We have no FIGHT!!!

[NWC 315]

Another lack lustre performance and another defeat. We had chances, yes but did not capitalise.And why? Because no-one wants to fight for the ball, to make that extra effort that might result in a goal saving tackle, a defence splitting pass, or dare we say it, a goal from open play.Because we can create chances it shows that we are not a bad team and we do have skillful players, but it is just not happening for us.No desire, no passion, no fight - we WILL go down if this does not change!!And yes, that probably does make me a pant-wetter!

[Gingerpele 0]

Completely agree.

You can take some solace in better opponents playing good football, sometimes there is little you can do about that. But in the majority of our games this season, exactly as you say so little evidence of any fight, desire, passion.

We rarely, if ever, come out after half time looking determined. I thought Palace Ht, after Chamakh not being sent off we''d come out all guns blazing, show the referee what a prat he is. No, we come out and let Palace play the game their way. Today, Everton continued to dominate us until they took their foot off the gas. Its a common occurrence. Hughton doesn''t appear to know how to motivate his players. At all.

Its very very worrying. And its making watching this team we all support very very difficult.

[Bill 1,788]

 I disagreeI believe there is fight, one helluva lot of it (bar Fer), but when the players are lumbered with these idiotic tactics there are always going to come The co commentator (?) even pointed it out todayThe fight is thereWe need a manager who can harness and use itMurphy on with a minute or two left ?

[Kangaroo Court 0]

What a load of BS, We took the game to them, had some great chances, hit the post and were unlucky not to score. All this away from home at the team with the second best defensive record on the league. Yet the moaners still come on here and spout drivel.

[Bury Yellow 2]

Brilliant Kangaroo. Drivel ha ha yeh right. Dream on Kangers and see you in the Championship

[Bill 1,788]

[quote user="Kangaroo Court"]What a load of BS, We took the game to them, had some great chances, hit the post and were unlucky not to score. All this away from home at the team with the second best defensive record on the league. Yet the moaners still come on here and spout drivel.[/quote]as opposed to your reasoned thoughtsare you wiz sat in his shed watching the game on subtitles on Radio Norfolk perhaps

[Nexus_Canary 1,206]

Dunno how much more of this we have to take till they sack him. Blokes clueless

[Europe_93 50]

There is fight in the players, but our back four just drops off all the time. When Howard has the ball, the back four were lining up in the middle of our half, when Barry scored I think it was Bennett retreating to his box (great strike but you can''t let a player run 15 yards un-opposed and shoot). We give the opposition to much room to play in, we don''t condense the play to make a fight of it.

[Delias Love Child 0]

[quote user="Kangaroo Court"]What a load of BS, We took the game to them, had some great chances, hit the post and were unlucky not to score. All this away from home at the team with the second best defensive record on the league. Yet the moaners still come on here and spout drivel.[/quote]You poor poor disillusioned fool

[Bill 1,788]

[quote user="Europe_93"]There is fight in the players, but our back four just drops off all the time. When Howard has the ball, the back four were lining up in the middle of our half, when Barry scored I think it was Bennett retreating to his box (great strike but you can''t let a player run 15 yards un-opposed and shoot). We give the opposition to much room to play in, we don''t condense the play to make a fight of it.[/quote]And the reason the opposition is doing this is because they will have watched how we play, from scouts reports to games watched via video (and not some sad nerd counting ''stats'')Tactic of the day was ..... hit the ball past their defender'' and that is about ... err itIt was only in the last 15 mins when it looks like the players once again thought fark this and went for it that we looked like having a go, if not a chance''You cannot sit off PL players and not expect the to run at you ... and to shoot

[Kangaroo Court 0]

Defenders have to judge whether to stand off or tackle. Bennett stood off and Barry scored a world class goal, then he tackled and was unlucky to concede a free kick which led to the second goal. Nothing to do with a lack of fight.

[peateabee 0]

I don''t think it is necessarily a question of the players not having enough fight, but there is certainly something in the intensity of a play, our speed of movement, thought etc that is severely lacking and we are regularly shown up in that regard.

I don''t know what is causing that. I wonder if it is that they are not training at a high enough intensity? We keep on looking in a match like we a just jogging through a training session, taking it at a comfortable level and if you''re training like that on a daily basis, you can''t expect to always turn on it on when it comes to match day.

[Europe_93 50]

I don''t blame Bennett totally for the first goal, but it is just a symptom of how we play and what is wrong with it. The 2nd goal stemmed from a poor tackle by Bennett, not bad luck (IMHO).

My original point was that there is fight in the players, just we don''t provide a platform on which to demonstrate it, i.e. we give the opposition too much space and respect.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

[quote user="Europe_93"]There is fight in the players, but our back four just drops off all the time. When Howard has the ball, the back four were lining up in the middle of our half, when Barry scored I think it was Bennett retreating to his box (great strike but you can''t let a player run 15 yards un-opposed and shoot). We give the opposition to much room to play in, we don''t condense the play to make a fight of it.[/quote]

 

I think Ryan Bennett suffered through lack of protection there. You''d hope a midfielder would make the challenge. Bennett committed against Suarez and got criticised for that. He''s in a no win when goals conceded are scrutinised in what players were in view on the stream at the time. Which is why I can''t go with some of the posters who claim you can evaluate games better on streams than being there in the stands!

 

 

[Europe_93 50]

I agree there should have been midfield protection, and see other post don''t blame him totally. As a defender he has to make decisions, the goal indicates it probably wasn''t the correct one. I wouldn''t overly criticise because Bennett, he was caught in a difficult situation.

Our back four nearly always retreats (to the 18 yard box), we seem to work so hard on our shape we forget the most important thing is to affect the ball.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

Two up front was always going to leave the back four more vulnerable to Everton''s midfield runners. But Everton are probably that much better than us whatever formation we play.

 

 

[Europe_93 50]

Valid point. But 2 strikers or 1, still leaves enough players to defend. It''s about organisation, mentality and approach as much as numbers.

As disconnected as Hooper & RVW were at least we did create one or two chances, so I am happy that he went more offensive, even though it didn''t work out.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

I think we''d have been even more offensive if we started with Redmond. I still don''t really get this thing with two fullbacks in anything other than an emergency. Maybe Redmond wasn''t fit enough to start. It''s difficult against Everton though because their two full backs are exceptional.

 

 

[Europe_93 50]

I like Redmond, but given he went with 2 out and out strikers, it is not surprising he went with Garrido, I wouldn''t criticise that decision. If you think about it, it makes sense, 2 forwards enable us to play a longer ball over the top into the channels (that the Everton full backs were always going to vacate). Just think RVW & Hooper weren''t at their best today.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

I see that buddy and I guess that''s why so few teams now play 442. If we did make commitment to 442 Redmond probably wouldn''t ever start.