JD and Kopite are referring to matches that we played several weeks ago where we did have a full squad to choose from. They are also referring to league games only but more recently we have played two cup games of course - so their posts are irrelevant.
Since Mane has left for the AFCON we have played three and scored one goal which was a penalty. We haven't won in our last four games which is not like us. So of course it is a worry. The posts referring to games that happened 7 or 8 weeks ago to justify our recent slump as I said, are irrelevant. We're not talking about what happened in the league back in mid December, we're talking about what's happening right now and the form we're in currently.
Anyway, the next four games for us are massive. Plymouth, Swansea, Southampton, Chelsea. All of them are must win. So we need to find our shooting boots soon and get back to winning ways.
It's not irrelevant at all mate, if we are talking
recent form then how can the last 6 league games be classed as irrelevant?
I'm not saying at all we are playing the free flowing football from earlier in the season but a fair chunk of my the reasoning for that is how teams are setting up against us as well as injuries, I don't think we have really been at full strength since Watford at home? But the way we have beaten Everton, City and scrapped a point at Utd is just as valid and shows a different type of form than just wiping teams away.
The quality of the opposition, how they approach it, the magnitude and passion of the games all dictate that.
I agree we haven't been free flowing, Sunderland was a disappointing result, Southampton we were poor yes.. but the Plymouth result is less relevant in my opinion due to who we sent out (not saying we shouldn't still expect to win) than the results in the league prior to Christmas
Currently we have had a couple of poor results, one stinking performance but all teams have those.
Completely agree that the next four are key, 100%.. Hopefully we get through those and then we can be somewhere near fill strength again
It's a curious phenomenon on this forum, people agree with you but still attack you for making the point. A blind man can see we are struggling a bit recently, each and everyone of us agrees we aren't playing as well as we were 5 or 6 weeks ago, but say so and you come under fire. Equally, nobody who is sane and compus mentis would deny our squad is creaking, but say so and you're "losing the plot" and over reacting.
Had we had our time again I think it's fairly clear we should have stock piled a couple of players in the Summer (some of us even "said all along") but that's gone now. Saying we are looking stretched or a bit out of form tho is stating the glaringly obvious, I can't understand why it bothers people so.
There's a fine line again imo with struggling a bit and having to dig in because teams make it difficult for you. . We aren't playing as well as 5-6 weeks ago no but that's because teams aren't allowing us to play that way, they camp in to negate the press as much and also don't allow us to spring on them on the counter. . That's clear, so games have become less free flowing than they were
It will help us grow as a team working it out
Our squad is creaking, (not sure if it was aimed at me Mick that but yor the record) what I said yesterday was that we have had a lot of key injuries but
going into the season we had a decent squad cover for a squad with no European football. As it's turned out that once we have 4-5 key injuries the back up looks less convincing, but I'm not sure (especially with no European football) you can cover for 4-5 key injuries.
What's exasperated the situation is that those 4-5 key injuries 2-3 of them are in the same area of the pitch and then we look vulnerable
Without European footy can we really have a squad of 22 top top class internationals? Where do they get their games? I think we built a squad this season for a domestic campaign with the idea of adding more quality next summer once we have European footy again.. we are creaking now but you can't cover for worse case scenarios all the time. Not when you are run like a business like we are
The bench has looked weal recently and I'm sure that's something that will be looked at in the summer
Doesn't bother me at all saying we are stretched or a bit out of form, but on the flip side you need context which is all I tried to give
Apologies to you and any others if you mean it's me who over reacts and calls people names. I didn't think I did