Rousseau

There can't be anyone here like that. They'd be truly beyond contempt...

You're 100% correct. I mean, some people don't buy xG and think MB should be given a new 5-year-deal to get things right. Psychotic.

I like to be accurate. I've taken a battering on xG over the last week, so just let me have this!

PSV don't play in Holland.

I don't doubt it, but they are unhinged. Reasonable observers saw the football he was trying to play. He is now out of our league, but it's his first full job. He was joint-coach at Anderlecht, iirc. That's not out of our league. The point was that coaches can impliment a style of play quite quickly, even if it's a bit rough at the start. MB has had 9 months and it's still bland AF.

He's a good coach. Shaky - very shaky - first few months. But, you could see what he was trying to do. That was my point. I mentioned Kompany at Burnley, too.

Beale has been around for around 5 years. He repeatedly says that the club has been interested for a while, but it just means he was involved with the initial scouting. Raskin, for one, was a target for SG and MB before they left.

6 - 9 months? But that's to get the team fine-tuned. I'd expect to see what he's trying to do after a pre-season. You can see what Ange is trying to do at Spurs. It's really rough at the minute, though; they'll have a tough season. Kompany turned around Burnley in a pre-season. Again, it was rough initially: not many goals, a lot of draws. But, yiu coyld see where he was going. MB's football is so bland. Quite frankly, we've seen it for the last 5 years (excluding the period when GvB was in charge). It's not going to change.

Beale has had 9 months - 2 months with his new players. How long should he get?

I disagree. Those are MB players - straight from his little black book. Ha! Yes, probably. Doesn't mean the manager shouldn't be changed - IMO, of course.

I always argued that MB would get more out of GvB's team. He did. I now think we have a decent group of players. I now think another manager would get more out of them. I agree we are quite entitled. You have to be wary of accepting mediocrity - I'm guilty of that myself. When things are not working, though, you have to change it.

That's the major issue with allowing a manager full control of recruitment. Ideally, we get a DoF in place, then give him the task of appointing a manager that suits the players. A German or Austrian coach with Red Bull experience would do well with this narrow formation.

I've got another few hours of disappointment to get through. Then the fear kicks in...

I think you said he was a waste of money? Fair enough, it's not quite writing him off. Maybe I'm conflating you with others? So many have written players off already.

How can you move on from yesterday so quickly?! I think you're correct with that team.

And yet you've already written off some players? MB has had 9 months. The players have had 9 weeks. Not having a go: just pointing out the inconsistencies...

Tuchel and Guardiola are two of the most controlling managers in world football, so your point that 'we [are] making a simple game far too complicated' doesn't match your examples. What we need is an effective manager.

Nothing to do with Tuchel and Guardiola?

What are your thoughts, folks?

I'd be level, but I've been losing points by making transfers. Stupid Reece James pulling up in the first game... Pr*ck.

If it's in the #10 role, I agree with you. I'm still convinced Lammers is a striker, but we're not using him properly. I don't know what the answer is, though.

Lammers and Dessers were the two strikers today. Lammers was completely anonymous today. He hasn't usually been played as a striker for us - usually deeper, as a #10. Both got no service whatsoever. Dessers had to make that superb volley himself. Agreed about MB.

Exactly. It won't matter what formation we use if these issues remain.

Not only have we been playing with two up front for weeks (months, even), we did do something different today. We looked to be playing a 3-1-4-2 in attack. We discussed it at half-time (see page 8 above). The structure is irrelevant, for me. It's the principles of play that are not working: there's no movement, the passing is slow and unsure, there's no intent. It'll be the same whether it's a 4-4-2, 4-3-3 or 3-5-2.

And, more importantly, a maximum in the GPL.