Every match report I have read this morning, draws attention to BR's hopeless tactics. Hoddle even says he was suprised BR changed a winning side and gave his team too much respect. Everyone can see BR got it wrong - yet he persisted with his ridiculous formation nearly to the end, only changing things with about 10 minutes to go. He got it wrong. However, in his post match comments he has said 'it wasn't about systems'. Eh?

This is of concern. He has seen us win playing with 2 wingers yet decides to shore up his defence, at home, against a decent but hardly world beating Spurs. We played 442 against Man U for godsake!

Just when you start thinking we're getting somewhere, BR drops a clanger and more worryingly fails to recognise it! Of course the players didn't help and should have been able to adapt with some effectiveness.

BR has got a bit of a thorn in his side regarding Poyet who after all is getting on a bit. He chose to mark him yet we didn't do that with bloody Veron who is clearly the better and more dangerous player.

I just hope he realises his mistake and doesn't try it again!

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001

Answers

Just for clarity - when did we revert back to 442 in the game? The team was so shapeless it was hard to tell!

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001

(Answering my own posts again!)

I had to laugh out loud! Noticed Wearside Roar running NUFC match report!!!!!!!!!!!

Now come on that IS particularly tragic.

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001

I'm yet to speak to anyone who saw the game that thought it was anything but a formation shambles. Fair enough if Robert & Solano were accomplished defenders but Spurs ran riot down the flanks. I cannot blame the players except for their failure to notice that they were passing to ghosts. What is really worrying is the fact the Spurs were not particularly good yet it was a walk in the park for them.

Was this a ploy for BR to get some money for a midfielder by showing how utterly useless our current crop of Speed & Acuna is. I'd like to think so but somehow I doubt it.

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001

Perhaps the most worrying aspect of this latest shambles is BR's refusal to accept any responsibility whatsoever. His claim that "....it is all about players, not formations" is disingenuous at best, and clearly indicates his stubbornness and pathological inability to learn from his own mistakes - and at 69 he ain't gonna change.

If we are to accept his stated view then we may as well just get rid of the Manager and his coaching staff, and allow the players themselves - or perhaps the Ticket Office Manager - to select the team, and sod niceties like tactics!

Glenda Hoddle sums up the situation perfectly when he says ".....I think it showed us respect. I suppose it put it us on the front foot, and it was a surprise considering Newcastle won last week".

Exactly!

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001

Make your bloody minds up, last week you were all phoning superdrunk on 3 legends to say how you were going to win the league...!!:O>

ml

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001

Not me mate. When I'm superdrunk, I can't dial the right numbers. But I still reckon it's better to win 4-0 than 2-0 at the Reebok ;-)

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001

The thing that's so breathtaking is that this whole formation thing was so clear to us, hours before the match. Why wasn't it clear to a manager with over 50 years in the game?

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001

If it's a pissing competition then I fully expect to hear that you lot have beaten the Smogs 4-1 with new signing MacAteer scoring 1 and setting up 3. What are the chances of that happening?

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001

Check your facts ML#3 before engaging your fore-finger - precisely who was it on here that forecast we would win the PL?
I think you'll find you've typed utter bollox.

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001

OK, I admit it. I was the one who made ALL those phone calls to Malcolm. I called on behalf on everyone on this BBS, so sorry if I took advantage. Next week I'm going to be appearing on Sly Sports Extra telling how we will win every game 18-0 from now until doomsday (or until the makems win the league, whichever is soonest), signing Zidane for £200m and expanding SJP to squeeze in 250,000 fans...all of whom live within 200 yds of the ground.

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001

I'm really annoyed with Bobby today, it's a shame he doesn't have a manager to give him a good telling off. His apparent naivety yesterday is comparable to Alan Shearer missing an open goal from 2 yards out, it was that obvious. If Shearer did that, he would surely admit his mistake and take criticism. However, with BR, he can't even admit that he was gravely wrong in playing an untried formation against an average side at HOME!

After the game he talked about how Craig Bellamy should learn to keep his mouth shut, but this is the least of his worries. Why doesn't Bobby admit that he should learn to remember the previous times we played 3-5-2 and got stuffed?

-- Anonymous, October 22, 2001