Ange Postecoglou

I agree.

 

Eventually, all manager interviews sound the largely the same.

 

I think Daizen would have been benched a while ago if our wingers weren't dropping like flies, Abada out last week, Jota out this week then Abada went down injured.

 

Not anywhere near as often as we were doing at the start of the season. We were also able to back it up with high intensity play ourselves earlier in the season, something we aren’t doing now either. We look *.

They played through us far too easily tonight. The boy Schlager ran the show. We never got near him and it was obvious from early on that everything was going through him.

 

Only criticism I have of him is he seems to have his favourites. Gia should have started and Maeda needs dropped.

 

Playing more cautiously and pragmatically doesn't necessarily mean playing like Lennon.

 

I've stopped listening to his interviews. Same old guff as before. Then Cough Cough !

 

I mean changing our style, hanging back and clinging on for dear life from the get go. That's how Lennon set us up, and we still lost majority of games in Europe.

We've been * in Europe for so long.

 

Clubs like Brugge, Ajax, Bodo, etc. have done the same thing season after season and achieved different results.

 

You can't legislate for the missed chances but the fact is we're too easy go play against. Leipzig looked dangerous every time they went forward today and it was the same last week. It's nowhere near good enough. They aren't world beaters and won't get past the last 16 of this competition if they qualify. But too many fans accept mediocrity. It's been the same for the last 10 years.

Since we got papped out the Europa by Copenhagen under Lennon my mindset changed. I realised that we simply aren't good enough to compete against decent European level competition anymore. I thought this might have changed under Ange but it hasn't. The proof is in the pudding. Other sides are praying for us in the draws and I don't blame them.

We're so far off the required standard still and it's * heartbreaking. The huns got to a European final last season but I'd be surprised if we achieve that in my lifetime.

It's * depressing man. The players we love the most aren't good enough to compete in Europe. I don't know what it will take to overcome this, but I've had enough of being the whipping boys of every European competition.

 

The level of performance in the first game against Madrid or the second against Shakhtar would have been good enough I think tonight. The fact we were nowhere near that level is what concerns me. Not just in terms of European football, but going forward domestically as well.

 

I thought we turned a corner with the first two performances. But our most important games of this group were against Leipzig and we shat the bed for both. The glorious failure vs Madrid looks less impressive now that they lost to a mediocre Shakhtar side too.

We're still a long way off mate. It hurts but it's true.

 

That's to easy a cop out for me. We also concede far to many chances and lose goals from them more often than not. The team selection and subs were poor for me tonight I thought that midfield would be far to passive when the team was announced and then taking off Haksabanovic tonight was baffling as well as leaving Maeda on.

Yes Ange can't run on the park and put the ball in the net but that isn't the be all and end all he needs to be more streetwise in Europe and adapt his tactics history proves if we don't adapt it ends one way

 

Cart before the horse there. If his tactics didn’t result in such hasty play, our shooting (and decision making in the final third generally) might be more considered and have a greater chance of success. I do agree that it’s not the overall system that’s at fault, but his lack of tinkering of micro-elements within it (which all top managers do) is seriously not helping our players.

There’s a difference between intensity and rashness, and I don’t think Ange is getting that balance right atm.

 

The fact we are disappointed speaks volumes. We are happy to get behind the manager when he says we never stop and he won't change his attacking style, when it's working, but when our form dips are we all going to whine about a plan B and CDMs in the side and being more pragmatic?

We are miles down the road from when Ange took over and he deserves a bit more time in Europe. The CL is the elite competition and we are sadly financial minnows. We have competed in all the group games and should have beaten Shaktar, played great in spells against Real and missed a hatful tonight.

We do play a mix of outright open attack and reckless naivete which is costing us but if Ange can keep improving then we hopefully will reap the rewards. Trust the process.

 

I agree. Said earlier I was sick of glorious failure prior to this campaign, but it’s been the same again. Tonight was * rotten. Totally outclassed and outworked. Shakhtar didn’t beat Madrid tonight either by the way, but I take your point.

 

It hasn't been mentioned much as all the talk has been about tactics or missing chances, but a big difference we've experienced in Europe, not just this season but last, is the gap in athleticism between our players to theirs. I don't think us 'not getting near them' is down to the system or a lack of application, but because paired with the quality their players have, they're also bigger, stronger and quicker than us. It's part of the reason they seemed to have time on the ball and for the most part looked comfortable playing out, because when closed down they had the strength to shield the ball or the burst of pace to get around us.

It's a tough one because typically players who have both quality and physicality will be out of our price range. How much would Kyogo cost if he had his current attributes but was also 6'1 and built? Or O'Riley if he had a serious turn of pace? It's something I think Ange will have to address to some degree if we're really going to compete at this level though.

 

How can you trust the process when he keeps showing favoritism to players who are way out of form ?

How can you trust the process when he keeps playing the same way, home or away, and refuses to alter his system ?

 

Another thing I would say, a lot including myself were screaming out for an out and out defensive midfielder in the summer. I think it’s now been proven we absolutely should have been signing one that was ready to play. We are far too easy to hit on the counter.