Thomas Frank - Head Coach

[thfcsteff]

I don't know how far back you're thinking but we haven't really played those kind of passes since the days of Modric and Huddlestone. Even under Poch our midfield was more hard working and functional than it was truly creative and line breaking (a complaint of mine at the time).

We've had the occasional player who has had that skill in their wheelhouse ie. The likes of GLC and Ndombele but their football didn't work here in totality anyway. So I don't think it's even true to speak as if we were previously playing dozens of passes through the lines.

We will never know about GLC or Ndombele because they were signed for Poch who then got 12 or so games with them before being brick-canned for 'a winner'...BTW, prime Eriksen says hi...

 

[Bishop]

We will never know about GLC or Ndombele because they were signed for Poch who then got 12 or so games with them before being brick-canned for 'a winner'...BTW, prime Eriksen says hi...

I'd argue Eriksen player a bit further forward generally than the space I'm thinking of although he definitely dropped deeper at times. I'm more talking about passing from deep.

I agree with you about Ndombele and GLC, they were bought for a fairly radical evolution of the system we had been playing but never actually had the chance to play it together with the coach who wanted them.

 

[braineclipse]

That's shocking from Bentancur and Palhinha considering the amount of game time they've had.

Was a graph going around showing Bentancur's progressive passing this season compared to last season. Both seasons after his injury. Essentially halved the amount of progressive passing from last season. Not that he was great at it last season either, but this is partly a result of how we play.

What we know about Palhinha imo is that he's a decent passer with some space and time and facing the right way. Turning on the ball and passing progressively under pressure just isn't his thing.

Was it against Everton he played as a CB? I don't remember the game, but remember him doing quite well on the ball from there (more space and time, facing the right way most of the time). We could easily drop him deeper in buildup and push the full backs a bit higher or invert one of them. I think that would get more out of both Palhinha on the ball and particularly Spence and Udogie who are comfortable in a role like that.

It's partly the players, but it's also imo to a rather large degree how Frank is choosing to play.

 

[braineclipse]

What was wrong with our ‘style of play’ yesterday? If it wasn’t the result.

Liverpool allowed us time and space on the ball, sat back quite a bit. As we've seen before in those circumstances we'll look at least alright. We got forward, put them under quite a bit of pressure, created some chances. Good to see, though I think it was more about how they played than anything specific we did.

We've seen that before. Teams sit off us, we can definitely look alright. And particularly in games where we have the better individuals we make that count. Imo still significant room for improvement in that kind of game state, but alright.

After the red is a different game state where we're quite good. Defend well, mostly compact. What we did better against Liverpool than in some other games was also getting forward ourselves at times.

Game states where we struggle the most and where I think our style of play lets us down the most are when teams press us high. We really struggle to get out. Another one is when we imo at least should do more to gain control of a game against a worse or more equal level opposition.

We're not very good getting out of a high press. We're not very good at taking control of games. When control is handed to us we're alright, but we frequently struggle with chance creation. For me that's related to our style of play.

 

[Lemonade Money]

We will never know about GLC or Ndombele...

Poch's biggest lemons. Based on what happened next in their careers, we can have a bloody good guess!

 

[Gutter Boy]

Poch's biggest lemons. Based on what happened next in their careers, we can have a bloody good guess!

Disagree. There's so many sliding doors moments in football. Both came in on steep upwards trajectories, to work with a progressive coach and top man manager, who really wanted them. In a few weeks they were left with a disciplinarian dinosaur who didnt want creative players. The big mistake they both made was not just heading straight for the exit and finding another club that was compatible with them much sooner

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Disagree. There's so many sliding doors moments in football. Both came in on steep upwards trajectories, to work with a progressive coach and top man manager, who really wanted them. In a few weeks they were left with a disciplinarian dinosaur who didnt want creative players. The big mistake they both made was not just heading straight for the exit and finding another club that was compatible with them much sooner

Because no one else could afford them
And I agree by the way
It’s like Johnson is leaving this January and I suspect he will carry on doing what he did last season and probably win a trophy or two more in his career (villa will get him IMO). He clearly doesn’t suit a team that doesn’t pass forwards or over the top so is a waste here and taking the money is sensible

 

[Lemonade Money]

Disagree. There's so many sliding doors moments in football. Both came in on steep upwards trajectories, to work with a progressive coach and top man manager, who really wanted them. In a few weeks they were left with a disciplinarian dinosaur who didnt want creative players. The big mistake they both made was not just heading straight for the exit and finding another club that was compatible with them much sooner

Ndombele

→ Lyon (loan)

→ Napoli (loan)

→ Galatasaray (loan)

Nice

Lo Celso has gone back to Betis, after not working out with Villareal. We overpaid for players below the level we aspire too. That is all based on facts. Your argument is based on Poch Fantasy Land.

 

[SpurMeUp]

Sorry?
I don't understand what you're asking and in what context?

I think it was your posts! They were the context. You were complaining about the style of play (not the result).


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4 wins in the calandar year, I have total sympathy for season ticket holders. Results wise it hasn't been much fun at the lane this year.

 

[Bishop]

Because no one else could afford them
And I agree by the way
It’s like Johnson is leaving this January and I suspect he will carry on doing what he did last season and probably win a trophy or two more in his career (villa will get him IMO). He clearly doesn’t suit a team that doesn’t pass forwards or over the top so is a waste here and taking the money is sensible

I'll be shocked if Villa signed him.

 

[Muttley]

Because no one else could afford them
And I agree by the way
It’s like Johnson is leaving this January and I suspect he will carry on doing what he did last season and probably win a trophy or two more in his career (villa will get him IMO). He clearly doesn’t suit a team that doesn’t pass forwards or over the top so is a waste here and taking the money is sensible

Why do you think Johnson is leaving in Jan?

Personally, I'd love to see some brave exits by the club. Vic, Bents, Dragu, BJ, Odobert are clear candidates above the obvious Davies, Richi and Palhinha.

I often wonder whether Frank benchmarks Vic against David Raya. The latter was clearly a top tier keeper that Frank worked with. If Vic isn't meeting the equivalent standards then Frank will want him out.

 

[glorygloryeze]

Why do you think Johnson is leaving in Jan?

Why do you ask this? Have you not seen the media reports of us being happy to let him go? Plus one of our old players, Chris Armstrong, seems to have suggested he's on the way to Palace...might not happen and we will see. But the story of the club being ok for him to leave didn't just come out of nowhere imo

Personally, I'd love to see some brave exits by the club. Vic, Bents, Dragu, BJ, Odobert are clear candidates above the obvious Davies, Richi and Palhinha.

What do you mean by 'clear candidates above the obvious'?

I often wonder whether Frank benchmarks Vic against David Raya. The latter was clearly a top tier keeper that Frank worked with. If Vic isn't meeting the equivalent standards then Frank will want him out.

You might be right on that...the trouble is when he gave our backup a chance to be more competition vs Saudi Sportswashing Machine in the LC has scuppered his hands somwhat.. Out of interest @Bedfordspurs do you still say Vicario is better than David Raya?