As someone mentioned to me tonight, in Hodgson's last 3 seasons, after 32 games, we had amassed 10 wins twice and 11 wins once, currently after 32 games we have only won 8 games.

Edited by Willo (20 Apr 2022 11.57pm)

In all honesty, this was never going to be an easy game, based on their home form recently, and if we came away with a point, that would have been acceptable. However.... we were completely disjointed. I lost count of the times we passed in reverse instead of going forward, unable to creat space, can't release the ball quickly, because the forwards are not running into space fast enough. Anyways, no point in being an armchair coach. From what I see, not enough quality in midfield, neither of our wingbacks confident enough on the break .... but our centre backs showed that they can be reliable, dependable and the core of the defense next year. One of our biggest issues is that Wilf gets fouled in rotation, referees dont give the cards (3 strikes and then you are out), Wilf get pissed and then it all goes downhill from there as it infects the whole team. And yes, Ayew is so much not up to standard - I understand that Olise was hooked because he refused to close down Saint-Maximin as per PV's instructions, so he deserved to be subbed, but Ayew is no Olise .... by a long shot.

Will be interesting to se if PV starts to plan ahead now and bring in some younger talent - surely Scott Banks can be more impactful than Jeff Schlupp, he is a waaay more skillful player, notwithstanding he does not have the experience in the big leagues ... but maybe now is the time to give these guys some experience before next season.

Edited by radicalsteve (21 Apr 2022 3.15am)

Edited by radicalsteve (21 Apr 2022 3.16am)

Edited by radicalsteve (21 Apr 2022 3.21am)

Why are we playing in slow slow-motion most of the time? We improved when Macca and Mateta came on, unfortunately Schlupp with his strolling around and safe, sideways/backwards passing stayed on. And please, please stop that dicking around with defensive passing in defence. Even with three minutes remaining and we're 0-1 down, we aree doing it.

Its not about full backs and midfield, its the decision making in the final third that lets us down. The only one, who has the coolness is Olise and he had a poor game, maybe injured.

I was thinking that we need two new midfield signings, but more likely we need three.

Luka, Jimmy Mac - done at this level
Schlupp - an athlete but not a footballer
Kouyate, Hughes - average at best
Gallagher - not our player
Eze - potential yet to be proven

The ball needs to move quicker from the back into midfield, less faffing about side to side. I don't think the current midfield (apart from Gallagher) have the savvy or natural ability to receive, carry, and release the ball in any offensive or creative sense other than our position in the league suggests. It's been like this for quite a few seasons and is unlikely to change whilst we employ run of the mill midfielders. It's ironic that our best player in the position is a loanee who can't get into his parent side.

To digress a little, I should add that in the grand heirarchy of things, and money and the best players concentrated in a limited number of clubs, since 2010 we have done exceptionally well to make up the numbers. Because that is what it is for clubs like us and those around us, we make up the numbers so there is some pretence that there is a competitive league and everything is equal.
Yes, we've done well with the resources at hand. Can we break into the top 10? We'll need better midfielders to do that.

Edited by southnorwoodhill (21 Apr 2022 7.57am)

Not sure what to make of this result. After the Arsenal game (which was a great achievement), we seem to be suffering from a bout of ‘over confidence’. Perhaps too much tactical thinking by the management team…perhaps let other teams worry about our tactics and not the reverse.

Anyway, it’s not doom and gloom as others would highlight. The end of the season will soon be upon us, then we can properly reflect.

Form is a strange thing…Arsenal beat Chelsea…we beat Arsenal…Chelsea beat us…you know what I mean…