Roberto Di Matteo

[hippo]

53 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said:

You can look at it like that. Your choice.

Or you could look at it this way.

4 games.

2 clean sheets.

2 goals conceded (both freak goals)

After the absolute disaster we were last season, I'm delighted with that start. Only criticism is the lack of goals but as our forward line gels and more players come in (promised by Xia/RDM) then that'll be sorted. Add to that some luck that we deserve and we'll be fine.

I often wonder what people expect. You can't acknowledge that last year was a total disaster then have such high expectations so quickly.

What did I expect ? - I expected mid table (but hoped for promotion !) - and thats what Im seeing. We don't seem to have much idea in the final 3rd - and Im not totally convinced that 'gelling' and another forward will alter that to any great extent, we already signed the best striker in the division.

[StefanAVFC]

1 minute ago, hippo said:

we already signed the best striker in the division.

...and he's been here for 4 games.

You don't think attacking players getting used to one another and adding another striker will improve our goal scoring?

Come off it

Edited August 22, 2016 by StefanAVFC

[R.Bear]

I'm actually a lot more positive now. Simply because the standard of the championship so far that I've seen has been wretched. We have nothing to fear whatsoever. A couple more signings and we should be a shoe-in for the very least the playoffs.

[hippo]

20 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said:

...and he's been here for 4 games.

You don't think attacking players getting used to one another and adding another striker will improve our goal scoring?

Come off it

I hope it will of course.

But I feel that the way we build attacks lacks conviction or any real pattern of play. Take Mccormack who was supposed to be our main threat - by the time he receives the ball - he's still got half a dozen defenders to beat. He comes so deep for the ball he is almost playing a number 10 role.

Ayew, and Grealish are major talents at this level - but seem to suffer from what has blighted us in  recent years - a lack of goals.  

Goals from Midfield ? - Fine additions though Tish, and Jedinak are - I don't see a lot of goals from that area.

Personally I d like to see us sign a pacey wide player, and up the whole tempo of our gameplay...... 

[TRO]

1 hour ago, hippo said:

I hope it will of course.

But I feel that the way we build attacks lacks conviction or any real pattern of play. Take Mccormack who was supposed to be our main threat - by the time he receives the ball - he's still got half a dozen defenders to beat. He comes so deep for the ball he is almost playing a number 10 role.

Ayew, and Grealish are major talents at this level - but seem to suffer from what has blighted us in  recent years - a lack of goals.  

Goals from Midfield ? - Fine additions though Tish, and Jedinak are - I don't see a lot of goals from that area.

Personally I d like to see us sign a pacey wide player, and up the whole tempo of our gameplay...... 

Jedinak won't score goals.....but he will release offensive players from defensive duties/ tendencies to pursue offensive responsibilities, without fear of conceding.

e.g McCormack comes deep because he has to and the midfield are not winning the midfield battle for long enough during games or convincingly enough to release him.

Football always has been a bit of a parodox and it could be argued the defensive midfielder actually STARTS the offence....these guys are crucial.

I will be surprised if this guy doesn't have a big impact on our game and will influence a number of our players to raise their game and become more effective.

Edited August 22, 2016 by TRO

[villan-scott]

I was sceptical at the beginning and in all honesty wanted Moyes, but the team RDM has built around him looks to rock solid, and experienced, whilst creating a great atmosphere around the club. He has, so far, nailed the transfer market and the rebuild job, i don't think we could have asked for much more at this stage.

Looking at Moyes at Sunderland and Pearson at Derby i can't help but feel we dodged a bullet. Moyes looks a busted flush and his signings are very questionable, in a market where £20m seems to be the norm for a player, he has bought poorly IMO.

Getting to know RDM more from a fan point of view, you can see why Dr Tony went for him, he's a progressive manager, who seems to be well thought and planned in his approach. It's nice to have a team from top to bottom who seem to know what they're doing.

On the pitch, so far, he has had us dominate the majority of each game (barring Luton), and added leaders where we needed them most. He and Dr Tony have certainly brought the buzz back for me.

Edit - Also he has massive go-nads and a no-nonsense approach to unwanted players or players that don't want to be here.

Edited August 22, 2016 by villan-scott
Added for kahonas.

[RimmyJimmer]

16 minutes ago, villan-scott said:

I was sceptical at the beginning and in all honesty wanted Moyes, but the team RDM has built around him looks to rock solid, and experienced, whilst creating a great atmosphere around the club. He has, so far, nailed the transfer market and the rebuild job, i don't think we could have asked for much more at this stage.

Looking at Moyes at Sunderland and Pearson at Derby i can't help but feel we dodged a bullet. Moyes looks a busted flush and his signings are very questionable, in a market where £20m seems to be the norm for a player, he has bought poorly IMO.

Getting to know RDM more from a fan point of view, you can see why Dr Tony went for him, he's a progressive manager, who seems to be well thought and planned in his approach. It's nice to have a team from top to bottom who seem to know what they're doing.

On the pitch, so far, he has had us dominate the majority of each game (barring Luton), and added leaders where we needed them most. He and Dr Tony have certainly brought the buzz back for me.

Edit - Also he has massive go-nads and a no-nonsense approach to unwanted players or players that don't want to be here.

Yes I agree with all of what you say. I just hope if we have a 10 game run of poor results, which will probably happen over such a long season, fans don't start getting hysterical!

We are still a massive job to sort out, which will take time....but yeah....what a difference 3 months makes!

UTV 

[RimmyJimmer]

I still think pearson will do a job at derby...and moyes at sunderland...if given the time

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

2 minutes ago, RimmyJimmer said:

I still think pearson will do a job at derby...and moyes at sunderland...if given the time

Moyes has already given an indication of the job he intends to do at Sunderland.

[LakotaDakota]

6 hours ago, PieFacE said:

Fact is, after 4 games, with all the changes we've made, we're 3 points away from automatic promotion. I think most fans are just being patient as it's hardly been a disaster start, and things will get better, and there's more players to come in.

I am relatively positive compared to a month or so back but whilst we may well be 3 points off automatic promition we are also 1 point off relegation.

Too early to care that much about tables yet, give it 10 games & see where things stand

[LakotaDakota]

5 minutes ago, RimmyJimmer said:

I still think pearson will do a job at derby...and moyes at sunderland...if given the time

Pearson will be fine, Moyes is useless, Hasn't got a clue what he is doing and will be sacked before easter only this time they will not be able to get big sam to save them. Sunderland are going down this year and wouldn't be surprised if they end up somewhere around our dismal tally from last year.

[dpt666]

Bobby me old china

quick question have you thought about playing 3 at the back Chester,Elphick,baker  now JEDINAK is here ?

3-4-1-2 maybe using bacuna and Amavi either side of the Great Wall of Aston (tishibola n jedinak) with grealish as CAM serving it up too McCormack and AYEW (or our soon too be world class striker) 

[mikeyp102]

I have a feeling we'll have the best defensive record in the league this year, when considering how shockingly bad we were just a few months ago will be a massive achievement. 

[Grasshopper]

25 minutes ago, dpt666 said:

Bobby me old china

quick question have you thought about playing 3 at the back Chester,Elphick,baker  now JEDINAK is here ?

3-4-1-2 maybe using bacuna and Amavi either side of the Great Wall of Aston (tishibola n jedinak) with grealish as CAM serving it up too McCormack and AYEW (or our soon too be world class striker) 

This^^^^^

3 at the back (balanced too with a left footer on the left) Elphick is the type of player Baker has needed to direct him all these years.

Bacuna & Amavi are better going forward than defending. If we are serious about promotion we need to take the game to our opponents both home & away.

3 at the back would allow us to do this. With Jedinak holding we can afford 2 box-to-box-ers (Tshibola + New Signing)

Flood the midfield with 5 bodies, pin them back with 3 mobile forwards AM 2xSt

[Zatman]

11 minutes ago, mikeyp102 said:

I have a feeling we'll have the best defensive record in the league this year, when considering how shockingly bad we were just a few months ago will be a massive achievement. 

Im shocked we still have a plus goal difference

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

33 minutes ago, Grasshopper said:

This^^^^^

3 at the back (balanced too with a left footer on the left) Elphick is the type of player Baker has needed to direct him all these years.

Bacuna & Amavi are better going forward than defending. If we are serious about promotion we need to take the game to our opponents both home & away.

3 at the back would allow us to do this. With Jedinak holding we can afford 2 box-to-box-ers (Tshibola + New Signing)

Flood the midfield with 5 bodies, pin them back with 3 mobile forwards AM 2xSt

I like this idea. True Amavi amd Bacuna are more like wingbacks than defenders in truth.

[Duck]

1 hour ago, villan-scott said:

Looking at Moyes at Sunderland and Pearson at Derby i can't help but feel we dodged a bullet. Moyes looks a busted flush and his signings are very questionable, in a market where £20m seems to be the norm for a player, he has bought poorly IMO.

Getting to know RDM more from a fan point of view, you can see why Dr Tony went for him, he's a progressive manager, who seems to be well thought and planned in his approach. It's nice to have a team from top to bottom who seem to know what they're doing

I'd have to agree. Was dying for Moyes at the start. But he's joined Sunderlabd who were basically in the same boat as we were a few months ago. Yes we needed a lot more work but they still needed strengthening. He's already come out and said they'll be fighting relegation this season. It'll depend on who he brings in before the window closes. 

On the other hand RDM and Tony have been organised and sounded out targets that can actually do a job for us and fix some of the problems we had. Granted some of that is because of Tony's willingness to spend, but we've still had to sell, and Sunderland have a big sack of money to work with now.

I can see Pearson doing a job at Derby. They've been close to promotion for a few seasons, and while they were lucky against us the other night they didn't exactly roll over. I'd expect them to be up there.

As it stands I'm happy we have RDM. He seems to know how to build a team, something we were screaming for last summer. The signings we've made have been suprising and positive, the outs have been largely even better. Our form has already improved (I know... Championship football blah blah)  and if we get a run of a few wins under our belt we could have a great season to come

[Keener window-cleaner]

Before the appointment of RDM I wanted us to get Pearson instead, but then during the Derby game when saw the both of them in the dugouts it struck me that I was glad that Dr Tony went to Rome in a Ford Mondeo and brought us back RDM, and not Pearson.

It seems as if RDM does everything right at the moment. Hats off to Dr Tony as well as I got the impression that RDM was his personal choice.

[Villan_of_oz]

Give these guys a break. We could keep the current pace up for another month and still win this league with the team we have on paper. Plus we know at least 2 more players should come in. You would think they should improve the quality of the team. 

I have my doubts, we all do but I'm going to try and be proud and positive of my club again instead of being scared of the next game. This team playing as a team, working with each other and for each other..... this team could rip this league to shreds and go straight back up with a better suited team for the PL than any team we've had for the last 5 years. 

If im a wishful thinker, then so be it.....

 

[Duck]

6 hours ago, Villan_of_oz said:

Give these guys a break. We could keep the current pace up for another month and still win this league with the team we have on paper. Plus we know at least 2 more players should come in. You would think they should improve the quality of the team. 

I have my doubts, we all do but I'm going to try and be proud and positive of my club again instead of being scared of the next game. This team playing as a team, working with each other and for each other..... this team could rip this league to shreds and go straight back up with a better suited team for the PL than any team we've had for the last 5 years. 

If im a wishful thinker, then so be it.....

 

Id have to agree with you that on paper we're starting to look pretty strong. We're a big fish in this division and some of the teams aren't great. 

But 90 points to win the division and 70 (roughly) to get to the playoffs is a big ask for a team that was dead on its feet a few months ago. Yes it's a new, much stronger squad. It'll be very close and depend on how quickly we click and start getting serious points.

Saying that I've been largely happy with the performances so far