Building Confidence?

[Hafnia]

We've played 451 for years, opposition managers would surely have sussed it out long before now? It's just we had such a good system for the players we have that they couldn't stop it. It wasn't the system that was wrong (I mean 442 is hardly original is it?) it was how our players were performing in that system. There was a lack of effort, of desire to score goals and take risks which had nothing to do with the system. At times during the last couple of seasons we have had serious injury problems and put out really dodgy teams, yet we won due to hard work and desire (and the 451), if we had that same mentality with the teams Moyes has put out this season, we would be in the top 2 or 3. I was calling for 442 last night as something did need to change but the fact is last night proved nothing except that if our players actually try their best and try and score goals, they invariably win. Cahill played in arguably our best result this season (2 1 away at City) in which he scored a goal and set up the other, so to say last night proved we are better without him is nonsense. Cahill could play up front or in midfield, it's not as if many of our players (ie Arteta, Rodwell, Pienaar, Beckford, Saha, Yakubu) are actually doing anything on the pitch is it?

 

I'm just unbelievably frustrated as I think the teams in the league this year are poor, Man Utd are top and they don't even look particularly good, the top 4 and even the title were there for the taking if our players (or Moyes) had just stepped up and played like we all know they could.

 

Managers have sussed out 4-5-1, get behind the ball when we attack as we are not quick on the break, as stated in the post above and by me elsewhere, plus no less than Saha himself- with two out and out strikers trying to get behind the central pairing we are more direct in our approach, two goals scored from intelligent interplay between two strikers says alot. Tim is not effective in a two man central partnership and despite his lack of form could never hold a candle to arteta as a midfielder, nor as a striker is as talented as Saha.

 

It feels like telling a child that Santa doesn't exist when saying that Cahill may need to be dropped for the benefit of the team as he truly is a legend, but if sir alex can drop berbatov for certain formations then it goes to show it's what's needed for the team.

 

I don't for one minute think that our players don't try, get frustrated, toothless yes, but not "try" I feel that the times when we have performed in this manner it is down to the manager to change the tactics with enough time to impact the game, I.e half time.

[StevO]

as cahilll is still the fourth highest scorer in the prem this season, i think his goals from deep make up for not having a second striker.

if anyone has took any notice in the last two games, saha is playing in the same role as cahill, mostly playing off beckford. not if saha starts scoring more than cahill then maybe, but tim has to play for me.

as far as i can see, the system is still the same, just different personnel.