As Col said, regardless of who we have in the squad and on the field, or even who we’re up against, the game plan is the same. Concede possession, hope to catch them on the break or from a set piece / rely on a worldie from someone. If that doesn’t work, stick Keane up top and go long.
There are worse options out there, I’ll give you that, but it’s so bleak, unimaginative and, frankly, boring. The players aren’t even that awful compared to some of what we’ve had in the past - and certainly compared to the likes of Southampton, who we’re letting walk off the park with 65% possession.
There are few teams I’d rather watch than us.
Hans has it right - Dyche will get you 38 points and keep you up. But he won’t do a penny more. We were maybe ‘lucky’ to have that the last few seasons but we’re not even trying to progress now that we have a level playing field (no points deductions) and better players.
This isn’t the situation he walked into - and he deserves the credit for that - but he’s either got no interest in doing or ability to do anything even marginally different than he’s done in the past. At least Moyes incrementally improved us each season until we reached a point where we were an enjoyable watch. Dyche could be in charge for the next decade and we’ll still be playing for ~30% possession and hoping to hit someone on the break.
Why do our guys always seem technically, tactically and physically second to the opponent? Do we really have the worst players in the PL or is the training shit? Why do the players look so often like they have no clue what to do when they have the ball? Why do they keep passing the ball to the opponents? Because they have never learned to pass or because too often there's no-one to pass to?
This long-ball shit is just an excuse to get rid of the ball so these deficiencies are not too obvious. Whenever we don't launch it long it's obvious we don't train this other option.
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