Purple patch or normal service resumed

[Kalimantan Gull]

The whole point of bringing Garcia was to carry on the style of football under Poyet whilst improving it with a bit more attacking oompf and that is what we are seeing. What point are you possibly trying to make here?

Read my first post. I noted that was exactly what he was doing. Others disagreed with me

 

[Icy Gull]

Read my first post. I noted that was exactly what he was doing. Others disagreed with me

Hmm, I got the impression that you were suggesting that Oscar was carrying on with the Gus style until we get back to full strength because the team were more comfortable with playing that way. I disagreed with this point as we offer far more threat going forward these days, away from home. Where Gus would settle for a point Oscar always goes for three.
Attempted shots being the proof of this.

Did I misinterpret what you were trying to say then

 

[Husty]

Read my first post. I noted that was exactly what he was doing. Others disagreed with me

No, you suggested that he was 'falling back' on this style as though he had failed at 'his style' and was now 'copying Poyet' and stealing his tactics to earn success. He hasn't fallen back on anything hes just playing his style of football which is obviously very similar to Poyet's - because that is why we hired him.

Your obsessive love of Poyet just makes you look like an idiot.

 

[Peter Grummit]

'Normal service resumed'??

Last 3 years we have finished 1st, 10th and 4th.

So statistically, normal service would be the average of these ie. 5th.

Would you settle for that? I would.

PG

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Hmm, I got the impression that you were suggesting that Oscar was carrying on with the Gus style until we get back to full strength because the team were more comfortable with playing that way. I disagreed with this point as we offer far more threat going forward these days, away from home. Where Gus would settle for a point Oscar always goes for three.
Attempted shots being the proof of this.

Did I misinterpret what you were trying to say then

No, you're right the first time round, I was suggesting that was the case - although what the **** Husty suggested could also be true. I've read all over this board that Oscar was putting his own style on the team - whilst reading loads of people saying our play was disjointed and observing results going downhill - and then when I finally watch us play well we looked no different to the last few times I watched us play well. Hence my suggestion that we were reverting to our old style whilst waiting to get back to full strength.

However it could equally be true that his brief is to keep us play the same way as Gus, as the ****er Husty suggests, and after early setbacks (hangover from the summer?) we're back on track.

Whatever it is, I'm starting to feel like I can buy into Oscar now, just need the abuse from people like the **** Husty to stop and we can all move forward together.

 

[Acker79]

I've read all over this board that Oscar was putting his own style on the team - whilst reading loads of people saying our play was disjointed and observing results going downhill - and then when I finally watch us play well we looked no different to the last few times I watched us play well. Hence my suggestion that we were reverting to our old style whilst waiting to get back to full strength.

However it could equally be true that his brief is to keep us play the same way as Gus,

It was mostly said that it was "an evolution not a revolution", that Oscar would keep us playing that sort of possession game, but would take it to the next step to make us more attacking and/or a little more fast paced. So, when it works it should look a lot like Gus's style, just faster and a bit more aggressive.

Yes, there was a period where it wasn't quite coming off, and in my negative moods I don't understand why as Kuszczak, Caldy, Greer, Upson, Lopez, JFC, Ince, Buckley, KLL, Barnes, Ulloa, were all here last year and shoud be familiar with the style and in my good moods put down to Ward, Andrews, Conway, not being here last season, JFC being young, Ince not having been with us long enough, Lopez lacking a pre-season, players who may know the player and the system but not being overly familiar with each other, and the hangover from last season.

But our recent success is not because Oscar has given up on his style and has started playing Gus's, it's because the team is starting to execute it well. Players coming back from injuries, getting used to the nuances in difference to Gus's style, familiarity with each other, and confidence growing from performances and results.

 

[Icy Gull]

No, you're right the first time round, I was suggesting that was the case - although what the **** Husty suggested could also be true. I've read all over this board that Oscar was putting his own style on the team - whilst reading loads of people saying our play was disjointed and observing results going downhill - and then when I finally watch us play well we looked no different to the last few times I watched us play well. Hence my suggestion that we were reverting to our old style whilst waiting to get back to full strength.

However it could equally be true that his brief is to keep us play the same way as Gus, as the ****er Husty suggests, and after early setbacks (hangover from the summer?) we're back on track.

Whatever it is, I'm starting to feel like I can buy into Oscar now, just need the abuse from people like the **** Husty to stop and we can all move forward together.

I cannot argue that it has taken time to make us look like a team again. I think Oscar deserves even more time tbh given the injury crisis and the shitfest from the Gus departure and the play off semi final. I am not interested in claiming Oscar is better than Gus just that we can build on what Gus started and I believe we are. There will be setbacks. The players coming back will need to get up to speed, look how long it has taken Spanish Dave and we may still take a step back before we go forward again. Overall, though, I am hugely optimistic..at the moment

Expecting us to make the playoffs at least is a tall order and I may end up disappointed but at the moment I feel we are on track.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I cannot argue that it has taken time to make us look like a team again. I think Oscar deserves even more time tbh given the injury crisis and the shitfest from the Gus departure and the play off semi final. I am not interested in claiming Oscar is better than Gus just that we can build on what Gus started and I believe we are. There will be setbacks. The players coming back will need to get up to speed, look how long it has taken Spanish Dave and we may still take a step back before we go forward again. Overall, though, I am hugely optimistic..at the moment

Expecting us to make the playoffs at least is a tall order and I may end up disappointed but at the moment I feel we are on track.

absolutely.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

It was mostly said that it was "an evolution not a revolution", that Oscar would keep us playing that sort of possession game, but would take it to the next step to make us more attacking and/or a little more fast paced. So, when it works it should look a lot like Gus's style, just faster and a bit more aggressive.

as pointless as it may be now, I'll always maintain that Gus was already taking us to that next step - ever since the signing of Ulloa and the ditching of the Vicente lost-cause, when Orlandi and Lopez became a fixture in our midfield; our attacks became faster, the passing crisper and the shots on goal more frequent. Palace in the league and Blackpool, amongst other games, showed that. It wasn't a done thing of course, mainly because when Orlandi and Lopez both had an off-day the whole thing ground to a halt, a la Leicester and the Palace play-off games. But it was happening. Sure, Oscar seems like he'll have us pressing more in midfield and moving the ball a bit quicker from the defence, and we'll see if those things improve us or not.

 

[Stat Brother]

OK. However, do you really agree with this analysis of the game: "We're away from home, keep it tight at the back, reign in the wide players, break up the midfield, and try and nick one on the break."?

We didn't only attack on the break, we tried to build up play and work it wide. We tried quick passing and ball retention in the middle of the park, it was Wigan who tried to break up the midfield and attack fast. We used width at every opportunity, particularly via Bruno on one side and Conway on the other.

I agree that our midfield closing was very good and we didn't stand of as much as we could do under Gus.

Yes I still stand by my simplistic assesment.
Tight at the back - Greer aside Check (as you'd expect).
Reign in the wide players - Conway and SD aren't in the side to bomb down the wing. Check.
Break up the midfield - Our best player was Ince and he destroyed them. Check.
Nick one on the break - Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Check.

I do think the next 2 games will be pivotal.
In my mind I see a similar set up tomorrow, as Wigan.
Which for me the stand out from the game was our positional discipline.

Then Tuesday bringing in some changes front 6 changes.

I've convinced myself, when all fit, we'll end up with separate home and away teams.
4-3-3 at home and 4-5-1 away.

My reservation for the home team is whether they can keep their shape.
I'm still haunted by everyone piling through the middle for the last 30 mins v Forest.


Note to self:-

I'm liking INCE THE DESTROYER.

 

[Icy Gull]

as pointless as it may be now, I'll always maintain that Gus was already taking us to that next step - ever since the signing of Ulloa and the ditching of the Vicente lost-cause, when Orlandi and Lopez became a fixture in our midfield; our attacks became faster, the passing crisper and the shots on goal more frequent. Palace in the league and Blackpool, amongst other games, showed that. It wasn't a done thing of course, mainly because when Orlandi and Lopez both had an off-day the whole thing ground to a halt, a la Leicester and the Palace play-off games. But it was happening. Sure, Oscar seems like he'll have us pressing more in midfield and moving the ball a bit quicker from the defence, and we'll see if those things improve us or not.

Two words - Just believe

 

[Stat Brother]

as pointless as it may be now, I'll always maintain that Gus was already taking us to that next step - ever since the signing of Ulloa and the ditching of the Vicente lost-cause, when Orlandi and Lopez became a fixture in our midfield; our attacks became faster, the passing crisper and the shots on goal more frequent. Palace in the league and Blackpool, amongst other games, showed that. It wasn't a done thing of course, mainly because when Orlandi and Lopez both had an off-day the whole thing ground to a halt, a la Leicester and the Palace play-off games. But it was happening. Sure, Oscar seems like he'll have us pressing more in midfield and moving the ball a bit quicker from the defence, and we'll see if those things improve us or not.

But Gus had his hand forced by our league position, all of that happened when the team had reached to point of Gus saying:-
"We now have to risk losing in order to win".

Who knows were we could have finished last year, if Gus hadn't been so preoccupied with not losing.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Two words - Just believe

I DO! (Well actually my head says we'll finish 10th - but that unavoidable creeping optimism caused by a couple of wins is seeping in. It'll be dashed tomorrow, mark my words. I haven't looked as forward to a game since the play-off semi-final second leg )

But Gus had his hand forced by our league position, all of that happened when the team had reached to point of Gus saying:-
"We now have to risk losing in order to win".

Who knows were we could have finished last year, if Gus hadn't been so preoccupied with not losing.

Gus said "We now have to risk losing in order to win" to pander to the fans. Gus was never one to change his plan A, remember and lets face it, he was hardly uber-attacking in the first couple of games after he said that. No, I just think with Ulloa and Orlandi/Lopez he had finally got close to the team he wanted (or at least, for the first time since Bennett and Murray left) and it started clicking.

Overall - honestly - I believe we would have finished lower if Gus was more gung-ho. We came fourth because of our tight defence, not in spite of it. Can't deny it wasn't occasionally annoying. But we won't agree, so

 

[Machiavelli]

No, you're right the first time round, I was suggesting that was the case - although what the **** Husty suggested could also be true. I've read all over this board that Oscar was putting his own style on the team - whilst reading loads of people saying our play was disjointed and observing results going downhill - and then when I finally watch us play well we looked no different to the last few times I watched us play well. Hence my suggestion that we were reverting to our old style whilst waiting to get back to full strength.

Oscar's great. His style tweaks Poyet's. It involves pressing high up the pitch (Jake has been great at this of late), and introduces a variation -- or, better, acceleration -- of passing and movement. This latter will obviously become more effective when we can move the ball more quickly (which he's trying to develop), and have quicker players. The acceleration of passing inevitably also involves the occasional use of a longer ball which is fine in my book, so long as it's accurate (it's also extremely difficult). More broadly as Icy has been saying these tweaks involve more ambition. If, as I suspect, that involves trading more wines and losses than Poyet's morass of draws, I think this is a fine plan.

 

[Sheebo]

Personally I think it's papering over the many cracks we have at the mo. We be been fairly lucky and are nowhere nr the level of last season even before the injuries. Time will tell tho. Does make me laugh how people get well carried away on twitter etc and start saying how lucky we r to have oscar etc when in all honesty the juries still well out there. Just my opinion and I know slightly negative.

 

[pottert]

With the injury crisis that we have suffered over the last couple of months I think Oscar was in a no lose situation.
If we lose it's because we have a injury crisis & if we win the manager is a genius.

I believe that our squad is as good as any other in this division

Oscar should be judged on how we perform when the team dosent pick itself