Europa League - Napoli Away Build up

[danperkins]

Does anyone seriously think Roy "I've got 35 years management experience under my belt" Hodgson will radically switch his formation and tactics?

Hey after all we played well in the second half against Everton.

Well he's gonna have to try something different or we're screwed and his days are numbered. He has to take a chance at some point, well either that or he will go out with a whimper.

[Fierce]

Don't know what the situation is with Johnson, if he's fit then we need to try him further forward. We have literally no other viable option with pace to play out wide. So for that reason I would try a 4-3-3 instead.

Assuming that Johnson, Kuyt, Aurelio and Agger are all out and Joe Cole has forgotten that he's a footballer-

...............Reina
Kelly....Carra....Skrtle...Konchesky

....Gerrard..Lucas..Meireles

.......Ngog..Torres..Babel

Been saying this all season, but I'd have Joe Cole in for NGog, who I don't think is either quick or skillful enough (yet) to play that role

Fabio was on the bench for the bitters game, I'd rather a half fit Aurelio than The Konch if possible

[dww]

I honestly believe there will be no improvement, there's been no encouraging signs whatsoever. Zero. This is the norm. We'll lose in Naples for sure. He's got to go ASAP, the only excuse for it taking any time is making sure we line up the right replacement.

I think we'll get a (very tedious) draw.

I agree about your general assessment but still can't bring myself to want a manager sacked before 10 league games into the season. I would change my mind if an obviously good candidate was around to bring in instantly.

[PTP]

dww - I know roy apparently said judge me after 10 league games and i've heard others say it's too early....but i'm interested to know what you want to or expect to see in the next two league games taking it to the magic 10 that will convince you he should stay or go?

see for me - i can't see anything that can happen against blackburn at home and then bolton away (iirc) that could change how I or pretty much 95% of us feel.

we would need to play blackburn and bolton off the park, winning both games, with good performances all round and smiles on the players faces - then i might go...hmm ok - but there has not been one thing in 3 and half months to suggest that this will happen

so at best - all i can see is us playing poor boring football at home to blackburn and scraping a 1-0 win through a bit good of play when our decent players pull their fingers out for 5 mins and string some forward passes together. - I can't see us winning at bolton, so again at best - all i can see us scraping is a drab and dreary draw.

So if that happens - that'd be 4 points taking us 10 overall and maybe if results went our way out of the relegation zone to 16th.

But is that going to be enough to convince us that hodgson should stay???

And thats being optimistic - i fear it could be even worse, maybe a a win and a loss, two draws or two losses....we'd have to have the forum on suicide watch lol

[danperkins]

dww - I know roy apparently said judge me after 10 league games and i've heard others say it's too early....but i'm interested to know what you want to or expect to see in the next two league games taking it to the magic 10 that will convince you he should stay or go?

see for me - i can't see anything that can happen against blackburn at home and then bolton away (iirc) that could change how I or pretty much 95% of us feel.

we would need to play blackburn and bolton off the park, winning both games, with good performances all round and smiles on the players faces - then i might go...hmm ok - but there has not been one thing in 3 and half months to suggest that this will happen

so at best - all i can see is us playing poor boring football at home to blackburn and scraping a 1-0 win through a bit good of play when our decent players pull their fingers out for 5 mins and string some forward passes together. - I can't see us winning at bolton, so again at best - all i can see us scraping is a drab and dreary draw.

So if that happens - that'd be 4 points taking us 10 overall and maybe if results went our way out of the relegation zone to 16th.

But is that going to be enough to convince us that hodgson should stay???

And thats being optimistic - i fear it could be even worse, maybe a a win and a loss, two draws or two losses....we'd have to have the forum on suicide watch lol

agree with everything here

[-V-]

Been saying this all season, but I'd have Joe Cole in for NGog, who I don't think is either quick or skillful enough (yet) to play that role

Fabio was on the bench for the bitters game, I'd rather a half fit Aurelio than The Konch if possible

At the moment Ngog is the best threat we have infront of goal. People can doubt him all they like but he scores goals and doesn't deserve to be left out the team, especially after the incredible start he made this season. Id never pick Babel over him if it was a straight choice.

Ngog and Torres should both be in the team as together they look threatening, see the end of the games at Old Trafford and Goodison for examples.

[Fernandinho]

At the moment Ngog is the best threat we have infront of goal. People can doubt him all they like but he scores goals and doesn't deserve to be left out the team, especially after the incredible start he made this season. Id never pick Babel over him if it was a straight choice.

Ngog and Torres should both be in the team as together they look threatening, see the end of the games at Old Trafford and Goodison for examples.

We looked dangerous then because we were going for the all out attack by the time Ngog came out. The only game we started 4-4-2 with them two up top was vs City and we were horrific in that game. It has to be one or the other, 4-4-2 is looking **** for us so far.

[danperkins]

Lets all say a united prayer that Fabio Aurelio can stay fit as he will be a banker first choice for LB.

[Lecter]

Last season at this stage we kept losing matches and Rafa Benitez tried to fix it by going more and more defensive. Thats what Roy seems to be doing, we are playing deeper and deeper.
This time last season I was calling for us to play more open and more attacking football. Accept that we will concede goals but just focus on outscoring the opposition by getting guys in and around Fernando to support him. Thats what we need to do.

If continue to focus purely on getting clean sheets it will never work, we will just keep inviting pressure. He is making the same mistakes Rafa was making but doing even worse now

There is a fundamental difference between Rafa and Roy

Rafa's teams pressed the opposition preferably high up the pitch (if they could)

Roys concedes possession and ground and defends the 18 yard box (or doesnt as the case recently)

[Lecter]

Well he's gonna have to try something different or we're screwed and his days are numbered. He has to take a chance at some point, well either that or he will go out with a whimper.

He barely takes a chance when we are 2-0 down with 10 minutes to go so what makes people think he will completely change his game plan

[SRR]

dww - I know roy apparently said judge me after 10 league games and i've heard others say it's too early....but i'm interested to know what you want to or expect to see in the next two league games taking it to the magic 10 that will convince you he should stay or go?

see for me - i can't see anything that can happen against blackburn at home and then bolton away (iirc) that could change how I or pretty much 95% of us feel.

we would need to play blackburn and bolton off the park, winning both games, with good performances all round and smiles on the players faces - then i might go...hmm ok - but there has not been one thing in 3 and half months to suggest that this will happen

so at best - all i can see is us playing poor boring football at home to blackburn and scraping a 1-0 win through a bit good of play when our decent players pull their fingers out for 5 mins and string some forward passes together. - I can't see us winning at bolton, so again at best - all i can see us scraping is a drab and dreary draw.

So if that happens - that'd be 4 points taking us 10 overall and maybe if results went our way out of the relegation zone to 16th.

But is that going to be enough to convince us that hodgson should stay???

And thats being optimistic - i fear it could be even worse, maybe a a win and a loss, two draws or two losses....we'd have to have the forum on suicide watch lol

For me, I want to see a high tempo game with us pressing them higher up the pitch keeping possession and taking the game to them - in other words all the things Roy is unable to do.

[Mostar]

He barely takes a chance when we are 2-0 down with 10 minutes to go so what makes people think he will completely change his game plan

His decisiveness is flawed to say at least. He has no clue when and who to sub. It is so painful to watch anything he attempts to do.

[Big Dave]

Last season at this stage we kept losing matches and Rafa Benitez tried to fix it by going more and more defensive. Thats what Roy seems to be doing, we are playing deeper and deeper.
This time last season I was calling for us to play more open and more attacking football. Accept that we will concede goals but just focus on outscoring the opposition by getting guys in and around Fernando to support him. Thats what we need to do.

If continue to focus purely on getting clean sheets it will never work, we will just keep inviting pressure. He is making the same mistakes Rafa was making but doing even worse now

But according to Roy, the reason we're losing games is our all out attack on the opposition

[Lecter]

But according to Roy, the reason we're losing games is our all out attack on the opposition

Our best spells in games have been when we have been behind and tried going on the front foot

Whether that has been because the opposition have relaxed too much or because we have pushed I dont know

[Big Dave]

Our best spells in games have been when we have been behind and tried going on the front foot

Whether that has been because the opposition have relaxed too much or because we have pushed I dont know

Probably because the **** we've been behind to can't believe the position they're in!!