WRONG, Malts! You're not totally discredited, you're one of our most perceptive posters. Like most of us, you underestimated what Javi could do when he had a full pre-season to work on it, but you've had the grace to admit it.
Alcacer came off the bench with 25 mins to go tonight for Dortmund away at Leverkusen and scored twice to fire them to a win. I can't help but feel we missed the boat...
I think we are playing so well, competing with big 6 teams but lack a little bit of clinicalness (!) in the final third. A good finisher should be top of our shopping list now. Excuse this largely nonsensical post as i am rather drunk now
Well you have hit the nail on the head. We are a clinical striker away from something special imo. It is frustrating as the two upfront work so hard but just aren't clinical enough.
Still a good start. Haven’t been out played yet. We can’t win them all otherwise we would be Liverpool/Chelsea/City. We do t have the clinical finishers/depth in squad/quite the quality for that Yet. Arsenal away and we were unlucky. Score line doesn’t reflect the game. Keep your heads up
Yes to everything said so far, but I’m pssed after a corporate day so my opinion really doesn’t count Arsenal fans are hugely embarrassing, and only made noise when they scored, or when nasty Troy upset them by making tackles Corporate is bad as you can’t be all loud and lary like you can in the Watford end. Unlikely to accept again Chinese takeaway on the way home
Pi55ed off with that. Arsenal simply aren’t that good, big chance missed there. With all the chances we missed today and against Fulham, it’s cost us five points. Thought Arsenal should have had a pen in the first half, Kabasele did the same stupid tackle he did on Wednesday night which resulted in a pen and red card. He needs to be more switched on more of the time. Thought he and Cathcart were both really poor today. These pair are going to cost us points this season, wouldn’t mind seeing a change at the back. Bobby P had another quiet game, I would have replaced him with chalobah early in the second half. The success substitution came at the right time, pity he didn’t have his shooting boots on We go again
I think Kabs and Cathcart have been great this year. But even if they did need rotating we have no options. Due to lack of summer investment the rest of the senior centre backs are miles below the required standard.
"We go again" must be the most annoying phrase since American middle class lefties started saying "check your privilege"
Hi Malts. I was a bit surprised at your down beat posts at the time as you’re usually so level headed. Usually you add perspective to any of the other negative posts. I always enjoy reading your posts, so no talk of being discredited. As the new owner of this forum, post MORE, I say!
Hi Malts. Don't stop posting, your stats and considered opinions are valued on here! My opinion on Garcia was always positive but more in hope (and not having the balls to slag him off on a public forum) let's all enjoy it whilst it lasts!
Seems we’re all on a Malteser rimfest. I could see we needed to change slither and I could see that Javi came in and stopped the rot. I wanted continuity in the coaching role but I couldn’t see that Javi could take us on. So, with me, it was also hope.
Are u OK Malts? You are in the top 6 posters on this forum in my view for your stats and analysis. Whatever you do, don’t stop posting.
I'm over it now but at 16:40 when we were 2-0 down I was really pi$$ed off. Not because of the scoreline (well it was) but mainly as we hadn't learnt from lessons last week at Fulham! You have to take your chances when in control of the game (which we were for the majority). I do worry that our lack of investment this summer on a 15-20 goal a season striker is going to bite us on the backside and probably has over the last 2 league games where we've taken 1 point instead of the 6 we should've taken. All that being said, in a twisted way it's quite nice to feel so deflated sitting 6th in the League on 13 points from 7 games having already played Man Utd, Spurs and Arsenal. A brilliant season for us is a top 10 finish and we are more than capable of doing that with our current squad. I think it just goes to show how close we are to being the best side outside of 'the top six'. The boys are doing a great job and long may it continue. I feel we have to respond next weekend at home to Bournemouth with a win, just to keep the feel-good factor running. Wolves away after that is another very tough game. I would like to see Isaac Success get a chance for start alongside Deeney. Deulofeu coming back any time now will also give us more depth and quality from the bench (to begin with). On current form I struggle to see Chalobah getting in ahead of Capoue. I think the only way he's getting in at the moment is if he drops Doucoure (which is a mad statement in itself). Good times.
Is it though? We play 2 strikers instead of other teams who play 1. If we carry on playing like we have I can see Gray getting into double figures as long as he aint dropped and Deeney scoring some Pens and a few in open play. Yes they will miss some chances in games but that happens at any club.
Extremely disappointing score. The team went toe to toe at the ground of one of the supposed elite and we gave them more than a match. And on the balance of play a draw was a deserved result. The team excelled once again in it's shape and patterns. Holebas continues to be superb at providing set piece balls, Capoue was outstanding in midfield, Gray showed tremendous tenacity when he worked to win the ball back in midfield and Hughes and Pereyra are just a joy to watch on the ball. Navarro was solid forward not so great going forward. He must work on that. However the same failings that have plagued the team for last season were evident in the final third indeed eighteen yard area. It's a lack of precision with the final ball. Either it is misplaced or the wrong option is taken or there is a little too much hesitation. It is costing us because the opportunities are being created. We also lack that top class striker at present and referring to Alcacer he might have been what was needed. Success obviously wasted a golden chance, Deeney was unfortunate, Pereyra marginally wide and Gray really ought to have tried to take it round Leno. Both Gray & Success really need to work on their first touches. They are not good enough for this level because they allow the defence the chance to intercede. As for the Library. Tremendously fickle and rather fortunate the referee did not send Torreira off for simulation. His yellow card for Deeney was laughable. If we continue to play like this we will be more than alright but we need to finish chances and show more clarity in the opposition box. Finally we were tiring around seventy minutes but I have to say this is one issue I have with Gracia is his tardiness in making substitutions. Chalobah for Hughes ? Femenia for Navarro ?
Top 6? That's very specific. Do you have a league table? Do posters move up and down the table according to their weekly performance, stats and analysis? I am intrigued.
Tbf its not just the front 2. Collectively in recent games that final ball/shot/decision has been lacking
Quite. The highlights made it look like a routine home win and then the stats in the manager interviews told a different story. We had more shots on and off target and came out well ahead in that expected goals stat. At least the pundits told it how it was.
