Antolin Alcaraz

[kithnou]

to be fair they have only conceded 2 less than city but it will be interesting to see if they will challenging this time next year after they bring in new defenders

when they spend another 200 mill next Summer....lock them in for a good run at the CL!

 

[L4Everton]

just because the cliche is a saying doesn't make it true, look at united this season.

I just thought up a cliche, if that is at all possible. It fits my view of the current malais.

"If at first you don't succeed
keep titting about at the back'

 

[ThebanksoftheBramleyMoore]

A 24 year old Kanchelskis in the prime of his form couldn't save our situation currently.

Less 'titting about at the back' and more fighting in midfield. Time for the squad and the manager to get a grip. Sick of watching us bullied.

i'm probably in the minority and deluded for thinking it but I don't think a lot of our goals are conceded through the actual "titting" around at the back.

I am happy for the team to be "titting" about with it when there is a reason to do it. it's when we get the ball in their half and decide for no reason whatsoever that we haven't done enough "titting" and opt to turn back and do some more "titting" when we should be attacking and at least looking for a forward pass.

McGeadys goal today was the first I remember in a while were we conceded from trying to play it out of danger and lets not forget it's McGeady who messed it up.

 

[ThebanksoftheBramleyMoore]

To be fair i think the cliche it true for us this season.

For all the poor performances we've still scored alot of goals, its the stupid defensive cock ups thats cost us games and points.


Would take a decent keeper or defender over any position right now.


Could do with another good winger though

After reading this I checked the premier league table to see our goal difference and realised we are level on points with a team that we have scored nearly 3x the amount of goals as, I take it back we need a new CB.

 

[LinekersLegs]

To be fair i think the cliche it true for us this season.

For all the poor performances we've still scored alot of goals, its the stupid defensive cock ups thats cost us games and points.


Would take a decent keeper or defender over any position right now.


Could do with another good winger though

Our defensive record is shocking this season, 10 goals conceeded due to individual mistakes alone. It isn't all down to the defence though, even lads that are usually confident on the ball have made awful passes/decisions right in front of goal

 

[L4Everton]

i'm probably in the minority and deluded for thinking it but I don't think a lot of our goals are conceded through the actual "titting" around at the back.

I am happy for the team to be "titting" about with it when there is a reason to do it. it's when we get the ball in their half and decide for no reason whatsoever that we haven't done enough "titting" and opt to turn back and do some more "titting" when we should be attacking and at least looking for a forward pass.

McGeadys goal today was the first I remember in a while were we conceded from trying to play it out of danger and lets not forget it's McGeady who messed it up.

'titting about at the back' has become the norm. Perhaps we are seeing things differently. There was a lot less of it tonight vs Newcastle I admit. But not 'a lot less' enough for my liking. Against Stoke Stones was left out on a limb and was caught because he had no options and wouldn't just get rid, when caught Stoke broke and should have scored. Barry busted in midfield two and three times a game (because the 'titting' means not getting rid and inviting pressure, but the opponents are pressuring the usual easy ball out and so midfield is under pressure before taking possession) and like you have mentioned, like we saw vs QPR, the FK in their half worked back in 3 passes to Howard and oh how the Boo's rang out.

Less 'titting about', I haven't even began to address the midfield 'titting' the 'titting' in defence is the worst thing, (midfield the titting is everyone getting a touch to work it from one flank to another, it slows our play and doesn't stretch them) possession play and 'titting about' is great when we are leading, but when we are chasing the game??? No frigging thankyou.

Tired of the 'titting' it has to go, or the person focusing on the 'titting' can go instead and we can go back to being difficult to beat. Tired of being a bunch of mugs teams love playing.

 

[L4Everton]

Our defensive record is shocking this season, 10 goals conceeded due to individual mistakes alone. It isn't all down to the defence though, even lads that are usually confident on the ball have made awful passes/decisions right in front of goal

'Titting about at the back' costs games. Costs points, and eventually costs a lot lot more.

 

[LinekersLegs]

'Titting about at the back' costs games. Costs points, and eventually costs a lot lot more.

Confidence and momentum are strange things, when a team has a lot of both moves often come off that go pear shaped when you have neither.

 

[L4Everton]

Confidence and momentum are strange things, when a team has a lot of both moves often come off that go pear shaped when you have neither.

Play the numbers then, make the mistakes in attack than in the back line. Too much 'titting about in defence' is costing us games. When the defnece gets 'no nonsense' the midfield will grow in confidence because the backline will murder anything coming their way. It isn't rocket science, this isn't the corrupted Serie A, this is the super competitive premier league, focused on physicality and played at a speed no other league knows. Thats why the TV pays like it does.

Time to get the basics right and go from there. 'Titting about' is ruining our league form and upsetting the support.

 

[LinekersLegs]

Play the numbers then, make the mistakes in attack than in the back line. Too much 'titting about in defence' is costing us games. When the defnece gets 'no nonsense' the midfield will grow in confidence because the backline will murder anything coming their way. It isn't rocket science, this isn't the corrupted Serie A, this is the super competitive premier league, focused on physicality and played at a speed no other league knows. Thats why the TV pays like it does.

Time to get the basics right and go from there. 'Titting about' is ruining our league form and upsetting the support.

Tbf on Alcaraz, the topic of this thread, don't think he is gulity of "titting about" that much. He either carries the ball out from the back or heads/wellies it clear. Can't recall too many instances of him dallying on the ball and getting caught.

 

[L4Everton]

Tbf on Alcaraz, the topic of this thread, don't think he is gulity of "titting about" that much. He either carries the ball out from the back or heads/wellies it clear. Can't recall too many instances of him dallying on the ball and getting caught.

I have a derby in my mind that I want to blame him for, but can't, because someone on the sideline picked him to dally and limp about through injury.
Faith to a system that means a manager is so blinded is not dangerous, its suicide.

I have never said we need a change in personel at managerial level, but the manager needs to change his outlook, his ways and his means. Because sooner rather than later we aint just going to come unstuck like a bunch of vvankers in the odd game or small run of games.

Less 'titting about', safety first. 'titting about' is screwing every player in our side and thats why we are a distant echo of the side we were.

No more 'titting about'.

 

[ThebanksoftheBramleyMoore]

'titting about at the back' has become the norm. Perhaps we are seeing things differently. There was a lot less of it tonight vs Newcastle I admit. But not 'a lot less' enough for my liking. Against Stoke Stones was left out on a limb and was caught because he had no options and wouldn't just get rid, when caught Stoke broke and should have scored. Barry busted in midfield two and three times a game (because the 'titting' means not getting rid and inviting pressure, but the opponents are pressuring the usual easy ball out and so midfield is under pressure before taking possession) and like you have mentioned, like we saw vs QPR, the FK in their half worked back in 3 passes to Howard and oh how the Boo's rang out.

Less 'titting about', I haven't even began to address the midfield 'titting' the 'titting' in defence is the worst thing, (midfield the titting is everyone getting a touch to work it from one flank to another, it slows our play and doesn't stretch them) possession play and 'titting about' is great when we are leading, but when we are chasing the game??? No frigging thankyou.

Tired of the 'titting' it has to go, or the person focusing on the 'titting' can go instead and we can go back to being difficult to beat. Tired of being a bunch of mugs teams love playing.

I see your point and you could be right but I still feel there is a place for it. My point of view is that we are just doing it badly and we are overplaying it to the point of it being ridiculous and it is inviting pressure and slowing our play down. We need to be doing it with an intent and purpose not just for the sake of it.

I don't like the going from one flank to another thing at all though and ironically it's something we did under Moyes a lot in his last two years we need to start being way more direct when we get in the oppositions half and try to break the oppositions back line more.

just watched the 2013/14 goals to cheer me up as well. the players looked like they wanted it so much more then as well and our movement and passing is a lot better

 

[L4Everton]

I see your point and you could be right but I still feel there is a place for it. My point of view is that we are just doing it badly and we are overplaying it to the point of it being ridiculous and it is inviting pressure and slowing our play down. We need to be doing it with an intent and purpose not just for the sake of it.

I don't like the going from one flank to another thing at all though and ironically it's something we did under Moyes a lot in his last two years we need to start being way more direct when we get in the oppositions half and try to break the oppositions back line more.

just watched the 2013/14 goals to cheer me up as well. the players looked like they wanted it so much more then as well and our movement and passing is a lot better

Agreed, there is a place for it, rolling the ball around the back is great when we are leading, its great when we are getting back into position.

But, it's when it's the only play we have and the midfield work it back because 'they only know that'. Or the forwards work it back to the midfield and they in turn pass it on to the defence because 'they only know that'. The comfort blanket of passing responsibility onto the defence is utterly nuts. It has its place in a jam, but every play? Expecting Pirlo distribution from die hard defenders (specifically CB) is giving the scalpel to the three year old. Denying them the get out of jail free card to hoof it forward is just putting pressure on Howard, who has come under even greater pressure because the buck is stopping with him more and more. Its crazy.

Heres a question. How can the defence be expected to move the ball around better than the midfield? If they could they'd be shuffled forward to do the distribution damage instead of the charlatans that were there. They cant. Defenders defend. Its why Hibbert has won plaudits yet again this season for doing his primary job.

So far as one flank to another, that too has its place, but not in the 5 minutes it takes us to manage, everyone needs a few touches, like its some business deal you need your signiture on enough times to make sure you get credit for the deal and therefore paid when it goes through. It's sad, it's slow and it's suicide again.

I'm starting to think the vigour and speed the side showed last year was because they had been freed from the Moyes vice of defence first, second and third. The thing is, that was still imprinted on them and they fell back into it with ease, the longer it has gone the more sloppy we have looked. 'Titting about in defence' has made that sloppiness more evident than natural disinclination would have.

The fear and the mistakes in our side now are exactly the same as the ones in his Wigan side. Time to change the philosophy, because it aint working.

 

[ThebanksoftheBramleyMoore]

Agreed, there is a place for it, rolling the ball around the back is great when we are leading, its great when we are getting back into position.

But, it's when it's the only play we have and the midfield work it back because 'they only know that'. Or the forwards work it back to the midfield and they in turn pass it on to the defence because 'they only know that'. The comfort blanket of passing responsibility onto the defence is utterly nuts. It has its place in a jam, but every play? Expecting Pirlo distribution from die hard defenders (specifically CB) is giving the scalpel to the three year old. Denying them the get out of jail free card to hoof it forward is just putting pressure on Howard, who has come under even greater pressure because the buck is stopping with him more and more. Its crazy.

Heres a question. How can the defence be expected to move the ball around better than the midfield? If they could they'd be shuffled forward to do the distribution damage instead of the charlatans that were there. They cant. Defenders defend. Its why Hibbert has won plaudits yet again this season for doing his primary job.

So far as one flank to another, that too has its place, but not in the 5 minutes it takes us to manage, everyone needs a few touches, like its some business deal you need your signiture on enough times to make sure you get credit for the deal and therefore paid when it goes through. It's sad, it's slow and it's suicide again.

I'm starting to think the vigour and speed the side showed last year was because they had been freed from the Moyes vice of defence first, second and third. The thing is, that was still imprinted on them and they fell back into it with ease, the longer it has gone the more sloppy we have looked. 'Titting about in defence' has made that sloppiness more evident than natural disinclination would have.

The fear and the mistakes in our side now are exactly the same as the ones in his Wigan side. Time to change the philosophy, because it aint working.

agreed, especially the midfielders passing on the responsibility of passing the ball to the defenders. It take the ball out of the oppositions danger areas and if the defenders lose the ball it's even more dangerous than if the midfielders lost it so it doesn't even make sense why we do it.

I don't like the defenders having the ball in the middle of the park to often, that's what the midfielders and wingers are for, I like it when they play out from the back. Back being the key word, once we get in to the middle of the park the defenders shouldn't be the ones trying to dictate play.

 

[McBain]

I like him but we do need better.

THE BIRD MAN YO