4-4-2

[Beeks]

Surely Bobby has seen the light now?

[Grob]

Worked well for todays situation

But its not quite that black and white.

Having a regular system which is adaptable depending on the current opponents and situational aspects of football matches is the key. Having a liquid formation rather than rigid one is what seperates the top teams from the rest.

We have players who can perform well in multiple roles in the squad now, which helps this aim.

[Ted Hughes]

Don't care about the formation as long as we attack. If Mancini goes for it like that, I'll back him even if we lose. All I want is for us to attack. I think the players need to be more effIcient if we're to get away with it though. It should have been 2-2 yet Fulham didn't deserve to get a point at all, we were easily the better team but we were in most of Hughes' drawn games as well, when similar mistakes cost us. If we get a bit more killer instinct we could be a fantastic side who blows away most of the PL with attacking football. That's what we should be aiming for, not just results.

I don't think we can get away with Vieira in that formation/ position against sides with a strong midfield though. He won a lot of good headers & played some nice balls out of defence but he was caught out too many times & would have been made to pay by a better midfield. Needs support against better teams.

[carl_feedthegoat]

Don't care about the formation as long as we attack. If Mancini goes for it like that, I'll back him even if we lose. All I want is for us to attack. I think the players need to be more effIcient if we're to get away with it though. It should have been 2-2 yet Fulham didn't deserve to get a point at all, we were easily the better team but we were in most of Hughes' drawn games as well, when similar mistakes cost us. If we get a bit more killer instinct we could be a fantastic side who blows away most of the PL with attacking football. That's what we should be aiming for, not just results.

I don't think we can get away with Vieira in that formation/ position against sides with a strong midfield though. He won a lot of good headers & played some nice balls out of defence but he was caught out too many times & would have been made to pay by a better midfield. Needs support against better teams.

Im just not comfortable with him in the side no matter who we play against...He,s toof cuking slow and it shows time and time again.We lost that midfield in the first half too many times and I was seriosuly worried.

Agree that against the likes of spurs,villa,scum, ect he will get battered in that midfield.

[Ted Hughes]

Don't care about the formation as long as we attack. If Mancini goes for it like that, I'll back him even if we lose. All I want is for us to attack. I think the players need to be more effIcient if we're to get away with it though. It should have been 2-2 yet Fulham didn't deserve to get a point at all, we were easily the better team but we were in most of Hughes' drawn games as well, when similar mistakes cost us. If we get a bit more killer instinct we could be a fantastic side who blows away most of the PL with attacking football. That's what we should be aiming for, not just results.

I don't think we can get away with Vieira in that formation/ position against sides with a strong midfield though. He won a lot of good headers & played some nice balls out of defence but he was caught out too many times & would have been made to pay by a better midfield. Needs support against better teams.

Im just not comfortable with him in the side no matter who we play against...He,s toof cuking slow and it shows time and time again.We lost that midfield in the first half too many times and I was seriosuly worried.

Agree that against the likes of spurs,villa,scum, ect he will get battered in that midfield.

Some of the things he did were a real help especially keeping posession & playing it simple when others would have lost the ball or lumped it. Agree he's too slow though.

[brite blu sky]

Don't care about the formation as long as we attack. If Mancini goes for it like that, I'll back him even if we lose. All I want is for us to attack. I think the players need to be more effIcient if we're to get away with it though. It should have been 2-2 yet Fulham didn't deserve to get a point at all, we were easily the better team but we were in most of Hughes' drawn games as well, when similar mistakes cost us. If we get a bit more killer instinct we could be a fantastic side who blows away most of the PL with attacking football. That's what we should be aiming for, not just results.

I don't think we can get away with Vieira in that formation/ position against sides with a strong midfield though. He won a lot of good headers & played some nice balls out of defence but he was caught out too many times & would have been made to pay by a better midfield. Needs support against better teams.

Surely the very best top teams can switch it on and off as they collectively read the game. The difference between 2-0 and 2-2 can be attacking intent at the wrong moment. I am happy that Mancini has worked at drilling in a mentality that can be organised to defend, he did tha first as it was most necessary. If now we are seeing us coming out of our shell and being more set up to attack, thats great, but i would argue that in order to do that and not get caught out.. especially against oppo that you dont know ( ie CL games ), we need the basics like instinct.

As for PV,, yes he is slow, but he offers something to do with composure, and someone is needed for that alone.
He does need support, but imo he is the best we have at the mo

[Ted Hughes]

Don't care about the formation as long as we attack. If Mancini goes for it like that, I'll back him even if we lose. All I want is for us to attack. I think the players need to be more effIcient if we're to get away with it though. It should have been 2-2 yet Fulham didn't deserve to get a point at all, we were easily the better team but we were in most of Hughes' drawn games as well, when similar mistakes cost us. If we get a bit more killer instinct we could be a fantastic side who blows away most of the PL with attacking football. That's what we should be aiming for, not just results.

I don't think we can get away with Vieira in that formation/ position against sides with a strong midfield though. He won a lot of good headers & played some nice balls out of defence but he was caught out too many times & would have been made to pay by a better midfield. Needs support against better teams.

Surely the very best top teams can switch it on and off as they collectively read the game. The difference between 2-0 and 2-2 can be attacking intent at the wrong moment. I am happy that Mancini has worked at drilling in a mentality that can be organised to defend, he did tha first as it was most necessary. If now we are seeing us coming out of our shell and being more set up to attack, thats great, but i would argue that in order to do that and not get caught out.. especially against oppo that you dont know ( ie CL games ), we need the basics like instinct.

As for PV,, yes he is slow, but he offers something to do with composure, and someone is needed for that alone.
He does need support, but imo he is the best we have at the mo

I think our attacking or defensive ability is more to do with the team selected & attitude rather than the drilling. If we play more attacking players & go forward we attack better but leave holes, if we pack the midfield with grafters & sit back we defend better but can't hit a bull's arse with a banjo. When we select attacking teams we drop bollocks at the back but if we stopped making elementary mistakes when under no pressure, we could probably get away with the pressurised mistakes that cost the odd goal. Similarly, if we were less headless in the final 3rd, we're potentially one of the best attacking sides in Europe imo & could scare the shit out of just about anyone thus taking pressure off the defence. Concentration & composure at both ends needed.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Mostly agree with Ted on this. The attitude they are sent out with by the manager is key. It can be 4.5.1 as long as there is plenty of support when we have the ball and look to attack.

I certainly don't agree it should have been 2.2. Could have been if we were 100% unlucky but bearing in mind all the very good chances we had it could easily have been a stroll.

Not sure about Vieira. His slowness is an issue but his experience might outweigh that. Today it seemed like he had a good game but it also sounded like the ref was very kind to him by not booking him early and maybe ultimately sending him off.

Bring on the next game as they are all massive. Everton at home has been a nightmare in recent years so it's time to win and if it's an ugly win even better:)

[Alioune DVToure]

Don't care about the formation as long as we attack. If Mancini goes for it like that, I'll back him even if we lose. All I want is for us to attack. I think the players need to be more effIcient if we're to get away with it though. It should have been 2-2 yet Fulham didn't deserve to get a point at all, we were easily the better team but we were in most of Hughes' drawn games as well, when similar mistakes cost us. If we get a bit more killer instinct we could be a fantastic side who blows away most of the PL with attacking football. That's what we should be aiming for, not just results.

I don't think we can get away with Vieira in that formation/ position against sides with a strong midfield though. He won a lot of good headers & played some nice balls out of defence but he was caught out too many times & would have been made to pay by a better midfield. Needs support against better teams.

I'd say I agree with around 90% of your posts but I couldn't disagree more here. I think that results have to come first, now more than ever, and no matter how boring or cautious. I think that Sunderland was as good an away performance as today and the way to deal with inferior opposition away from home. Let them have a go for 50 min utes until they run out of both energy and ideas and then put them to the sword. We'd have buried Sunderland last wekk were it not for goalkeeping heroics. All that matters to me now is that fourth spot and I don't care what I have to sit through to see us get it.-

[Douglas Higginbottom]

"Let them have a go for 50 minutes until they run out of both energy and ideas and then put them to the sword."

Interesting.We did that at Hull and paid the full price. At Sunderland we paid 2/3 of the price. It's laughable to go out with the idea of containing for 50 minutes so they run out of energy.What if they don't run out of energy? What if their keeper does have a top second half. What if we don't play well in the second half and put them to the sword as at Everton.

We need to be positive like today with whatever formation and team selection the manager thinks will work.

[Ted Hughes]

Don't care about the formation as long as we attack. If Mancini goes for it like that, I'll back him even if we lose. All I want is for us to attack. I think the players need to be more effIcient if we're to get away with it though. It should have been 2-2 yet Fulham didn't deserve to get a point at all, we were easily the better team but we were in most of Hughes' drawn games as well, when similar mistakes cost us. If we get a bit more killer instinct we could be a fantastic side who blows away most of the PL with attacking football. That's what we should be aiming for, not just results.

I don't think we can get away with Vieira in that formation/ position against sides with a strong midfield though. He won a lot of good headers & played some nice balls out of defence but he was caught out too many times & would have been made to pay by a better midfield. Needs support against better teams.

I'd say I agree with around 90% of your posts but I couldn't disagree more here. I think that results have to come first, now more than ever, and no matter how boring or cautious. I think that Sunderland was as good an away performance as today and the way to deal with inferior opposition away from home. Let them have a go for 50 min utes until they run out of both energy and ideas and then put them to the sword. We'd have buried Sunderland last wekk were it not for goalkeeping heroics. All that matters to me now is that fourth spot and I don't care what I have to sit through to see us get it.-

If we play cautiously we'll get cautious results & miss the Chumps lg. Spurs will go after it & get it.

Imo we'd've buried Sunderland if we attacked from the kickoff like today. Top 4 sides of recent years wouldn't go to places like that & worry about losing, they'd go all out to win & if it turned out to be a bad day & they lost, they'd take it as an occasional occupational hazard go all out to win the next match, (In the same way the Oz cricket team used to when they were good). The only time top sides worry about the opposition is when they play each other or in derbies or in Europe. Of course we need to be a little more cautious against sides in the top 7-8 but even so, in most cases we should still be trying to impose our game on them, rather than soak up what they have to offer. Arsenal away is a different matter but teams like Sunderland & Fulham should be worried about us, like they were today, not the other way around. The same goes for Burnley & West Ham.

[Swales4ever]

Mostly agree with Ted on this. The attitude they are sent out with by the manager is key. It can be 4.5.1 as long as there is plenty of support when we have the ball and look to attack.

I certainly don't agree it should have been 2.2. Could have been if we were 100% unlucky but bearing in mind all the very good chances we had it could easily have been a stroll.

Not sure about Vieira. His slowness is an issue but his experience might outweigh that. Today it seemed like he had a good game but it also sounded like the ref was very kind to him by not booking him early and maybe ultimately sending him off.

Bring on the next game as they are all massive. Everton at home has been a nightmare in recent years so it's time to win and if it's an ugly win even better:)

The balannce always stand in the midlle. I.e. give Vieira 5 years of Youth (or swap him with a Xavi Alonso) and it is 3/4 sorted.
As already said up to boring, best should be two holding CMs + a winger + an effective and cooperative playmaker.
That's will be next season issue. To get 4th, today focus and tightness are well enough, along with some good luck about key players fitness! (just to say JL get injured, let's hope nothing bad)

[Alioune DVToure]

"Let them have a go for 50 minutes until they run out of both energy and ideas and then put them to the sword."

Interesting.We did that at Hull and paid the full price. At Sunderland we paid 2/3 of the price. It's laughable to go out with the idea of containing for 50 minutes so they run out of energy.What if they don't run out of energy? What if their keeper does have a top second half. What if we don't play well in the second half and put them to the sword as at Everton.

We need to be positive like today with whatever formation and team selection the manager thinks will work.

I think we tried to stamp our authority on the game at Hull and Everton but we were shit, kept losing the ball in bad areas, got caught twice before half time and were out of the games from then. Last week Sunderland scored a good goal from nowhere, were the better team until half time but then we were fit and classy enough to step it up. From the hour mark they were hardly in our half and after that point we had about 10 shots on target. We're not yet at the point where we can go away and pick up 3 points with comfortable wins every fortnight so we need (in my opinion) to keep the focus on being nearly impossible to beat. It's just my opinion. Mancini has done things his way and picked up about 2 points per game since he came in, which I'm really happy with.

And I don't take too kindly to the "laughable" comment, even if you are board royalty.

[Alioune DVToure]

Don't care about the formation as long as we attack. If Mancini goes for it like that, I'll back him even if we lose. All I want is for us to attack. I think the players need to be more effIcient if we're to get away with it though. It should have been 2-2 yet Fulham didn't deserve to get a point at all, we were easily the better team but we were in most of Hughes' drawn games as well, when similar mistakes cost us. If we get a bit more killer instinct we could be a fantastic side who blows away most of the PL with attacking football. That's what we should be aiming for, not just results.

I don't think we can get away with Vieira in that formation/ position against sides with a strong midfield though. He won a lot of good headers & played some nice balls out of defence but he was caught out too many times & would have been made to pay by a better midfield. Needs support against better teams.

I'd say I agree with around 90% of your posts but I couldn't disagree more here. I think that results have to come first, now more than ever, and no matter how boring or cautious. I think that Sunderland was as good an away performance as today and the way to deal with inferior opposition away from home. Let them have a go for 50 min utes until they run out of both energy and ideas and then put them to the sword. We'd have buried Sunderland last wekk were it not for goalkeeping heroics. All that matters to me now is that fourth spot and I don't care what I have to sit through to see us get it.-

If we play cautiously we'll get cautious results & miss the Chumps lg. Spurs will go after it & get it.

Imo we'd've buried Sunderland if we attacked from the kickoff like today. Top 4 sides of recent years wouldn't go to places like that & worry about losing, they'd go all out to win & if it turned out to be a bad day & they lost, they'd take it as an occasional occupational hazard go all out to win the next match, (In the same way the Oz cricket team used to when they were good). The only time top sides worry about the opposition is when they play each other or in derbies or in Europe. Of course we need to be a little more cautious against sides in the top 7-8 but even so, in most cases we should still be trying to impose our game on them, rather than soak up what they have to offer. Arsenal away is a different matter but teams like Sunderland & Fulham should be worried about us, like they were today, not the other way around. The same goes for Burnley & West Ham.

Who knows - maybe I suffer from a lack of ambition. I just still feel that a point away from home in any Premier League game is a decent result. We're building a reputation as a team that's really hard to beat and I think that's a great starting point for where we want to end up.

[Swales4ever]

Don't care about the formation as long as we attack. If Mancini goes for it like that, I'll back him even if we lose. All I want is for us to attack. I think the players need to be more effIcient if we're to get away with it though. It should have been 2-2 yet Fulham didn't deserve to get a point at all, we were easily the better team but we were in most of Hughes' drawn games as well, when similar mistakes cost us. If we get a bit more killer instinct we could be a fantastic side who blows away most of the PL with attacking football. That's what we should be aiming for, not just results.

I don't think we can get away with Vieira in that formation/ position against sides with a strong midfield though. He won a lot of good headers & played some nice balls out of defence but he was caught out too many times & would have been made to pay by a better midfield. Needs support against better teams.

Surely the very best top teams can switch it on and off as they collectively read the game. The difference between 2-0 and 2-2 can be attacking intent at the wrong moment. I am happy that Mancini has worked at drilling in a mentality that can be organised to defend, he did tha first as it was most necessary. If now we are seeing us coming out of our shell and being more set up to attack, thats great, but i would argue that in order to do that and not get caught out.. especially against oppo that you dont know ( ie CL games ), we need the basics like instinct.

As for PV,, yes he is slow, but he offers something to do with composure, and someone is needed for that alone.
He does need support, but imo he is the best we have at the mo

I think our attacking or defensive ability is more to do with the team selected & attitude rather than the drilling. If we play more attacking players & go forward we attack better but leave holes, if we pack the midfield with grafters & sit back we defend better but can't hit a bull's arse with a banjo. When we select attacking teams we drop bollocks at the back but if we stopped making elementary mistakes when under no pressure, we could probably get away with the pressurised mistakes that cost the odd goal. Similarly, if we were less headless in the final 3rd, we're potentially one of the best attacking sides in Europe imo & could scare the shit out of just about anyone thus taking pressure off the defence. Concentration & composure at both ends needed.

Ted, it seems that Mancio had already passed through Your river... according to today line-up and his post match comments:

[http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Team-news/2010/March/Classy-display-deserved-victory-says-Mancini]

"The Blues’ boss also said he will keep his attacking formation, provided it doesn’t leave any holes in midfield or defence.

“We played with four attack-minded players in Roque Santa Cruz, Carlos Tevez, Adam Johnson and Craig Bellamy, but it was important that we had a good balance throughout the rest of the team and if we have this, we can play in this style.

But again, as You even said, most important is top focus from the Lads: this is what senior top teams are made of.
Sunderland could had been buried as well, with a little more concentration and/or a more normal day in Gordon's life, tbh... :-)

[Douglas Higginbottom]

"Let them have a go for 50 minutes until they run out of both energy and ideas and then put them to the sword."

Interesting.We did that at Hull and paid the full price. At Sunderland we paid 2/3 of the price. It's laughable to go out with the idea of containing for 50 minutes so they run out of energy.What if they don't run out of energy? What if their keeper does have a top second half. What if we don't play well in the second half and put them to the sword as at Everton.

We need to be positive like today with whatever formation and team selection the manager thinks will work.

I think we tried to stamp our authority on the game at Hull and Everton but we were shit, kept losing the ball in bad areas, got caught twice before half time and were out of the games from then. Last week Sunderland scored a good goal from nowhere, were the better team until half time but then we were fit and classy enough to step it up. From the hour mark they were hardly in our half and after that point we had about 10 shots on target. We're not yet at the point where we can go away and pick up 3 points with comfortable wins every fortnight so we need (in my opinion) to keep the focus on being nearly impossible to beat. It's just my opinion. Mancini has done things his way and picked up about 2 points per game since he came in, which I'm really happy with.

And I don't take too kindly to the "laughable" comment, even if you are board royalty.

I know we battered Sunderland in the 2nd half but the problem was the first half and we were one down.That battering was good enough to get us a point which wasn't good enough . If we try to contain in the remaining games and then " turn it on " in the 2nd half I would expect us to lose more than we win. Thank goodness Mancini will not follow your thinking .

Ted is right , be conservative and get conservative results. A great way of being "impossible " to beat is to play better than the opposition and score goals. Letting them have the initiative early in games is plain crazy. If we do try to do that we are simply asking for trouble. We need to control games better and the best way of controlling games is to score first.To do that you have to attack!

Great result today all from a positive starting approach. I am sure Mancini saw plenty against Sunderland to realise the value of being more positive and I expect realised even more that Fulham might not be at it from that start as their heads were still living the Juve win. Spot on this time Roberto and more of them starting with Everton.

[Ted Hughes]

Don't care about the formation as long as we attack. If Mancini goes for it like that, I'll back him even if we lose. All I want is for us to attack. I think the players need to be more effIcient if we're to get away with it though. It should have been 2-2 yet Fulham didn't deserve to get a point at all, we were easily the better team but we were in most of Hughes' drawn games as well, when similar mistakes cost us. If we get a bit more killer instinct we could be a fantastic side who blows away most of the PL with attacking football. That's what we should be aiming for, not just results.

I don't think we can get away with Vieira in that formation/ position against sides with a strong midfield though. He won a lot of good headers & played some nice balls out of defence but he was caught out too many times & would have been made to pay by a better midfield. Needs support against better teams.

I'd say I agree with around 90% of your posts but I couldn't disagree more here. I think that results have to come first, now more than ever, and no matter how boring or cautious. I think that Sunderland was as good an away performance as today and the way to deal with inferior opposition away from home. Let them have a go for 50 min utes until they run out of both energy and ideas and then put them to the sword. We'd have buried Sunderland last wekk were it not for goalkeeping heroics. All that matters to me now is that fourth spot and I don't care what I have to sit through to see us get it.-

If we play cautiously we'll get cautious results & miss the Chumps lg. Spurs will go after it & get it.

Imo we'd've buried Sunderland if we attacked from the kickoff like today. Top 4 sides of recent years wouldn't go to places like that & worry about losing, they'd go all out to win & if it turned out to be a bad day & they lost, they'd take it as an occasional occupational hazard go all out to win the next match, (In the same way the Oz cricket team used to when they were good). The only time top sides worry about the opposition is when they play each other or in derbies or in Europe. Of course we need to be a little more cautious against sides in the top 7-8 but even so, in most cases we should still be trying to impose our game on them, rather than soak up what they have to offer. Arsenal away is a different matter but teams like Sunderland & Fulham should be worried about us, like they were today, not the other way around. The same goes for Burnley & West Ham.

Who knows - maybe I suffer from a lack of ambition. I just still feel that a point away from home in any Premier League game is a decent result. We're building a reputation as a team that's really hard to beat and I think that's a great starting point for where we want to end up.

We were hard to beat when Hughes was sacked but if we want to get in imo. I don't think we have what it takes to get the neccessary points for 4th by being careful, we need to go & grab it I recon. Spurs result at Stoke showed that. It's so close that a couple of draws now against lesser teams could be the difference. It's more fun anyway & will get the crowd buzzing which in itself helps the team, plus if we want to attract fans around the world then that's the way to do it!

[Alioune DVToure]

"Let them have a go for 50 minutes until they run out of both energy and ideas and then put them to the sword."

Interesting.We did that at Hull and paid the full price. At Sunderland we paid 2/3 of the price. It's laughable to go out with the idea of containing for 50 minutes so they run out of energy.What if they don't run out of energy? What if their keeper does have a top second half. What if we don't play well in the second half and put them to the sword as at Everton.

We need to be positive like today with whatever formation and team selection the manager thinks will work.

I think we tried to stamp our authority on the game at Hull and Everton but we were shit, kept losing the ball in bad areas, got caught twice before half time and were out of the games from then. Last week Sunderland scored a good goal from nowhere, were the better team until half time but then we were fit and classy enough to step it up. From the hour mark they were hardly in our half and after that point we had about 10 shots on target. We're not yet at the point where we can go away and pick up 3 points with comfortable wins every fortnight so we need (in my opinion) to keep the focus on being nearly impossible to beat. It's just my opinion. Mancini has done things his way and picked up about 2 points per game since he came in, which I'm really happy with.

And I don't take too kindly to the "laughable" comment, even if you are board royalty.

I know we battered Sunderland in the 2nd half but the problem was the first half and we were one down.That battering was good enough to get us a point which wasn't good enough . If we try to contain in the remaining games and then " turn it on " in the 2nd half I would expect us to lose more than we win. Thank goodness Mancini will not follow your thinking .

Ted is right , be conservative and get conservative results. A great way of being "impossible " to beat is to play better than the opposition and score goals. Letting them have the initiative early in games is plain crazy. If we do try to do that we are simply asking for trouble. We need to control games better and the best way of controlling games is to score first.To do that you have to attack!

Great result today all from a positive starting approach. I am sure Mancini saw plenty against Sunderland to realise the value of being more positive and I expect realised even more that Fulham might not be at it from that start as their heads were still living the Juve win. Spot on this time Roberto and more of them starting with Everton.

In response to the first point, I think Mancini has generally followed my thinking of making sure you get a point first and then go for 3. This was why he was getting so much shit on here for a time and drawing accusations of being "boring" and "cautious" - even though we were winning games.

In response to the second, we all know that this is easier said than done. Five away wins all season, and about 20 in the last seven years suggests that we do struggle away. I think we caught a sluggish Fulham team today. Even so, they themselves could have had a goal or two in the first half and RSC's was lucky to say the least.

"Letting them have the initiative early in games is plain crazy"
It worked OK at Chelsea. I don't think playing on the break for the first half in away games before cutting loose after that is such a bad idea. Everton at HOME is a different kettle of fish and we should be straight out of the blocks and all over them.

I know you go and devote a lot of your time to watching training and stuff but I don't think that makes your opinion gospel. I feel that you're being a little bit condescending with your tone here to be honest.

[Alioune DVToure]

Don't care about the formation as long as we attack. If Mancini goes for it like that, I'll back him even if we lose. All I want is for us to attack. I think the players need to be more effIcient if we're to get away with it though. It should have been 2-2 yet Fulham didn't deserve to get a point at all, we were easily the better team but we were in most of Hughes' drawn games as well, when similar mistakes cost us. If we get a bit more killer instinct we could be a fantastic side who blows away most of the PL with attacking football. That's what we should be aiming for, not just results.

I don't think we can get away with Vieira in that formation/ position against sides with a strong midfield though. He won a lot of good headers & played some nice balls out of defence but he was caught out too many times & would have been made to pay by a better midfield. Needs support against better teams.

I'd say I agree with around 90% of your posts but I couldn't disagree more here. I think that results have to come first, now more than ever, and no matter how boring or cautious. I think that Sunderland was as good an away performance as today and the way to deal with inferior opposition away from home. Let them have a go for 50 min utes until they run out of both energy and ideas and then put them to the sword. We'd have buried Sunderland last wekk were it not for goalkeeping heroics. All that matters to me now is that fourth spot and I don't care what I have to sit through to see us get it.-

If we play cautiously we'll get cautious results & miss the Chumps lg. Spurs will go after it & get it.

Imo we'd've buried Sunderland if we attacked from the kickoff like today. Top 4 sides of recent years wouldn't go to places like that & worry about losing, they'd go all out to win & if it turned out to be a bad day & they lost, they'd take it as an occasional occupational hazard go all out to win the next match, (In the same way the Oz cricket team used to when they were good). The only time top sides worry about the opposition is when they play each other or in derbies or in Europe. Of course we need to be a little more cautious against sides in the top 7-8 but even so, in most cases we should still be trying to impose our game on them, rather than soak up what they have to offer. Arsenal away is a different matter but teams like Sunderland & Fulham should be worried about us, like they were today, not the other way around. The same goes for Burnley & West Ham.

Who knows - maybe I suffer from a lack of ambition. I just still feel that a point away from home in any Premier League game is a decent result. We're building a reputation as a team that's really hard to beat and I think that's a great starting point for where we want to end up.

We were hard to beat when Hughes was sacked but if we want to get in imo. I don't think we have what it takes to get the neccessary points for 4th by being careful, we need to go & grab it I recon. Spurs result at Stoke showed that. It's so close that a couple of draws now against lesser teams could be the difference. It's more fun anyway & will get the crowd buzzing which in itself helps the team, plus if we want to attract fans around the world then that's the way to do it!

Hard to beat, yes, but not so much hard to break down, get in behind and score against. There's been marked improvement in that sense and I'm all for it. If we win most of our home games with the odd draw or defeat and draw most of our away games with the odd win or defeat, we'll average somewhere around 2 points per game. This is the way the results have generally gone since Mancini came in and if we carry on like this we'll be looking at 3rd/4th next season.

[getdressedmctavish]

One very simplistic response is that winning is all about ball retention. keep the ball, they can't score. Attacking away from hom is similar. If you have muppets who want to penetrate at the earliest opportunity you end up giving the ball away and getting suckered as we've seen so many times. So to me its not about attacking per se, we attacked at sunnerland in the first half, but we gave the ball away. Its about playing football, using your brains, not being panicked, and rememberiong you have to fight and keep running. This last bit is sometimes the hardest bit when you are a good side. But slowly, we're getting there.Everton will be a big test. We need to play but also scrap for it at the same level as them.Looking forward to it.