Intensity was our identity. WTF happened to the press?

[Dr Gloom 21909]

1 minute ago, Monkeys Fist said:

Alreet Dr. Barlow 

 

That’ll be King Barlow to you 

[Monkeys Fist 42344]

2 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

That’ll be ‘King Barlow to you 

Fyp 

[Meenzer 15509]

2 hours ago, Dr Gloom said:

That’ll be Thelma Barlow to you 

 

 

[ewerk 30533]

[The Fish 10837]

On 28/09/2024 at 16:46, Dr Gloom said:

Howe alluded to it in his pre-match press conference - the pressing and the intensity that drove us to the champions league were back in full effect.

 

Begs the question why it was absent in our opening games. We look so much better when we play like this.

 

Special mention to Gordon for this. He has obvious flaws at CF - there were times when balls came into the box and he was nowhere to be seen and he struggled to make it stuck when it went into him with his back to goal, but the way he led the press was outstanding - and crucially the rest of the team followed, allowing us to play much higher up the pitch. Dare I say it, he is better than Isak and Wilson at this area of the game at CF.
 

The result was we rarely ended up camped in our own half. There were difficult moments in the game when city were going at us, but it was never a backs to the wall job. We were good value for the draw and could have won (we out xGd them). I put this entirely down to the return of the high intensity press. I hope it’s back for good 

 

As there will always be in a game against Guardiola's Man City. But what we saw was way, way closer to the pressing we've seen from Howe's side previously. 

 

There was a throwaway line from his post match presser. Where he said something along the lines of the players having a full week to concentrate on a game, and it being the most they've reviewed a game (Fulham). I think having the extra time, the extra focus on each match will be huge for us this season.

[Dr Gloom 21909]

i'm going to throw a controversial one out there, but does anyone else think our pressing structure looked loads better with gordon at cf on saturday than it did during any other game with isak playing up front? 

 

gordon isn't a centre forward, but i don't think isak has been at the races this season so far - way below his best, both on and off the ball. gordon can't do loads of the things isak does but he led the press from the front with the work he got through. isak hasn't done that at all this season. there may be mitigation (whole team underperforming and lacking pressing intensity/lack of fitness, i don't know)

Edited September 30 by Dr Gloom

[The Fish 10837]

9 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

i'm going to throw a controversial one out there, but does anyone else think our pressing structure looked better with gordon at cf on saturday than it did during at other game with isak playing up front? 

 

gordon isn't a centre forward, but i don't think isak has been at the races this season so far - way below his best, both on and off the ball. gordon can't dop loads of the things isak does but he led the press from the front with the work he got through. isak hasn't done that at all this season. there may be mitigation (whole team underperforming and lacking pressing intensity/lack of fitness, i don't know)

I thin it did, but I think that's more to do with Gordon, and the rest of the team playing better in general than Isak's absence.

[wykikitoon 20107]

18 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

i'm going to throw a controversial one out there, but does anyone else think our pressing structure looked loads better with gordon at cf on saturday than it did during any other game with isak playing up front? 

 

gordon isn't a centre forward, but i don't think isak has been at the races this season so far - way below his best, both on and off the ball. gordon can't do loads of the things isak does but he led the press from the front with the work he got through. isak hasn't done that at all this season. there may be mitigation (whole team underperforming and lacking pressing intensity/lack of fitness, i don't know)

Isak has been as awful as Gordon this season but it's all Gordon's fault apparently 

[Dazzler 9679]

4 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

Isak has been as awful as Gordon this season but it's all Gordon's fault apparently 

Isak has been starved of service and Gordon had starved him of it tbf.

 

Murphy has been on the other wing so it’s completely expected down that side.

[Holden McGroin 6578]

19 minutes ago, wykikitoon said:

Isak has been as awful as Gordon this season but it's all Gordon's fault apparently 

 

The majority of them have been awful. Gordons VISIBLE lack of fight  this season which culminated  v Fulham  in a giant Rashford-esque couldn't-give-a-fuck performance was what pissed off some fans.

 

Turns out Isak was playing with a broken toe so makes sense why he wasn't haring around ....and also the lack of press from the front. 

Edited September 30 by Holden McGroin

[wykikitoon 20107]

16 minutes ago, Holden McGroin said:

 

The majority of them have been awful. Gordons VISIBLE lack of fight  this season which culminated  v Fulham  in a giant Rashford-esque couldn't-give-a-fuck performance was what pissed off some fans.

 

Turns out Isak was playing with a broken toe so makes sense why he wasn't haring around ....and also the lack of press from the front. 

 

Is this another case of playing a player that's crocked? Howe has form for this.