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Welcome Ange: To Dare is to Didgeridoo

DeanoAustin said:
No, it’s really not. It’s influenced by what I see on the pitch. I’ve outlined exactly where I see Ange’s approach has caused us problems and cost us goals.

It’s the most risky football I’ve ever seen us play. Poch’s team was attacking but we always had an insurance policy in midfield - something we didn’t have for example in the first half at City.

There are signs that Ange’s approach has shortcomings. At the moment, you could make the argument that that’s driven by personnel. I’m not sure that’s true. Time will tell I guess.

For the record, I’m not against his approach. It’s a bit risky for me ideally but it’s a much better watch than the last 5 years and most of my 40 years as a fan. I’m more than happy to live with it - I just don’t see it enabling us to really challenge the big boys.
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A style of play alone isn't going to get us to that level no matter what it is (defensive/attacking/counter/whatever) and nor is a style of play going to restrict us from reaching that level. Ange plays attackimg football/Mourinho & Conte the opposite- which of those managers would you back to achieve anything here?

What you need is all aspects of the club to be pulling in the same direction, players to buy in to the managers approach a manager who believes in his principals and a transfer department that brings in players of the required quality
 
parklane1 said:
Great post mate and sums up my feelings as well. I think a lot of fans got carried away by our start and expectations rose to quicky, now the reverse is happening and SOME fans are all doom and gloom about us. The truth is we are a work in progress and it WILL take longer then a dozen or so games to see just how much our progress is working.

Add to the fact of having a new manager with a new system, several new players who have to have time to settle and a shocking injury list ( i know all teams suffer injurys) but we seem to be getting a lot to our better players. Ange has had ONE transfer window to bring in the players who he believes we need to suit his style of play and i am sure others will come in to suit his needs.

Rome was not built in a day ( is the old saying) and we will NOT turn around our poor last couple of seasons overnight let alone 4 months into his first season.
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Absolutely.
 
Bishop said:
I have no concerns with Ange. I'm happy for him to live or die by his principles. Like with Conte it just means that you have to get players in that suit his system. Unlike with Conte this is a much easier thing to do as his system isn't so niche and frankly unappealing. If the transfer committee can continue to bring in suitable players then Ange will be a success. Just look at what he's managed so far with squad of largely deadwood.

The issue is we started so well and some people have let that dream run away with them and now their expectations are unrealistic. We are a good side when everyone is fit, we can play anyone and even beat any team in the PL but as soon as we lose some players the thin quality of the squad is apparent.

I would argue we really only have 12 players maybe 13, which would the fully fit first 11 we've seen this season with Johnson instead of Richy and Bentancur as the 12th player and maybe Royal as the 13th. Pretty much everyone else is debatable or a significant drop on quality so what do we really expect given the raft of injuries we have suffered. Beef the squad up with more quality players and we won't have these dips.
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People have got a little excited off the back of our unprecedented start but I'm not sure if expectations have shifted majorly in the manner you have suggested - I'm maybe someone who could be described as over excited by the start, but am well aware it was contingent on a very strict set of circumstances wherebly the starting XI would remain injury free for the majority of the season - i think for the most part the more excitable element of the fanbase would be in a similar place, excluding twittee weirdos.
 
This run of games from chelsea to Saudi Sportswashing Machine was always going to be more difficult. To lose 4 of our key players as well, and the only suprise for me is we were in the mix to win each and every one of these games, dominating some of them. That we didn't win was a combination of not having enough quality at each end of the pitch and not getting the rub of the green.

To not have VDV, Romero, Maddison and Bentancur available has been a stretch, and means the rest of the players are more pressured and fatigued. With these 3/4 in the team we were already looking to the likes of Sarr, Destiny, Johnson, Richarlison etc asking can they contributre more goals and mature? It is the next step for us: getting more end product from the promising young players and reinforcing our defence and attack.
 
SpurMeUp said:
This run of games from chelsea to Saudi Sportswashing Machine was always going to be more difficult. To lose 4 of our key players as well, and the only suprise for me is we were in the mix to win each and every one of these games, dominating some of them. That we didn't win was a combination of not having enough quality at each end of the pitch and not getting the rub of the green.
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I think this is a great point. I expected us to take a 3-0 or 4-0, possibly worse, defeat by now. To have been in all of the games this early in the process is definitely a positive.
 
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tommysvr said:
Honest question, when has this so-called gung ho style actually caused us problems? We’ve conceded a couple of goals from mistakes in playing the ball at the back, but I don’t think that’s the same thing. I don’t think we’ve been gung ho at all. I think it’s a high press, quick passing and lots of movement, but all in a very deliberate and organised manner. It’s not 5 strikers on the pitch at all times.
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Maybe gung-ho is the wrong term to use, and i have fallen into the trap of over simplifying and created a non-existent link between being gung-ho, which i would agree with you that we aren't. I think the huge contrast to prior managers has maybe given me this false perception, and it is more that the play out from all areas is what i was referring to. Whilst i definitely agree this approach is miles better overall than a defend at all costs mindset, i think it is fair to say that losing 4 games from 5 after taking the lead in all of them, means something needs to be tweaked, and not just better players, we all know that is the case.

I would also add that i massively back Ange to recognise this and make the necessary changes, even develop an alternative system to use which is just as positive (and i have fallen into the further trap of making and putting unrealistic/irrational expectations on the team following our start!)
 
Modrical said:
Maybe gung-ho is the wrong term to use, and i have fallen into the trap of over simplifying and created a non-existent link between being gung-ho, which i would agree with you that we aren't. I think the huge contrast to prior managers has maybe given me this false perception, and it is more that the play out from all areas is what i was referring to. Whilst i definitely agree this approach is miles better overall than a defend at all costs mindset, i think it is fair to say that losing 4 games from 5 after taking the lead in all of them, means something needs to be tweaked, and not just better players, we all know that is the case.

I would also add that i massively back Ange to recognise this and make the necessary changes, even develop an alternative system to use which is just as positive (and i have fallen into the further trap of making and putting unrealistic/irrational expectations on the team following our start!)
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I think it’s been over-simplified in the press and by people like Gary Neville, trying to judge a system based on the first few games (he wrote off our inside fullbacks in the second game FFS) without truly seeing how it works. I don’t think we’re even close to what Ange has in mind, how he really wants to play. But it’s already been written in stone as ultra high line, ultra attacking when it’s really not that — at least, it’s definitely not that all of the time.

I do agree that the contrast from past managers has made Ange’s setup look that much more risky.
 
tommysvr said:
I think it’s been over-simplified in the press and by people like Gary Neville, trying to judge a system based on the first few games (he wrote off our inside fullbacks in the second game FFS) without truly seeing how it works. I don’t think we’re even close to what Ange has in mind, how he really wants to play. But it’s already been written in stone as ultra high line, ultra attacking when it’s really not that — at least, it’s definitely not that all of the time.

I do agree that the contrast from past managers has made Ange’s setup look that much more risky.
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Much more risky
Much much more rewarding
 
I have been watching how people are crawling out of the wood work to throw shade at Ange and Spurs. Some Spurs fans are even enabling this behaviour.

I always recall what I read somewhere - a strong man has strong enemies. If you don't have any enemies you are weak.

Use that to judge the silly comments I have read in media. Most silly are the ones disparaging him for sticking to his beliefs and mocking him from his time at Celtic.
 
tommysvr said:
I think this is a great point. I expected us to take a 3-0 or 4-0, possibly worse, defeat by now. To have been in all of the games this early in the process is definitely a positive.
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But also a little frustrating as we could have at least got a couple of more draws at the very least.
But this moment won't last forever. Brighter things are coming. Our time will come
 
afsoc4life said:
I have been watching how people are crawling out of the wood work to throw shade at Ange and Spurs. Some Spurs fans are even enabling this behaviour.

I always recall what I read somewhere - a strong man has strong enemies. If you don't have any enemies you are weak.

Use that to judge the silly comments I have read in media. Most silly are the ones disparaging him for sticking to his beliefs and mocking him from his time at Celtic.
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Let them crack on. Cos it's not gonna age well!!
 
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