s@int wrote:I think Rafa's approach to many games is one of don't take any chances, don't make any mistakes and hopefully we will get a goal and keep a clean sheet. Against the "big" sides I think this works quite well as they come out and allow us to hit them on the counter, against "small" teams who are quite happy to sit back for the draw, we often struggle as the players aren't adventurous enough to force the game. Certainly in Europe it works a treat, but in the League we often look stilted and lack fluency as its pretty rare that we get behind teams as they sit deeper.
Tonight I thought we got the balance pretty much spot on, although we still have problems playing the ball out of defense the higher line playing at home gives us more chance of winning the second ball when we hoof it, than when we just sit back. Which is why imo we have problems away from home.
Well i think our biggest problem this season has been the way we start matches . Against the lesser sides we seem to start all guns blazing and if we don't get an early goal the confidence just seems to dwindle out of the team as a whole . Last season we kept at it and never gave in , this season if it doesn't happen in the first 20mins or so it looks like it's never going to happen . Having said that i think all managers send the team out not to lose . You just hope that the players you put on the park have enough quality to win you the game .