Righting The Wrongs

[EskWeston 696]

I am not going to go into the discussion on the manager on this thread because it has been covered in plenty of other threads and there are other things which also need to be addressed which can be covered here!

I honestly feel that this summer there needs to be a massive change in personel, now i am not talking the number of players comming in but because there are going to have to be some big names sacrificed to make the team work.

As we stand now the team HAS to play 4-4-2 because until we cannot at the moment opperate the 4-3-3 with any effect, and we should ditch it until we get that link up man in midfield to be a crative influence.

We have too many central midfielders right out of the same mould and it just isn't working with 3 in there. We need a playmaker to play alongside a defensive midfielder and a box to box midfielder otherwise our build up is slow and unimaginative...

Wingers. As far as i am concerned we have 2 who are worth keeping - Kalou and J.Cole. SWP is beyond poor on the wing and is becomming a hinderance to us and Malouda is innefectual for the majority of all games and doesn't offer us enough. We need wingers who are more direct and willing to run at defenders.

Like i said there are some BIG players in our team but the balance is completely wrong and it is time to right that, but is going to have to take balls to do it!!

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

There will be changes in the Summer, and hopefully a manager is top of the list.

4-4-2 would have worked with drogba and Anelka with these behind on Sunday Cole-Lampard-Ballack-SWP. But with Anelka on the wing -quite innefective.

I cant see too much wrong with the squad tbh. What IS lacking is inspiration, hunger, motivation, and discipline in not losing the ball.

These things cant be replaced by changing the players, it's for a top caoch to acquire through experience, qualification and mutual respect.

[EskWeston 696]

There will be changes in the Summer, and hopefully a manager is top of the list.

4-4-2 would have worked with drogba and Anelka with these behind on Sunday Cole-Lampard-Ballack-SWP. But with Anelka on the wing -quite innefective.

I cant see too much wrong with the squad tbh. What IS lacking is inspiration, hunger, motivation, and discipline in not losing the ball.

These things cant be replaced by changing the players, it's for a top caoch to acquire through experience, qualification and mutual respect.

I disagree. The squad on paper is very very impressive. But the players together just do not work - and it is not because they are not good players. When you look at our most creative and impressive spell of football, we was playing with the perfect team for the 4-3-3 formation:

.....................Makelele.....................

..........Lampard................................

...............................Tiago...............

Robben......................................Duff

......................Drogba.......................

Robben and Duff did what forward minded wingers in a 4-3-3 have to do, they run at defenders and scare the s**t out of them to creat chances for themselves and others. We just don't get this from Malouda or SWP in particular, Tiago was always in an advanced position to bring others into the game and link the attacking play up. Maka was the one to hold and cover and Lamps does what he does best and bomb up and down the park.

Now we have no-one natural for the Tiago role and we end up with in effect 2 Lampards and as a result our attack is slower to build, also the fact that Malouda and SWP and also Cole a lot are not keen to run and make things happen and are just looking for the next pass.

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

You say you disagree but seem to say the same ''the squad is impressive, but the players together do not work, not because they are not good players''.

Robben and Duff are gone, they're not half as good without exemplary managership. They're pretty average now at their respective clubs ?

We only started to go up a gear yesterday when our arses were against the wall, but fundamentally I cant see much wrong with the squad

I know you didn't want this thread to be about Grant, but I dont think you can hide from the biggest flaw of all for ever.

[EskWeston 696]

You say you disagree but seem to say the same ''the squad is impressive, but the players together do not work, not because they are not good players''.

Robben and Duff are gone, they're not half as good without exemplary managership. They're pretty average now at their respective clubs ?

We only started to go up a gear yesterday when our arses were against the wall, but fundamentally I cant see much wrong with the squad

I know you didn't want this thread to be about Grant, but I dont think you can hide from the biggest flaw of all for ever.

We worked better yesterday with a 4-4-2 which is what i think we should continue with now for the rest of the season. The only problem with it is the ammount of world class midfielders being dropped, but now is the time we have to focus on the team rather than the individuals...

Robben and Duff are not a shadow of the players they were due to injury, but it is that type of player we need on the wings.

I just feel the time has come to have a real good look at what we need, get the right players for the system, not the right system for the players... we played much better when our hands were forced, when we had to play SWP in the attacking central role we once again had that attacking force down the middle, and with Ballack doing the running and Maka holding we had the balance for the only time..

[Elliott 7]

I think you might be right Esk, what scares me is Grant might argue that he needs these new players to be successful and then Roman will give him another year.

[EskWeston 696]

I think you might be right Esk, what scares me is Grant might argue that he needs these new players to be successful and then Roman will give him another year.

Not sure Grant would have the bollocks to do what is needed to be honest!And that goes for the rest of this season too, we need to either play a 4-4-2 or play SWP in the middle in a 4-3-3....... neither will happen i don't think!!

Bottom line is that whoever is in charge there are changes that need to be made! Our defence is very very strong, Midfield is all wrong even though we have fantastic players and we need to upgrade our wingers....

[bigbluewillie 1,806]

Not sure Grant would have the bollocks to do what is needed to be honest!And that goes for the rest of this season too, we need to either play a 4-4-2 or play SWP in the middle in a 4-3-3....... neither will happen i don't think!!

Bottom line is that whoever is in charge there are changes that need to be made! Our defence is very very strong, Midfield is all wrong even though we have fantastic players and we need to upgrade our wingers....

that's for definate for me, the midfield is all wrong we need a kaka a fabrigas etc where we find 'em is antoher matter, and the wingers ie SWP and Malouda are not up to scratch, i was just wondering before this post if we do not indeed need to make much more sweeping changes?

have the more regular players got to comfortable, ie in the comfort zone think they don't need to try?

i have a whole list of players i think might need to be discarded for us to move forward, wont post 'em just yet till the dust settles

regards:JBD

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

that's for definate for me, the midfield is all wrong we need a kaka a fabrigas etc where we find 'em is antoher matter, and the wingers ie SWP and Malouda are not up to scratch, i was just wondering before this post if we do not indeed need to make much more sweeping changes?

have the more regular players got to comfortable, ie in the comfort zone think they don't need to try?

i have a whole list of players i think might need to be discarded for us to move forward, wont post 'em just yet till the dust settles

regards:JBD

Playmaker, new midfielder, wingers whatever. Maybe.

Lets not forget, the players we have now are the same players that ''would run through brick walls'' for the previous manager. Terrys words.

[EskWeston 696]

Playmaker, new midfielder, wingers whatever. Maybe.

Lets not forget, the players we have now are the same players that ''would run through brick walls'' for the previous manager. Terrys words.

Yes. But the problem was there with Jose, the problem was there last season. And it won't go away, you just can't get the players we have to play the way we want them to.

Right now i don't think any manager could get us playing fast attacking football because we don't have the right players for it.

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

Yes. But the problem was there with Jose, the problem was there last season. And it won't go away, you just can't get the players we have to play the way we want them to.

Right now i don't think any manager could get us playing fast attacking football because we don't have the right players for it.

Yesterday there was no hunger or enthusiasm. i dont see it as a problem with the players. There were no injuries, absentees, or suspensions. The right team wasn't selected, and the right tactics weren't implicated.

New arrivals can always improve a squad, but it's waste of time and money if they arent utilised and motivated in the right way. My fear is Grant will get another season, and the cracks will be papered over.

[EskWeston 696]

Yesterday there was no hunger or enthusiasm. i dont see it as a problem with the players. There were no injuries, absentees, or suspensions. The right team wasn't selected, and the right tactics weren't implicated.

New arrivals can always improve a squad, but it's waste of time and money if they arent utilised and motivated in the right way. My fear is Grant will get another season, and the cracks will be papered over.

Neither was the right team picked against Liverpool or Olympiakos. 3 Different teams each time! The problem is that there isn't one that works playing the "best" players. Sometimes you just have to pick what works best.....

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

Neither was the right team picked against Liverpool or Olympiakos. 3 Different teams each time! The problem is that there isn't one that works playing the "best" players. Sometimes you just have to pick what works best.....

The tactics leave a lot to be desired from 'bleeding obvious' substitutions to dodgy selections.

I still believe we have top squad, but at the same time seem to be going down the Rafa Rotation Revolution Road with erratic results to boot.

[EskWeston 696]

The tactics leave a lot to be desired from 'bleeding obvious' substitutions to dodgy selections.

I still believe we have top squad, but at the same time seem to be going down the Rafa Rotation Revolution Road with erratic results to boot.

The problem is too many quality players! Who do you pick from Mikel, Essien, Lampard and Ballack - and even Maka for that matter! Who do you fit in Drogba, Anelka and Sheva? Which wingers do you play ect...

Right now you could ask everyone what the best 11 would be and you would get at least a dozen different teams come back. The wrong teams are being picked - most people wanted to see Anelka on the wing for the final - put he never saw the ball.

Yes the manager is a problem, but he is one of a few problems we have to sort out before we can fully move on.....

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

The problem is too many quality players! Who do you pick from Mikel, Essien, Lampard and Ballack - and even Maka for that matter! Who do you fit in Drogba, Anelka and Sheva? Which wingers do you play ect...

Right now you could ask everyone what the best 11 would be and you would get at least a dozen different teams come back. The wrong teams are being picked - most people wanted to see Anelka on the wing for the final - put he never saw the ball.

Yes the manager is a problem, but he is one of a few problems we have to sort out before we can fully move on.....

The previous manager isnt coming back -but he knew how to utilise those players. Meticulous notes on our players and the opposition. He had his 'untouchables', and if we take yesterday for example -guranteed Ballack and Maka would have started. Drogba up front, and Anelka on the bench. It's not rocket surgery and you dont need to pay someone £4.5 million a year to fuck it up.

[EskWeston 696]

The previous manager isnt coming back -but he knew how to utilise those players. Meticulous notes on our players and the opposition. He had his 'untouchables', and if we take yesterday for example -guranteed Ballack and Maka would have started. Drogba up front, and Anelka on the bench. It's not rocket surgery and you dont need to pay someone £4.5 million a year to fuck it up.

Jose never got the best out of the current crop of players. We got the results we needed but it never clicked into place....

Trouble is though, Maka, Lamps, Ballack, Essien and Mikel are ALL untouchable. Which was why we used the pretty innefectual 4-4-2 diamond so much last season. Jose was the master at winning games, but as the team broke up more and more from the first season the fluid nature of the team became less and less.

For me, Kalou and Cole should have started on the wings with Drogba in the middle. Although Now i want to see us play with only 2 central midfielders because i think it is the only way for us to get some rythem now, Mikel or Essien with Lampard or Ballack.

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

Jose never got the best out of the current crop of players. We got the results we needed but it never clicked into place....

Trouble is though, Maka, Lamps, Ballack, Essien and Mikel are ALL untouchable. Which was why we used the pretty innefectual 4-4-2 diamond so much last season. Jose was the master at winning games, but as the team broke up more and more from the first season the fluid nature of the team became less and less.

For me, Kalou and Cole should have started on the wings with Drogba in the middle. Although Now i want to see us play with only 2 central midfielders because i think it is the only way for us to get some rythem now, Mikel or Essien with Lampard or Ballack.

He knew how to utilise the current squad a damn sight better than the current clown. Two League titles, Two League Cups, FA Cup and a Charity Shield...and...we wouldn't have lost yesterday.

Abramovich has made it clear he wants a nodding dog puppet, rather than a gobby Portugeezer who knows what hes doing.

For me there is no set way, or line up. So much depends on the opposition. I bet Grant couldn't name the other teams in the Premiership, let alone the players we come up against.

[EskWeston 696]

So you think a new manager with the same team could do a lot better than where we are now?

I agree we need a new manager, i just think there are other issues too...