won by a shedful, whereas even our goal owed a lot to luck, Cesar not being able to hold the ball or at least parry it out of harms way.

In reality we huffed and puffed in the second half and looked totally ineffectual. And we also lacked the width to stretch QPR and gain ourselves space in the middle.

 

But watching MOTD reminded me in sharp detail how horrendous that first goal was, when both Fox and Yoshida decided to move away from Remy, allowing him plenty of time to line up his shot. Surely it was Fox's duty to close him down and Yashida's to defend the space behind. If both had to act in unison because they weren't aware of their duties, then surely it would have been better for both of them to close down Remy instead of retreating. A ball over the top and our whole midfield taken out of the game and despite Pochettino knowing that the ball over the top is the perfect counter to the high pressing game, he hasn't sorted out the defence to anticipate that.

 

Next match, can we drop Fox and shuffle the defence and spend some of those double training sesssions working on reaction to the ball over the top or diagonally out wide?

[CHAPEL END CHARLIE]

It certainly is, Cork faded very badly in the second half and most of what he did ended in him running up his own backside.

Schneiderlin was by a country mile our best player yesterday, my are we going to struggle when he's gone next season.

Our main problem yesterday was lack of punch in the last 30 yards again, just JRod taking it to them all by himself most of the time.

 

I like midfielders who win more than their fair share of 50/50's and mop up loose balls - I saw Cork doing more of that than any of the others yesterday. Any discussion of our main problems just has to include Lambert being utterly in the pocket of that Samba bloke for all 90 minutes - and what a brick sh1thouse of a defender he is!

 

Now that can happen to any striker - but it's a great shame however that neither the player, nor his manager, we able to come up with a plan to work around this problem. This failure cost us at least one point yesterday methinks.

Edited 3 March, 2013 by CHAPEL END CHARLIE

[Webby]

Its probably been said already but I've had just about enough of Fox. WTF was he doing for the first goal? First, he had his man in view and when he made his run, he let him go 3 yards before moving, and then, instead of running with him to close him down and block the shot, he ran away from him to cover the goal line!!!

 

I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. To let a striker have all the time and space he did to get a shot in was bizarre.

 

Absolutely shocking.

[Window Cleaner]

Doesn't Match of the Day give a stilted view of the general play? It looked as if we should have won by a shedful, whereas even our goal owed a lot to luck, Cesar not being able to hold the ball or at least parry it out of harms way.

In reality we huffed and puffed in the second half and looked totally ineffectual. And we also lacked the width to stretch QPR and gain ourselves space in the middle.

 

But watching MOTD reminded me in sharp detail how horrendous that first goal was, when both Fox and Yoshida decided to move away from Remy, allowing him plenty of time to line up his shot. Surely it was Fox's duty to close him down and Yashida's to defend the space behind. If both had to act in unison because they weren't aware of their duties, then surely it would have been better for both of them to close down Remy instead of retreating. A ball over the top and our whole midfield taken out of the game and despite Pochettino knowing that the ball over the top is the perfect counter to the high pressing game, he hasn't sorted out the defence to anticipate that.

 

Next match, can we drop Fox and shuffle the defence and spend some of those double training sesssions working on reaction to the ball over the top or diagonally out wide?

 

 

I thought we played reasonable well and with a bit of oomph from Lambert we'd probably have won, he was absolutely woeful yesterday, no threat whatsover. Lallana wasn't good at all and I was pleased to see him replaced by JRod, instant threat to the QPR defence. On Yoshida, I'm not at all sure that he's very comfortable on that side of the defence, doesn't Jos usually take that side? I thought that that was quite a good partnership and was surprised that we broke it up to play Fonté.

Edited 3 March, 2013 by Window Cleaner

[aintforever]

Its probably been said already but I've had just about enough of Fox. WTF was he doing for the first goal? First, he had his man in view and when he made his run, he let him go 3 yards before moving, and then, instead of running with him to close him down and block the shot, he ran away from him to cover the goal line!!!

 

I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. To let a striker have all the time and space he did to get a shot in was bizarre.

 

Absolutely shocking.

 

Agree. Shaw was sh!t when he came on though and was at fault for the second. Same for Yoshida who had an awful game throughout. Don't think it's fair Fox gets all the stick.

[buctootim]

To be fair, due to the manner of the managerial change it has to get assessed in the short term, which will end up being on a result-to-result basis. We won't be able to judge his results after ten season. MP is going to have under half a season, if we go down it will prove to have been a bad decision.

 

For me, and I've always said this even after the Man City game, sacking Adkins when we did was high risk. We had half a season of Nige' learning the Prem, now we're likely to get half a season of MP learning the Prem (and the squad).

 

 

Totally this, and not just learning the squad and PL but also trying to introduce new tactics half way through the season. Replacing a manager at that time is always a high risk throw of the dice, and normally only done by clubs who are desperate. It was a stupid, stupid decision by Cortese. Pochettino may may not turn out to be a better manager than Adkins (personally I doubt it) but if Cortese wanted to appoint him he should have waited till the close season.

[Barry Sanchez]

If Pochettino thinks Danny Fox should start then I am afraid he has no future at the club or in football, we go on about Guly but this guy is 10 times worse, he is everything that's wrong in the modern game, built like an athlete to run and run but has no natural ability at all but seeing as he could run two marathons on the spin he gets in, modern football in so many ways is ****.

[Window Cleaner]

Agree. Shaw was sh!t when he came on though and was at fault for the second. Same for Yoshida who had an awful game throughout. Don't think it's fair Fox gets all the stick.

 

Shaw is better going forward than he is defensively. As I said in another thread, I'd take Traoré over him any day. If Chelsea want to give us 10 million for him right now then this way with the sack of cash please gents. Once again a player Saint's fans have built up to some sort of status way beyond his current abilities (same as Lallana who can't finish correctly). Lacks "metier" probably because he's just a kid. Shaw may well turn out to be another Bale, a midfielder rather than a LB.

Edited 3 March, 2013 by Window Cleaner

[ART]

Agree. Shaw was sh!t when he came on though and was at fault for the second. Same for Yoshida who had an awful game throughout. Don't think it's fair Fox gets all the stick.

I will not hear anyone say Luke Shaw was s h i t. He was set up and exposed by Pochettino's substitutions. Guly and Steve Davis should have replaced Lallana and Ramirez, giving Shaw the support and cover he was used to under Adkins. Pochettino is only exposing players in order for him and his cronies to flood the squad with players from Spain and Argentina before buggering off.

[Nigel=God-Poyet=Sod]

We have lost a game at home in the Premier League, end of. We had an off day, but every does at some point, where just nothing works for you and works perfectly for the opposition. The fact that it is QPR, a side below us in the table, and Harry is the manager, makes it feel that much worse. 3 weeks ago we were saying how good everything was, but this is football and it changes so quickly and there is really no point in being negative about things.

 

As Nigel would say, draw a blue line under it and move onto the next one.

[Shroppie]

We have lost a game at home in the Premier League, end of. We had an off day, but every does at some point, where just nothing works for you and works perfectly for the opposition. The fact that it is QPR, a side below us in the table, and Harry is the manager, makes it feel that much worse. 3 weeks ago we were saying how good everything was, but this is football and it changes so quickly and there is really no point in being negative about things.

 

As Nigel would say, draw a blue line under it and move onto the next one.

 

But we've yet to see how good Poch's blue pencil is.

 

One of Nigel's strengths was analysing a poor result, then motivating and moving on.

 

Bouncebackability is vital.

[VectisSaint]

Shaw is better going forward than he is defensively.

Disagree completely, Shaw is very very good defensively, he is by far the best left back we have produced in the last few years, miles better than Bridge or Bale defensively. He is getting better going forward, he started off not having that confidence, but it is growing. Unfortunately he was completely to blame for the 2nd goal yesterday, mistake made by a youngster lacking experience. Fortunately it is a real rarity, and he will learn from it, but it was costly for the team.

[VectisSaint]

I will not hear anyone say Luke Shaw was s h i t. He was set up and exposed by Pochettino's substitutions. Guly and Steve Davis should have replaced Lallana and Ramirez, giving Shaw the support and cover he was used to under Adkins. Pochettino is only exposing players in order for him and his cronies to flood the squad with players from Spain and Argentina before buggering off.

Art, most of this post is absolute ********, but I totally agree about the subs. I suspect though that Guly is not fully fit yet, he only warmed up once yesterday (whereas most subs are out and warming up every 10 minutes or so). I don't think he was ever going to get on the pitch. I was shocked that MP brought JWP on and not Davis. We were crying out for Davis' energy yesterday. The stuff about flooding the squad though, really take a look at yourself, you usually post quite sensible stuff.

[Saint Garrett]

Just watching Football First. We were all over them in the first half. Literally they had one attack. Commentators saying Bothroyd should have been sent off. Gaston was involved in pretty much everything good that we did. Remy vs Fox was such a mismatch and Hoilett vs Clyne nullified Clyne's threat. They are a quick side and it caused us problems.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Really can`t be bothered to read any more of this thread after page 2...it has taken over reaction to a new all time high...

[jampot]

What worried me during the post match "interview" MP said that his defenders were in the right places for the goals. Dont like it when a manager appears to be in denial when things are put to them. Not saying he has to publicly slag off his players but a bit of honesty wouldnt go a miss. I hate these kind of political style answers in interviews, almost no point of listening to them when you already know you are going to learn nothing from them...

[Window Cleaner]

What worried me during the post match "interview" MP said that his defenders were in the right places for the goals. Dont like it when a manager appears to be in denial when things are put to them. Not saying he has to publicly slag off his players but a bit of honesty wouldnt go a miss. I hate these kind of political style answers in interviews, almost no point of listening to them when you already know you are going to learn nothing from them...

 

they were in the right places, just didn't do the right things. There's a whole world of difference. We need to stop knocking the manager. If Yoshida puts his tackle in correctly for their second the cross doesn't get put in, these are individual errors and not a reflexion on the system or placement. Yoshida had a bad game defensively yesterday and would probably have been far better off on the other side but as Fonté doesn't seem to play well on the left side the result wouldn't have been much different. Need to get Forren sorted or go back to Jos and one of the others. I bet if we'd played Jos yesterday QPR wouldn't have scored the same goals.

[Lets B Avenue]

Really can`t be bothered to read any more of this thread after page 2...it has taken over reaction to a new all time high...

 

Ive just read all 6 pages as I needed a good laugh.

[UpweySaint]

Shaw was not match fit yesterday. Yes he was out of position for their second and not his usual self but I think perhaps he shouldn't have been on the bench. Richardson has sown himself plenty capable when called upon (albeit rarely) with clyne switching across to lb. My opinion anyway. And to those saying they'd have traore over shaw we yes perhaps but that is a very short term view that, as a club that plans to be reliant on bringing through academy talent, cant really afford to have. We're not utd, chelsea, city ..

[colehillsaint]

But we've yet to see how good Poch's blue pencil is.

 

One of Nigel's strengths was analysing a poor result, then motivating and moving on.

 

Bouncebackability is vital.

 

I bloody loved Nigel. I'll admit it. Where some found his press conference style repetitive, I just thought he absolutely meant every word of it.

 

If I was advising Mauricio I'd tell him to start doing interviews in English at the first possible opportunity. I think fans will forgive a bit of dodgy English but need something to empathise with, as soon as possible. The atmosphere was **** yesterday.

[ART]

Ive just read all 6 pages as I needed a good laugh.

 

I have laughed my head off seeing Saint_Charlie yet again in his role of the "VICAR OF BRAY"

[Chez]

If Pochettino thinks Danny Fox should start then I am afraid he has no future at the club or in football, we go on about Guly but this guy is 10 times worse, he is everything that's wrong in the modern game, built like an athlete to run and run but has no natural ability at all but seeing as he could run two marathons on the spin he gets in, modern football in so many ways is ****.

 

I do not recognise your description of Fox. He has ability on the ball, but he is amoungst the laziest players I have ever seen. Two marathons? Blimey, he must do that before a game.

 

Fox is not a bad player. He just suffers from a serious lack of pace which means he drops too deep, doesn't get tight and makes it easy for oponents. He needs some good coaching to show how he can nullify a winger even without pace. Garry Neville and many others did it. His problem is he doesn't ever want to risk making himself look poor by comitting himself to anything. If you don't put yourself out there, then you are never going to be beaten. He is never taken on one on one because he hides.

[Lets B Avenue]

I have laughed my head off seeing Saint_Charlie yet again in his role of the "VICAR OF BRAY"

 

Are you on any particular medication?

[Sour Mash]

Not a great display from us. We started brightly but quickly lost our way and ran out of ideas long before the end. Why we are hoofing it long with 20 minutes to go I will never know. I also don't understand why MP played Ramirez. They had two massive slow centre backs and the ideal attacker was someone to turn those two around. Rodriguez was the perfect player to do that. Ramirez, doing everything in front of them wasn't.

 

Lambert had a poor game too, but he had absolutely no support with Ramirez dropping far far too deep. As soon as Lallana went off we ran out of ideas. Far too many players had below average games. Clyne and Puncheon offered absolutely no threat. Morgan dissapeared for long spells. Ramirez did little and appears to only be able to last 60 minutes. The only player that impressed me was Cork, who had a fantastic game. We must improve massively to get anything next week.

 

Boruc 6 one terrrible pass to Fonte that almost put us in terrible trouble. Made everyone nervous a few times, but no other problems.Couldn't do anything aboiut goals. Very little else to do.

Clyne 5 I thought Mbia caused him lots of problems defensively and attacking wise he offered nothing. Get to the byeline for once. Far from his best game.

Fonte 7 looked rusty and got away with a few things at times, but good to have him back. Slightly harsh booking. Got forward a lot long before he was pushed up front at the end, but never looked like scoring despite several efforts. I don't want to see him passing it 5 yards square to Morgan. Push up Morgan and let Fonte bring it out from the back.

Yoshida 4 absolute rubbish. He's Chris Perry Mark II in my eyes. If you play at CB you must be able to win headers. Like Chris he is too small and he suffers. He won two contested ones all day. At fault for both goals unless my eyes deceive me. Poor positioning and outpaced for first. No reason to go to ground for second. Distribution ****e. Almost caught several times near the end. I simply do not see what you all see in him. We'd have been off with Jos against Bothroyd IMO.

Fox 5 One or two good things, one great cross to Puncheon in the second half, but positionally slightly suspect. Get goal side FFS. Always seems to get injured. I'm not a fan, never had been. He's played better and played worse.

Puncheon 5 just didn't do anything to hurt QPR. He took them apart at their place, but he did nothing today.

Cork 9 absolutely oustanding again. Battled and was head and shoulders out best player, but when you see Cork running beyond Lambert as our further forward player you know we haven't got it right.

Morgan 6 very low key display. One great last ditch tackle that saw his name sung, but did not nearly enough.

Lallana 7 bright, unlike pretty much everyone elese bar Cork, lots of effort and movement. Boy did we suffer from a lack of creativity when he went off, although it helped us a little by bringing Jay on.

Ramirez 5 a better display than we have seen recently (Everton apart), not saying much mind, but because he drops so deep it hindered us as we had little up front to aim at. Touch better but just when you need him to make that pass he failed. The goal was quality, but he didn't deliver overall. If you have someone playing in the hole they have to be special. He has talent, but he's not running games. Very poor engine. Can't last the full game at his age?

Lambert 4 very sloppy first half. Looked slow and nothing like the recent snappy performances. Was all on his own, which didn't help, nor did the hoof as the game went on. But when it came to him he wasn't alive. Didn't see enough ball and was never going to win headers against Samba and Hill. Defensively struggled to prevent Samba winning every header from their corners.

Rodriguez 7 very sharp and cause them problems. Didn't quite run for him, but should have started.

Ward Prowse busys but when you need a goal at the death he isn't the player that is going to do it for you. He isn't going to change the pattern. Did fine. Going to be a player, but offes little impact as a sub. Where was Mayuka????

Shaw 6 some nice touches and he drove on, but one crap cross (worst thing he has done in a Saints shirt - he's been that good) before some suspect defending for their second goal.

 

One last moan. The number of times we have the ball for a throw or a free kick or corner right in their half, **** about, lose it and then get caught on the break has to stop. Far too many 2 on 2s, 3 on 3s having been deep in opposition territory moments before.

Spot on analysis as usual. Cork was excellent, Fonte and Rodriguez decent and that's about it. S**t atmosphere as well apart from.a ton of songs about Redknapp at the start. Redknapp's tactics got the better of MP, we look devoid of ideas how to break them down.

[Barry Sanchez]

I do not recognise your description of Fox. He has ability on the ball, but he is amoungst the laziest players I have ever seen. Two marathons? Blimey, he must do that before a game.

 

Fox is not a bad player. He just suffers from a serious lack of pace which means he drops too deep, doesn't get tight and makes it easy for oponents. He needs some good coaching to show how he can nullify a winger even without pace. Garry Neville and many others did it. His problem is he doesn't ever want to risk making himself look poor by comitting himself to anything. If you don't put yourself out there, then you are never going to be beaten. He is never taken on one on one because he hides.

 

Sorry I missed the point there of Fox not putting himself out there for risk of looking poor, he is ****ing poor, he gets ghosted every other game, he fails to pick up markers, his pssing is ****, his spacial awareness is woeful, he is not a professional footballer.

 

Celtic let him go along with Hooiveld, that should tell you all you need to know if he cant even be a squad player in the SPL.

[Stubby]

Ramirez is getting more negativity than he deserves. He played well yesterday and scored a good goal. He was our best player IMHO. But he tired badly after an hour. There's got to be something wrong with him.

[adrian lord]

There's got to be something wrong with him.

 

Maybe he's got M.E.?

[Saint Garrett]

Ramirez is getting more negativity than he deserves. He played well yesterday and scored a good goal. He was our best player IMHO. But he tired badly after an hour. There's got to be something wrong with him.

 

Agree. Our fans have already pushed Fox and Guly out the side, just going to end up pushing Gaston back abroad. He played very well yesterday - just watched Football First from last night...He was involved in pretty much everything we did creatively. Only thing wrong with him is he seems to tire after about an hour.

 

He is key for us.

[adrian lord]

I think fans....need something to empathise with, as soon as possible.

 

That is a very good point.

[Dalek2003]

Totally this, and not just learning the squad and PL but also trying to introduce new tactics half way through the season. Replacing a manager at that time is always a high risk throw of the dice, and normally only done by clubs who are desperate. It was a stupid, stupid decision by Cortese. Pochettino may may not turn out to be a better manager than Adkins (personally I doubt it) but if Cortese wanted to appoint him he should have waited till the close season.

 

You are spot on. I said so at the time and continued to bang on about this for weeks. Cortese has made a major tactical error, just hope he learns and shows determination to hold the team together if we get relegated, which I think we will !

[Barry Sanchez]

Agree. Our fans have already pushed Fox and Guly out the side, just going to end up pushing Gaston back abroad. He played very well yesterday - just watched Football First from last night...He was involved in pretty much everything we did creatively. Only thing wrong with him is he seems to tire after about an hour.

 

He is key for us.

 

I dont get what you are saying, Fox and Guly should be in the side? Ramirez has an average game and the lovers come out, has he justified his tag? No way and why does he get knackered every game? Expensive gamble that so far has failed.

[stknowle]

Its probably been said already but I've had just about enough of Fox. WTF was he doing for the first goal? First, he had his man in view and when he made his run, he let him go 3 yards before moving, and then, instead of running with him to close him down and block the shot, he ran away from him to cover the goal line!!!

 

I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. To let a striker have all the time and space he did to get a shot in was bizarre.

 

Absolutely shocking.

 

All true I'm afraid. No mitigation whatsoever applies. Don't like witch hunts or scapegoatism but that was simply ridiculous, and should not be seen on premiership pitch.

[Saint Garrett]

I dont get what you are saying, Fox and Guly should be in the side? Ramirez has an average game and the lovers come out, has he justified his tag? No way and why does he get knackered every game? Expensive gamble that so far has failed.

 

No. Where have I said that? I'm saying that regardless of how we're playing, our fans always need someone to moan out. Once Guly was out the picture, everyone moved onto Fox. Now Fox is out the side, people seem to be moaning about Gaston. He done well yesterday. Do I think he has done enough so far to justify his pricetag? No, not really, but he is still a cracking talent who can make things happen. Also he wins a lot of free kicks. On another day we would have scored a few from set pieces yesterday. I just don't think he is worth fans just moaning non stop about him. Give him a break, he's still better than a lot of other midfielders in this league.

[sotonist]

Sorry I missed the point there of Fox not putting himself out there for risk of looking poor, he is ****ing poor, he gets ghosted every other game, he fails to pick up markers, his pssing is ****, his spacial awareness is woeful, he is not a professional footballer.

 

Celtic let him go along with Hooiveld, that should tell you all you need to know if he cant even be a squad player in the SPL.

 

I don't see fox as an athlete either He makes a blistering run once in a blue moon but immediately reverts back to hobbling about like an old man. He's got a good cross on him and he's a decent height. That's where his virtues end.

 

Celtic sold him to premier league Burnley. Hooiveld was sent on loan to the championship. Not exactly like for like. Fox is the least capable of the two though.

[beatlesaint]

I do not recognise your description of Fox. He has ability on the ball, but he is amoungst the laziest players I have ever seen. Two marathons? Blimey, he must do that before a game.

 

Fox is not a bad player. He just suffers from a serious lack of pace which means he drops too deep, doesn't get tight and makes it easy for oponents.

 

Cant agree with that. If he dropped deep at least he would occasionally be occupying the left back position. He is far too often caught in a no mans land near the half way line. Christ the number of times opponents get in behind him or occupy the wide open expanse of land where a decent or half decent left back should be is frightening. He is certainly lazy, totally agree with you on that. He will make a mistake, give the ball away then look behind to see what is happening. Getting back and trying to rectify the situation doesnt enter his head.

 

Somebody a week or so ago said he was like Benali but without the sympathy. Only problem with that description is Franny, bless him, did actually know where he was supposed to be much of the time unlike this useless article.

 

If MP cannot see just how poor this player is then I seriously am worried.

[Saint Garrett]

To be fair though, that is the system we play. We push the full backs up high to join the attack and give us width. Difference between Shaw and Fox is that Shaw has the pace to get back and rarely lets the ball come into the box. He's also clearly not as good but Fox doesn't have the pace to get back into position when we lose the ball.

[Webby]

All true I'm afraid. No mitigation whatsoever applies. Don't like witch hunts or scapegoatism but that was simply ridiculous, and should not be seen on premiership pitch.

 

Perhaps fox feels that he looks better if he clears one off the line rather than merely blocking, or diverting a shot? I've no idea but if a 12 year old did that I'd be pulling him aside after the game and asking him why. It really was diabolical defending.