Well, that was unexpected! And not worth waking myself up at 4am for :icon_lol:
Don't agree with any of the calls on here for sudden changes in personnel, suddenly X and Y aren't good enough or can't play together, Z looks like a competition winner, quick buy more players, etc. The problem isn't the personnel (barring mistakes and poor performances, obviously, and I know there have been plenty recently). They've been successful for 2-3 seasons now in our style and don't become shit overnight - and you don't lose 4-0 because one player should've started rather than be on the subs bench, etc, etc. There was just something horribly wrong with the system and shape yesterday and we made it very easy for them. While I'm excited to see how we'll make tweaks and evolve, part of my brain is also more about "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Gotta get that balance between the evolution but not end up losing one of your main strengths during the change.
Our success has been mostly built on being REALLY hard to score against. The last couple of games we've been far too easy to get at. We've gone from an amazing defensive shape and unit I have absolute faith in, to one leaking so many chances against. Pretty sure WH had more opportunities in the first half last night than our previous 4 meetings combined. We looked so exposed constantly. And I get it, you can't just click your fingers and suddenly we're playing in a different way flawlessly - it'll take time - but we've looked awful for 3 out of the last 4 halves of football.
I'm no tactical genius, but felt like Neves and Moutinho are both playing a bit further forward. Which so far hasn't reeeaaally benefitted us in the final third. What it does mean is that it has been easier to get through them, they aren't as close to the back 3 to provide that extra layer. Semedo looked brilliant on the ball yesterday, but he spent more time further forward than Doc, I think, and combined with Neves and Moutinho seemingly being further out of ye olde shape, there was just so much space on so many occasions. We were incredibly vulnerable to the counter, which is a headache the top teams have also had to navigate. There was none of that pattern of play we've been so used to re: our shape and shepherding players wide about 25 yards out before a combo of a WB and CM either pushing them back, forcing a mistake, nicking possession, etc.
Also, as bad as we were, surprisingly credit to West Ham as they out 3-4-3ed us and looked a constant threat while making us look out of ideas going forward. I thought Masuaku was excellent.
Sorry, long and a bit rambly, but just wanted to reiterate that I don't think the personnel are the problem. We don't suddenly need 2 new CMs or CBs whatever. More that this tweaking of shape and approach is just gonna need a lot more fine-tuning if it is going to work.
