Season 2011-12, unlucky or just above average?

[reds123]

I think we should change the title of this thread, it is a little embarrassing.

That's what i thought!

where to change title pls?

[Mattshark]

That's what i thought!

where to change title pls?

Just ask a mod, they can do it for you.

[Lecter]

Jesus people are deluded if they think bad luck is the reason why we are in the position we are.

Its not bad luck

Its an inability to finish

IMO its not failings all over the pitch

Its players (specifically forwards) inability to finish

It should have been addressed in January

We didnt do it that was a mistake for me it didnt even have to be a top player just someone who knows where the back of the net is

[baitman]

He never was and probably never will be.

I said til i was blue in the face that Meireles was/is a very good player and we shouldnt have sold him.

It's not *really* about goals/assists. If Adam had 10 goals and 10 assists, maybe you could make that point but the difference between them in these areas is insignificant. Meireles is simply a GOOD FOOTBALLER, he has better game intelligence, he retains and uses possession far better and is far more fluid.

we should keep the good footballers, and not buy **** ones who might have good stats [that, at the end of the day, dont actually mean **** all].

[Exiled_red]

I think you generally tend to see good players and good stats go hand in hand, however it isn't always the case. We need to look at the performances underneath the statistics as well, I think the signings in the summer were mostly based on statistics and not actually watching the performances of the players involved.

For me Charlie Adam is a classic example of this, alot of people on here were worried about us signing him, but statistically he looked very good, 12 goals from midfield in a team that was relegated looks like a good return. When you scratch beneath the surface you see that 7 of those goals were penalties and the record isn't so impressive.

[Maxiedge]

No excuses. I'm sure we were miles ahead of Arsenal at one point...now 10 points behind

I personally think its been a disaster of a season. I don't think we've won 3 games in a row. It's ****ing ****e. Van persies scored more goals than
LFC.

[barnes10]

we've been average.

we need to sort out the attacking threat next season with a lot more ruthlessness and finishing of our chances.

can class it as a season of transition but we need to get scoring.

[Craig_H]

I think you generally tend to see good players and good stats go hand in hand, however it isn't always the case. We need to look at the performances underneath the statistics as well, I think the signings in the summer were mostly based on statistics and not actually watching the performances of the players involved.

For me Charlie Adam is a classic example of this, alot of people on here were worried about us signing him, but statistically he looked very good, 12 goals from midfield in a team that was relegated looks like a good return. When you scratch beneath the surface you see that 7 of those goals were penalties and the record isn't so impressive.

When it comes to midfielders, the stat i'd be more interested in is things like pass completion and possession retention. I think Meireles would plop on Adam from a great height and again, these are the kind of stats Alonso would excel in. Unfortunately there isnt a stat which shows the extent to which a player can dictate the tempo of a game, but again this was something Xabi had in abundance.

[Exiled_red]

When it comes to midfielders, the stat i'd be more interested in is things like pass completion and possession retention. I think Meireles would plop on Adam from a great height and again, these are the kind of stats Alonso would excel in. Unfortunately there isnt a stat which shows the extent to which a player can dictate the tempo of a game, but again this was something Xabi had in abundance.

[Darkon]

The table don't lie really, we have played well in most games but we ar not good enough in the final third. We control most games but we can't finish them and the table shows that and we are punished for not being ruthless enough with our chances. Sunderland and Bolton are the rare games where we have been outright poor, and not really telling of our season.

I don't buy us being unlucky, we just have consistenty inaccurate players in front of goal hitting the post to much, not taking their penalties and to many huge chances wasted straight on the gk.

We still have some way to go to undo all the damage done in the the 2-3 seasons before this one. We still need 2-3 players to be challenging for top-4. I know this season isn't over yet and things can still happen etc. but it's looking very unlikely now. A few more years of stability and I'm certain we are back where we should be.

[Maxiedge]

Do you know what's most frustrating about this club? Being able to get 4 or 5 good performances in a row. Honestly, its always pretty much inevitable that if we play well then we won't the next game and vice versa. It's as if we need a kick up the arse every other week.

[tsb]

Do you know what's most frustrating about this club? Being able to get 4 or 5 good performances in a row. Honestly, its always pretty much inevitable that if we play well then we won't the next game and vice versa. It's as if we need a kick up the arse every other week.

Looking at Utd churn out results week after week makes you realise how far we are off even competing. They are more than the sum of their parts.

Every single time we score nowadays it feels like a cup final winner... swiftly followed by the creeping inevitabilty that we will concede.