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The *WHEN* we go down thread

I think some of this is complete nonsense.

Most players, given the level they are at can pass the ball (endless videos of them doing rapid passing in training).
So it's a tactics, system, between the ears thing.

My favourite example is Bodo. 95% of their passes are not special/difficult. Just standard passing. It flows because they've learnt the system/tactics and have trust and belief in that system and each other. They haven't learnt to pass.
And I'd guess most netruals would say we have a better standard of player than them.

Yes, it's handy to have a passer that can do something special/unusual/unpredictable but it's not essential. (We probably have in Maddison and Xavi two that could fulfil that role tbh)

Tbh it's just a lazy narrative....I think it would be more accurate to suggest that we look like a team going thru a mental breakdown atm.

In one sense I agree with you, the Bodo example is a good one and also the fact that our players are internationals and should be capable of the basics is completely true.

On the other hand, I think our club’s obsession with data has gotten us into this mess. It’s in the signings, it’s in who we well and when, it’s who we choose not to sign or return from loan, it’s in the managers we sack and appoint. Basically everything is too far towards what the model says and not enough sense of what the human beings need.

We absolutely shouldn’t be 18th regardless of the actual passing quality of the squad. And I do think we’ve gone through a complete mental breakdown. But I think the breakdown started because of decisions that were made on a spreadsheet, and not with a good sense of why the squad needed.
 
In one sense I agree with you, the Bodo example is a good one and also the fact that our players are internationals and should be capable of the basics is completely true.

On the other hand, I think our club’s obsession with data has gotten us into this mess. It’s in the signings, it’s in who we well and when, it’s who we choose not to sign or return from loan, it’s in the managers we sack and appoint. Basically everything is too far towards what the model says and not enough sense of what the human beings need.

We absolutely shouldn’t be 18th regardless of the actual passing quality of the squad. And I do think we’ve gone through a complete mental breakdown. But I think the breakdown started because of decisions that were made on a spreadsheet, and not with a good sense of why the squad needed.

As you know I have complained about this for some time now,
 
In one sense I agree with you, the Bodo example is a good one and also the fact that our players are internationals and should be capable of the basics is completely true.

On the other hand, I think our club’s obsession with data has gotten us into this mess. It’s in the signings, it’s in who we well and when, it’s who we choose not to sign or return from loan, it’s in the managers we sack and appoint. Basically everything is too far towards what the model says and not enough sense of what the human beings need.

We absolutely shouldn’t be 18th regardless of the actual passing quality of the squad. And I do think we’ve gone through a complete mental breakdown. But I think the breakdown started because of decisions that were made on a spreadsheet, and not with a good sense of why the squad needed.

But the spreadsheet says.
Spreadsheet says whatever you put on it, put rubbish on it, get rubbish out of it.
 
I'm intrigued to see what they'll do if we go down. On one hand, we're already losing £250m and there will likely be people losing their jobs so they can't afford to lose much more revenue. On the other hand, I have two season tickets that cost twice that each. Not sure I want to be paying that to watch Lincoln, Preston and Norwich.
I’ve been thinking about this, too.

My ST is £1100. Roughly £60 per game. I would t expect to pay more than £35 per game for Championship football.

My thought is that the club will enact a tiny price reduction and then point out that we are getting more games for less money.

I’ll be walking at that point. I’d say £700 is my absolute top whack. It hasn’t been enjoyable for years, after all.
 
One thought, do Championship managers give press conferences on Thurs/Fri like the PL , never seen them reported on BBC sport pages , if they don't at least de Zerbi will have about 30 minutes more to spend on the training ground instead of answering pointless questions.
 
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