The *WHEN* we go down thread

[Benny_Lad]

And 9 points does not guarantee anything now. Leeds already have 36 points and 6 games to go.

The biggest problem for us regarding Leeds isn’t catching them now….it’s that they are likely to be safe already when they play West Ham on the last day.

 

[SissokoWasGood (BoL)]

I think some of this is complete nonsense.

Most players, given the level they are at can pass the ball (endless videos of them doing rapid passing in training).
So it's a tactics, system, between the ears thing.

My favourite example is Bodo. 95% of their passes are not special/difficult. Just standard passing. It flows because they've learnt the system/tactics and have trust and belief in that system and each other. They haven't learnt to pass.
And I'd guess most netruals would say we have a better standard of player than them.

Yes, it's handy to have a passer that can do something special/unusual/unpredictable but it's not essential. (We probably have in Maddison and Xavi two that could fulfil that role tbh)

Tbh it's just a lazy narrative....I think it would be more accurate to suggest that we look like a team going thru a mental breakdown atm.

In one sense I agree with you, the Bodo example is a good one and also the fact that our players are internationals and should be capable of the basics is completely true.

On the other hand, I think our club’s obsession with data has gotten us into this mess. It’s in the signings, it’s in who we well and when, it’s who we choose not to sign or return from loan, it’s in the managers we sack and appoint. Basically everything is too far towards what the model says and not enough sense of what the human beings need.

We absolutely shouldn’t be 18th regardless of the actual passing quality of the squad. And I do think we’ve gone through a complete mental breakdown. But I think the breakdown started because of decisions that were made on a spreadsheet, and not with a good sense of why the squad needed.

 

[thfcsteff]

In one sense I agree with you, the Bodo example is a good one and also the fact that our players are internationals and should be capable of the basics is completely true.

On the other hand, I think our club’s obsession with data has gotten us into this mess. It’s in the signings, it’s in who we well and when, it’s who we choose not to sign or return from loan, it’s in the managers we sack and appoint. Basically everything is too far towards what the model says and not enough sense of what the human beings need.

We absolutely shouldn’t be 18th regardless of the actual passing quality of the squad. And I do think we’ve gone through a complete mental breakdown. But I think the breakdown started because of decisions that were made on a spreadsheet, and not with a good sense of why the squad needed.

As you know I have complained about this for some time now,