srsmithusa

someone posted earlier that Pau was incredibly composed.  i thought, yes he is, and the other one that seems calm and in control of himself is Dougie.  Its seems a bit of justice to me that they are the assist and goal.  

settle down lads, it's a simple game.

5 minutes ago, maqroll said:

Tbf, he's usually one of the better ones.

not today.  

actually, I think Konsa is our problem in this.  He's thinking about his positioning and not just reacting instinctively.  It makes him just a touch slow to react.  The biggest example was slow stepping out to Celso on their goal, but there have been others.

i can't wait to seeing how we actually set up and who shows strong today.

if Cash is playing more RM - does that mean that Kamara will stop dropping in to R back to cover for him?  Or if he still drops, does that push Pau farther to the left giving Digne more license?  Unai makes football like chess only a whole lot more exiting.  I love it.

3 hours ago, maqroll said:

there are 2 solid refs in the prem

Names please

23 hours ago, Risso said:

Not for the first time in away games, he got the set up from the off all wrong today. Kamara dropping back into a three man central defence and Cash trying and failing dismally to provide width on the right. It meant that the normal central midfield duo of Luiz and Kamara was all over the place, and McGinn was a bit in no man's land. Quite why we needed to alter the formation so much for Forest is beyond me. Anyway, it didn't remotely work, and our away form is becoming a little bit concerning. Drubbings by Newcastle and Liverpool, winning thanks partly to a sending off against Chelsea, and 1 point from 6 from Wolves and Forest. Emery has said we need to be a lot better away, then they serve up that abomination today.

This was not new.  This has been our setup and plan for at least 3-4 weeks.  Cash was not effective, but the setup you mention has nothing to do with it.  

The ref did his regular, consistent match.  In his rule book, if the contact occurs above the knees, it’s not a foul.   This is his style, he does it every match he does.   
 

what angers me is that forest played like they knew that, we played like we’ve never seen him before.  

I was thinking 3-0 win.  But with all the alarm and worry here, I’ll change to a 2-0 win.   

interesting today, that balls over the top on an inside channel were highly effective.  Also interesting is that few of them were to Watkins, who typically makes those runs.  Television coverage is great for seeing the key moments on the ball, but not good at all for seeing the movement off the ball.  Anybody have greater insight into what was happening that those balls were so effective?

on a similar note, who hit the ball to Bailey that ended in our third goal?

and who hit the one to Diaby after that?

Great to be able to win comfortably, but it worried me that we were too comfortable.  I would have liked to see more aggression and urgency to our play.  

We could and should have moved the ball much more quickly, should have hit Digne with an early ball, multiple times.  Taking slow and easy becomes a habit and a dangerous habit against the wrong opponent.  

I hope Dendonker and Chambers are happy at their new clubs come February.

no video for me, but just saw a replay on the second.  nice finish, but unbelievable vision and pass from SJM for the assist. also, good pressure in midfield to create the turnover.

According to the header, this match was Oct 9.  I missed it.   What was the score?

I hate a team that foul to break up play, foul persistently, and then flop straight into their coffin when contact comes back at them.   I also hate when a referee allows them to ugly up the game with that.  Finally, I despise fans that urge it on and feed off it.   
 

other than that, it was a good day.  

if ya'll are right and Watkins, Cash, Luiz, coming on.  I think that's the right choice from Emory.

Just now, maqroll said:

Duran just called that defender a "motherf*cker"  

it's only an insult if it's not true.

7 minutes ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Yeah we can't just be stockpiling players on big wages without them contributing either.

We need to give him a chance to come good.

But we also need to user those that repeatedly don't contribute to an appropriate exit.   

I just don't think Tielemanns or Donk have quickness in the first step or speed to close down space quickly.   That creates a great number of vulnerabilities.

I wonder if SJM will play left to link up with Digne on attacks with  Zoniolo on right?  that would be my preference.

currently 5th.  playing 13 this weekend.   4th and 6 playing each other, so the opportunity to move up is real.  Winning the league is a bridge to far this season IMO, (we need more consistency and more depth) but top 4 would suit.

I'm tired of playing poorly trying to force a rotation that our squad is not ready for.  rotate one or two max.  if we're in control, give somemore a late rest.  i would rather lose becuase we are too tired than lose because we start too weak.

manager and all players were great.  The thing that stood out to me was our midfield shape.   we started with doug and kamara in center, zaniolo left and SJM right.  When we had possession, Cash advanced, Kamara dropped into RB and SJM moved into the double pivot central with Doug.  

The coordination between Doug and SJM was perfect, one stayed to cover the CB's and the other pressed into the attack.  Doug got a goal from it. 

The other thing I noticed we did is when brighton was building, digne, doug, ollie and dobi pressed center and our left.  while SJM stayed deep and central inviting them to put the ball out to their left.  then as they progressed, the trap was sprung.  SJM, Kamara and Matty collapsed onto the ball and the passing lanes.  they lost possession in our right side more often than they progressed.

Unai brilliance and intelligent tactical application by Cash, Kamara, SJM, and Luiz.  Ollie had to get MOTM, but all 4 of these really deserve honorable mention.

Because if I propose something risky and creative, it costs us nothing.  
 

emi

cash, konsa, pau, digne

kamara, Luiz, mcginn

zaniolo

diaby.  Ollie

when in possession, cash and digne become main width in attack and kamara and/or mcginn drop back to right or left respectively in a back 3 or even 4 if cash and digne both caught up front.
 

the other advantage is to create some new passing lanes from defense into a midfield three.  It could also free Douglas to go marauding a bit more.  

if emery did it, it would be a huge risk that could backfire.  But it’s just names on a screen for me to play with.   

STOP TAKING 5-6 TOUCHES SLOW WALKING THE BALL FORWARD !!!!!