Indeed. Nuno to send us into bottom three tomorrow night then.
25 Sep 2025
130
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Nu manager bounce?
(Which we didn't effing well get). -
We did get the bounce. Doing ok and got worse post change.
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Wood was forced to press by himself. He didn’t have any support. We aren’t pressing as one or attacking as one as Zinchenko likes to stroll forward with the ball whilst not mastering the art of defending. I have seen enough of Savona apart from his terrible mistake against Arsenal to trust him more. Hopefully he gets a chance on Thursday.
I don’t blame Wood at all. Give him more chances and he will score. Jesus has looked good in his performances but there is time for Woody to contribute before we sell him to Saudi in January.
Chicago: Not seeing wood from the trees.
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Forced? By the manager?
When wood wasn't in, in the previous games, the 'pressing' style was exactly the same. Triangular positions taken defensively around the ball position, and a single man 'press' to run the ball carrier into a challenge with one of these trap positioned defenders. Morgan was the press man in the previous game.
It's a gamble to turn the ball over high and make advanced chances. Of course the problem is that it mainly doesn't work at this level. The opposition are normally technically good and quick enough to avoid this single press, and the position of the trap defenders means there are wide open passing lanes if the ball carrier doesn't run into a second challenge.
It didn't work for ange in the league at spurts, and doesn't look like it's working for us. Might work in Europe where the physical disparity between 'ship players, and the smaller players in lesser (financially able) leagues has an effect (eg Betis - technically good, but a physical mismatch ).
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Right. Single man press is crap. Also seems a bit pointless. You either go all in or settle for the medium block that Nuno did so well last year.
I guess we will see Thursday how the younger Jesus fairs against the Danes.
At least that game will be more fun to watch than next weekend. At least I hope so.
Chicago: football expert.
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Did brilliantly. You regularly saw the players checking the distances, and over their shoulder before being the nearest man to close the ball carrier. Consequently only short accurate passes could get through, and it was hard for the opposition to find space between the lines.
We don't have lines any more.
So it's 'more exciting' we are more 'on the front foot'.
We are going to concede a lot more goals.
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I think the play that encapsulated that performance yesterday was when we had a throw in on their six yard box. Neco threw it backwards and the defender passed it backwards to the other defender who passed it all the way back to Sels which was the majority of the pitch. Any other team would have at least tried to get it into the box. It really was pathetic. All in the name of keeping possession. So yep a massive change from Nuno or even coops who at least would have used Niahkate to chuck it in.
So yeah there was that. And it really chaffed my wobbly bits.
Chicago: offensive at the best of times.
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Regarding Wood, this season we have the luxury of competition for his spot. He's missed 3 or 4 very presentable chances now and has someone else in his position who is taking the chances he is presented with more often than not..
And regarding Russ's position on Hutchinson, utter bollocks. It may be a personal view but it's a crap one. No matter the price, or the salary, of a person, you manage them appropriately to where they are in their development so as to maximise their potential. And he has been bought for potential. He has played well when he has had time. He has created good chances and worked hard. That will do for me so far.
Same goes for McAtee. It looks like he isnt quite adjusted to players not making the runs he is hoping to support. It's a part of the whole. Give him some time. Though I didnt see the sense of starting Dominguez on Saturday. Surely that was a Yates game and he has had game time.
I would love to see something of a settled team for a while. Maybe for each competition.
Anyway, wibble.
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I'm slightly concerned that, as we've increased the number of players in the squad, we've, on average, reduced the physical characteristics (height, pace, strength). Seems to be another indication that we've got ahead of ourselves in terms of where we stand in the division.
