ginola99
Well-Known Member
- Sep 4, 2005
- 684
- 1,421
Ever since we have been involved with the title race we have seen many if not all teams we play just sit back and try hit us on the counter. Today I really looked forward to the game, Bournemouth play some really nice football at times and are more akin to ourselves than anyone else in the league, going against the stigma of promoted teams. Today I turned off the TV feeling like we had just played Wimbledon of old or Fat Sam's Bolton or one of Pulis' sides.
Despite their approach to the game I will give them some credit for the way they worked, pressing and harrying our boys in a way Poch would be content with. But once again, we played a side content with having all their players beind the ball by the time it reached the halfway line. Some impressive tackles and blocks were made leaving us frustrated for the third game in a row, but in some regards we did very little with the ball despite dominating possession and having more shots than they did, but rarely hitting the target.
Even when we draw like this it just feels like another win for the staus quo or the teams that some in media have recently fallen in love with. We do get the credit we deserve most days especially on MOTD (some may disagree) but again I'm left with this feeling that no wants us to win the league or overtly wouldn't mind it but covertly wish for someone else to.
In days gone by we've seen this in the past, people wanting Arsenal to finish 4th because it's their last season at Highbury or wanting Chelsea to win the CL because Roman deserves it after all the money he's pumped into the club or more recently wanting Leicester to win the league because the thought of a team who sacked their manager after his son made a racist porno whilst a dead king got pulled out of a Tesco's car park warms the heart. But despite all the misery over the years, the latter has made me fed up the most as I feel sickened by the sight of a copy of '5000-1' on the shelves at Waterstones.
I'm not gonna pluck out some conspiracy theory that everyone hates us but regardless as to their intentions for sitting back to point where they all look as if they've got a hernia has left me with a feeling of enough is enough. It's us vs them.
Time and time again we've seen teams just sit back and accepted it as a complement or excuse them by saying they have to use what they've got. When you're at home and you see this then I can understand but going away to teams and then seeing them do this sums up just how much we are on our own. No one is gonna roll over and nor will many teams do us any favours. What sums this up the most is Pulis' quote from last season before we played West Bromwich at home
To be fair Pulis still nicked a point from Leicester and so did LVG the following week but we still failed to take advantage of their slip ups, which brings me on to the next point. Even if your rivals slip up you have to take advantage of that and this week we haven't, we should have hammered West Bromwich when City drew against Everton and approached today as an opportunity to be top, albeit for a few hours. It's all good whining about teams sitting back but we still have to score goals regardless.
I honestly think we can win the league this season, whilst we haven't scored freely this season today was the first time we've failed to do so in the league whilst still only conceding 4 goals in 9 games with 5 clean sheets all the while playing attractive attacking football. This is a team, and an incredibly well balanced one boasting good competition for all places.
I guess these past 7 days have been a bit of a wake up call, maybe we're as invincible as we think we are or as consistent or we don't have the ultimate squad. Regardless as to what the reasons are for our little dip, if we are to win the league we're going to have to do it our selves and not expect any favours whilst not giving out any at the same time.
Despite their approach to the game I will give them some credit for the way they worked, pressing and harrying our boys in a way Poch would be content with. But once again, we played a side content with having all their players beind the ball by the time it reached the halfway line. Some impressive tackles and blocks were made leaving us frustrated for the third game in a row, but in some regards we did very little with the ball despite dominating possession and having more shots than they did, but rarely hitting the target.
Even when we draw like this it just feels like another win for the staus quo or the teams that some in media have recently fallen in love with. We do get the credit we deserve most days especially on MOTD (some may disagree) but again I'm left with this feeling that no wants us to win the league or overtly wouldn't mind it but covertly wish for someone else to.
In days gone by we've seen this in the past, people wanting Arsenal to finish 4th because it's their last season at Highbury or wanting Chelsea to win the CL because Roman deserves it after all the money he's pumped into the club or more recently wanting Leicester to win the league because the thought of a team who sacked their manager after his son made a racist porno whilst a dead king got pulled out of a Tesco's car park warms the heart. But despite all the misery over the years, the latter has made me fed up the most as I feel sickened by the sight of a copy of '5000-1' on the shelves at Waterstones.
I'm not gonna pluck out some conspiracy theory that everyone hates us but regardless as to their intentions for sitting back to point where they all look as if they've got a hernia has left me with a feeling of enough is enough. It's us vs them.
Time and time again we've seen teams just sit back and accepted it as a complement or excuse them by saying they have to use what they've got. When you're at home and you see this then I can understand but going away to teams and then seeing them do this sums up just how much we are on our own. No one is gonna roll over and nor will many teams do us any favours. What sums this up the most is Pulis' quote from last season before we played West Bromwich at home
To be fair Pulis still nicked a point from Leicester and so did LVG the following week but we still failed to take advantage of their slip ups, which brings me on to the next point. Even if your rivals slip up you have to take advantage of that and this week we haven't, we should have hammered West Bromwich when City drew against Everton and approached today as an opportunity to be top, albeit for a few hours. It's all good whining about teams sitting back but we still have to score goals regardless.
I honestly think we can win the league this season, whilst we haven't scored freely this season today was the first time we've failed to do so in the league whilst still only conceding 4 goals in 9 games with 5 clean sheets all the while playing attractive attacking football. This is a team, and an incredibly well balanced one boasting good competition for all places.
I guess these past 7 days have been a bit of a wake up call, maybe we're as invincible as we think we are or as consistent or we don't have the ultimate squad. Regardless as to what the reasons are for our little dip, if we are to win the league we're going to have to do it our selves and not expect any favours whilst not giving out any at the same time.
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