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Iron Duke 10:16 Sun Sep 25
What has changed since last season?

We are in serious shit, make no mistake. We have zero confidence and are playing like a relegated team already. I really hope Bilic can turn things around because I think he is the right man for us, but this thread isn't about that and at the end of the day I support the club not players or managers.

Last season we were magnificent, and really deserved a top 6 finish at least, but for several key decisions going against us. What is so different this season?

It can't just be the new stadium. We weren't playing there against Chelsea and West Brom. And last season the Boleyn Ground had nothing to do with our wins against Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City. What has changed and how do we get it back?

Billy Blagg 12:39 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

wrighty 9:47 Mon Sep 26
But Nordveit is a defensive midfielder - he may be good or not, I'm not sure yet - but he's playing at full-back because, despite having a Arsenal player on loan for two seasons we've not bought a replacement. The best replacement there, Bilic inexplicably sold. I think confidence is rock bottom because the rest of the squad don't understand it either.

, 11:13 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

Our defending is the game changer. We are not defending as a team. This is what needs to be addressed. I would be more than happy with a 0-0 against Boro and would not care if it bored the pants off people. Not conceding would be the key to a gradual restoration of confidence. Good players don't all go bad at the same time but they can make a bad team. However several ground out results are now a necessity and points on the Board will help team spirit. These are not bad players but players lacking confidence and direction as a team.

Kaiser Zoso 11:06 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

Or the pre season.

That should have been enough of a warning.

Joey Woodwork 11:04 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

As shit as it is, I fail to see how the stadium can be blamed for being 4-0 down at West Brom.

Lily Hammer 10:58 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

A big problem is that oppo teams now say keep Payet out of the game, and West Ham are half the team. We saw that when he was injured last season, and aftrer that season and then the Euros, every team will know they have to keep him tied up, and we'll struggle.

We need to form a solid tactic of how to punish teams for over-committing on Payet. Well drilled combinations of how Payet can draw his markers and then lay off for teh others to move the ball double quick in the space created.

At present, Dimi is making the mistake of either trying to take them on each time, or when he lays it back, it's not being moved around fast enough. It should be a massive part of our gameplan.

wrighty 9:47 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

Playing a narrow formation on a wide pitch. Nordveit is a fucking awful player and leaving a shit player exposed dragged everyone out of position.

Gentile 9:00 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

We move to a Athletics stadium which has removed the impact our home ground used to have in motivating our players and has increased the away teams enthusiasm for getting a result. It's a lovely non threatening arena for away teams to play in.

We signed below players no better than the ones we already had at the club, some of them on loans too, never ideal.

We sold our best CB, a player who loved the club who when played at RB was part of the back four that supported some fanatic wins, especially away from home.

Carroll has been out, our best striker by a mile.

dicksie3 8:55 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

That yesterday was the most gutless pile of shit that I've seen served-up since that toad-headed cunt Grant sent us down.

deanfergi 8:51 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

The stadium and the crowds reaction to it...
5 x 4 metres of extra pitch... Remember how things changed at the Boleyn too when the stands changed and were further from the pitch affecting the crowd/team dynamic..?
A dozen or more new players...ish
Payet wanting to speak to RM...
Maybe 442 needed with a central pairing of Payet or Lanzini with Noble or Kouyate and 2 FKIN Forwards to give more options passing forward... Zaza AND Calleri...
Feghouli and Antonio on wings... We haven't gained the luxury of an overtly attacking formation so need to solidify to gain confidence via tightening up...And players keeping on their fucking feet and keeping their mouths shut to the officials (albeit shit cnuts they may be)

Hermit Road 7:19 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

We didn't improve in the summer, we thought we could get better by standing still while everyone else improved.

arsegrapes 2:48 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

A new manager. In a nutshell Bilic was new on honeymoon came in with new ideas and we were riding a crest of a wave. It happens to a lot of new managers even Roeder as the players step it up to impress the new boss and get a place in the team.

Massive once in a century opportunity for the owners to make the investment required to take the club to the next level after being just four points off Champions League last year for the inaugural season at the new stadium and the fucked it up.

Several very good players neede to be brought in to create competition and drive the team on to greater things, but they wouldn't pay and bought cheap with the exception of Ayew who is a very good player unlike the other dross bought in.

The existing players can see the dross bought in and see they will be guaranteed their place after last seasons achievements and are believing all the hype hence are not fighting for their place enough and that shows in our performances and results.

The owners did things on the cheap to get a big squad fit to play in Europe. They chose quantity over quality and we now have lots of crap in our squad.

The owners also bought a cheapo sixth option manager in Bilic who wouldn't ask for too much salary and transfer funds and rock the boat. This won't change, so unless the players start to show some fight and turn it around Bilic will be gone, which refers back to my opening sentence of this post in what will be required.

The Cult Of Bill 1:53 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

popcorn, sitting all game, no atmosphere, away fans outsinging 50k home fans, youth players kept out of the side by average foreigners, London on the badge, fans leaving with a third of the game left, empty seats everywhere by the time the time added on board is held up

DJH 1:50 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

, 1:01 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

Sorry but the performances in the 2nd half the season were not a patch on the 1st despite what the stats might say and the seeds of our failings this season were already there.

We conceded goals a plenty from the start of March, and away wins against Everton and WBA could have so much different had both sides been more clinical in front of goal as our defensive weaknesses were already pretty obvious, fortunately a Payet inspired side attack wise confident from early season results meant we often still got positive results but only a fool would believe that was a sustainable approach and would not need addressing over the summer otherwise more teams would be dealing with us in the exactly the same manner Swansea did at Upton Park.

Texas Iron 1:13 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

2 David's and Brady...Triumvirate...

Pagey 1:13 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

As always the owners are copping the blame for how we are playing right now.

How about we look closer at the manager and the players (who all earn a fucking fortune) and point the finger at them? Once they cross the line it's down to them and they're all failing miserably. Last season is over now. This season they're playing like gutless pricks.

afan 1:13 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

Going out in the Euros so early caused self doubt to creep in , we will pull it together I believe.

, 1:10 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

Which players are the triumvirate of scum? the three of them need shifting out.

Mart O 1:04 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

You have to think that something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

There were certainly people on here posting last season that we looked vulnerable defensively but that seemed to be part of Slav's approach. Even with the shambolic transfer window we've had I don't think anyone could have envisaged a collapse like this.

Bilic and Noble both looked absolutely shell shocked in their interviews. I can't help feeling there's stuff gone on behind the scenes that has undermined morale and I can't help suspecting that the triumvirate of scum are responsible.

Texas Iron 1:02 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

We had key players go to Olympics and Euros...no time to relax and then full pre seasons...Payet...Lanzini...Collins...Ogbonna....Zaza Calleri

Bought too many mediocre players...Tore ...Feghouli...Nordtveit...Zaza...Calleri...

Best strikers injured long term...Carroll...Sakho...Ayew...

Lost Cresswell...RB not good enough...Reid injured...

Bilic changed systems...more offensive...too far forward...more possession but...players not good enough so losing possession and leaving gaps for opposition to exploit easily on the break...

Midfield attacking players not tracking back enough...FBs exposed...

Noble Kouyate not effective...

Bigger pitch...unfriendly/neutral OS...players don't train on OS...lost Home advantage as at UP...

Bilic believing the Euros hype...

Too many poor players bought ...instead of fewer but better quality...

Needed Top Striker...Very Good DFM...a good RB...

Bilic playing square pegs in round holes...constant changes...unable to settle best formation...

Owners tucked up details of move vs seating...stewards...etc

I may have missed some...

, 1:01 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

After 19 games last season we had 29 points with a goal difference of 5. We were 8th in the table and our last five games had won us 7 points. In the second half of the season we scored another 33 points improved our goal difference to 14. We improved one place to seventh and our last five games won us 9 points.

Clearly we did better on all counts last season in the second half. This nonsense about finishing the season badly is just that.

ManorParkHammer 12:49 Mon Sep 26
Re: What has changed since last season?

We have been upROOTed.

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