Quote Originally Posted by Power_n_Glory View Post
Our style definitely isn’t perfect and the first team have their problems but there is a danger of lumping it all in together. With the first team, I’m starting to see what we’re setting out to do with the partnerships across the pitch. It’s all very intricate when it clicks but when an important component of that system breaks (Cazorla) we start to see the struggle.

For this game, I can’t see the thought process behind the selection. I agree to extent about sending the players out with more instructions but I doubt it would have made much difference with the tools we had. It’s like sending a builder out with a hammer and screwdriver without the nails and screws. It looked like an unbalanced team without the vital pieces we need to carve a team open. It’s hard enough getting that out of the first team with one player missing. There wasn’t enough creativity in that squad. No goal threats and a very shaky defensive line up.
Im going to disagree on this

As above i think the only way the team was unbalanced was in shoehorning Ramsey in, instead of playing the Ox from the outset

And arguably Ramsey could have played in central midfield instead of one of Coquelin/Elneny

But that's one or two changes instead of a wholesale problem, if you played with that side week in week out with a structured game plan you would in my mind be able to finish in the top six, and therefore should not be getting absolutely turned over by a Southampton side with just as many changes to their team especially as you have enough first team experience to mitigate for the youth players (and in fact how many youth players were there apart from Holding, Martinez and Jeff?)

If you had the two central midfielders play with positional discipline, have the two wingers use their pace on the flanks instead of cutting inside like the first team does and get balls in low behind the defenders you cause uncertainty.

Mistakes will happen with players that aren't overly sure of their team mate for sure, but this was more than that it was disorganised and chaotic....reverting to infuriating type.