Bailey

We normally do pressure the ball but like I have said in previous games we have dropped off too much after the initial burst and normally after we concede a goal. I do think there are issues with our shape too, once again, when we drop off because its almost as if the players get caught between pressuring the ball and sitting back. I dont think they have. Managers wont be setting their team up to say 'lets wait for them to make a mistake and then we will get them'. We have taken the lead in most of the games we have played. Moyes was slated for his one dimensional play. It was sit back, play for a point and hope we can nick a win. We arent one dimensional under Martinez, we have play some truely excellent football in patches for most of the games we have played this season. We have dominated the ball and generally created enough chances to put teams away before conceding absolute shockers. There are some clear issues and of course Martinez has to take some stick, in my opinion for team selection and in game substitutions, but there isnt much he can do about some of the goals we have conceded this season. I have never seen anything like it, even Wigan didnt fuck up this much! Its not like we are all over the place, we have been in position, done the right thing and then fucked it up. What can you do about that?

From what I have seen, they have tried to but arent doing it very well and we are winning the ball back in the midfield. Its not like they are making lots of runs in behind etc in a true counter attacking sense. We do the same thing a lot of the time to, especially when we are leading. Either way it doesnt matter. Its a bad, bad loss but from what I saw of the 2nd half we certainly didnt play badly enough to be 2 nil down. Atsu, Besic, Alcaraz and Garbutt all showed promise, Gibson & Lukaku were hot and cold, McGeady & Hibbert were a waste of space and Distin wasnt a great deal better. I thought Osman did OK when he came on. We really need to buck our ideas up by Saturday.

But its the same thing that made us successful last season. Its high pressure, you have to trust your players to make the right decisions, unfortunately we aren't. I do think we are carrying too many players who arent pulling their weight and thats something we cant afford.

Swansea play possession football as well you realise?

I didnt see the first goal but its hardly poor tactics that we were dominating the game and then we fuck up. He cant exactly legislate for Distin's fuck up either. Its not like he is instructing his players to go out and fuck up FFS. Fuck knows why Osman is coming on though!

Lukaku should have done more with that opportunity. Good sharp keeping though.

Hibbert may as well not be playing. Offers absolutely nothing. At least give Browning a run out.

That wasnt a bad ball from McCarthy but McGeady was about 5 yards away from controlling it!

Why the fuck doesnt Distin clear that with his foot... Comical.

I think that's a strange team personally. I'm a bit disappointed that Browning hasn't been given a chance. Will be good to see how we go without Jags. Also have to think Robles time is done here if he isn't starting tonight.

The first was definitely Howard ' s fault.

I don't know how well it really works though. It didn't work at the weekend and I know if I was one of those players I would want to start and sitting on the bench wouldn't be a rest. You either have to have the conviction that the starting 11 will do the job or just pick your best players to win the game and then take them off when the job is done.

True! Pretty much half the squad!

At Wigan he did give other players a chance to prove themselves in cup games etc and if they were better they got into the team. I would really like to see Distin and Stones start together tonight to prove themselves as a good partnership again and if it worked we might see them start at the weekend.

I only mentioned Distin because of his performance against Chelsea. He certainly wasn't alone though. Although I don't think he has been at his best yet this season. Last season he was fantastic.

I would die a little inside if we just sold Barkley off to the highest bidder. The lad is a serious talent, he is a die hard blue and loves the club. These are the players we want to keep. I would much rather we kept him than pay 10 mil for 5 mercenaries to replace him.

I think that will more or less be it although my view is that if Lukaku/Mirallas aren't going to start then they shouldn't be in the squad. You either rest someone completely or they start.

Forshaw looking tidy for Wigan. Needs to impose himself on the game a little more he is a decent little player.

Yeh that's very true. Its very difficult to drop your captain as well and he has been one of the worst culprits. Same can be said for the vice-captain too (presuming its Osman). I do feel a bit sorry for Osman because his legs are gone and he probably only has 60mins in him but Jags, Distin, Barry, McGeady are all wise enough and still fit enough now.

I could understand if it was as a result of pressure building up and we weren't able to get on the ball etc but it's happened when we have been in complete control, only just started or towards the end of games when we have been comfortable. And it's senior players, not young guys coming in. Experienced internationals that should know better.

Amazing goal. The vision and skill to pull that off was quality. Didn't help them in the end though!

Liverpool 1 - 3 Everton Mirallas

I completely agree but I don't understand how it can keep happening. A couple of times I think we have sat back a little too much and invited pressure but the majority have been from simple plays whether they are attacking or defending. I haven't seen anything like it before from top players especially when they haven't been under pressure, just like those yesterday. No game in the PL Is easy but when you gift goals to the other side you are asking for trouble and it's so hard to turn it around because it becomes frustrating and then you start having mentality issues because the players don't have that freedom. Regarding the 3rd goal comments, it's irrelevant whatever McCarthy does or doesn't do. Osman shouldn't be losing the ball there EVER. That is the problem and that is what we need to correct.

I watched Caulker for QPR last week and he was atrociuos. No idea about players making runs in behind him and generally he was positionally all over the place. We dont need another one of those!

I cant help think a lot of the team selection stick regarding Martinez is quite a lot of aftertiming. Its ok saying we only have Swansea on Tues in Cup but the players wont have fully recovered to play 3 games in a week and some are better than dealing it than others. If those that played in the 2 games came out and were below par you would all be on here claiming he should have made changes. The fact is the team was good enough. We bullied them to start with, we took the lead and played comfortably. WTF Howard was doing I dont know. I have seen Stones and Distin blamed but you can clearly hear Howard call for it and he has to make it. So far from goal too and normally the defenders would have just dealt with it had he left them to it. The second goal is even worse. A keeper that cant even fecking catch! What can you do in those circumstances? Robles will be in against Swansea and he has a chance to put down a marker (not that I am expecting it!). It doesnt matter how much work you do on the training ground because we have individuals that are fucking up and its a mixture each game. Its the same with the Osman goal, if you lose the ball 30 yards out with the majority of the team ahead of the ball, you are going to concede a chance in the Premier League. Simple as that. We do a lot of good work in the game that it all gets undone by some really poor decisions being made by senior players. If this was a young lad coming into the team you could understand it a little but this is Osman, Howard, Jags, Barry, McCarthy, McGeady... All guys who should know much better. Its frustrating as fuck. Yesterday was the ideal time to pick up 3 points with those around us struggling and the annoying part is that we should have done enough to do that.