Kwan

So I downloaded and played EVE for a little bit. I was engrossed and very impressed by the level of detail. That being said, there's no way I could put down the time commitment for it. Maybe a couple years ago but not now.

Feeling strangely good about this. Think we'll come out and attack.

So true. I play it 5 minutes at a time as to not to shit myself

Guzan Lowton Clark Baker Bertrand Westwood Bacuna Delph Weimann Gabby Benteke

Or, GASP, our home form rises. Since we're talking about hypotheticals

We have actually been very solid in terms of not conceding goals late in games and when we're ahead this season. That hasn't been the problem. The problem is we don't score, we set up too defensively to get into the game, and we usually get done in by two quick goals in a row, a matter of concentration over formation. very solid in relation to what, what we produced last year?, yea on that basis accepted... but lets not get too far ahead of ourselves. We are far from comfortable in defence. I went to the Fulham game and apart from some poor decisions from the officials we was wide open, I went to the Albion game at home and it could have gone either way, but will still conceded 3 goals at home, the Everton game we have mentioned but it was still ours to lose and theirs to win....so no, I don't share your view that we have more important things to consider (as important yes)when a better manager than ours faces a similar situation in as much as he felt Man city had a better team than him and set his up to negate that....(and on this occasion he succeeded) Maybe its worth noting. I just felt that there was enough going on in that game from Chelsea that we could maybe learn from.....of course they have a better team than us , before anyone else states the obvious, but we can still learn and apply some of those principles....if it don't work, at least we have tried. Ps I actually feel we are at our most vulnerable just after we have scored, so not sure where you get your first line from. Not only in terms of last year but against the whole league as well. Prior to the everton game I think we were near top of the league in terms of not dropping points from a winning position. Indeed, I don't remember a game besides everton where we were winning and lost. Drew maybe but not loss. Point being that Mourinho has a deep bench and millions to work from whilst Lambert has to cobble together what we can. If you praise Mourinho for a one off game then you can similarly say that Lambert is a "genius" for deploying a diamond against an in form Liverpool. Mourinho is one of the best managers in the world but he has far more options and players to work with than Lambert

English. Strong suit not.

We have actually been very solid in terms of not conceding goals late in games and when we're ahead this season. That hasn't been the problem. The problem is we don't score, we set up too defensively to get into the game, and we usually get done in by two quick goals in a row, a matter of concentration over formation.

And a RB and probably another CB just in case But otherwise Mourinho is a genius

I can't quite fathom how Fulham beat us so bad Even I'm optimistic against them at VP

Yeah just another case of having a go at Lambert. CNZ did his Achilles in. That's what was the problem

Nothing to do about short sightedness. Though I find it amusing you create a hypothetical situation and call others short sighted

That is just an example of what he's accomplished not the be all and end all, almost every accomplishment in football could be dismissed in a similar way. Because that's lumped into an argument that they're also in Europa. The football is pretty, no one denies that. But the end result is the same with swansea. In the end, it won't matter who the manager is unless you up the funding. Just polishing a turd at that point

You all do know that the ginger one also won a league cup? It's not a good argument

It's reasonably playable. Depending on your luck, time of day, and map.

That's a pretty standard set up. He employs it regularly

Interesting from Kendrick's article http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/sport-opinion/mat-kendrick-comment-aston-villa-6669384 That was the thinking behind acquiring the Premier League experience of Ryan Bertrand and Grant Holt in January, albeit it on loan, and it transpires a substantial bid was made last month for a target for whom a deal could not quite be struck – and we’re talking much more substantial than Norwich’s Wes Hoolahan.

It's not that special of a tactic. Most teams employ the two holding mids. We just don't have any good defensive mids in the squad.

No fortune in an offside goal and a long punt bouncing all the way through Weimann constituting as our only attacks beside the free kick? I'll concede defensively solid, though much of that is through McLeish and Pulis style negativity, but it is an anomaly to score from as little opportunities we had, not the norm.

We did win those games but it would be sticking your head in the sand to not realize our huge slice of fortune against both teams, more notably City. We simply cannot continue to play like thay

It's stupid to play that defensively when we CAN take it to teams. It might have been two world class goals to undo us but it was coming. When you let on that many chances and have to run and chase for most of the game, then you WILL concede especially with the defenders outside of Vlaar and Bertrand. It's simple math at that point. We have to get forward, support Benteke so he's not alone. Let Delph and our fullbacks push into the opposing third. This nonsense 532 is going to kill us if we ever use it again

We can play better than that. It's the instructions that were wrong. It's hard to play passes together when Baker can't pass and he's the swivel on the back 5 and the only options are to hoof it up to the two target men or a dangerous pass backwards to our defenders in the box. Dumb formation

2-0 down at HT

I understand your POV but it is McLeish style to stick 8 defenders in the box and lump it up to two target men. I'm not obsessed with possession but if you don't disagree with how we set up against Everton then there's just a fundamental difference in believing the best method to moving up the table. And it is not playing shitty McLeish style The team CAN attack and be creative but instead it was set up to camp and hoof and that is atrocious

Really should get all 3 from this. I swear if I see the 532.....