The Blame Game

[AndyWolves]

Analysis of goals conceded?

We have some very sharp minds on here, Louie, Johnny and Slink work or have worked in football, it's not a witchhunt, it's working out where we're going wrong.

This thread won't be a happy place. I'd rather focus on the positives than dwell on negatives, not that we're in a position to influence either

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't see how a freeze frame when the ball goes in can really be inaccurate, but anyway: it's nothing like in the corner, is it. Nor was it heading for the other corner when Maddison hit it.

 

[Johnny75]

I'm happy to have a go at keepers but not on this one.

Only if their name rhymes with Donergan

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

This thread won't be a happy place. I'd rather focus on the positives than dwell on negatives, not that we're in a position to influence either

Reasoned criticism is what makes a forum, most of the time. This isn't the place for saying "Matt Doherty is shit". It's pointing out how we're conceding and let's see if we can find patterns.

The ability to criticise got lost somewhere last year as we won nearly every week but it's bloody important.

 

[Kenny]

Only if their name rhymes with Donergan

I once went mental at Matt Murray....my angry face was even shown on ITV in the highlights.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I once went mental at Matt Murray....my angry face was even shown on ITV in the highlights.

Norwich at home?

I can't even remember why that was, all I remember from that game is a) Earnshaw looked class (showing that I am very easily fooled) b) we scored in the last minute c) it was the Seyi "let the ball roll across the six yard box while you're picking someone up" debacle

 

[PuntsWolf]

Because keepers don’t stand directly on their line? So the point it’s over the line is no where near the point he would intercept it? You also mention he dived over it, which he obviously didn’t.

People score penalties from 12 yards that far inside the post and the keeper doesn’t get it. That’s in a situation where 1) he isn’t wrong footed 2) he times his dive 3) there isn’t an unnatural amount of spin on the ball.

Like I said, when the ball is half way between Coady and the line (so let’s say 8 yards), it is still a ft outside the post.

You’ve set your stall out on this one so it’s unlikely you’ll change your mind. But I don’t agree.

 

[Johnny75]

Reasoned criticism is what makes a forum, most of the time. This isn't the place for saying "Matt Doherty is shit". It's pointing out how we're conceding and let's see if we can find patterns.

The ability to criticise got lost somewhere last year as we won nearly every week but it's bloody important.

Spot on DW.

I don't see a lot of difference between the start of last season and this other than being punished for the slightest mistakes. We were poor against 'Boro and get away with a Leo finish when the ball had been passed to him by Ayala. We looked good against Derby and won, leaked 2 dodgy goals against Hull where Neves got us out of the shit and got beat by Cardiff where our mistakes were punished.

My point is we started relatively slowly last season too and most people said we didn't get going till September. New league and the players have a different adaptation task.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

"A foot outside the post"

 

[PuntsWolf]

"A foot outside the post"

That’s 5 yards not 8 [emoji6]

 

[AndyWolves]

Reasoned criticism is what makes a forum, most of the time. This isn't the place for saying "Matt Doherty is $#@!". It's pointing out how we're conceding and let's see if we can find patterns.

The ability to criticise got lost somewhere last year as we won nearly every week but it's bloody important.

Fair enough, I feel that things like this will only bore out discontent. If a particular player seemingly gives away goals but Nuno keeps picking him then Nunos wisdom gets questioned, things will inevitably snowball from there

I'll stay out of this thread

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

What's wrong with questioning the manager?

Nuno is a good manager, he's not infallible. If Pep gets stuff wrong (in my eyes) then I slate him on the Live Match thread, yet he's probably the best manager in the world.

 

[lemonjelly]

The above few posts are just a hint of the black hole this thread is going to descend in to over the next few months.

This thread is like watching the pair of them in the pub...

However, I'm in the that's harsh on Rui camp. Without the deflection, he saves it.

That said, agree completely we need to be looking at this. We can't average conceding 2 goals a game. That way problems lie, and I'm not sure we're close to averaging 2-3 goals a game to get wins/draws. Burnley finished 7th last year, they may have only scored 36 league goals all season, but importantly they only conceded 39. If you're conceding one goal or less a game, you've a greater chance of winning games, especially the 1-0 wins.

 

[lemonjelly]

The ability to criticise got lost somewhere last year as we won nearly every week but it's bloody important.

Agreed. Became quite difficult to level criticism on many occasions last year, and difficult sometimes to find areas to improve because of the gulf in quality between ourselves and the rest of the division. Whilst last year was never a fait accompli, Nuno undoubtedly managed situations and players very well.

Like the players, he'll need to step up this year. He's also against a higher quality opposition. He's more likely to get punished because of naivete, or tactical weaknesses. He's earned much to his credit, but isn't infallible. I feel he still has yet to work out a plan b with the formation. He also needs to prove that last year wasn't merely lucky owing to a lack of injuries and a virtual first choice 11 being available each week.

 

[Premier Quality]

I also don’t think that’s the keepers fault at all. Agree with the rest though. No idea why Jonny was stood so far away from the cross, just waving a foot at it, was weird.

 

[AndyWolves]

What's wrong with questioning the manager?

Nuno is a good manager, he's not infallible. If Pep gets stuff wrong (in my eyes) then I slate him on the Live Match thread, yet he's probably the best manager in the world.

Nothing, but anything that jeopardises the unity we currently have is a bad thing. This will be the hardest and most important season we have had for sometime.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Needless slating = not welcome (I didn't like the "Thick Mick" stuff last time)

Analysing goals we concede and how we might prevent them = I think that's kind of why we're here, and if the manager's decisions cause all that in part, then he comes into it

I don't think anyone will tear into him, but he's as vulnerable as anyone else if results aren't there. I do personally think he's shown far too much faith in Doherty for a start. It's not enough to say "he won us the Championship and he knows better than us". If that were the case then close the forum. And if he ever gets sacked wonder "wow, what happened there?!".

 

[Alan]

I thought Boly's challenge in the build up to Maddison's goal was halfhearted.


Will also throw my hat in to saw that holding Patricio at fault for that goal seems outrageously harsh.

 

[Boozad]

Reasoned criticism is what makes a forum, most of the time. This isn't the place for saying "Matt Doherty is shit". It's pointing out how we're conceding and let's see if we can find patterns.

The ability to criticise got lost somewhere last year as we won nearly every week but it's bloody important.

Agreed. Nothing wrong with open and fair criticism, isn't that what football fans do most of the time anyway? Didn't Bennett get criticised for Bolton's consolation? Pretty sure he did, only that didn't matter because we scored five...

I'm split on the Rui debate though and I'd probably end up siding with him, the ball did bend a hell of lot after it hit Coady. Initially I wondered what the fuck Rui was doing when it went in, even after the first couple of replays as the deflection didn't look to change the flight of the ball that much, but one angle did highlight how far it moved after the deflection.

Was he at the right height? Looks like it.

Could he have reacted quicker? Possibly.

Did he have the initial shot covered? All day long.

The deflection was that slight it must have been hard to spot and react quickly enough. I'd absolve him on this one.

 

[Siggy]

Great idea, in a league as ruthless as the premier league you can't afford as many fuckups so it's a good idea to see who is falling short. My initial reaction the the 2nd Leicester goal was that Patricio should save it but then seeing the deflection bearing in mind this all happens in a split second wasn't so sure. I wouldn't say it's anything close to a clanger but you would hope a keeper of his calibre would get a hand on it.

The good news with playing Citeh next is that no-one expects anything so it's another game to bed in for all including Patricio and Moutinho who haven't played in this league before but also keep an eye on basic errors we shouldn't be making.

Good thread.