Has the japan trip ruined our season?

[floyd the barber]

we were playing fantastic before the trip to japan, since returning we havent looked the same....yes we`ve had a few wins but even in those games we were not convincing...

 

The side looks tired...and apart from the first 30mins today(in which we were excellent) yet again we lacked pace,ideas,etc...

 

Im really worried about this month, we have some massive games which will really make or break our season..

 

Im not feeling confident at all right now.

[Scorpion]

We already lost 2 of those games....Man Utd, and Chelsea.

[Swipe]

A world class striker is what we need. Has we had one, we'd have beaten, United, Birmingham and perhaps when we were dominating today we'd have scored and the game would have been different.

[floyd the barber]

A world class striker is what we need. Has we had one, we'd have beaten, United, Birmingham and perhaps when we were dominating today we'd have scored and the game would have been different.

 

 

definetly, crouch i thought played well today but with no striker/poacher anticipating his knock downs....

 

Hopefully fowler will get fit and quick..

[Dave_the_Red]

Very much doubt it, more likely starting our season in July

[Guest Aussie_Red]

I think the team is really feeling every extra game in the last few weeks and I would agree that we haven't been the same since our trip to Japan. Our season starting in June is also hurting us I feel. I just hope we can perform okay in the FA Cup. Make a very big attempt at winning the European Cup and finish 2nd this season and then our players (and fans!) can just have a much much deserved break.

Edited February 5, 2006 by Aussie_Red

[Archangel]

I was against the japan trip, it was a distraction on our focus, it was not what we needed, but its not the reason for our recent drop in form, at least I dont think so

[realtarragona]

No.

 

It's not as if we came back from Japan and everything went wrong. We came back and won three straight games in a row, including games against Newcastle and Everton.

 

Our performances have dipped since Bolton, in my opinion. That's 7 games now so hopefully we can kick on again. Although I think some of the players are pretty tired at the moment so it's perhaps unlikely...

[Guest Kev]

A world class striker is what we need. Has we had one, we'd have beaten, United, Birmingham and perhaps when we were dominating today we'd have scored and the game would have been different.

 

A decent striker would be an improvement.

[Nebraska Red]

A decent striker would be an improvement.

 

 

with Morientes, Crouch and Cisse we have forwards and not strikers. The only striker we have right now is Fowler and he is a few games away from making a worthwhile contribution.

 

we have goalscores in Garcia, Kewell and Gerrard but they are being marked out of the game to prevent them from getting into the box.

 

our 3 forwards can be handled relatively easily if our midfield is kept from getting forward and it is up to the forward players to move about and create space and chances for the supporting players.

 

we have been very predicatable in the past few games and the manager has to find a way of changing our style of play to make us more of a threat.

[Paisley]

No - dropping five points against Man U, six points to Chelsea, and having three woeful strikers has though.

[Guest Kev]

with Morientes, Crouch and Cisse we have forwards and not strikers. The only striker we have right now is Fowler and he is a few games away from making a worthwhile contribution.

 

we have goalscores in Garcia, Kewell and Gerrard but they are being marked out of the game to prevent them from getting into the box.

 

our 3 forwards can be handled relatively easily if our midfield is kept from getting forward and it is up to the forward players to move about and create space and chances for the supporting players.

 

we have been very predicatable in the past few games and the manager has to find a way of changing our style of play to make us more of a threat.

 

Been saying it for weeks now, the lack of pace and skill combined in our forward has taken away a large part of our ammunition. The better defenders do not get a hard time against us.

 

I fear Benfica could be our last top game of the season. We should have bought a pacy forward during the window.

[Nebraska Red]

Been saying it for weeks now, the lack of pace and skill combined in our forward has taken away a large part of our ammunition. The better defenders do not get a hard time against us.

 

I fear Benfica could be our last top game of the season. We should have bought a pacy forward during the window.

 

you're a real ray of sunshine today!!!

 

look at it another way, instead of being scheidt in November, we are having our little blip right now. we have played the Chavs and the Mancs and got 1 point out of 12, we need to go out and make up the difference against the likes of Wigan, Charlton and Arsenal. no problem whatsoever.

[Guest Kev]

you're a real ray of sunshine today!!!

 

look at it another way, instead of being scheidt in November, we are having our little blip right now. we have played the Chavs and the Mancs and got 1 point out of 12, we need to go out and make up the difference against the likes of Wigan, Charlton and Arsenal. no problem whatsoever.

 

I am still pissed off with the Birmingham game. Rafa should have played the big guns in that game and got us the 3 points and not put all his eggs in one Chelsea basket.

 

The two points dropped against them is far more destructive than nothing against Chelsea.

[Bootle Buck]

I think the last 25 minutes of the first half against Everton was the start of it. We looked ragged and stretched for the first time in ages. Luckily Cisse scored right after half time but that could have been a scrap. After that our back four hasn't looked the steady unit it was when they hadn't conceded for 10 games. It's like that Beattie goal shook them and they havn't recovered since.

[Dan]

We should have bought a pacy forward during the window.

like who?

[Paisley]

like who?

 

Well Defoe scored twice today - even as a short term solution it would have spared us from relying on low on confidence, low on goals strikers for the rest of the season - which looks like it is going to cost us.

[Guest rickyjohn]

definetly, crouch i thought played well today but with no striker/poacher anticipating his knock downs....

 

Hopefully fowler will get fit and quick..

 

Please? I thought Crouch was fecking awful again today. He's got an incredible lack of pace, and doesn't make up for it with his height unfortunately. Thought he was one of the worst players on the pitch.