Bournemouth (A) 31/8: Build-Up & Match Thread

[Tony Towner]

Mentality thing for me. They'll make 4 to 6 changes like all teams do after that type of humping, but they are fragile. We have to go for them, but and this goes back to Nuno we don't in those situations. Take the game to them, score and then continue to do so afterwards and we'll win comfortably. Watford type performance from last season needed, Norwich more likely

 

[EdgeOfTheAlps]

Parker sacked

 

[Kenny]

Playing a team after a huge defeat - Tick
Playing a team who have just sacked their manager - Tick

Somewhere in Cambridgeshire there is an ex poster getting very dizzy and shouting at passing strangers

 

[slink]

Podence in the 10 for me with Neves and Nunes behind. Jimenez doesn’t look close to the player he was at Anfield last season never mind prime Raul. Get someone closer to him and in and around Lerma who is a liability at this level. Appreciate Podence is just as likely to be shit as good but he was quite often the only creative spark last year, our goal record with him on the pitch was considerably more.

Bournemouth are the worst side in the league from what i’ve seen and it’s all about mentality for us. Go in with the positive mentality that we are going to score goals and we beat them. Look to “control” the game and we give them the chance to be in the game.

 

[Tony Towner]

Having not seen anything other than 2 minute highlights, was Raul poor on Sunday?Good movement for the disallowed goal and from what was written on here having high balls pumped at him.

 

[Lycan]

Having not seen anything other than 2 minute highlights, was Raul poor on Sunday?Good movement for the disallowed goal and from what was written on here having high balls pumped at him.

He was fine really. He wasn't our biggest problem by a long stretch.

 

[Amanda]

Hate playing teams that have just sacked their manager !

 

[WsWolf]

Podence in the 10 for me with Neves and Nunes behind. Jimenez doesn’t look close to the player he was at Anfield last season never mind prime Raul. Get someone closer to him and in and around Lerma who is a liability at this level. Appreciate Podence is just as likely to be shit as good but he was quite often the only creative spark last year, our goal record with him on the pitch was considerably more.

Bournemouth are the worst side in the league from what i’ve seen and it’s all about mentality for us. Go in with the positive mentality that we are going to score goals and we beat them. Look to “control” the game and we give them the chance to be in the game.

Podence is fine if we actually play to his strengths which we rarely do. Get him on the ball in those tight spaces around the box with movement around him and he'll create.

The problem with that is, he's often receiving it 40/50 yards from goal with a massive defender up his arse or he gets it in the right position and nobody is anticipating or moving for him so he can't do anything first time.

 

[slink]

He was fine really. He wasn't our biggest problem by a long stretch.

Don’t agree, he was a massive issue. The balls up to him weren’t anything that we wouldn’t have done with Nuno or as i used the example of Anfield last year. Unfortunately he didn’t want to hold anything up as he was having one of those games where he was more interested in the centre halves than the ball and then moaning to the ref.

Slow coming back from offside positions and his movement in the box in the first half was dreadful. His movement did improve second half but the rest of his game didn’t. It’s not his fault, it’s clearly the injury still taking it’s toll but we can’t afford to have him playing like that more often than not.

 

[Jinky]

Podence in the 10 for me with Neves and Nunes behind. Jimenez doesn’t look close to the player he was at Anfield last season never mind prime Raul. Get someone closer to him and in and around Lerma who is a liability at this level. Appreciate Podence is just as likely to be shit as good but he was quite often the only creative spark last year, our goal record with him on the pitch was considerably more.

Bournemouth are the worst side in the league from what i’ve seen and it’s all about mentality for us. Go in with the positive mentality that we are going to score goals and we beat them. Look to “control” the game and we give them the chance to be in the game.

Yeah, this is what I'd go with too.

Raul
Neto - Podence - Guedes
Neves - Nunes
RAN - Kilman - Collins - Semedo
Sa
​

Can't say I've seen any sort of tangible plan while playing 4-3-3. Get Podence running off Raul and working the ball in/around the tight spaces on the edge of the area. Get at them from minute one and don't let up if we get in front. I'd also have RAN back in for Jonny, but highly doubt Lage agrees. We've got to win this one or confidence is going to be at an all time low.

 

[slink]

Podence is fine if we actually play to his strengths which we rarely do. Get him on the ball in those tight spaces around the box with movement around him and he'll create.

The problem with that is, he's often receiving it 40/50 yards from goal with a massive defender up his arse or he gets it in the right position and nobody is anticipating or moving for him so he can't do anything first time.

I agree we don’t generally play to his strengths, i also think this is a player issue as much as a coach issue. I do think though that if he doesn’t play well, he’s a passenger which is where lots of frustration comes from.

 

[BillyDee]

Yeah, this is what I'd go with too.

Sa
RAN - Kilman - Collins - Semedo
Neves - Nunes
Neto - Podence - Guedes
Raul​

FIFY

 

[Tony Towner]

If people want a 4231 then it's a shame we've sold our best option for that role - not that I disagree with the decision. Someone other than Podence will have to be found in the next 48 hours though if it's going to be a viable formation, which doesn't seem likely.

 

[Johnny75]

Hate playing teams that have just sacked their manager !

Soton are going to hate playing us then.

 

[Jinky]

FIFY

Oh shit yeah, cheers

 

[1986]

Adama anyone , they're already fragile , run at them like mad and something good might happen . Definitely bring him on at 60 min anyway .

 

[1986]

If Raul's injury is still impacting him , then why is he even playing or being allowed to play ?

In other words , is his poor form not more down to a disappointing attitude than anything else .

He may not like the role he is being asked to play , but that's not his call . He gets very well paid to play the game too .

 

[Johnny75]

If Raul's injury is still impacting him , then why is he even playing or being allowed to play ?

In other words , is his poor form not more down to a disappointing attitude than anything else .

He may not like the role he is being asked to play , but that's not his call . He gets very well paid to play the game too .

I mean, this is just rubbish.

He doesn't look like his old self but he was OK second half and his finish for the disallowed goal was excellent.

Nothing wrong with his attitude at all.

 

[Johnny75]

Adama anyone , they're already fragile , run at them like mad and something good might happen . Definitely bring him on at 60 min anyway .

Good God no.

There's a specific set of circumstances Traore should've been bought on for. Sunday was it and Lage doesn't bring him on.

 

[Jinky]

If Raul's injury is still impacting him , then why is he even playing or being allowed to play ?

In other words , is his poor form not more down to a disappointing attitude than anything else .

He may not like the role he is being asked to play , but that's not his call . He gets very well paid to play the game too .

I can't say Raul's attitude has ever been in question, for me. But I would like him to focus more on getting back to his old goalscoring form rather than the hilarious goal celebrations.