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Some, but clearly our Chairmans Son has got involved signing names that are not adding anything too.
We essentially played 4-2-4 last night, so apart from Gibbs-White trying, no-one pressing from front, then playing Kouyate (who has no pace and can't cover ground) with O'Brien in a 2 (thought Lingard should have come off not him last night) giving Madison too much time and space in the middle, it's tactically naive.
We can't play Lingard and Gibbs-White in the same side, Lingard giving the ball away in our own half has contributed to a number of goals now and he doesn't track or press so Gibbs-White has to start.
We need to play 3 in the middle. We can play a front 3, Gibbs-White and Johnson have to be in it, the third person needs to be able to hold up the ball - we haven't signed that player
Renan Lodi looks lightweight and shit at defending Brasil must have a dearth of full backs if he's anywhere near the national team - the games we did well at the start of the season were before he came on loan and Toffolo was in the team and apart from a mistake against Spurs played well, he's obviously not a marquee signing, but is solid and dependable.
Injuries to Niakhate and Mangala haven't helped, Mangala looks like a proper player.
I think we should have gone all out to sign as many of the loans from last year, but clearly decided we could 'upgrade' for similar money. This was a massive error. Zinkernagel and Davis were key to how we played, Zinks was so good off the ball pressing and Davis gave us an outlet because he was so good at hold up allowing us to hit on the counter.
I think I'll actually cry if we bin Steve Cooper for Rafa, but he also needs to give up on his system asap if he wants to keep the job, or we need to get in an experienced coach asap to work with him.
We are getting pumped at home and away, I do think the number of signings are the issue, the first 4 games we looked competitive then we signed a bucket load more players and now have changed the lineup every single game since.
How much say do you think Cooper had over recruitment? Can’t be easy trying to manage two teams worth of new players.