17 Mar 2019 22:11:41
As we wake up to another disappointing result the overreaction by some posters is equally alarming.
It's not productive to measure progress on a game by game basis and we must look at the bigger picture.
In assessing the last two games it's clear to me that our defensive frailties are still prevalent and we've made some bad individual mistakes.
I think Arsenal and Wolves have illustrated to the rest of the league the blueprint of how to handle this new resurgent Utd team. I think we've struggled playing against their 3 at the back system and our CB's have been unable to contain playing against two CF's.
Wolves handled the occasion brilliantly last night. For the second game in a row we were beaten at our own game. They were organised, disciplined, tenacious and carried a real threat on the counter. They allowed us possession, denied us space and broke quickly. They have quality in midfield and upfront and defensively we are vulnerable. They took their chances and the rest is history.
As soon as we conceded the first goal it became very difficult. We've been undue twice now by counter attacking football for which we have become synonymous ourselves. Like I said Beaten at our own game.
On a positive note not all teams have the quality in midfield or upfront to hit us on the break and inevitably we'll be able to ware them down. The better teams won't change their approach and we're just as likely to do to them as what Wolves and Arsenal did to us. The last two games have shown us that we have struggled to break down well organised and disciplined defences whilst remaining secure at the back.
I think we played right into their hands and Ole will need a re-think of how we approach these types of games.
There is nothing like a couple of defeats to refocus the mind and re-evaluate. The international break will allow us some valuable time for players to return from injury and hopefully we'll do much better when we play them in the league.
An FA Cup run would have been nice, but we made the final last year and won under LVG. Like I've said in other posts a top 4 finish maybe more important for the Club moving forward. We have a relatively young and inexperienced team and they need to be playing Champions League football for them to progress and develop.
We will go again in a couple of weeks for the final push; it will be exciting if nothing else.
18 Mar 2019 09:45:41
I almost always fully agree with your posts DLIB, but this time not so much. Wolves did beat us at our own game, but the arsenal game was not a blueprint on how to handle us. We were unlucky or not clinical enough with our finishing; hitting the woodwork twice and forcing great saves from leno. Wolves on the other hand beat us tactically as well.