Fulham Fumblers vs. Newcastle Nest Invaders

[The Fish 10838]

24 minutes ago, Renton said:

 

Sure Bruce has been mentioned like. I'm not disagreeing with what you've said, but making the obvious point Howe will have thought about that and more. We seemed to have abandoned the high press for reasons that aren't that obvious to me as a casual football observer, maybe its true everything stems from defence and with Botman and Lascelles goosed, Trippier on the wane and our other full backs maybe not stepping up enough this is a contributory reason. Maybe there's something more fundamental going on with Howe and the ownership causing issues. I dunno, just want to give it a bit more time. Six games is not a huge run in the scheme of things and I, personally, didn't see anything wrong last season. 

 

 

Trouble with the high press is that if any link in the chain is weak, the whole thing falls apart.

 

So with Gordon not looking right, Bruno and Joelinton not playing particularly well, Isak being injured, Tonali not yet being fully trusted (for whatever reason?), Schar only having 1 full game under his belt, Botman missing, Pope looking a bit shaky and an oft-changed back four, it's no great surprise that chain is fucked. 

[Dr Gloom 21911]

3 minutes ago, The Fish said:

 

 

Trouble with the high press is that if any link in the chain is weak, the whole thing falls apart.

 

So with Gordon not looking right, Bruno and Joelinton not playing particularly well, Isak being injured, Tonali not yet being fully trusted (for whatever reason?), Schar only having 1 full game under his belt, Botman missing, Pope looking a bit shaky and an oft-changed back four, it's no great surprise that chain is fucked. 

 

the chopping and changing of the back four definitely hasn't helpes us this season. the year we finished 4th it was pretty much the same back four all season. granted we were lucky there were no injuries then but howe doesn't seem to know what his best eleven is this season - particularly at full back

[Renton 21561]

11 minutes ago, The Fish said:

 

 

Trouble with the high press is that if any link in the chain is weak, the whole thing falls apart.

 

So with Gordon not looking right, Bruno and Joelinton not playing particularly well, Isak being injured, Tonali not yet being fully trusted (for whatever reason?), Schar only having 1 full game under his belt, Botman missing, Pope looking a bit shaky and an oft-changed back four, it's no great surprise that chain is fucked. 

 

Do you think a high energetic press is ever sustainable over the course of a whole season? We managed it in 2022/2023 but not last season. I had posted on here querying if it was related to our injury problems but a lot of people, maybe you included iirc, didn't think it was. It just never looked sustainable for all games to be played like this. 

I always imagined it was a transitionary style of play we needed before we became a more dominant posession orientated side. But with no meaningful reinforcements in the summer is it possible we're just not good enough to become this? So we're stuck between two styles of play which spells out medicocrity. I'm patient enough to find out either way. 

Edited September 23 by Renton

[Ayatollah Hermione 13856]

I see no sign that we want to be a possession based side tbh. I think the plan is to get up the pitch as quick as possible, either by breaking the lines with Schar/Trippier or by hitting teams on the break. That’s why it takes roughly 3 seconds of impatience before Schar is smashing 70 yard passes about the place. It’s go-go-go all the time. 

[The Fish 10838]

49 minutes ago, Renton said:

 

Do you think a high energetic press is ever sustainable over the course of a whole season? We managed it in 2022/2023 but not last season. I had posted on here querying if it was related to our injury problems but a lot of people, maybe you included iirc, didn't think it was. It just never looked sustainable for all games to be played like this. 

I always imagined it was a transitionary style of play we needed before we became a more dominant posession orientated side. But with no meaningful reinforcements in the summer is it possible we're just not good enough to become this? So we're stuck between two styles of play which spells out medicocrity. I'm patient enough to find out either way. 

 

Yes, but you need to have greater depth of squad, better game management, and higher quality throughout.

[toonotl 2977]

9 hours ago, The Fish said:

Yes, but you need to have greater depth of squad, better game management, and higher quality throughout.

 

I completely agree, Dave. Personally I would add the caveat: unless confidence is sky-high. That overcomes these and most other limitations as it did in 22/23 & part of last season. That's obvious to all of us, but I think it's worth reminding ourselves that it isn't as though the previous levels are not able to be recaptured with this squad. It'll certainly take a serious return to form to achieve it though.

 

Also, I do think Botman is a massive miss. For me he's a top-top player in the same category as Bruno, et. al. It seems that it must be much easier to be brave in the press and aggressive with our pass selection when you have a Rolls Royce defender with a quality passing game in the team than it is when you have two CBs with pedestrian pace who are really only mid-PL quality in terms of pure defensive ability. I think Howe agrees too, because in my opinion if Botman is fit I doubt we would've prioritised spending 60m on a CB who isn't even as good as him.

 

This is my new theory (i.e., coping mechanism) for the day to help explain why we're so shit (temporarily). Don't you burst my bubble! Don't do it!