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Reply | Why we played so much better yesterday…
at 15:43 23 Nov 2025
Yeah, the "lesser extent" is what I'm talking about. I'm not saying others didn't press, I'm saying they weren't as committed as Charlton. Charlton went all-in on it as a tactic, not just picking the best moments like others have done. They committed lots of men forward leaving space behind and weren't as quick to drop back. |
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Reply | Why we played so much better yesterday…
at 14:15 23 Nov 2025
David, you may be right, I said that because that's what we've mostly seen so far in the Championship. There's not as much high pressing as there was last year in the Prem. Maybe the top teams like Coventry and Boro focus on pressing but it seems to me that the average championship side seems more interested in defending deep, or they press for shorter periods and if they don't get it back quickly, they drop back. I haven't gone to every game but the only other team this year that I remember doing what Charlton tried to do was Liverpool in the cup.
I doubt we'll score 5 again on Tuesday but 1-0 would actually be great and hopefully everyone will be even more positive afterwards. I'm looking forward to it for a change. |
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Reply | Why we played so much better yeserday…
at 11:19 23 Nov 2025
I wasn't commenting on how well he played or saying he didn't play well. The thread says that what Bragg did was a tactical change but it wasn't really, so I said "Bragg didn't really do anything different to what Downes often does". Bragg took on more of the holding role than Jander, but that's what Downes has often done (when he's actually played). |
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Reply | Why we played so much better yesterday…
at 11:10 23 Nov 2025
David, I'm glad you're positive, I am too. But what I was saying is that Charlton pressed us high up the pitch, but did it badly and we were able to pass through them (also because we did it very well). Yesterday at least, they didn't pack their defence, they pressed high up. I've no idea what they do normally, but yesterday they didn't pack their defence. That meant we could reach the space that Charlton had left behind when they were pressing (and as you rightly say AA dropped into). But that won't happen often. Not many teams will press us like that and if they do, they will probably now position a defensive midfielder to cut off the pass to AA.
We've actually been a good counter attacking team already this season. TE made our counter better, but that's not our main attacking problem. Our problem is when teams sit deep and don't press us, but rather quickly drop deep and have 2 banks of players camped on the edge of their penalty box. Then we won't get the kind of space that we were allowed yesterday and that's when we've struggled before. Then we can't run into space (which we're good at), instead we have to play short passes through their defence, or put crosses into 5'6" tall players which doesn't work.
Yesterday was great and we're no doubt improving, but not every game will be like that tactically. Maybe TE has a fix for when teams play a low block too, time will tell. |
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Reply | Why we played so much better yeserday…
at 09:53 23 Nov 2025
What you say is mainly true but is far from the whole story (and Bragg didn't really do anything different to what Downes often does). TE did improve things but what he did won't work in many of our games.
Charlton pressed pretty badly and left themselves open to the counter. There was masses of space for AA to operate in, he often didn't have a defender within 10 yards. That's when he thrives, but he won't get that often. In the 2nd half Charlton did a better job of cutting off our passing options. Other sides will watch the video and learn.
The true test for TE is when we have to face a team that sits deep and packs the defence. Then AA won't have space and we'll face the problem again of not having a true centre forward that can win a physical battle. Can he come up with a plan for those games?
TE has done well so far and will very likely get the job, but don't read too much into a few games, either good or bad. |
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Reply | Steve McClaren Resigns
at 14:45 22 Nov 2025
A reply that's up there with your normal standard Tony...
p.s. I suggest you don't ever ask Mourinho if he minds being remembered as a failure. |
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Reply | Charlton v Saints matchday thread...
at 14:42 22 Nov 2025
Really good performance. Charlton were surprisingly open in the first half but even so Saints did really well.
Looks nailed on for TE now. With the momentum they carry into the next couple of games, I can't see that performances can be bad enough to change minds at SR, particularly given the lack of other options. Here's hoping he can win the next 20 games too. |
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Reply | Steve McClaren Resigns
at 12:05 22 Nov 2025
Yeah, that's the difference between you and those who are looking to build a long term career out of it. |
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Reply | Steve McClaren Resigns
at 11:58 22 Nov 2025
You really think a man with an ego like Mourinho doesn't mind being seen as a failure?? You've obviously never come across anyone with an ego half the size of his. Unfortunately, I have. |
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Reply | Steve McClaren Resigns
at 22:52 19 Nov 2025
Wealthy men yes, but not a patch on how wealthy they would be if they have a full career manging at the top level. Also, just like players they don't only think about money. They want to work their way up from success to success and win some prizes. None of them want to be remembered as a failure. They want the glory too. Working at SFC under Banana Republic puts that career plan at risk. |
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Reply | Steve McClaren Resigns
at 17:20 19 Nov 2025
No one wants to be sacked unless they're 70 years old. No football manager wants to be paid off on a 3 year contract when it could ruin the rest of their 20 or 30 year career. |
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Reply | Steve McClaren Resigns
at 16:10 19 Nov 2025
I'm not saying that McClaren is the answer, but this shows how tricky the issue is, whichever way you try to solve it. In this case, yeah he's failed, but if we get an experienced manager then it will be someone who has failed along the way, unless it's someone who only has experience in the lower leagues.
If they only have experience in the lower leagues then there might be a good reason for that, but also do we want someone who only knows the lower leagues? Maybe yes, but that puts us at a disadvantage if we're ever promoted because then PL experience is vital. You could say just get promoted and then replace the manager but that's never going to happen, so the likelihood is we come straight back down again.
I think a lot of people are unrealistic about who we can get, apart from anything else because most managers won't fancy being sacked in 3 months time. Whichever way this goes I think the majority of people will be disappointed. |
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Reply | What division all 24 EFL Championship clubs really belong in
at 09:04 19 Nov 2025
That's 5 championship clubs that belong in the PL. So which 5 PL clubs don't belong there? How about the 3 bottom clubs West Ham, Forest and Wolves? No, all 3 of them belong in the PL more than the shower of sh1te in the championship (including us). Same is true for the other clubs in the PL.
The gap between us and the decently run clubs is widening all the time. Seems more and more that we are destined to be a mid table championship club after the parachute payments dry up. |
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Reply | Scotland V Denmark
at 17:43 18 Nov 2025
I hope Scotland batter Denmark.... until the 97th minute when Denmark equalise. |
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Reply | England
at 13:17 15 Nov 2025
Probably no one will beat Spain in the knockouts unless its on pens.
The heat and humidity will be a huge factor and play into the hands of those who like a slow tempo and possession football (as world cups usually do). It will be a different sport to football in a european winter with PL style physicality and tackles. This works against England but we now have players who can mix it with the best technical players in the world, so we have a chance. |
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Reply | SKY SPORTS BREAKING NEWS TONDA ECKERT
at 13:51 14 Nov 2025
He may well have done because apart from anything else he would have insisted that we have a centre forward. Jones is the reason we signed Tall Paul, who would also have done well in this league. |
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Reply | Are these International Breaks
at 13:43 14 Nov 2025
I watched on telly but Eze looked really good, his best game for England. I'd rather him or Gordon on the left rather than Rashford who remains unconvincing. Tuchel played Eze at 10 before which seems a mistake to me. Hopefully with all the other 10 options he never does that again. |
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Reply | Are these International Breaks
at 11:30 14 Nov 2025
No, he's right. When international tournaments are on, ok you may have 30 million watching at home like you say, but there are no England flags anywhere, the pubs are empty and no fan parks are open. |
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Reply | A song for Tonda
at 16:41 13 Nov 2025
Tonda we're not sure about you
you've won some games, but really so few
Win some more and the job is yours
that's the view of Johannes Spors
Perhaps it would be better to have someone proven
let's just hope you don't turn out like Ruben
(no one will be singing this so the tune doesn't matter) |
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Reply | SKY SPORTS BREAKING NEWS TONDA ECKERT
at 16:15 13 Nov 2025
If he is staying as interim manager until after the international break, then that probably says more about the other candidates than it does about TE. SR knew everything about TE already. This news probably says that no one else is interested unless they get paid a lot of money to come to such a badly run club.
SR must be wondering whether to take the risk of spending a lot of money on another new manager when their record has been so bad, or to take the risk of spending no money and sticking with someone who has no qualifications for the job. They've decided to defer the decision and see what happens. |
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