21 Jan 2021 10:01:23
We've got to be happy with another 3 points, equalling our club record for away games unbeaten and being top of the table.

It feels great to be on top again after so many years struggling to get back. To have done so without our forward line firing all season should give us great optimism for when (if) they do.

Martial and Greenwood continue to be unproductive. Martial has wasted a number of good goalscoring opportunities this season and last night tried to play a couple of through balls that his teammates weren't making the run for. In the case of Mason, he's just not getting in the box to have attempts on goal. His confidence has looked low all season and I feel that off field events at the start of the season have been the contributing factor.

Our next 6 games on paper look pretty favourable (an improved Arsenal being a possible exception) . It could actually be a good time for them to play themselves into form, and this also gives us a great opportunity to stake any title claims as well as reducing the current deficit on goal difference.

SHU (H) ARS (A) SOU (H) EVE (H) WBA (A) NEW (H)

One change I would like to see is for AWB to be dropped for either Williams or Tuanzebe. It's becoming quite frequent that he is the man playing an attacker onside, and his positioning and general lack of concentration has become a liability at times. Giving him the message that he has genuine competition for his spot could have the positive impact that Telles has had on Shaw.

1.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 10:48:45
Next round of fixtures could be interesting we play Sheffield while Liverpool have spurs and Leicester have Everton.

2.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 10:50:18
God post BobbieB.

We talk a lot of Bruno and Rashford needing a rest. The same is true of Maguire and AWB. Both have started almost all games for us this season. Ole has his favourites which is something he needs to get over.

The forthcoming fixtures look very good, however City have West Brom, Sheff Utd and Burnley in their next 3 so it's difficult to see them dropping points before they play Liverpool and Spurs. If we get 5 wins from our next 6, I think we'll still be top before we play Chelsea at the end of February.

3.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 11:28:01
No game is easy in EPL.

What AWB needs is solid competition.
Look what Telles has done to Shaw. Would have loved to got Trippier.

Our team is now buzzing with confidence.
Weekend's match against Liverpool will be interesting.

4.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 12:33:01
I don't think Maguire is a favourite as such. Just that he is more dependable and rugged than say Baily or Lindelof in Ole's eyes and Lindelof has a back problem which needs careful managing.

There are no easy games in this league and Sheffield will be no pushovers. They are fighting for their lives and right now they need wins. Draws are no good for them so I expect them to have a real go. Arsenal are getting better and with Partey, Aubamayeung and Saka playing well will also provide a stern test.
Everton will have James Rodriguez back and they are a decent team. The only gimme should be Newcastle but they can also park the bus and we will need creativity to get through their defence.

5.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 12:34:13
TRD you might be right about AWB but you might be wrong. Just look what happens to Martial when he has competition.

6.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 12:34:54
I don't think its just Bissaka in the goal. At ofside the leader of the defence leads the line, otherwise every player would have his own line and you will never succeed at ofside traps. I think Maguire was at fault more than Bissaka, he went to mark Shaws player and he never tried to make an ofside trap to start with.

7.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 12:56:54
Herrera, AWB has his own brain. It was a lapse of concentration, he was too busy looking at the ball and player. No way Maguire can be blamed for that.

8.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 13:11:11
Wazza, Cavani is different gravy when compared to Martial.
There is so much Cavani offers that our forwards can learn from.

9.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 13:25:55
Yes i blame for that and generally, he is crap. He doesn't do mistakes, he is a mistake. Because theoritically he is our leader at the back but he is playing like a box to box player picking fightse all over the place.
So if its Bissakas fault tell me where was the line from our defencive leader Harry Maguire? Ed001 maybe can help us at this, i don't blame too much Bissaka although he could do better. But its not as obvious mistake as it seems to be.

{Ed001's Note - you are right, the line should be called by the centre-back, they should be deeper anyway as they are out of position it makes Wan-Bissaka look wrong.}

10.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 13:39:57
If you watch it pogba doesn't go with the runner, it points at him and shouts but he doesn't go with him and just watches him break the line.

11.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 13:59:04
Bailly let Lookman run unchallenged. For me he was at fault for giving Lookman that much freedom.

12.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 14:09:05
Thanks Ed001. That was my point. Although maybe Bissaka could react quicker, bad positioning of others made him look wrong. The worst positioning was from Maguire who should be deeper and not chasing Shaws opponent at left back.

{Ed001's Note - both centre-backs were out of place to be fair but yes, Maguire got distracted, which is a big part of his problems defensively. He gets drawn to things, rather than positioning to cover them. He plays like a midfielder, rather than a defender, which is down to the poor training in academies these days, with the lack of work on how to read a game and actual defending.}

13.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 14:21:02
TRD. I agree. My point being that when Martial is given competition (Ibra, Cavani), the opposite happens to how Shaw has handled it. It's not guaranteed that signing another player for competition will have the desired affect.

14.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 14:24:15
Herrera, Ed001. 3 defenders are in a line with their back to 1 defender who's out of line. Who's to blame?

Maguire has no business looking to see where AWB is. He has the play right in front of him. AWB switched off and we were punished. Had AWB been inline with the other defenders, Lookman is offside.

Can't help but see the irony in the attackers name here 😂.

15.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 14:27:56
Ed001, you know how much I rate Maguire:) . But I think the guy at most fault was Bailly. He saw everything and didn't do anything. Literally caught ball-watching.

16.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 15:30:53
I'd say that's a mixed bag of fixtures personally. Sheffield United, Newcastle and WBA look fairly straight forward (although so did Fulham on paper) . While Arsenal look to have turned a corner, Southampton collected the second most points in the 2020 calendar year, they look a very good team atm. Then you have Everton who if they win their game in hand will leapfrog Liverpool, so hardly a poor side.

Three sides who are playing well and getting results and three sides who are struggling. Pretty mixed if you ask me.

17.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 16:34:18
I completely agree Ed001 and that's exactly my thoughts. He is playing like a midfielder picking fights here and there rather than position himself to provide cover. And i think that that's the reason he has most interceptions in our squad and althought some people will say that's good for him i am not happy at all. Correct me if i am wrong but most interceptions make cm or full backs and not center backs.

18.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 16:38:38
Sent it early Ed001. He is also third in most interceptions in League too. Van Dyke didn't involved too much because he has perfect positioning and don't pick fights like midfielders do.

{Ed001's Note - yeah, it is the same issue with Fabinho at Liverpool. Defenders have to remember that they are the last line and should only make a challenge when absolutely necessary. Otherwise they risk getting sent off or leaving a player to run clear at the goalkeeper. They should constantly be positioning themselves with that in mind. Coming out to make an interception is risky and best done when someone is on the cover. The holding midfielder should be the one making those interceptions most of the time. When the centre-back does come out to win it, the holding midfielder should be dropping in to his place and his teammate moving across on the cover. That is just not happening, which is odd as the players have played together enough to have this figured out.}

19.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 17:48:17
Shappy - Valid point regarding Everton, but Southampton have only scored 2 goals in their previous 6 games, drawing blanks against Fulham and West Ham.

I think the underlying point that I was trying to make is that our next 6 (on paper) are more favourable than those of the teams that are up there with us.

20.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 18:36:29
BobbieB, on paper maybe, but as the saying goes the match isn't played on paper.

I would expect us to lose one of those games. Southampton are one of the most aggressive pressing teams in the league. Everton are a good side with a great manager. Arsenal are on the up and look to have found a little confidence. While the other three club's are fighting for their lives in a relegation battle.

Anyone of those is a potential banana skin and I wonder if we will stay focused enough in all those games to pick up the results. I fully expect us to either have a mental or physical blip in amoungst those games.

We also have Liverpool in the FA cup and both legs of a Europa League tie amoungst those games.

21.) 21 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 18:53:28
Thanks a lot for the response Ed001.

{Ed001's Note - very welcome Herrera, makes a change from just shouting these things at the TV while watching matches!}

22.) 22 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 19:27:21
I actually thought AWB had one of his better games last night, got in some good crosses and defended well, I must admit though, at times he has looked awful but not last night.

Their goal should have been cut out first by Maguire but when he was pulled out then by Bailly and we seemed to stop for off side, very poor all round from us.

23.) 22 Jan 2021
21 Jan 2021 19:21:12
The reason why I singled out AWB for the goal was because he could see the line and should have held it. The same for a striker when attacking and caught offside.

But having looked at it again, a second before the ball is played AWB looks away from his man, the ball and the runner, towards the other side of the pitch.

Pogba half tracks Lookman, but then put the breaks on when he got 6 feet away. Social distancing gone mad.

McGuire drifted out of position trying to mark Shaw's man as their RB was moving forward.

Bailly put his arms out seemingly in disbelief at the positioning of Pogba and McGuire, then tries to step up rather than cover the space vacated.

Just embarrassing defending all round really - 0:22 shows the best angle of this

youtube.com/watch?v=FomruvKJLcw