Match Day Thread Match Chat

We are starting to get a solid pairing in both the middle of defense and the center midfield areas.
Tosin and Andersen compliment each other and watch each others back. Anguissa and Reed seem to have a partnership brewing in central midfield.
It was a different dynamic without Mitro and Cairney, where we play a more slow controlled game with them, so I think the starting team tonight was adapted to play Leicester on the counter with quicker players. Will Parker at last go game by game and change style for when we play the likes of Burnley to when we play Manchester City.

 

Today we have Man City at the Etihad ko at 3pm and live on BT Sports 1.
The only injury problem is Tete who is still getting back to fitness, so Kongolo may be on the bench.
The BBC has us losing 4-0, so anything better than that please.
With our continued improvement I think the team will have little change, tactics as deployed at Leicester is most likely. City have a better forward line and pose greater danger in opening us up, so discipline and that grit and determination are our main benefits. If we can walk away with our heads held high and better still a point, I'll be happy.
Have a good Saturday.

 

Line up unchanged, here we go!

 

Wasn't expecting anything today. We defended well and kept them at bay, their penalty was soft but the way it is these days. I think they could have stepped up a gear in the second half but 2 nil is not embarrassing and confidence should still be good. In the ballot for next week !

 

A fair summary COYW, the penalty was very soft and certainly not enough contact for Sterling to leap off both feet.
Good luck with the ballot, hope you get in.

 

It's letting in the early goals that are a killer. We are always fighting an uphill battle once they go in. I don't like seeing penalties given for minimal contact, where the players other leg somehow miraculously jumps up in the air in a spasm and he falls to the ground. Better 2nd half, but we didn't really carry a threat up front.

 

This is the biggest issue in these types of game. We are not going to get anything if we concede inside the first 10, as we just aren't good enough to compete with a team like City man to man.

 

A game like Liverpool is a game if the likes of Anguissa, Lookman and RLC think they should be playing for a bigger club to prove it. We need top class performances from them and from the likes of Areola and the defence.
The Key to the game, not letting in early goals, build confidence and go into HT still in the game.

 

Next up is Liverpool at the Cottage, ko 4:30 and live on Sky.
No new injuries, Tete playing in the U23's yesterday so maybe another week or two before available. I had thought he may come in for the role Bobby is currently playing, when fit.
Playing at home under the floodlights and with our fans back could be the best position to take on the Champions, defensive nous and grit is needed. Hopefully with the clappers and long awaited singing and encouragement from our loyal fans will be a big help, does anyone here have a ticket?
Klop continues to moan about how many games Liverpool are playing, poor sod, oh to be unsuccessful eh. Hopefully this will start affecting his players, and they decide to have a rest bite at the Cottage, I live in hope!
I doubt there will be much change to our line up, perhaps Mitro will be unleashed and have a blinder for us.
Fingers crossed, have a grand weekend.

 

Be good to see some fans at The Cottage again, feels like a long time. Hopefully they have something to cheer but realistically we can’t really expect much from tomorrow, not to say we just give up and roll over but we will need to be at our very best and maybe even have a bit of luck on our side to get something.

I said a few weeks ago that anything from this run of games was a bonus and we got the 3 points at Leicester so we're already ahead of where we maybe expected before this run of games started. Another positive is that the teams around us haven't really been picking up points so not much has changed down the bottom.

One game at a time and all that, but I can't help but look ahead to midweek and our game with Brighton. These are the games we really need to be winning, our season won't be defined by results against Man City and Liverpool etc. Its the games against the likes of Brighton at home and the others around us that will determine where we finish.

Anyway, we'll see what tomorrow brings, even if not a positive result hopefully at least a positive performance.

 

By the way, is anyone on here going tomorrow?

 

I've been lucky to get a ticket. As everyone has said, hoping for a good performance but not necessarily any points. Great to be back though. I shall report back.

 

Enjoy the game COYW, give them a shout from us!

 

Robbed

 

To feel hard done by to only come away with a point against Liverpool tells you how well we played, especially the 1st half. I'm sure we'd all have taken a point before a ball was kicked, but to play so well and also for them to get back into it with a penalty, to only come away with a point is frustrating.

To take 4 points from this run against Leicester, City and Liverpool is massive! I think a lot of people had already written us off as certain for relegation, hopefully we've shown in the last few games we can be a match for anyone.

Now on to this big game against Brighton, more of the same from today please.

 

Spot on Fabio a brilliant performance.
We didn't allow Liverpool to play 1st half and we defended well all game. We should have had a penalty and theirs was pretty soft.
We are doing good and not the cannon fodder the pundits were saying .

 

I turned up today expecting nothing other than the hope of a good performance. Well that first was just fantastic and could have been more. I haven't seen again our claim for a penalty or the one that was given to them so difficult to say anything from my view in the Hammy end.

No-one can say we are poor at defending now, there's just such an improvement.

I must also say hats off to the Fulham FC for their organising of today and our fans who all observed social distancing, wearing of masks and the rules of no loitering etc. What a day ! Need to just follow that up against Brighton now.

 

Listened to the game on the radio. The commentators were full of praise for Fulham and were convinced that we had a penalty in the first half. They also loved the crowd noise and support. Great result and could have been 3 points with a bit of luck. COYW

 

Brighton HV at the cottage (under the floodlights) at 8pm, shown on Amazon (you can sign up for a months free trial and watch live on a smart tv, or other devices).
No new injuries and Mitro is fit to play, so good news there. We are keeping the squad pretty fit in general, so praise to our medical team and training methods.
I can't see us changing our team or system tonight, but as Scott studies each team we play, so I could well be wrong.
Brighton haven't been getting many goals so far and hopefully this will continue, our defence is up to getting a clean sheet, but there is always VAR.
A win tonight will get us out of the bottom 3, fingers crossed this happens.
No fans this game with Tier 3 coming in, a real shame as it made a big difference against Mr (I can't stop moaning) Klopp, he is getting irritating.
Hope to see your posts tonight, happy ones I'm wishing for..........

 

Looking at the line up we are sticking with the team who has done so well over the last few games. Mitro and TC on the bench. Good to see continuity.