The first doubts may be arising among some over Slaven Bilic but it’s not an anxiety shared by the players.
After one point from three games the early rumblings of discontent and expressions such as “should I start to worry ” have been appearing on the ClaretandHugh facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/363174467150521/.
We have heard accusations of a one dimensional system, the inability to find a Plan B whatever that may be – although it sounds good as most cliches do – and of Saturday being incredibly important. Err, aren’t they all?!
The A game was presumably a team involving Payet, the B plan saw Carroll handed a central role and Sakho moved right. It failed in the biggest possible way – feel free to add your own “of course.” Now we await Plan C presumably.
Dimitri Payet is as important a player as it gets so all of this reshuffling may need a little time.
Patience is required. I was interested to read this morning that Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris reckons the Spurs squad are now understanding the style of football required of them.
That took a season as it usually does so let’s be fair and give people a fair crack of the whip.
All the players are onside according to James Tomkins who says: ” We’re trying to play out a lot more than we were last year, and the manager has been brilliant with that. The lads have really taken to him, and he’s someone who you can go and approach. He’s easy to talk to.
He’s very emotional and very passionate and sometimes at half-time when you feel that something hasn’t gone right, he’ll tell us. It’s nice to know. We’re still getting used to each other, but everyone has taken to him.”
All of that augurs well. Every team has a dip here and there and the timing of Payet’s injury, given Spurs were next up, could hardly have been worse.
Slaven Bilic got it wrong on Saturday but this is no time to start worrying. Sixth place is a fantastic achievement at this stage of things and if the players are behind him as seems to be the case, we all need to stay there as well.
COYI
It’s true we didn’t seem to know whether we should be pressing or holding, but the crucial basic problem was to keep Carrol in the side when our no 1 target man returned. Ok Slav wanted to show some loyalty to Carrol aho had filled a gap reasonably well, considering he hadn’t played for a century, but Sahko is no winger, and should have played up front, with perhaps Antonio causing havoc on the wing. I let Slav of for that mistake, and wait to see it put right next game.
I’m sure the defensive mistakes came from the pressure we faced, having the ball coming back so quickly from our front line.
‘We have heard accusations of a one dimensional system, the inability to find a Plan B whatever that may be…’ I think you know exactly what people mean Hugh.
Plan A seems to be defend in numbers and counter attack. That has gone well against sides that press us. When that doesn’t work – we don’t have a plan B. That’s why we have lost to Bournemouth, Watford, Spurs etc. Plan A also does not work well at home when WE are supposed to do the pressing.
We are now on the same points as we were this time last year with Fatty. I’m not happy about that as I wanted West Ham to shut the fat man up. That is made worse that he seems to be in the process of saving Sunderland.
My point is that talking about Plan B without ever suggesting what it should be is a bit empty. As far as I know we have Plan A as described whilst Plan B is presumably a pressing game – are there any others?
So negative Bubs,
I know but why not own up and stop the excuses
We are not mugs so don’t treat us like ones
You have had 2 years with your back 4,keeper, Noble and Kouyate,
And you would think you had never played together,
Trying to pass straight for twenty yards from the edge of the box is something you learnt when you were 12 Tomks oops 1/0,
Getting lost in your own box from a corner and letting there CH get a free header oops
2/0,
Continuing playing each other into danger with stupid passes ( everyone in the back 4 )
And keeper does not take 2 years practice
Full backs that can’t tackle when the opposition don’t even have wingers