There’s not been a fat lot to talk about over the weekend has there?
Garde is still the favourite to get the Villa job, with much of the media thinking it’s pretty much a done deal and there are suggestions the Frenchman will be at tomorrow’s game.
Before I talk about the game though, Stan Collymore has come out with an interesting article in the Mirror, where he calls for Moyes to come in, comments on what the players thought about Sherwood leaving and gives his thoughts on Fox, Almstadt and Reilly.
On the latter point, he pulls no punches and slates all three in saying many at Arsenal couldn’t wait for Almstadt to leave, Reilly has added to the length of his job title every time he’s changed job and Fox is basically just a nice bloke.
Regardless of what you think about Collymore, he doesn’t beat about the bush, does he?
With Moyes, he says that the board should devolve all power to him.
Here, while Collymore may well be right, I actually think he’s off the mark on this one.
The board have decided on the road they want to go and for this reason, I don’t think there’s any chance of Moyes coming whatsoever.
Indeed, hasn’t Moyes actually said he wants to stay at Sociedad?
Not that we should take that as gospel, of course.
Regardless, it’s a fascinating read and I recommend you take a look.
So we have the game coming up tomorrow night and I’m afraid I’ve written it off and expect nothing whatsoever.
You’d be correct in pointing out that we actually beat Spurs in the corresponding fixture last season, but I just look at their attack and then compare it to our defence, who I have no faith in whatsoever.
I’ve suggested previously that our rearguard is our biggest problem and it’s why I fear any new manager is going to struggle, particularly until the winter window.
As much as I’ve always liked Guzan, he’s currently a liability and if I have little faith in him, it’s hard to see how our defence can have much either.
I’d be expecting a new goalie and possibly even a couple of defenders to come in, but that’s for the future.
My point is that although Richards, Lescott, Clark and Okore might seem fine on paper, hardly a game goes by where there isn’t a major defensive mistake and I don’t feel anything will change, particularly for this game.
So we’re going to concede then.
Which makes me think Kevin MacDonald will go for a defensive strategy ; one that will be wrong in my opinion.
Surely if you agree that we’re bound to concede, a better approach might be to try to outscore the opposition?
Yes, it might prove to be costly, but it strikes me we’re more likely to score than we are to keep a clean sheet.
Indeed, I think we’ve only kept one clean sheet in the Premier league (Bournemouth) this season.
Hence, if my assumption is correct, we need to score two goals.
And I don’t see that happening with a defensive setup against Spurs, even if they’re not that great at the back.
So I can’t see past a defeat, by at least two goals.
3-0 springs to mind, but I suspect we might get one in return, as we catch them on the break, with Gabby, who I feel is bound to start, getting a once in a blue moon goal.
3-1 is my guess then.
As for squad news, Richards and Lescott were both apparently carrying knocks for the Southampton game and Gary Gardner had a foot injury, but all are expected to be available.
Otherwise, I think we’re all good.
As for myself, I’m carrying an injury which will mean I won’t be doing a nightshift tomorrow, hence I’ll get to see the game.
I suppose every cloud has a silver lining, but that’ll depend on what happens tomorrow night.
A change of topic: goal-keeping coaches. Anyone going to Spurs tonight please advise if the GK coach has Guzan practising goal kicks in the warm up.
Last week I went to the Aldershot v Sutton Utd Cup tie (Sutton are the team I played for). Suttons GK coach placed 5 disks spread right across the pitch 60 yards from goal, then stood with his foot on each disk in turn, Ross Worner the keeper took 5 goal kicks from the same spot on the six yard line and hit the coach on the chest every time. This is a Conference South keeper. It makes me wonder WTF goes on at BMH in training, because our keepers could not do that.
OLL – very good question regarding what premier league players actually ‘do’ at ‘training’!
Judging by the stories that come out, the answer seems to be ‘very little’ : a bit of a warm-up, some circuit training, maybe an hour on the pitch, followed by a sauna/massage/physio session and then lunch, then off to the golf club…
Hence the sort of comments that we sometimes pick up in the media: managers who’ve not actually spoken to particular players for a couple of weeks between games, or players who aren’t fit because they ‘didn’t have a full pre-season’, etc.
Certainly if you listen to some managers, the only ‘coaching’ that seems to take place is in the few weeks just before the start of each season!
Good point OLL.
One very positive thought: we’re bottom of the league after four months yet have only got a negative goal difference of -6. Look at the teams above us and a win tonight puts us 18th. Another win on top of that and a bit of luck with the other results and we’ll be out of the bottom three in no time.
I’m going for a win tonight.
Which pretty much kills my argument that we should go for it tonight.
It’s a fair point, as goal difference may well come into play.
Weird innit. Three or four better results and TS would still be here. Not much in the games we’ve lost. Nobody has shafted us like under L & McL….
See your logic of only losing by one goal made sense after all 🙂
IV a sneaky feeling we may get something tonight as long as we don’t make errors and Lescott isn’t in team. I’m going 1.0 to us
Well, you all have convinced me, it’s a win then, Bum bum with his theory, Ooh ah with his charm, and Badger with I told you so, its a 2-1 from me. Plus the fact that our new savior will be watching to put us back at the top. YOU KNOW WHAT, I cannot wait.
Sorry to say this lads but I want us to lose tonight we can win every game after tonight though
My reason I have an 8 match accumalator with the first 7 correct the last game you guessed it spurs to win
I know I am hanging my head in shame
If we win tonight perhaps we can all chip in a fiver for TGV – it would worth every penny!
Hitch first thing that hit my mind, willing to pay,
I’m quite optimistic for the future as I honestly don’t think that there’s too much wrong with the team. Put the round pegs in the round holes and buy a few players in January (GK and RB please) and I think we’ll be okay.
Tonight’s game is a free hit as, before Remi’s appointment I wouldn’t have given us any chance, now we have a slim chance. Realistically it’s not a match we could be sure of winning no matter how good we were.
I should hope that by the Watford game we’ll be playing better and, except for Arsenal, we have a run of winnable games after that.
Still hoping
UTV
Hoping that some players get the chance to show the new manager what they’re capable of tonight [ – assuming that KMac names a decent squad, rather than just the tried, tested and failed…]
Actually, that’s an interesting point Ardent.
I know KMac will be fronting the show, but if the deal’s been done, I wonder if Garde might actually name the team he wants to see play?
Also, I expected the announcement today, as even his ex employers have said he’s coming, so it’s no big secret.
Maybe he wants to get his assistants sorted first.
Or maybe it just suits if KMac sort of takes the flak for this particular game?
Oops, just been confirmed.
Welcome Remi!
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~5113718,00.html
(Massive sigh of relief)
Yippee another man for Oohah to moan at. Welcome Remi.
I won’t be moaning at this one Bill this is the type of manager IV wanted for years so pleased we’ve gone foreign for once
Lescott starting… common!
Can’t believe Lescott is starting my small chance we had has gone