Sir Alf" wrote: ↑23 Dec 2024, 07:02
Lop has adjusted tactics and we are closer to the way Moyes had us playing especially last season. We play deeper now, no longer advanced win backs, we look to draw teams towards us with slow build up and exploit space in behind with longer balls and diagonals to our front players to run onto. Very similar to Moyes in that respect.
We do attempt to try and play thru the middle to transition and its better than it was but just like with Moyes, because of the players we have, its largely ineffective. Better when Soler plays as he does see gaps to exploit now and then with a ball thru the opposition press.
Lopetegui has ( I suspect ) realised that our summer recruitment fell short and that he, Steidten and Sullivan are responsible ( mostly Sullivan as he had ultimate control on how the club operates and has been overseeing recruitment of players and coaches for 14 years ) for failiing to understand the requirements, profile of the players needed to play a more expansive game in the Premiership.
AWB, Kilman are proving good acquisitions, Todibo and Summerville to a lesser extent so far but overall look to be decent. Soler is improving and looking like he may be an asset longer term.
Rodruiguez, Fullkrug, Guilehme at this time have added nothing.
So the requirements to play a more progressive game were not fully addressed. But then you have to look at the depleted squad Moyes ( under Sullivan ) left. The back line needed a revamp and a good RB and better CBs and that was largely addressed imo. Midfield simply too slow and lacking the “legs” needed to press and counter press, to play with speed and at high tempo to beat the opposition press and stretch teams. This requirement was simply not addressed at all. Up front the need for pace and strength and better finishing to replace an ageing Antonio was not addressed.
Lopetegui has perhaps only realised it after 12 or so games where he attempted to play a system that was suicidal. You have to have pace, strength, relentless running and pressing in the middle of the park if you want to play on the proverbial “front foot”, stretch and open teams up and hit them in transition and handle their counters. Its nigh on impossible to do that with a squad that has Paqueta, Rodruiguez, Alvarez, Soucek and Soler as options in the “engine room” of midfield. In the central forward area we have no mobile option other than switching Bowen to the central role ( although Kudus might also be able to do it) but they are not long term solutions. The fact he ( Lop ) took so long to adjust how we play and recommended Rodruiguez and Soler only suggests he didnt understand what was needed so was the wrong appointment.
In summary, Moyes mismanagement of the squad down to 14 players he used, of which many only suited to low block, counter attack, set piece football, required an enormous rebuild which we had to get near perfect if only bringing in 8 players ( discount Foderingham the keeper). We didnt.
We still need at least 2 different starters in central midfield. We can all see it. When we tried to play the high line, pressing game early on, all teams just passed around and thru us in transition, dispossessed us with most of the team in advanced positions which allowed them to cut thru us with ease, outnumbering usually 2 or 3 players we had at left at the back. Exactly what happened to Spurs yesterday. They rely on their fast CB pairing but also got overrun in midfield. Liverpool should have scored more.
The Jan window cant fix it but lets hope we can get a loan or two to improve things. Douglas Luiz from Juve and an athletic forward who has a decent shot should help. But with Sullivan sitting with Salthouse blantantly showing he will be handling the Jan recruitment? I would not hold out too much hope.
Apologies as always for the long diatribe.
