Relegation 2022/23

[Lanolin]

Yeah if you’d offered 3 points from the 2 games most people on here would have taken it. If we’d drawn both game the mood would probably be better despite having a point less. Our survival bid is unlikely to be built on winning away at top 6 teams. Two home games on the spin now, points needed.

Also where has the is snobbery for open play goals come from? Do goals from set pieces not count or something? We really can’t afford to be picky. City and Liverpool are routinely at the top of set pieces scored metrics. If it’s good enough for the best teams in the league it’s good enough for us. We can of course improve the finishing from open play but if you win a game and get three points no one cares how you did it in a relegation battle.

It's not snobbery, it's just pretty basic common sense. If you don't score goals from open play then you're really going to struggle to get enough goals to win games. I would be perfectly happy with us not scoring from open play for the rest of the season if we stayed up, but realistically that isn't going to happen. We had 3 corners last night, it's just not feasible to say we need to be scoring from 33% of our corners in order to have any chance of winning a game, obviously.

 

[maccavennie]

It’s insane that we are so, so, so bad, have won one game in about 4 months, yet are one point from safety.

I can’t even remember the last time we put a winning run together

It'll be under Ancelotti where we had a little 5/6 game spell where we strung a couple of wins together along with a draw or 2.

Edit start of 2020/21 season.

Played 8, won 7, drawn 1.
3 games were in the League Cup with wins against Salford, Fleetwood, West Ham

 

[Tony’s Carp]

It’s insane that we are so, so, so bad, have won one game in about 4 months, yet are one point from safety.

I can’t even remember the last time we put a winning run together

I guess if you want to flip that to a positive it shows how little improvement is required to be better than the teams around us, and an experienced and more proven manager in Dyche should be able to get us that over Lampard. But it also shows how short sighted it was to not bring in a couple of forward options even on loan, they didn’t need to be world beaters to give this squad the helping hand it needs.

 

[davek]

In two games under Dyche we’ve beat the league leaders then played an away derby where we were inches away from also taking the lead in last night, effectively a two goal swing which could’ve changed the outcome dramatically.

Over two very difficult games we’ve gained points on Southampton, Bournemouth, Leeds, Palace and West Ham and kept pace with Forest.

Losing the derby isn’t fun but I hope the team don’t lose the head over it as much as half this forum has.

That really is the only way to look at this.


I mean last night wasn't fun, but better Everton teams than this one have struggled to get a draw over there never mind a win...and our performances have been tame for years at Anfield.

Leeds is the acid test. We'll learn a lot on Saturday.

 

[sd_1992]

Since the New Year:

Everton scored 4 goals Leeds scored 5 goals.

They have scored 28 goals this season and we have scored 16…

 

[davek]

dIt’s insane that we are so, so, so bad, have won one game in about 4 months, yet are one point from safety.

I can’t even remember the last time we put a winning run together

It is...and a win against Leeds will likely put us 16th after the Sunday games. That just underlines how dire about 5 teams are.

If we beat both Leeds and Villa we earn the right to not look over our shoulder at that fight with those other form and we then look around us at those other teams like Forest, Wolves and Palace.

IMO no other bottom 12 team could do what we did against Arsenal: not only beat them but beat them deservedly.

Our team has no right to be where they are. Even shorn of a main attacking option we should be adaptable to make that not count and still get up this table.

 

[davek]

They have scored 28 goals this season and we have scored 16…

But their recent form has to be taken into account. If I said we were one of the top frugal defences up until December statistically you'd say to me "but we've allowed a collapse of sorts so that doesn;t mean anything". Well Leeds' ability to get on the scoresheet has collapsed since the New Year.

 

[kiss the crest]

The problem we have as a team is what Liverpool realised yesterday after about 20 minutes into the game, we could not hold the ball up in the final 1/3 which meant they could play further up the pitch and not worry about our blunt attack,
Other teams will latch onto this and it will put extra pressure on our defence and it will be a constant battle of backs to the wall.
Like I have said without DCL we have big problems going forward

It may sound bizarre but it maybe worth putting Tarkowski up front or Keane

 

[Del-boy]

I’m convinced we will finish bottom.

 

[Jokerdan]

The problem we have as a team is what Liverpool realised yesterday after about 20 minutes into the game, we could not hold the ball up in the final 1/3 which meant they could play further up the pitch and not worry about our blunt attack,
Other teams will latch onto this and it will put extra pressure on our defence and it will be a constant battle of backs to the wall.
Like I have said without Dominic Calvert-Lewin we have big problems going forward

It may sound bizarre but it maybe worth putting Tarkowski up front or Keane

But he doesn't have the legs or pace to play up front. Strikers need to be mobile and quick, surely?

 

[Saint Domingo]

But their recent form has to be taken into account. If I said we were one of the top frugal defences up until December statistically you'd say to me "but we've allowed a collapse of sorts so that doesn;t mean anything". Well Leeds' ability to get on the scoresheet has collapsed since the New Year.

Jesse Marsch knackered Rodrigo by bringing him on when they were 3-0 up at Accrington Stanley. They’re looking toothless recently.

 

[davek]

The problem we have as a team is what Liverpool realised yesterday after about 20 minutes into the game, we could not hold the ball up in the final 1/3 which meant they could play further up the pitch and not worry about our blunt attack,
Other teams will latch onto this and it will put extra pressure on our defence and it will be a constant battle of backs to the wall.
Like I have said without Dominic Calvert-Lewin we have big problems going forward

It may sound bizarre but it maybe worth putting Tarkowski up front or Keane

Well, playing 2 up against less accomplished teams than Liverpool is a big option and a probability (or 4411). An isolated striker is a problem that can be solved as long as the centre midfield duo is blended well.


In the remaining games we can probably call on Patterson (who I'd play up the pitch if McNeil is injured) and Garner.

We'll have options soon.

For Leeds I'd go:

Coleman Coady Tarkowski Godfrey
McNeil---Gueye Onana-----Gray
--------------Iwobi
-------------Simms

 

[davek]

Jesse Marsch knackered Rodrigo by bringing him on when they were 3-0 up at Accrington Stanley. They’re looking toothless recently.

Out until March. Hopefully it's longer.

 

[EvertonAjedrecista]

Liverpool did play well, we were missing DCL who is vital to our system, we tried the kid up front and it failed, we looked nervous, for whatever reasons we played badly and we lost. Any game is important but considering the Arsenal bonus win and that Leeds only picked up 1 against United, I would say we are in a better position than we were before, so lets stay positive. This next game is much bigger, if we dont get a win over these relegation competitors here we are making life very difficult for ourselves since we are the ones in the bottom 3 for the moment and the pressure is on us. safe to say I am bricking it

 

[Charles Hawtrey]

Liverpool did play well, we were missing Dominic Calvert-Lewin who is vital to our system, we tried the kid up front and it failed, we looked nervous, for whatever reasons we played badly and we lost. Any game is important but considering the Arsenal bonus win and that Leeds only picked up 1 against United, I would say we are in a better position than we were before, so lets stay positive. This next game is much bigger, if we dont get a win over these relegation competitors here we are making life very difficult for ourselves since we are the ones in the bottom 3 for the moment and the pressure is on us. safe to say I am bricking it

I am sure these 2 things are connected. These guys all train with Simms day in day out and they know he is no messiah. Likely the only one in the XI that was excited to see his name on the teamsheet was him.
Thats not a complaint about him , he just does not have the requisite ball holding skills needed to do this job - probably why Lampard rarely used him too. Bringing him back from loan was bit of a knee jerk reaction.