Hull

[Ted Hughes]

I love the positivity Ted and we need the management and squad to have that mentality. We cannot lose this game.

But our abysmal defence is a massive issue. Since pre-season, I've given Pellegrini the benefit of the doubt that he can sort the defence, but he's repeatedly demonstrated he cannot. The number of mistakes we've suffered with Nastasic, Garcia and Demichelis playing at the back this season has cost us significantly. We may be able to catch Chelsea in theory, but our final run-in is very tough (whereas Chelsea have got a lot of their tough fixtures out of the way) and apart from the 2-month run in November-December, our performances have been indifferent more often than not.

We're making the same mistakes week-in, week-out and our manager doesn't seem to have a clue what to do about it.

What are these same mistakes Aaron?

Playing Demichelis ever.
Playing Nastasic ever.
Playing a high defensive line with slow defenders.
Persisting with 4 in midfield when there are times we clearly need 5.

It's not as if he hasn't had a chance to resolve these issues, whether tactically or in the transfer windows. He is either so stubborn he refuses to or he doesn't know how to change things.

Our attacking play has been sublime at times this season, but it has been completely at the expense of any defensive organisation, and as we are seeing lately, when the goals dry up, we don't have a strong enough defence to protect us. If he doesn't currently have the exact defensive players he needs to suit his style of play, then he should adapt his tactics slightly until he does so. The way he is just continuing with one method is harming us. He needs to show he can be flexible.

He has clearly been told (true or not) that he will be allowed to build the team in his own style.

You & I would do it by being more cautious at the back & changing over gradually. He has decided to chuck the players in at the deep end & see who sinks & who swims. He has refused to take a backward step, which was annoying me, but then I accepted it.

Then we play Barca, who were there for the taking, & he stands everybody in a fucking line in front of our penalty area & we get beat playing better attacking with ten men than we did defending with 11.

So when he does actually decide to be flexible, it fucks up.

If you look at our recent 'slump' prior to the Wigan Game. We got Negredo injured v West Ham whilst winning. We tried to rest players v Watford but had to bring them back & won. We put 5 past Spurs & people called us 'the best team in the World' but we lost Aguero, to add to Negredo being injured.

Then we lost Fernandinho & looked fucked v Chelsea & lost. We then struggled v Norwich.

Then we cruised past the same Chelsea team 2-0 in the Cup with them barely getting a kick. We then lost to Barca a few days later, with ten men, then had a difficult game v Sparky's bus parkers, looking tired, & won. Then we went to Wembley, looked a bit out of sorts, but came back to win 3-1.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have benefitted from a few lucky moments to win their games whilst we haven't been playing. Had they been in both cups too, we would be on the same points.

We fucked up v Wigan.

Take away that game, & the sideshow of the Champions League, we have just won a Cup & are close to getting the full squad fit, ready to try & win the title. The Cup games are fucking up our chances. That's why teams don't win the treble or quadruple.

The last time we had a full squad, we went from the 10th Nov, to the 3rd Feb, without losing a game.

We have had 3 Cup competitions plus 2 games v Chelsea, in a month, whilst carrying a bunch of injuries.

Now Pellegrini is getting shit for playing THIS team v fucking Wigan on a Sunday evg, after a Cup final, with a match v Barca to play & a title run in to come .

Panti, Richards, Clichy, Lescott, Demichelis, Garcia, Yaya, Nasri, Navas, Negredo, Aguero. It's a fucking IMMENSELY strong team.

If that side had won v fucking Wigan, as it should do, even with no fucking manager, no coaches, no physio & no substitutes allowed, then none of this talk would exist. It didn't lose because of tactics or team selection, it lost because the players thought they could cruise it.

[sheblue]

Chelsea were very lucky against spurs. They will drop points as we will too, but it's still all to play for. This game against hull could be a real banana skin.

[Beefymcfc]

Hull should be nothing more than a formality if we are to push for the league.

[Ted Hughes]

Hull should be nothing more than a formality if we are to push for the league.

Yeah right.

Because you never ever hear of sides challenging for the title, struggling v lower table teams, ever. Never happens. The very mention of it as a possibility is stupid.

Don't know what the fuck came over me. Of course games like this are always a piece of piss. History teaches us that.

[Beefymcfc]

Hull should be nothing more than a formality if we are to push for the league.

Yeah right.

Because you never ever hear of sides challenging for the title, struggling v lower table teams, ever. Never happens. The very mention of it as a possibility is stupid.

Don't know what the fuck came over me. Of course games like this are always a piece of piss. History teaches us that.

Fuck me, you took that one personally. It may sound a little arrogant suppose but, like I said, if we are aiming for glory this game should be a formality. It may not be a wholesome win but a win it should be.

I think people are more worried because of our recent form and silly losses away to certain teams. Personally, I think we should be beating the likes of Hull with the team/squad we have.

Edited: To save my Mrs blushes.

[getdressedmctavish]

I suppose the question is this. We'd all like to win both games. But for me, given the poor recent form I'd say Hull is the priority. We look spread pretty thin and have to make up 9 points, albeit with those games in hand. I don't think we can do it and compete for the chumps league this season, even if we beat Barca.

[AG7]

I suppose the question is this. We'd all like to win both games. But for me, given the poor recent form I'd say Hull is the priority. We look spread pretty thin and have to make up 9 points, albeit with those games in hand. I don't think we can do it and compete for the chumps league this season, even if we beat Barca.

Of course we can ... we just need to win tomorrow by two goals and then draw Scum (or Okympiakos) for the two legged QF and we are through to the semis ...

[Tokyo Blue]

I suppose the question is this. We'd all like to win both games. But for me, given the poor recent form I'd say Hull is the priority. We look spread pretty thin and have to make up 9 points, albeit with those games in hand. I don't think we can do it and compete for the chumps league this season, even if we beat Barca.

Of course we can ... we just need to win tomorrow by two goals and then draw Scum (or Okympiakos) for the two legged QF and we are through to the semis ...

And that kind of attitude is how you end up losing to Wigan.

[lets all have a disco]

At least the ponytail gladiator will be nice and rested for Hull.

[Ted Hughes]

Hull should be nothing more than a formality if we are to push for the league.

Yeah right.

Because you never ever hear of sides challenging for the title, struggling v lower table teams, ever. Never happens. The very mention of it as a possibility is stupid.

Don't know what the fuck came over me. Of course games like this are always a piece of piss. History teaches us that.

Fuck me, you took that one personally. It may sound a little arrogant suppose but, like I said, if we are aiming for glory this game should be a formality. It may not be a wholesome win but a win it should be.

I think people are more worried because of our recent form and silly losses away to certain teams. Personally, I think we should be beating the likes of Hull with the team/squad we have.

Edited: To save my Mrs blushes.

Nothing to do with taking it personally.

I just think it's an absolutely ridiculous idea to think that ANY of the upcoming games should be 'formalities' & I'll tell you that Jose Mourinho doesn't think any of Chelsea's games are formalities. You have watched god knows how many title run ins & you have regularly seen teams involved lose or draw games to the likes of Hull.

I don't understand why you are pretending otherwise.

In case your memory genuinely has completely failed, Chelsea, for example, themselves slipped up v Birmingham on the way to one of Mourinho's title wins. They will probably drop points v a similar level team, between now & the end of the season, for the simple reason that these games are ABSOLUTELY NOT formalities, & never, ever, have been.

[Bianchi on Ice]

Might be more important. But no way is Hull a bigger game than Barcelona. One is one of the best ever teams and one of the biggest names in world football. The other is a lower ranking Prem team led by a pisscan follower of Bacon.

To be honest, given a choice I'd rather win v Barca than Hull. For me, the Prem has gone. It isn't as if we have been playing well lately and been unlucky. We've been poor. As poor as for a good few years. The goals have dried up and with our remaining fixtures I just don't see us winning Prem. Thats not to say give up but I wouldnt give up on Champs league either. Again given a choice I'd choose winning the Prem over Europe all day long. However, irrespective of Hull result I think we've too much to do, so for that reason, I'd choose to see the glory of the mother of all comebacks. And you never know what might happen then. A favourable draw and we could be in semi. Unlikely I know but given a choice....

If the run in goes anything like most seasons, then City can lose two games & still be in with a decent shout of winning it.

For that to change, Chelsea will have to have a better run in than they have probably ever had.

Their last ten results in all competitions are:

1-0 v Stoke
0-0 v West Ham
1-0 v City
3-0 v Newcastle
1-1 v West Brom
0-2 v City
1-0 v Everton
1-1 v Galatasaray
3-1 v Fulham
4-0 v Spurs

That is at a time when they are 'flying' & have been under absolutely no pressure whatsover. Repeated in the league, it would see them drop 9 points in ten games.

They have to play Villa A, Arsenal h, Palace A, Stoke H, Swansea A, Sunderland, H, Liverpool A, Norwich H & Cardiff A.

Almost all of those teams have caused us problems. Some of them will cause Chelsea problems. The idea that the league has gone is absolute bollocks.

But playing the way we are? At this business end of a season momemtum is key. Chelsea have it. Even the dippers have it. We are not even close. Our forwards are doing spot on impressions of Heskey and Akinbiyi and as for the defence. Fuck me. You could write a thesis on MDM and how not to defend. Or Clichy, Richards, Nastasic. Kolarov even, though to be fair he has improved.

I dont doubt for a second all other three teams will drop points but what i do doubt is our ability to snap out of the malaise we seem to be in at the moment and take advantage.

I said at the time that the failure to bring in fresh blood in January would cost us and with hindsight, it looks the case. If we pulled out of signing Mangala for what amounts to chump change for the Sheikh then that is an appalling decision. Him instead of MDM and we would be sitting pretty right now. However, we didnt and we are not. The defence isn't going to magically, all if a sudden, click and get better. In fact i'd bet with MDM we will see more howlers and more dropped points in games we should have won

I take your points but its easy to say with Mangala in or any other new defensive signing that things would automatically be better and we would be sitting pretty. Some players take time to settle here, even in just a playing sense let alone all the other things.

[Ted Hughes]

Which is why we should keep Lescott.

[nottsblue]

I take your points but its easy to say with Mangala in or any other new defensive signing that things would automatically be better and we would be sitting pretty. Some players take time to settle here, even in just a playing sense let alone all the other things.

Which is why we should keep Lescott.

My main point is MDM is truly awful and has and will continue, to cost us games and points. Mangala or any new signing, regardless of time to bed in, wouldn't be as poor as MDM has been. Maybe sitting pretty is not the correct phrase but i'm sure you get the idea.

All season we have been crying out for defensive cover and in January we fucked up. For whatever reasons and I doubt we will ever discover the reasons why. Ted, this is why 100% you are correct in that Lescott must be kept on. A must as a squad player.

[Ted Hughes]

I take your points but its easy to say with Mangala in or any other new defensive signing that things would automatically be better and we would be sitting pretty. Some players take time to settle here, even in just a playing sense let alone all the other things.

Which is why we should keep Lescott.

My main point is MDM is truly awful and has and will continue, to cost us games and points. Mangala or any new signing, regardless of time to bed in, wouldn't be as poor as MDM has been. Maybe sitting pretty is not the correct phrase but i'm sure you get the idea.

All season we have been crying out for defensive cover and in January we fucked up. For whatever reasons and I doubt we will ever discover the reasons why. Ted, this is why 100% you are correct in that Lescott must be kept on. A must as a squad player.

Demichelis might not cost us points in the rest of the season, if the attack, especially the strikers, function properly though.

If we are playing as we should do, he is less likely to fuck up & even if he does, we are likely to cover it.

Against Chelsea, in the League, plus Norwich, then Sunderland & Wigan first half, we were shit. Had we played each game from the kickoff, like we played 2nd half v Wigan, then the mistakes probably wouldn't have happened & we probably would have won the lot, comfortably. I believe that counts for Barca too.

Our 2nd half performance v Wigan, would cause Barca loads of problems, as well as rags Arse & Liverpool.


If we play like that going forward, & Dzeko/Negredo/Jovetic do their jobs, imo we win the title. Demichelis or not.

[Original Dub]

I suppose the question is this. We'd all like to win both games. But for me, given the poor recent form I'd say Hull is the priority. We look spread pretty thin and have to make up 9 points, albeit with those games in hand. I don't think we can do it and compete for the chumps league this season, even if we beat Barca.

Nope, I've read this seven times and I still can't find the question.

?

[Wonderwall]

I suppose the question is this. We'd all like to win both games. But for me, given the poor recent form I'd say Hull is the priority. We look spread pretty thin and have to make up 9 points, albeit with those games in hand. I don't think we can do it and compete for the chumps league this season, even if we beat Barca.

Nope, I've read this seven times and I still can't find the question.

?

Sarcy bastard, made me LOL though

[nottsblue]

My main point is MDM is truly awful and has and will continue, to cost us games and points. Mangala or any new signing, regardless of time to bed in, wouldn't be as poor as MDM has been. Maybe sitting pretty is not the correct phrase but i'm sure you get the idea.

All season we have been crying out for defensive cover and in January we fucked up. For whatever reasons and I doubt we will ever discover the reasons why. Ted, this is why 100% you are correct in that Lescott must be kept on. A must as a squad player.

Demichelis might not cost us points in the rest of the season, if the attack, especially the strikers, function properly though.

If we are playing as we should do, he is less likely to fuck up & even if he does, we are likely to cover it.

Against Chelsea, in the League, plus Norwich, then Sunderland & Wigan first half, we were shit. Had we played each game from the kickoff, like we played 2nd half v Wigan, then the mistakes probably wouldn't have happened & we probably would have won the lot, comfortably. I believe that counts for Barca too.

Our 2nd half performance v Wigan, would cause Barca loads of problems, as well as rags Arse & Liverpool.

If we play like that going forward, & Dzeko/Negredo/Jovetic do their jobs, imo we win the title. Demichelis or not.

Honestly, you cant see MDM costing us points. Fully appreciate your logic that if the forwards do the business, mistakes might not cost us points, but lets assume that games from here on in are tight affairs and we might have to get 1-0s or 2-1s. Mistakes then are going to cost big time.

Football is obviously a team game whereby forwards and defence work as cohesive units. It doesn't always work that both are brilliant in a given game but if the forwards are it masks the deficiencies of the defence. Earlier on in season we got away with it. I'm not convinced we will do so now. Therefore any potential mistakes will be more costly than earlier in season. Love to be proved wrong but reckon MDM will cost us big time again

[Original Dub]

I suppose the question is this. We'd all like to win both games. But for me, given the poor recent form I'd say Hull is the priority. We look spread pretty thin and have to make up 9 points, albeit with those games in hand. I don't think we can do it and compete for the chumps league this season, even if we beat Barca.

Nope, I've read this seven times and I still can't find the question.

?

Sarcy bastard, made me LOL though

Always happy to oblige Bob :)

[Ted Hughes]

My main point is MDM is truly awful and has and will continue, to cost us games and points. Mangala or any new signing, regardless of time to bed in, wouldn't be as poor as MDM has been. Maybe sitting pretty is not the correct phrase but i'm sure you get the idea.

All season we have been crying out for defensive cover and in January we fucked up. For whatever reasons and I doubt we will ever discover the reasons why. Ted, this is why 100% you are correct in that Lescott must be kept on. A must as a squad player.

Demichelis might not cost us points in the rest of the season, if the attack, especially the strikers, function properly though.

If we are playing as we should do, he is less likely to fuck up & even if he does, we are likely to cover it.

Against Chelsea, in the League, plus Norwich, then Sunderland & Wigan first half, we were shit. Had we played each game from the kickoff, like we played 2nd half v Wigan, then the mistakes probably wouldn't have happened & we probably would have won the lot, comfortably. I believe that counts for Barca too.

Our 2nd half performance v Wigan, would cause Barca loads of problems, as well as rags Arse & Liverpool.

If we play like that going forward, & Dzeko/Negredo/Jovetic do their jobs, imo we win the title. Demichelis or not.

Honestly, you cant see MDM costing us points. Fully appreciate your logic that if the forwards do the business, mistakes might not cost us points, but lets assume that games from here on in are tight affairs and we might have to get 1-0s or 2-1s. Mistakes then are going to cost big time.

Football is obviously a team game whereby forwards and defence work as cohesive units. It doesn't always work that both are brilliant in a given game but if the forwards are it masks the deficiencies of the defence. Earlier on in season we got away with it. I'm not convinced we will do so now. Therefore any potential mistakes will be more costly than earlier in season. Love to be proved wrong but reckon MDM will cost us big time again

Demichelis has already cost us points. But mainly in games where we have played poorly as a team. I can't think of an example of a game where we have played well & lost or drawn, due to Demichelis.

Hart & Nastasic have cost us games where we were doing ok.

If our team plays as it can for ten games in the league, imo we win the title. If we knock out Barca though, we will end up worrying about fitting in games, resting players, etc & are fucked imo. Chelsea may have to play big Champions League games in the middle of the run in; they are still favourites v Galatasaray.

If we lose tonight, the way our fixtures pan out, the last 3 scheduled games may all be v teams with nothing to play for. We have been expecting games v sides battling relegation & for the top, but Everton will probably have missed 4th but got the Europa, West Ham will probably be safe by a distance & even Palace may possibly know one way or the other.

We could fit the Villa game in there & finish the season with two home games v teams with nothing to play for. Nothing to be complacent about, but a very very desirable end to the season's fixtures; much better than it could have been.

If we can win a couple of games out of rags, Arse, Liverpool. I recon the title will be ours. Even if we only win one, I recon we still have a chance.

Get 3 points v Hull & we can start on another run, to finish the season in style. Lose, & we've probably fucked it.

[Beefymcfc]

Hull should be nothing more than a formality if we are to push for the league.

Yeah right.

Because you never ever hear of sides challenging for the title, struggling v lower table teams, ever. Never happens. The very mention of it as a possibility is stupid.

Don't know what the fuck came over me. Of course games like this are always a piece of piss. History teaches us that.

Fuck me, you took that one personally. It may sound a little arrogant suppose but, like I said, if we are aiming for glory this game should be a formality. It may not be a wholesome win but a win it should be.

I think people are more worried because of our recent form and silly losses away to certain teams. Personally, I think we should be beating the likes of Hull with the team/squad we have.

Edited: To save my Mrs blushes.

Nothing to do with taking it personally.

I just think it's an absolutely ridiculous idea to think that ANY of the upcoming games should be 'formalities' & I'll tell you that Jose Mourinho doesn't think any of Chelsea's games are formalities. You have watched god knows how many title run ins & you have regularly seen teams involved lose or draw games to the likes of Hull.

I don't understand why you are pretending otherwise.

In case your memory genuinely has completely failed, Chelsea, for example, themselves slipped up v Birmingham on the way to one of Mourinho's title wins. They will probably drop points v a similar level team, between now & the end of the season, for the simple reason that these games are ABSOLUTELY NOT formalities, & never, ever, have been.

I'm sorry Ted but I totally disagree. Fair enough, Hull should give us a game but apart from all the ups and downs during the game then the reality should be that we should win. At the start of the season I'd have placed money that we'd beat a team like Hull, less a complete fuck up like Cardiff et al. Then, during our recent goal scoring run, I'd have bet again. No game is a dead cert as that's the beauty of football but on the scale of things, we should be beating the likes of Hull if we are to push for the league. Read that highlighted bit again Ted, what does it say?

Pellers was brought in to bring the team together and give them confidence to play to their abilities. If he does that then we should be able to at least consider us for a shot at the title. If he doesn't, well, I may as well give it up now.