Opposition Manager's Dilemma (9 Viewers)

steve cooper · 2025-10-05T10:11:41+0100

How do they stop our attacking threat.
It's very difficult because at any one time we have 5,6,7 players on the field at once who all carry a genuine goal threat, Wright, EMC, BTA, Torp, Thomas, Rudoni when fit, and even our full backs are dangerous going forward. Then we have players with a genuine goal threat off the bench.
You can't put 2 men on all of them. At the moment we are overwhelming opposition defences, something very difficult to deal with.
Even parking the bus and excessive time wasting isn't going to work against us every time, as the Norwich game proved. We had an xG of over 4 in that game and loads of chances which we just didn't take.
We have evolved in the last 3 or 4 games, partly driven by confidence and a much more secure defence.

sneferu · 2025-10-05T10:15:09+0100

Wright off side goal yesterday we had five players in the 6 yard box.

Sky Blue Pete · 2025-10-05T10:19:20+0100

Yep the formation is currently

Rushworth
Two at the back Thomas and Kitching
Grimes in midfield and
A front 7

lord_garrincha · 2025-10-05T10:21:24+0100

Sky Blue Pete said:
Yep the formation is currently

Rushworth
Two at the back Thomas and Kitching
Grimes in midfield and
A front 7

It's not far off...

I see it, in possession, Grimes with the 2 CBs, Torp and then a front 6... with Torp making the runs from deep in free areas due to defenders being occupied... great to watch.

Sick Boy · 2025-10-05T10:24:57+0100

It’s not just tactics; our players are sprinting right up until the final whistle.

Sky Blue Goblin · 2025-10-05T10:33:44+0100

Sky Blue Pete said:
Yep the formation is currently

Rushworth
Two at the back Thomas and Kitching
Grimes in midfield and
A front 7

The 3-1-5 paying dividends

shmmeee · 2025-10-05T10:40:34+0100

Sick Boy said:
It’s not just tactics; our players are sprinting right up until the final whistle.

There was a run from Saka to close down his man where he must have sprinted about thirty yards. In the 91st minute. 5-0 up. Just incredible work ethic.

Flying Fokker · 2025-10-05T10:44:26+0100

One of these days we’ll click and thrash a team…

Jamesimus · 2025-10-05T10:45:19+0100

Flying Fokker said:
One of these days we’ll click and thrash a team…

Yeah can see it finally happening this season at some point!

Earlsdon_Skyblue1 · 2025-10-05T10:52:33+0100

Sick Boy said:
It’s not just tactics; our players are sprinting right up until the final whistle.

The fitness levels and energy are incredible.

This is pretty much every player in the team, but particularly BTA and Sakamoto, who frankly need to be drug tested.

Wyken Sky Blue · 2025-10-05T10:55:36+0100

steve cooper said:
How do they stop our attacking threat.
It's very difficult because at any one time we have 5,6,7 players on the field at once who all carry a genuine goal threat, Wright, EMC, BTA, Torp, Thomas, Rudoni when fit, and even our full backs are dangerous going forward. Then we have players with a genuine goal threat off the bench.
You can't put 2 men on all of them. At the moment we are overwhelming opposition defences, something very difficult to deal with.
Even parking the bus and excessive time wasting isn't going to work against us every time, as the Norwich game proved. We had an xG of over 4 in that game and loads of chances which we just didn't take.
We have evolved in the last 3 or 4 games, partly driven by confidence and a much more secure defence.

We ell said Steve Cooper, it'll stand you in good stead for when you get back into football management after the debacle at Leicester...

Sent from my Pixel 8 using Tapatalk

Ricketts · 2025-10-05T10:57:03+0100

I’ve just been watching the very depressed Sheffield Wednesday fan analysing the game and saying that every time they were attacking all our players were back busting a gut to defend as well.

Flying Fokker · 2025-10-05T11:02:22+0100

steve cooper said:
How do they stop our attacking threat.
It's very difficult because at any one time we have 5,6,7 players on the field at once who all carry a genuine goal threat, Wright, EMC, BTA, Torp, Thomas, Rudoni when fit, and even our full backs are dangerous going forward. Then we have players with a genuine goal threat off the bench.
You can't put 2 men on all of them. At the moment we are overwhelming opposition defences, something very difficult to deal with.
Even parking the bus and excessive time wasting isn't going to work against us every time, as the Norwich game proved. We had an xG of over 4 in that game and loads of chances which we just didn't take.
We have evolved in the last 3 or 4 games, partly driven by confidence and a much more secure defence.

How did Leicester, Norwich, Hull and Oxford get points?

Ricketts said:
I’ve just been watching the very depressed Sheffield Wednesday fan analysing the game and saying that every time they were attacking all our players were back busting a gut to defend as well.

Saw that. He seemed philosophical about the whole debacle they face as fans. We talk about our strength in depth but they are really scraping the barrel compared to us at the moment.

steve cooper · 2025-10-05T11:44:56+0100

Flying Fokker said:
How did Leicester, Norwich, Hull and Oxford get points?

Saw that. He seemed philosophical about the whole debacle they face as fans. We talk about our strength in depth but they are really scraping the barrel compared to us at the moment.

I mentioned that we didn't take our many chances against Norwich, I also I think we have grown in confidence since our defence has played better, so I think that covers the early games. Leicester, we were under the cosh for much of the game, but I think they are better than people think.
Of course we won't play like we have done and score the amount we have every game, no team does.

Sky Blue Pete · 2025-10-05T11:48:03+0100

steve cooper said:
I mentioned that we didn't take our many chances against Norwich, I also I think we have grown in confidence since our defence has played better, so I think that covers the early games. Leicester, we were under the cosh for much of the game, but I think they are better than people think.
Of course we won't play like we have done and score the amount we have every game, no team does.

I agree we’ve not played great without Rudoni we’ve just been super effective
Only one of the goals against milwall and one against Wednesday were good moves

wrights header and Simms tap in

Im coming onboard with fatso stop thinking like a city fan

Levship20 · 2025-10-05T11:48:05+0100

Love those runs and deliveries either MVE or KHH make! Yesterday’s cross for Simms goal was a thing of beauty and something defenders find very difficult to stop. More of them, and we will continue to score lots of goals.

Fergusons_Beard · 2025-10-05T11:59:44+0100

We create chances by getting the ball in the box accurately.

We are top of the successful crosses stats and also top in the ‘Touches in the opposition box’.

We’ve had 327 touches compared to Brizzle who are second with 224!

Our ball recoveries in the final third are impressive too.

As others have said supreme fitnesss paying dividends-very telling that we just don’t stop running over the 90 and other teams left in our wake.

Lampard has alluded to the lack of fitness in our players when he came in.

Also simple things like how we warm up (and how are subs do too) is chalk and cheese compared to opponents.

Lampard has brought a different level of professionalism and expectation to our club and it’s working.

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Jamesimus · 2025-10-05T12:10:25+0100

Teams everywhere fear us!

Rival fans want to be us!

Opposition managers cannot contain us!

SBT · 2025-10-05T14:42:27+0100

Sick Boy said:
It’s not just tactics; our players are sprinting right up until the final whistle.

Isn’t it Chris Jones who handles the fitness training? Him and Dr Claire deserve huge credit, the fitness levels of the squad as a whole are the best I can remember.

rob9872 · 2025-10-05T14:55:31+0100

This is the real Steve Cooper looking for tips before he takes over a side in trouble.

Don't tell him Pike!

David O'Day · 2025-10-05T14:58:16+0100

Grimes seemed to push up a tad yesterday making it at times more of a 2-1-1-6, likely because BTA was playing in the 10 meaning he would stay higher than Rudi/Eccles did so we needed to make sure Allen wasn't swamped.

Still worked a treat though.

Opposition Manager's Dilemma (9 Viewers)

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