*** Official 'Why is there no Lyon OMT?' OMT ***

[lurker of old]

Our work-rate is exceptional these days and our fitness greatly, greatly improved.

We have come a long way in the last decade. OK so you can say we are just getting back where we "belong", but there are plenty of other clubs with history who are currently sitting in the Division below us. It is great for us as fans and for the team as players to have games against Inter to look forward to. We are starting to get used to being a team who regularly plays in Europe, and it's a pretty elite group really. Great that AVB treats this competition properly - as big Martin Jol also did - and not, as Harry treated it, as a punishment

 

[GlennGoddle]

We playing them next? hmmmmm interesting I suppose away

Monday night in their game of the season. Tickets still on general - roll up,roll up

 

[thfcsteff]

Steff - you point that people are moaning but theyre not I think theyre just concerned and not blinded by a win or two. There are improvements and its for all to see those aspects you mentioned - fitness and work rate to mention two and I think defensively we have improved. HOWEVER; just because there are positives doesnt mean there are negatives and I guarantee you that AVB will also highlight the negatives and not just the positives.

What there needs to be is a balanced view - positives and negatives. Dont just moan that Parker is giving the ball away when I thought Dembele was just as guilty if not moreso.

For me the fact we kept going was brilliant the negative is the first half which I thought was poor and what is also concerning is lack of creativity - thats not moaning and most people arent. Oh another thing I actually dont think people have much confidence in that area improving because we had had the past to improve it and we didnt really (another debate)

DHSF...people have been concerned all season! They only ever complain. They don't talk about whether the glass is half full, for them it is half-empty. That's all I'm passing comment. Listen geez, each to their own, but it makes me laugh when I see people moan and then get told they're not.

Yes, AVB will know the negatives, he knows what we don't have, he knows who's injured, he knows what he has to work with, he knows how much money we have/will have for the summer and I have full faith he will guide us even further forwards. As for 'balanced view' quite frankly some of the negative Normans around here should drink a little of that Kool Aid IMO ;-)...

It's funny you latch onto me criticizing Parker. I criticized him less than just about anyone, and indeed have given him allowances for the last few matches as to why it's not been easy. I also explained my opinion on Dembele and Parker together/why it's taking time.

As for your last bolded comment, you'd better start a discussion thread, 'cos I don't have a scooby what people 'don't have much confidence in' mate. Be interested to find out.

 

[Rorschach]

As my old coach used to say 'you can't outrun a pass'. I think a big part of the problem with regards to our creativity is our desire to hold on to the ball too long, especially when there is an obvious pass on that would open up the space. Bale, Dembele, Parker, BAE were guilty of overplaying last night and while it is good to beat a man or retain possession under pressure this really slows our game down and makes us rather predictable. I would like to see us pass and move a bit more rather than always running at opposition. Our 'move' bit isn't great either now that I think about it.

 

[Pirate55]

No, I don't think Ade needs replacing. He played well second-half tonight. What I would like are better strikers IN THE SQUAD so as we are not RELIANT on him (truth is this would likely lead to him being sold). Sorry, I'm not jumping all over the bloke just because you hate him mate.

Moussa is still figuring out how to play alongside Parker IMO. He doesn't adapt especially fast to his partner, and having worked through the early days with Sandro to form a wonderful CM, I think he is still adapting to a very different sort of player in there next to him...

Point 1. I dont hate him. I just think he has significantly shortchanged us this season. He has the armoury and ability to be a top player but just isnt at it this season.

Point 2. I think we are desperately short of a top striker to lead the line effectively. Ade was bought for this purpose and he just isnt delivering. Until he starts putting in the effort,holds up the ball well, actually winning balls in the air, and attacking the penalty area so he gets in positions to score and - shock horror - actually starts scoring and making goals, I will continue to criticise him. I dont hold with booing and would never do it myself. But what he needs is a big kick up the jacksie.

 

[thfcsteff]

Point 1. I dont hate him. I just think he has significantly shortchanged us this season. He has the armoury and ability to be a top player but just isnt at it this season.

Point 2. I think we are desperately short of a top striker to lead the line effectively. Ade was bought for this purpose and he just isnt delivering. Until he starts putting in the effort,holds up the ball well, actually winning balls in the air, and attacking the penalty area so he gets in positions to score and - shock horror - actually starts scoring and making goals, I will continue to criticise him. I dont hold with booing and would never do it myself. But what he needs is a big kick up the jacksie.

I absolutely agree with point 1, he has obviously got pysch issues, but I also think he knows he was never the number 1 target this summer for AVB, and thus this has 'affected' him. To be fair to AVB and the staff, they've got more out of an 'out-of-sorts' Ade than any of his previous employees did from the same condition. But yes mate, he has not played to potential...scary, as were he to do so, we'd probably be second!

I thought his second-half in Lyon, after an awful first-half, was a vast vast improvement, and I saw him doing a lot of good work. It is my opinion that AVB currently has such little faith in his finishing abilities that he is using him to create space/occupy defenders so as Bale can be central and get more scoring opps. Seriously, looks to me like AVB has him playing to role in this sense, and that it is not as an orthodox 'lead-the-line' goalscorer. Obviously I could be wrong...

Yes, I agree, he needs to sort his head out, but again, I think we're doing as much as anyone has ever managed to with this aggravating, precocious and temperamental talent...

 

[Spurs7891]

Great to progress to the next round of EL ! But we made hard work of it over both ties. We could have won this more comfortably had we got a bigger win in the first leg. It was always going to be difficult in Lyon as it proved. Our defence were never going to keep a clean sheet there. Fortunately we got the all important goal when it mattered.

What a time for Dembele to score the crucial goal ! It was a great goal ! It proves that he can score goals like that if he wants to. He just needs to step up his game more. Hope it will give him confidence to try to score more goals for us. We cannot rely on Bale to get us the goals all the time as it proved here. It seems Bale didn't have his goal scoring boots on. He wasted a golden chance to score in the second half. It was a sitter that he should have scored. It seems like Bale cannot score simple goals and can only score top class ones. He didn't look like scoring all match. Even his freekick was not as lethal as in the first leg. Atleast he assisted the goal. We needed inspiration somewhere and fortunately Dembele stepped up.

Despite the result, was disappointed about our performance. Thought too many players played below par. Not sure why they couldn't lift their performance for an important match like this. This was our their chance of winning a trophy this season but they played like they had no motivation. Was really disappointed with Lennon and Adebayor. Was hoping for a much better performance from them. Really not sure if Adebayor has any future with us as he is not contributing much for us.

Really annoyed about the way we conceded the goal so early. It almost destroyed our chance to progress. Our defending was shyte for the goal as it was a free header. Bale should have been more alert to head it away. Thought Friedel was also at fault for the goal as he could have covered more. With the experienced Gallas and Vertonghen in defence, we shouldn't be conceding soft goals like that. Hope we will improve our defending.

It is really sweet to progress in the Europe, albeit EL. Now, we will have another tough match against Inter Milan in the next round. Hope we will perform much better than this against Inter.