The 48 Pass Goal

[West Acton]

For me that just shows how off the pace we were yesterday; any side that has the opportunity to keep the ball for 48 passes without having the ball nicked off them is facing a side which is putting zero pressure on the ball and is clearly just content to stand off and let the ball be passed in front of them

Not acceptable minimum we should expect is 100% effort if we get beat that way no complaints from me but standing off and not coming off the pitch having given your all is not acceptable

[West Acton]

And I would add that's why in some games you need a Karl Henry type character in the side (not saying he's the answer but someone of that ilk) because we have no real ball winners who want to go out and do the dirty work of just being a spoiler especially against sides like Spurs, Arsenal and Man City who want to knock it about.

With a Henry type fairly sure that there would not have been 48 passes finished with a goal as one of their players would have been clattered and a free kick given. Some on here wont like it but killing a game and giving away fouls to stop moves is now part and parcel of the game and we need to be smarter and more professional instead of letting teams run through us!!!!! we were guilty of that last time we were here

Spurs done it to Remy yesterday in the first half he was on the verge of getting away and Kaboul took him out ended the move and they get 11 back behind the ball

[Yousef]

Fer is the Karl Henry type your are talking about West, but the problem is that Harry rushed in starting him when he was not fit. Yesterday also proved 3-5-2 isn't suitable for us because it requires not only pace but also quick and right movements without the ball. How many times did Traore try to dribble close to our box because there were nobody to pass the ball to?

[West Acton]

There was pace in that team (Caulker, Traore, Fer, Remy, Phillips) Yousef but no point having pace if you don't have the ball. I only know what I saw last season at Norwich for Fer but he don't look a ball winner to me he in my view is supposed to be the creative one, ball carrier might be wrong though

[Yousef]

What about Faurlin? I think he can do so, but Harry is detroyed him yesterday.

[West Acton]

Think Faurlin must start in the middle for me until one of the new signings Mutch or Fer demonstrate that there a better option then him so far they have not done that in my view. When he came on yesterday he kept the ball and we looked a better side

[JamieRsss]

Surely that is Barton's role - breaking up play......... Everyone been very quiet about him yesterday but thought he was useless, easy to pick off and scape goat the defenders but it was the midfield that offered diddly! I think in the prem he is and will be the weak link in our side more so that Traore and Dunne even! I think regardless of him being captain he will be out the team soon. We should have enough leaders with Rio and Caulker (who was captain last season) and the midfield should be Faurlin, Vargas, and Fer.

[Abseits]

I think standing off and letting opposition have ball worked okay last season, play-off final being a case in point. However, at this level we are not gonna get away with letting other team have the run of 75% of pitch. 'Arry needs to come up with a different approach with a bit more pressing, harrying and "in their faces" built into it. I don't mind getting outplayed by a better team but getting outpaced, outworked and generally muscled out of things is unacceptable, particular by a bunch of tarts like Spurs.

[Rangers77]

Good OP. Remy and Phillips completely failed to harry Spurs when their defenders had the ball. You defend from the front. Our wing backs failed to push up when Sours had the ball in their half which meant we strung five across the back so providing space for Spurs to exploit. Especially when Fer and Mutch went AWOL leaving Joey on his own in the middle.

[West Acton]

I think standing off and letting opposition have ball worked okay last season, play-off final being a case in point. However, at this level we are not gonna get away with letting other team have the run of 75% of pitch. 'Arry needs to come up with a different approach with a bit more pressing, harrying and "in their faces" built into it. I don't mind getting outplayed by a better team but getting outpaced, outworked and generally muscled out of things is unacceptable, particular by a bunch of tarts like Spurs.

That's the frustration Abs I think Spurs will be a very good side if you allow them to be a good side like we did. Get in their faces, rough them up a bit, make them play at a pace there not comfortable, make them make mistakes and we would have seen a totally different game yesterday. Yesterday felt like a training game where we asked them before hand how they wanted us to set up and play it so they could go through the motions

That Tottenham side never really had any guts in it but loads and loads of flair but you don't need guts when your not getting smashed and you know there is no intention of getting smashed in a 50/50 you can play at your own pace and coast through the game.

We beat ourselves yesterday we may not have the same quality of players as others nor the flair but we should never come off second best on the grounds of heart, effort and commitment that's not on.

We were second best in every category yesterday and I mean every category

[Factamondo]

leeds passed southampton to death for a goal in the 70's n it was replayed for years..........we are the modern day incompetante la coridal royale..........being talked about as potentially the worse team in premier league history already!

[Kevin Mcleod]

leeds passed southampton to death for a goal in the 70's n it was replayed for years..........we are the modern day incompetante la coridal royale..........being talked about as potentially the worse team in premier league history already!

Yeah but only by you mucker..

[Factamondo]

nope...............bbc radio south essex 's sports phone in with elton welsby!

[winalotto]

Its ok not pressing high up , so we let Spurs pass it along the back with no pressure i understand that you keep your shape let them have it in areas that cant hurt you. But when there passing there way to a 48 goal move in your half switching play with ease and we are still not pressing the ball then there's a massive problem , new players fitting in yes but new players can still work hard , its a if the whole team didn't believe in themselves or what they were told to do.

[BUSHRANGER1982]

Any team can do a 48 pass move resulting in a goal, all you need is a team like ours to pose as cones on a training pitch.
That moment was embarrassing to say the least.