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Half-Season Review - The 45-Minute Wonders?
- Thread starter DubaiSpur
- Start date
DeanoAustin
Paul Walsh
Delighted with where we are. Top 4 and last 16 of the CL. That’s a great position and Conte’s year of work has been exceptional when you look at results.
Yeah performances need improvement but he’s dealing with an unprecedented fixture list and circumstances.
As I said yesterday, there are only two managers in a comparable position to Conte. That’s Klopp and Potter. And Conte is doing better than both.
Im very happy and very optimistic and really don’t understand some of the stronger anti Conte posts.
Yeah performances need improvement but he’s dealing with an unprecedented fixture list and circumstances.
As I said yesterday, there are only two managers in a comparable position to Conte. That’s Klopp and Potter. And Conte is doing better than both.
Im very happy and very optimistic and really don’t understand some of the stronger anti Conte posts.
SpurMeUp
David Ginola
1. Conte spirit is the difference between a loss and a win in a game like today.
2. We need to fight to hold the ball when we turnover possession. And we need to know when a pass to break quickly is on, and if it simply isn't, recycle the ball better.
3. Our back 5 is our weakest area of the team. Obvious now. But wasn't so clear a couple of months back.
4. Kane, Kulu and Son are quality forwards. We need a back 5 with comparable quality and heroics.
5. I am relieved, more than anything, that we finally have strength in midfield. Pre-Conte it was a long time since Dembele, Modric strutted their stuff. Still more to come from our 4 main CMs but finally we have players with ability in the middle.
2. We need to fight to hold the ball when we turnover possession. And we need to know when a pass to break quickly is on, and if it simply isn't, recycle the ball better.
3. Our back 5 is our weakest area of the team. Obvious now. But wasn't so clear a couple of months back.
4. Kane, Kulu and Son are quality forwards. We need a back 5 with comparable quality and heroics.
5. I am relieved, more than anything, that we finally have strength in midfield. Pre-Conte it was a long time since Dembele, Modric strutted their stuff. Still more to come from our 4 main CMs but finally we have players with ability in the middle.
Grays_1890
Les Howe
Fair to middling start and glad of thr break TBH
Lots of positives, lots to work on and TBH some quick fixes in my book but that's just me.
Get the WC out the way, get some new blood in and some stale bodies out and kick on for another 4th place push.
Lots of positives, lots to work on and TBH some quick fixes in my book but that's just me.
Get the WC out the way, get some new blood in and some stale bodies out and kick on for another 4th place push.
Happy with the outcome/position of the first half of the season but there's no denying it's been a slog in terms of watching us play- the break has come at the right time.
Saudi Sportswashing Machine & Liverpool defeats were bad results, we should have been taking at least 4 from those games given the level we consider ourselves to be at - few more points on the board and we'd be in a great position going in to the second half of the season, as it stands we are ok in 4th but are going to be looking over our shoulder when we could have been looking above.
B- as a rating?
Saudi Sportswashing Machine & Liverpool defeats were bad results, we should have been taking at least 4 from those games given the level we consider ourselves to be at - few more points on the board and we'd be in a great position going in to the second half of the season, as it stands we are ok in 4th but are going to be looking over our shoulder when we could have been looking above.
B- as a rating?
DubaiSpur
Ian Walker
On my end, probably a B- like @billyiddo . The positives so far:
I think it's because the lot down the road are doing so well, that us being as utterly inconsistent as we are is so infuriating.
This summer was supposed to be an inflection point - having pipped them to the CL, we'd rocket away while they would languish behind us. Instead, it looks like the exact opposite has happened, and I think that is what is subconsciously behind a lot of the frustrations and fears of an otherwise above-average start, all things considered. Arsenal look fluid and composed, we look scattered and wan. Where they breeze, we struggle. And while they win game after game, every weekend we don't win gets a little harder.
I think the things I would have accepted at the start of the season as a barometer for a good season (top four, more points than last season, a cup), I would still accept now. But it's impossible to deny that the lurking fear will be that lot keeping their form up right to the end and overshadowing that.
As for me, I was right about some things so far this season, and wrong about others - don't mind admitting it. Right:
Going forward, I hope the club can just take a breather and refocus in these six weeks. And I hope that, in the end, none of us, here or elsewhere, get too exercised by what happens in football. There's more important things in the world right now, although I have to remind myself of it on grimmer days.
And, rest in power, Gian Piero Ventrone.
- We're in the top four and in the knockout stages of the CL heading into the break - all in all, it could be much worse.
- At times, we have absolutely played some scintillating football - when we want to, some of the flowing attacking we've done (second half vs Bournemouth, second half of this game against Leeds - second halves in general, really) has been reminiscent of last season's flowing best.
- Gianni Vio is a bloody genius, and a weapon no other team can match in terms of guaranteeing us 10-15 goals this season, if this rate keeps up.
- We should have January to fix some of the major holes going forward, and we have six weeks now to work towards the window so that, hopefully, we can get someone in nice and early instead of on deadline day.
I think it's because the lot down the road are doing so well, that us being as utterly inconsistent as we are is so infuriating.
This summer was supposed to be an inflection point - having pipped them to the CL, we'd rocket away while they would languish behind us. Instead, it looks like the exact opposite has happened, and I think that is what is subconsciously behind a lot of the frustrations and fears of an otherwise above-average start, all things considered. Arsenal look fluid and composed, we look scattered and wan. Where they breeze, we struggle. And while they win game after game, every weekend we don't win gets a little harder.
I think the things I would have accepted at the start of the season as a barometer for a good season (top four, more points than last season, a cup), I would still accept now. But it's impossible to deny that the lurking fear will be that lot keeping their form up right to the end and overshadowing that.
As for me, I was right about some things so far this season, and wrong about others - don't mind admitting it. Right:
- I felt we'd regret not getting an RWB or a truly elite CB in the window to replace Emerson and Dier, respectively. And so it's proven - those were our weaknesses heading into the window, and were still weaknesses coming out of it. And both Emerson and Dier have proven (in Dier's case,for the 5000th time) why we cannot rely on them going forward.
- I felt our performances prior to our collapse in form come October/Nov were unsustainable, and so they were. We cannot keep up with that post-WC - stodgy performances that eke out wins here and there. We have to impose ourselves more, if only because energy management is an intrinsic part of the game now, and defending narrow leads expends a brick ton of energy we could have saved had we cruised to commanding leads earlier.
- ENIC. I didn't think they would put in a single penny - they did. I am still chuffed as cheese with that, even if our spending was sub-par this summer.
- Our mentality. There are times this season where I've called the players cowards or spineless, and I do regret that. If there's one thing this lot has showed me with all their last-minute winners,it's that they're not heartless - they genuinely try. But they pick and choose when to try, and they lack the technique to match their heart, so they look like they're picking the easy way out a lot.
Going forward, I hope the club can just take a breather and refocus in these six weeks. And I hope that, in the end, none of us, here or elsewhere, get too exercised by what happens in football. There's more important things in the world right now, although I have to remind myself of it on grimmer days.
And, rest in power, Gian Piero Ventrone.
spurspinter1
Pat van den Hauwe
It's a far cry from how we looked at the back end of last season in terms of feeling in control of games (even if we weren't bossing possession), but we are somehow winging it results-wise. We are quite stressful to watch until you just expect us to fudge up in certain situations.
Squad depth still not quite there as shown by a couple of injuries to Kulu and Richy made our front line look fairly bare + Romero being out fudges the whole defense, CM cover very good though now imo.
If we want to compete this season the job is to get those like Gill, Spence, Sarr Tanganga shifted out and to give Conte real options in their stead - When you consider our seemingly eternal loanees like GLC and Tanguy as well, there's a lot of talent / money spent that could be repurposed but if the deals were easy they would've happened already.
My guess will be a strong end to the season generally in the mix for top four which we probably will get, but I don't see that being "enough" for Conte to stick around and so a new era will begin with Kane heading off too.
Squad depth still not quite there as shown by a couple of injuries to Kulu and Richy made our front line look fairly bare + Romero being out fudges the whole defense, CM cover very good though now imo.
If we want to compete this season the job is to get those like Gill, Spence, Sarr Tanganga shifted out and to give Conte real options in their stead - When you consider our seemingly eternal loanees like GLC and Tanguy as well, there's a lot of talent / money spent that could be repurposed but if the deals were easy they would've happened already.
My guess will be a strong end to the season generally in the mix for top four which we probably will get, but I don't see that being "enough" for Conte to stick around and so a new era will begin with Kane heading off too.
Bedfordspurs
Joe Kinnear
No one knew or knows how the World Cup has or will affect the players… that hasn’t changed
Seeing the team play every 3 1/3rd days is great but grim too
We are where we should be … top 4 and despite playing some awful football with some competent and consistent refs we would actually be higher
I think we have done what I expected even if it’s not been in the games I expected it in
Missing players when their back up was also injured really hurt any opportunity to rotate the squad
We have also IMO had an excess of injuries like most of the top sides
We could and should have been better but I would have taken this position before the season started
I’d call it a solid functional start but one that o do expect notable improvement on… today was the start of that. We have a lot of players who want to be here, a coach who is repeatedly saying he wants to be here and players who will
want to join. It’s a better place to be
Seeing the team play every 3 1/3rd days is great but grim too
We are where we should be … top 4 and despite playing some awful football with some competent and consistent refs we would actually be higher
I think we have done what I expected even if it’s not been in the games I expected it in
Missing players when their back up was also injured really hurt any opportunity to rotate the squad
We have also IMO had an excess of injuries like most of the top sides
We could and should have been better but I would have taken this position before the season started
I’d call it a solid functional start but one that o do expect notable improvement on… today was the start of that. We have a lot of players who want to be here, a coach who is repeatedly saying he wants to be here and players who will
want to join. It’s a better place to be
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
Disappointed because of the high hopes from May-August. We had momentum, made great signings, but have been playing well below the sum of our parts. Not one good performance since Arsenal/Norwich in the spring
thfcsteff
Tony Galvin
I think Conte needs this break more than any player.
I have said on several occasions that the loss of his consiglieri has devastated him and caused a huge emotional roller coaster through the dressing room. We need Antonio to come back recharged.
I always saw this as two mini-seasons, and said in August that ending the first of those in the top 4 and in CL knock outs would be an excellent thing for us.
We need to spend proper money. Conte's been telling us for months that we are two to three windows away. This is why I cannot concern myself with woolwich; this is the FOURTH year of their project with some serious over-spending. Their current success is current. Let's see in May.
I have said on several occasions that the loss of his consiglieri has devastated him and caused a huge emotional roller coaster through the dressing room. We need Antonio to come back recharged.
I always saw this as two mini-seasons, and said in August that ending the first of those in the top 4 and in CL knock outs would be an excellent thing for us.
We need to spend proper money. Conte's been telling us for months that we are two to three windows away. This is why I cannot concern myself with woolwich; this is the FOURTH year of their project with some serious over-spending. Their current success is current. Let's see in May.
90291Spur
Cecil Poynton
Given the injuries that we have had - Kulu and Richarlison out for so long, then joined by Son, Romero in and out of the team too - we have done pretty well. Obviously there have been disappointments, but with Conte being supported by Levy in January things could be good again come the end of the season.
indospurs
Jonathan Woodgate
We're that team, the one who's won more points coming from a losing position than anyone in the league
Hopefully the WC doesnt impact us too much, and we can start matches on the front foot. But we have so many away on international duty, and I don't think Conte trusts youngsters to step in
I hope I am so wrong
Hopefully the WC doesnt impact us too much, and we can start matches on the front foot. But we have so many away on international duty, and I don't think Conte trusts youngsters to step in
I hope I am so wrong
paxtonwolf
Taffy O'Callaghan
When you look at the performances from the start of the season, you have to shake your head in disbelief when you see where we were in the League.
'The table doesn't lie'
For once, I think it might just. But who cares, I will take 4th right now, but, we have to stop going a goal down, law of averages says we cant keep coming from behind week after week.
If, we can find the form of the back end of last season, and that's a big if I know, catching Arsenal is not beyond us. But only if our general play improves and we get some quality players in January. It looks like we are getting Malynovski, so I doubt we will go for Maddison, but another CB and a back-up forward and we can still be in the mix come May
'The table doesn't lie'
For once, I think it might just. But who cares, I will take 4th right now, but, we have to stop going a goal down, law of averages says we cant keep coming from behind week after week.
If, we can find the form of the back end of last season, and that's a big if I know, catching Arsenal is not beyond us. But only if our general play improves and we get some quality players in January. It looks like we are getting Malynovski, so I doubt we will go for Maddison, but another CB and a back-up forward and we can still be in the mix come May
Bedfordspurs
Joe Kinnear
Only time we have had a fit squad was Chelsea away I believe
Makes a difference
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
It's never really an excuse. You assemble and condition a squad that has to be resilient enough to cope with those stresses.
Bedfordspurs
Joe Kinnear
What stresses? A World Cup? Players literally bottling playing to keep themselves fresh
Hey we’re in a bloody good place in reality but our fans never really accept it
El Dante
Les Ferdinand
We have already proved v Saudi Sportswashing Machine and Liverpool that we can’t.
We do have a good team spirit though. But we do need to start quicker, why not go at it first half. If we do there may be matches in which we can be more conservative in the second half and hold back some.
Gutter Boy
Tim Sherwood
It's the same for every other top flight club in the world this year.
We could have made different choices - rotated more, kept Parrott, Scarlett, Regullion around, brought in a couple of padding loans. It's been Conte's choice to only use the same 14 players.
Bedfordspurs
Joe Kinnear
I agree
But it doesn’t mean you can’t highlight that when people complain about the performances tin can just ignore the injuries
They have an impact
It’s part of the reason certain teams have done better and others haven’t