2020/21 Carlo Ancelotti

[dannyboy]

Least of our problems mate.
We have goals in us. We cant keep them out.
Defensive spine is a real issue.
Personaly i think getting a keeper that brings confidence to those in front is a start.

I think the defence is being hung to dry a bit by the midfield too. We just seem so easy to play through, which is shocking considering none out of our midfielders really trouble the opposition in the final third either.

 

[Gilbert..]

Agree on the keeper, but not entirely with the rest. Firstly the goals have dried up a bit, we've only scored 6 in our last 6 and 3 of those were in the first half against a frankly awful Fulham side. We haven't scored more than once in any of the other 5 games, despite needing to in all of them. Also one of the major issues we've had defensively is our inability to keep hold of the ball. It's not just the defenders who are responsible, we invite pressure on ourselves by making poor decisions on the ball over and over again in games.

Wont always get the consistent 2 goals every game. I think we are about the 4th or 5th top scorers in the league right now. I still think we look like scoring. Digne is a huge loss now as his assists were a big part of our goals.
As priorities go. Keeping them out is way above them going in at the other end.

 

[luuk_deventer]

I think we are about the 4th or 5th top scorers in the league right now. I still think we look like scoring.
As priorities go. Keeping them out is way above them going in at the other end.

Yes, only Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea and Leicester have scored more than us.

But only Leeds, West Brom and Fulham have conceded more.

You could look at that and say that the priority should be the defence and change personnel but could the two statistics be linked? Maybe our defence is so poor because we commit too many bodies forward in attack (or are too slow, unable to track back on the counter) and therefore we'll generally score more goals, but also concede more goals too.

 

[Gilbert..]

Yes, only Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea and Leicester have scored more than us.

But only Leeds, West Brom and Fulham have conceded more.

You could look at that and say that the priority should be the defence and change personnel but could the two statistics be linked? Maybe our defence is so poor because we commit too many bodies forward in attack (or are too slow, unable to track back on the counter) and therefore we'll generally score more goals, but also concede more goals too.

Going on the past few seasons im not convinced by either pickford keane or mina. I take the argument about being exposed but i also see some very weak individual errors from them all far to many times.
Keane should be dominating our back four. Not commanding or aggressive enough for me.

 

[Lanolin]

Wont always get the consistent 2 goals every game. I think we are about the 4th or 5th top scorers in the league right now. I still think we look like scoring. Digne is a huge loss now as his assists were a big part of our goals.
As priorities go. Keeping them out is way above them going in at the other end.

No you won't always get 2 but the point is we've not been free scoring for quite a while now. There is a possibility that we've been a bit like a flat track bully and filled our boots against dross like Fulham, Brighton and West Brom but don't have the ability to do it against better teams. We got 12 against those teams and only 8 in the other 8 games. So yes I agree sorting out the defence is important, i'm just saying I don't necessarily think the attack is 'the least of our problems', I think it's the whole thing that's an issue right now. We just aren't playing well full stop. Ancelotti said he wanted Richarlison to get 20 PL goals this season. He has 1 penalty to his name so far. That's definitely a concern. The defence creaking wouldn't be as much of an issue if we could outgun teams but you only need to score once against us to be fairly confident of a point at the moment.

 

[Gilbert..]

No you won't always get 2 but the point is we've not been free scoring for quite a while now. There is a possibility that we've been a bit like a flat track bully and filled our boots against dross like Fulham, Brighton and West Brom but don't have the ability to do it against better teams. We got 12 against those teams and only 8 in the other 8 games. So yes I agree sorting out the defence is important, i'm just saying I don't necessarily think the attack is 'the least of our problems', I think it's the whole thing that's an issue right now. We just aren't playing well full stop. Ancelotti said he wanted Richarlison to get 20 PL goals this season. He has 1 penalty to his name so far. That's definitely a concern. The defence creaking wouldn't be as much of an issue if we could outgun teams but you only need to score once against us to be fairly confident of a point at the moment.

Well thats a point of view that has divided many down the years. I disagree with the outgunning other teams. Most succesful sides if not all have had solid bases and tight at the back.
I think spurs are title contenders this year because mournho simply has them not conceding goals. They can then go and nick games.
Irony. Only game they have lost this season is Everton.

 

[micknick]

I think we have a decent system when we have a fully fit squad. Our full backs offer a real threat going forward and are encouraged to attack, when they leave space in the full back areas Doucoure will drop in.

This also gives James a bit more space as he has the option of the full back bombing on with him. You can see why he went to a 3 as he probably felt we didnt have the quality at full back for the defensive duties so to compensate with a 3 and then using Iwobi and a n other as wing backs.

I think having Coleman back will be good and getting Digne back will be massive. Just need to work out how we can do bits without them in the team.

 

[LocalNative]

Well thats a point of view that has divided many down the years. I disagree with the outgunning other teams. Most succesful sides if not all have had solid bases and tight at the back.
I think spurs are title contenders this year because mournho simply has them not conceding goals. They can then go and nick games.
Irony. Only game they have lost this season is Everton.

Good point. Aside from Mick Keane though, I don't think any of our CB's are good enough for a team harbouring European ambitions.

 

[Lanolin]

Well thats a point of view that has divided many down the years. I disagree with the outgunning other teams. Most succesful sides if not all have had solid bases and tight at the back.
I think spurs are title contenders this year because mournho simply has them not conceding goals. They can then go and nick games.
Irony. Only game they have lost this season is Everton.

No I think you're misunderstanding me. I definitely want us to sort the defence out. To be properly successful you need a good defence, in the long run you can't rely on outgunning teams, there's no argument there. What i'm saying is, in the short term, the defence not being great could be overcome if we were really good going forward. We've only conceded 2 goals in our last 2 games, and yet it's only got us 1 point because we also aren't looking great at the other end (DCL apart). Our recent run has seen games against Southampton, Newcastle, Leeds and Burnley and we've only scored twice in those 4 games, both scored by the same player and one of them was a last minute consolation goal. All i'm saying is I wouldn't necessarily say 'the attack is fine it's just the defence' because I don't think that's the case. We have James pulling out occasional bits of magic and DCL slotting when you give him one touch chances, but we're not exactly cutting teams to ribbons with our swashbuckling attacking play. As I said earlier, our complete inability to keep hold of the ball is one of the main defensive issues we have, half the goals we concede come from us giving the ball away cheaply and one of the reasons we look tired at the end of games is because our games are invariably like schoolyard games where we're al running one way one minute and back the other way the next.

 

[micknick]

Good point. Aside from Mick Keane though, I don't think any of our CB's are good enough for a team harbouring European ambitions.

Well you would have said Holgate but I think hes slept with Carlos wife.

 

[degsy]

Yes, only Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea and Leicester have scored more than us.

But only Leeds, West Brom and Fulham have conceded more.

You could look at that and say that the priority should be the defence and change personnel but could the two statistics be linked? Maybe our defence is so poor because we commit too many bodies forward in attack (or are too slow, unable to track back on the counter) and therefore we'll generally score more goals, but also concede more goals too.

Sounds like spot on for mid table then - unless things for the better... or this being Everton - the worse.
High goals for column but a low single digit GD = poor defending

 

[Gilbert..]

No I think you're misunderstanding me. I definitely want us to sort the defence out. To be properly successful you need a good defence, in the long run you can't rely on outgunning teams, there's no argument there. What i'm saying is, in the short term, the defence not being great could be overcome if we were really good going forward. We've only conceded 2 goals in our last 2 games, and yet it's only got us 1 point because we also aren't looking great at the other end (DCL apart). Our recent run has seen games against Southampton, Newcastle, Leeds and Burnley and we've only scored twice in those 4 games, both scored by the same player and one of them was a last minute consolation goal. All i'm saying is I wouldn't necessarily say 'the attack is fine it's just the defence' because I don't think that's the case. We have James pulling out occasional bits of magic and DCL slotting when you give him one touch chances, but we're not exactly cutting teams to ribbons with our swashbuckling attacking play. As I said earlier, our complete inability to keep hold of the ball is one of the main defensive issues we have, half the goals we concede come from us giving the ball away cheaply and one of the reasons we look tired at the end of games is because our games are invariably like schoolyard games where we're al running one way one minute and back the other way the next.

I wouldnt disagree with that. Any team can have games they dont score. Thats where the benefit of grinding out results seperates.
We havent got a clean sheet in us right now.
Personel at the back. Not for me.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Well you would have said Holgate but I think hes slept with Carlos wife.

He started two homes games , and we lost both with a lot of poor defending . I do think there is a degree of overrating which goes on with Holgate tbh. He had a better season last year but he makes a lot of mistakes. He also hurt our pre-season and recruitment plans by getting a daft injury in a friendly trying to do some sort of trick on half way.

Of our central defenders, only Keane has come out with any credit so far this season. The other 3 have all made bad errors that have cost us points. Our actual organisation hasn't been that bad, but some of the mistakes have been appalling. Players have to take more responsibility.

 

[LocalNative]

Well you would have said Holgate but I think hes slept with Carlos wife.

Thought he was dreadful against United and far from his best against Leeds too.

I like Holgate but don't think he's big enough or strong enough to be a top centre-half.

 

[zombiemedia]

Yes, only Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea and Leicester have scored more than us.

But only Leeds, West Brom and Fulham have conceded more.

You could look at that and say that the priority should be the defence and change personnel but could the two statistics be linked? Maybe our defence is so poor because we commit too many bodies forward in attack (or are too slow, unable to track back on the counter) and therefore we'll generally score more goals, but also concede more goals too.

So...we're a midtable team based on goals for/against? Seems about right at the moment.
The first 11 have improved, but there is a real drop in quality after that.
We will push for a European place, but the good start to the season made folk go a bit loopy...