Spuds at Home

[Andy Waller]

I'm not sure exactly what people would have done at 1-1. We chased the game and left ourselves open, but is that really a surprise? The killer second goal came from exposing the hole behind Boyata - who thereto had shown commendable maturity on the ball, except when he blazed that late first-half chance over. It could easily have come down the other wing, where Lennon understandably had the beating of Ricketts.

We should've held onto possession a bit better. We were a bit gung-ho when a point would've been a good result. Taken the confidence out of the Spurs side by making them run about a bit for the ball while we were in the ascendancy. Instead wave after wave of Bolton attacks just leaves us wide open for counter attack (something we've not been good at dealing with all season).

Its not all about winning! Sometimes its about crawling over the finish line with a few draws here or there.

Oh, I accept that totally. But had we "held on for 1-1" you can bet your ballbag there'd be folk on here saying we should've gone for it. Including, possibly, me.

we are still pretty sure that our staying up totally depends on you. Blackburn have left for the Championship, and Wigan have a piss easy run in. After you beat Villa and drew with Sunderland we were convinced you were staying up (as were the bookies) but WBA are a bloody good side and Stoke are not straightforward at home, so who knows?

Welcome, friend. I quite like QPR, one of my best mates at work is an Rs fan. Over the last month we've just looked at one another and sadly shook our heads.

I'd still rather have our run-in than yours. But I wouldn't rule out Blackburn. They might pull it out against Wigan, and even Chelsea if your hated rivals are easing up before the Champions League final. They can only get to 37 so we need four more points, which also tallies with overtaking you, unless you get something at City.

Close as chuff. Sick to the bones.

Backs to the wall then?

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Backs to the wall then?

Nice one, Dick Emery...

[Andy Waller]

Backs to the wall then?

Nice one, Dick Emery...

I tried it but it was a bit scratchy.

[Hoboh]

Recovered from last night now except for once I'm at a loss for words of how to describe my feelings for Coyle and the championship set up he has brought to the club!

[thebish]

Recovered from last night now except for once I'm at a loss for words of how to describe my feelings for Coyle and the championship set up he has brought to the club!

I'm not lost for words!! I did warn you..

it was YOUR fault for changing your sig!!!

[Dr.Karl]

Quite a few good points being put, but on this election day I think Bobo gets my vote for this:

I'm not sure exactly what people would have done at 1-1. We chased the game and left ourselves open, but is that really a surprise? The killer second goal came from exposing the hole behind Boyata - who thereto had shown commendable maturity on the ball, except when he blazed that late first-half chance over. It could easily have come down the other wing, where Lennon understandably had the beating of Ricketts.

Playing a high line against pace is always risky, but playing a deep line gives dangerous characters like Van der Vaart and Modric (not to mention the wide boys) more room to dominate the game. That quandary is why the 4-2-3-1 system works - playing between the lines - and it's something that Coyle appears to have realised, but now can't play due to loss of personnel (and the promise of a return to something like form from the club captain). Those who understandably criticise Mark Davies should remember that he's not a Premier League central midfielder, certainly not in a 4-4-2. To play that role you need wide shoulders indeed, and at the moment he's a little boy lost in a big man's shirt.

What to do next? I don't know. I suspect the naturally safety-first Roy Hodgson will set out to not lose rather than to win, and I fear 4-4-2 may surrender midfield. I also doubt Davo has the legs to start on Sunday, so I wonder if a return to the 4-2-3-1 may be in order - although I suppose it depends if we have the midfield personnel. If NRC is fit I'd be tempted to partner him with Vela, who looked commendably impressive, and although this will provoke howls of derision I'd push Mark Davies further forward to do his real job of linking and creating.

However we line up, we need to show the belief and chutzpah we showed early in that second half. We need to show fight. We need four points from the two games, especially as I have a sneaking suspicion that Blackburn might just beat Wigan and spring a surprise against a Chelsea team who'll be thinking of Europe...

I can't agree with your assessment on the high line. Time and again its been suicidal. Remember those spate of red cards earlier on the season? A lot of them came down to this high line, Cahill at Spurs springs to mind(even though it was a shocking decision). I'd take the risk of them playing infront of us without the gaping big holes Bale/Lennon/Adebayor could run into.

If you're willing to play that team against WBA would you have not started it against Spurs? Even before kick off I felt that playing a 4 4 2 against that Tottenham side would leave our full backs exposed on the break. And it bloody did. I'm not saying the team you suggested would do much better but at the very worst it would offer more protection to Spurs counter attacks. It does come down to personnel but if we had a couple of fit central midfielders I still get the impression he might have reverted to a four man midfield.

I'd start with something similar on Sunday and if we're in deadlock gamble it up and open the game by reverting to our 4 4 2. Thinking about it a draw might not be a bad result for us. At least then we won't be in limbo about our gameplan at Stoke. We'll be going all out for the win then .

I was bitterly disappointed at how easily they broke us down but you're right we showed some fight. Our last two homes were shockers but at least we were somewhat in it at 60 mins.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I can't agree with your assessment on the high line. Time and again its been suicidal. Remember those spate of red cards earlier on the season? A lot of them came down to this high line, Cahill at Spurs springs to mind(even though it was a shocking decision). I'd take the risk of them playing infront of us without the gaping big holes Bale/Lennon/Adebayor could run into.

Fair enough. I'd rather they played in front of us than in behind us. Especially if we've got a decent shape in midfield

If you're willing to play that team against WBA would you have not started it against Spurs? Even before kick off I felt that playing a 4 4 2 against that Tottenham side would leave our full backs exposed on the break. And it bloody did. I'm not saying the team you suggested would do much better but at the very worst it would offer more protection to Spurs counter attacks.

Yes. I'd pretty much /always/ start 4-2-3-1. Then if need be we can try to change the game by bringing on an extra striker, whereas if we're losing playing 4-4-2 there's nowhere to go but insanity.

[Il Pirate]

We lost to a good chumpions league side. Could have been 2-8. We won't be relegated by what happens in the next week or so. We have to look at the season as a whole. ........PS I predicted this in september

[Prufrock]

Was Boyata at fault for their second? I thought he had followed Bale short, went to win the second ball, got beat by the bounce and then was never going to get back.

Meh, they're a good team. I dunno what will happen to us. I make QPR favourites now, but not by much.

[boltonboris]

He wasn't goal side when the ball broke free for Bale. But that was maybe unfortunate. The Spurs wingers were under clear instructions not to follow our full backs up the field. Just wait for them on the half way line, knowing we'd balls up and they'd have free reign on us down the flanks.

Ream and Ricketts together on the left were really poor. Ream has NO positional sense and Ricketts wasn't narrow enough. But if Ricketts had to stay tight on lennon (which was an obvious instruction), he needed Ream to narrow the gap. He didn't and decided to leave a huuuge gap for Spurs to run into/pass into.

These basic rules are being ignored either on the pitch or at the training ground. Both are unforgivable

[ohjimmyjimmy]

He wasn't goal side when the ball broke free for Bale. But that was maybe unfortunate. The Spurs wingers were under clear instructions not to follow our full backs up the field. Just wait for them on the half way line, knowing we'd balls up and they'd have free reign on us down the flanks.

Ream and Ricketts together on the left were really poor. Ream has NO positional sense and Ricketts wasn't narrow enough. But if Ricketts had to stay tight on lennon (which was an obvious instruction), he needed Ream to narrow the gap. He didn't and decided to leave a huuuge gap for Spurs to run into/pass into.

These basic rules are being ignored either on the pitch or at the training ground. Both are unforgivable

After doing exactly this for Bendtner's goal on Saturday.

[boltonboris]

Shit, yeah! Forgot about that!

[Tombwfc]

I know he has no competition, but I really don't get why it's claimed Ricketts can play left back. An ok right back and a surprisingly decent stand-in at centre half, but a terrible left back.

[boltonboris]

He's not that bad. Been exposed a bit the last couple of weeks. Maybe a fitness issue has caught up with him, I'm not sure.

[officer_dibble]

Cos he's better than robinslow

And that spanish tit captain tactics spent 2.5 million quid on

but yeah, left back position has bern one of our many failings. Hopefully we can sign one. hopefully one coyle doesnt pick.