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claretspice

I hope Kompany stays, but I also hope there are some changes to the way the club operates. The amount of control that appears to have been vested in one person is a bit frightening. There is no obvious counterpoint to Kompany anywhere in the football side of the operation. Even last week Matt Willia...

claretspice

At this level i don't think it's credible to start with Benson and Odobert as wide players. They don't support the full back enough - even if we play with a central midfield 3. Personally I think the root of many of our problems has been a tendency to play with Odobert and Amdouni who are passengers...

claretspice

Definitely a factor, I agree. But re the team changes against City, was it really a good idea to start the opening game of the season with 5 debutants considering the team had just blitzed the Championship? Even more baffling when you consider that Kompany was quite candid in explaining that it tak...

claretspice

Cast your mind back to the start of the season. The first six fixtures - Man City (world champs), Villa, Spurs, Forest, ManU, Newcastle. Robbed by VAR at Forest so 1 point and 15 goals conceded Also a game behind the rest because Luton’s ground wasn’t good enough. What a difference 3 points at that...

claretspice

I'm another who finds this sudden bout of proprietorial expectation over a player most have spent the last 6 months denigrating hard to square. The club have to my mind provided plenty of information and I too don't see much difference from the Dyche era. Really, this thread should be about expressi...

claretspice

Cool, that makes sense. From My perspective I enjoyed the fact that the club didn’t buy into all of the myths about football… that you could only play one way, that you had to spend huge money on over valued footballers with questionable morals and attitudes, and I enjoyed that hard work, endeavour...

claretspice

Muric Roberts THB Beyer Maatsen Cullen Cork Benson Brownhill Zaroury Barnes Trafford Assignon O'Shea Esteve Delcroix Berge Brownhill Ramsey Amdouni Odabert Fofana Which team wins the game? How have we managed to get so much worse?? This season's team wins. For the same reason that, contrary to folk...

claretspice

Catastrophic seasons have hangovers. Sometimes. But it's midnight and it's up to us whether to stop drinking and have a few pints if water to make sure we're feeling a bit better in the morning. That's a choice for VK and his staff, the players, but also fans. 2019/20 Norwich managed 21 points. The...

claretspice

OK let's have a go at an optimistic, but not wholly implausible scenario. We sell a few players this season to rationalise the squad and raise some cash, but keep a core that includes O'Shea, Esteve, Bayer, Cullen, Ramsey, Foster, Koleosho, Zaroury, Redmond and perhaps Amdouni, and bring in an exper...

claretspice

But at what cost? What league will we be in? We've spent BIG money on Trafford and Ramsey. They are on long contracts. The only reason I can imagine they are getting in the team is because club are desperate to flip them for profit ASAP. This isn't pop at them for for their performances or ability,...

claretspice

The guy never touched Ramsey ,he hurt himself as he avoided the tackle,probably got his studs stuck in the turf. The absence of contact doesn't mean it isn't a foul, of course - any more than the mere presence of contact means it is a foul. As you rightly say Ramsey was injured attempting to avoid ...

claretspice

Personally don’t think the constant criticism of individual players is helpful and it’s probably unfair. There were ironic cheers when Ramsey completed a pass in the second half, just before he went off injured. How does that help a young player? The problem is the squad, not the individuals within...

claretspice

agreenwood wrote: ↑
Sat Feb 17, 2024 9:49 pm
Has he even played 10 games worth of minutes yet?

Way, way too early to write off such a young player.

Spot on.

claretspice

Steve-Harpers-perm wrote: ↑
Sat Feb 17, 2024 9:42 pm
‘Make Turf Moor hell’. Christ how that has backfired it’s been hell for us! Think Kompany has got away lightly so far maybe down to general apathy.

The fixture draw sort of put paid to that notion at source. It didn't really give us a chance to make Turf Moor a fortress.

claretspice

Are we not playing with a keeper then, or are you just taking it as a given that Trafford will be in goal? Interestingly when driving back tonight, Dean Saunders on Talksport said Trafford looks, plays and carries himself like a youth team keeper. Trafford is the keeper. Did nothing wrong today. If...

claretspice

Given how terrible this season has been results wise combined with the lack of effort and fight shown on the pitch by too many players I'm pleasantly surprised at how little hostility there has been on the terraces I don't think accusations of a universal lack of fight or effort are fair, though.. ...

claretspice

Go to palace with us much experience as we can muster.

Assignon O’Shea Esteve Taylor
———————-Cullen
JBGBrownhill Berge Odobert
————-Fofana

claretspice

A very tough afternoon. I’ve certainly seen elite teams create more than Arsenal did today - for periods, particularly in the first half, we held our discipline well - but the simplicity of the chances when they came was alarming, as was the reaction to them. Trafford - 6 - oddly had very little to ...

claretspice

It's only what he finished with at City and played at home to Fulham. The difference is Beyer would play that role instead of Berge. Beyer could sweep in front of the centre halves, and as I suggested yesterday is comfortable in a back three having played that role for Monchengladbach many times. I...

claretspice

If Taylor is fit, and Beyer is fit I'd be tempted to play Bayer as a third centre half with O'Shea and Esteve, Assignon and Taylor as wing backs, Bownhill Berge and Ramsey in midfield and Odobert given licence either side of Fofana. If either Taylor or Beyer isn't fit, then its a 442, possibly with ...

claretspice

I think the position with Beyer is relatively straightforward. He's only 23, and has played less than 100 first team games. Quite a lot of those 100 games came at full back and less than 50 have come in either the Premier League or Bundesliga (i.e. top flight). As a result, it isn't a surprise that ...

claretspice

Dyche was (and still is) an outlier I think. Outside of the top 6, Everton are the only side barely conceding over a goal a game. Even the Liverpool defence looked ropey when tested yesterday. Luton are billed as the new equivalent to those promoted Dyche teams in the way they play, but it’s not bo...

claretspice

One of Trafford's problems that he has been rightly criticised for is decision making. He has developed a nasty habit of vacating his net and making it easy for the forward to score. As on Saturday, the goals aren't entirely his fault, but he ends up in no man's land too many times, three times rec...

claretspice

It was terrible play from Amdouni that. A simple ball back inside to Ramsey and we are away. Instead he turns to his blind side and it’s a mess. If the ball had rolled through to him cleanly, I'd agree. Once he had to reposition himself so he was facing our own goal, that was harder/impractical I t...

claretspice

OK maybe, but what about the queue of three unmarked players on the back post waiting to head it in, who is marking them? Answer = Nobody. Assignon, Brownhill and Amdouni all marking space. Shearer is right, absolute bobbins defending and a complete shambles all over the box. Doesn't matter if you ...

claretspice

Quickenthetempo wrote: ↑
Sun Feb 11, 2024 11:44 am
Yesterday's Liverpool side aren't anywhere near the level of when Mane and Salah were ripping us apart.

They're not far behind though.

claretspice

I've watched it several times and given the way thr bsll spins on the way from Ramsey to Amdouni, I think its possible MacAllister gets a feather on the ball. On balance I think itsna foul, but I don't think the ref should be criticised for missing it (and I agree MacAllister's ridiculous over-react...

claretspice

I thought it was a bit OT from Shearer. He nails the first goal - straightforward Trafford error- and is mostly right about the second except he ignored the arguable goul on Ramsey and to my mind unfairly singled out Amdouni. Having watched a replay of the game last night, however, the implication o...

claretspice

I think you're being extraordinarily generous there. Makes a change as I've generally been one of Amdouni's harsher critics. On this occasion i don't think he does much wrong. The ball from Ramsey is spinning (possibly bevause MacAllister got a feather on it) and he has to adjust his body position ...

claretspice

Brownhill wasn't at his best today (he hasn't been for a few weeks), but some context. He can be more composed but he and Berge competed very well today despite being outnumbered in that central areas throughout. He covered well, won second balls and helped us squeeze the game for periods, particula...

claretspice

Had that been in the early weeks of the season I think we'd have been encouraged. We need points of course and that's another game we haven't taken points from, but we were competitive. Trafford- 5 - generally I thought he did fine. But the misjudgement for the first goal is awful, and the period.of...

claretspice

I still think he has a role as a sub for us. Just not starting against the big powerful energetic sides. Unless he was carrying a knock or unwell and comes back fresh? I would be made up for him, but it's a hard league to not be fully at it all the time. Thought JBG struggled notably at City and ha...

claretspice

Trafford
Assignon OShea Esteve/Beyer Taylor
JBL Cullen Berge Odobert
-----------Brownhill
-----------Foster.

Tough on Fofana but I don't think we've got the wide players to go 442 at Liverpool- we need the extra midfielder to provide cover.

claretspice

I think we paid circa 16 million for him if you look at the reputable Transfer market sites? Whilst I agree with you that £5m is laughable, I think we would struggle to get anywhere near our outlay on him if he was sold. I respect Spices posts but again he mentions Trafford’s potential. We seem to ...

claretspice

Iam not sure Muric would stay as number 2 in the championship Doesn't this underprice the possibility that Trafford is one of the most saleable assets on relegation, should we need to realise revenue? I think that overall this season Trafford has done OK, even if his weaknesses are ones that mean h...

claretspice

He started the season very poorly, and he had a bad game against Fulham (not alone) but in general I think he has vastly improved from the lad who started against Man City. There’s stuff to work on but I reckon he’s a decent signing for £7m. I don't think he did have a bad game against Fulham, beyo...

claretspice

I wouldn't have guessed he was that quick, but O'Shea's pace in a straight line was evident from the first night of the season against City. He had a couple of shakier games when he got slightly caught out of position and/or was caught on the turn, but for my money he - along with Berge and possibly...

claretspice

Think you are debating two separate things - the corner (which Trafford could not have claimed), and the initial deflected cross which led to the corner because Assignon and Trafford were both a little uncertain. The latter is in my opinion a fair observation, but I think it's the sort of minor misu...

claretspice

I think this is right, though a fiasco is a bit harsh. Naive maybe. I can see what he was trying to do. Drop Berge back to a three when in possession, like he did early last season and at Anderlecht with Cullen, setting a high line, pushing the fullbacks up, especially the new lad who started as a ...

claretspice

we can't keep having a 10+ player overhaul every summer, that's the road to nowhere and it also makes it difficult for the players to connect with the supporters which is a huge thing imho and is playing a large part in what supporters are feeling (or not feeling as would seem a more appropriate de...

claretspice

Sorry that is absolute rubbish They Were booed off because it was a poor performance, not because they want the manager sacking, if that was the case where are the Kompany out chants, or any boos at full time Your agenda is to get Trafford dropped, if you say anything else you'd be telling porkies ...

claretspice

Absolute no doubt we’ve had far worse teams. I’ve no idea what but I just feel at times as if I could just call it a day. Before my time largely, but I think we've had worse owners too. And less committed teams. This is proving a tough season and it has starkly underlined how hard it now is for us ...

claretspice

Fulham were the by far the better side for a good hour after they went ahead and certainly had chances to kill the game at 2-0. But that being said, I can only think of three really good chances: one point blank header from a corner well saved and one decent near post save, one free header that was ...

claretspice

A huge missed opportunity against and ordinary Fulham team, and there have to be major questions over the tactical game plan, defensive organisation and discipline - even if the come back was ultimately creditable. Trafford- 7 - a string of good saves at 2-0 and actually dealt pretty well with the p...

claretspice

My guess would be BPF, Roberts, Weghorst, Twine, Egan-Riley, Churlinov, Bastien - aren't likely be back at Burnley Mcnally, Costellor and Obafemi - won't be back if can be sold for a profit Zaroury, Mellon and Dodgson - likely to return Move Twine and BPF into the second category and rename that ca...

claretspice

I slightly disagree in that Zaroury's a more attack-oriented player with a focus on goal contributions, an attacking winger rather than a wide playmaker, but I do agree overall that his output tailing off (which yes represents a dip in 'form' in terms of his own personal goal contributions) is more...

claretspice

I can go with that - though I do think having Zaroury play more of a role and allocating funds elsewhere would have been more sensible for the team as a collective. I think that can be (and is) true as well. We made mistakes last summer. But we are where we are and have to manage the players and sq...

claretspice

My own view is that three things can all be true: 1. Zaroury was terrific last season, contributed loads and showed huge potential (and I agree that his contribution outweighed his stats because he increasingly played a role in stretching teams and creating the space, and playing the initial passes,...

claretspice

We started him against Sheff utd away where he put in his best beformance of the season along with the game away at Bournemouth which doesnt really fit your theory. I think the points above yours about not being able to fit him in with the other attacking players, especially with a defensively woef...

claretspice

FAO Claretspice (didn’t want to quote your wall of text…which was quoting my own wall of text :D). You make valid points/counters to my own on the subject of Benson. I think I will respectfully disagree with the general crux of the ‘didn’t start in clutch games’ point as I feel this was absolutely ...

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