That was better

[Rupert]

First off, apologies to anyone looking for negative posts, I quite liked what I saw against FC Twente.

We actually looked more like a team last night, not only were players moving to support eachother, but some passes were going to where a team-mate was anticipated to be, and he was really there. I would suggest that the lads are gradually getting used to the Jol tactics and formation, a lot earlier than it took them to adapt to Hughes, which is a big plus. We are nowhere near to being the finished article yet, and no doubt the next few games will be a very hard test, but it is getting there.
We need to remember that FC Twente are, in theory, the best team in our group (from pool one, we're from pool two), though I read in the proggy that all our group opponents are Chumpions League drop outs, so we won't have any easy ones to look forward to. However, there were long periods last night when we made them look pretty ordinary (as well as times when we were chasing shadows), and all-in-all I couldn't grumble about the draw. Yes, on another night we could have won 2-1, on the other hand our goal was a little against the run of play, so we could have lost 1-0.

Substitutions, well,they didn't really work, but as I was telling my mates that we could do with bringing on the big hitters a few minutes before BZ came on, I can't criticise Jol for doing just that, can I? Normally bringing on BZ and Duff would signal a final push to seal the win. Maybe next time.

So, same score as last Sunday, but a totally different post match feel. My glass is definately half full today. I wonder how many of last night's starting XI are going to appear on Sunday?

[zzamora]

First half was very good, dembele ran AT defenders, briggs looked a threat and AJ and Kasami were running everwhere and looking threatining.

Murphy was pulling the strings and Hangeland, Baird and the impressive Grygera were looking good.

Then we took off AJ and kasami. We lost all movement, our channel was route 1 and murphy,understandbly, looked tired and made sloppy errors. Then we brought on a ill senderos and became extremly shaky defensivly and pathetic in attack- not fault of senderos's he was ill to be fair.

Even the impressive dempsey failed after those subs.

All down the subs for me-murphy for gecov shouldve been one of the first.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

It is funny how things work out. AJ had a good game (apart from the sitter he missed, which would have killed the game) and we looked good with him up front. Then Bobby comes on and we look awful, people shirk responsibility and Bobby looks disinterested.

People may bemoan the subs, but we brought on two of our best players who were awful.

We need width, which for me means that Briggs has got to get more forward (when he did they looked stretched) as does the RB, which for me means we have to play kelly.

Positives include the fact we seem to be looking for a way to attack without Murphy (who sat deeper) as well as Kasami looking excellent again.

[SteveT]

Agree with most of that, however, my fear is that we looked better because we were playing a European team who play at a slower pace (refer to Ruiz last Sunday).We definitely look better when we have more time on the ball (but then, doesn't every team?).

Not usually a 'glass half empty' type this early in the season but...........

[ScalleysDad]

It is funny how things work out. AJ had a good game (apart from the sitter he missed, which would have killed the game) and we looked good with him up front. Then Bobby comes on and we look awful, people shirk responsibility and Bobby looks disinterested.

People may bemoan the subs, but we brought on two of our best players who were awful.

We need width, which for me means that Briggs has got to get more forward (when he did they looked stretched) as does the RB, which for me means we have to play kelly.

Positives include the fact we seem to be looking for a way to attack without Murphy (who sat deeper) as well as Kasami looking excellent again.

I thought the substitutions were naff at the time but it looks like they were more enforced than tactical. Kelly looked like he was all set to come on possibly to provide the width and crosses for BZ as you suggest. An already ailing Senderos was a rather rushed sub that i did'nt quite get, Baird was doing fine where he was, and BZ just looked like a lump. Strange he was virtually mugged in the corner when AJ scored. Gecov looked miffed again and I thought he was a shoe in for Murphy on hour after his halftime work out. It looks again like injuries shot the tactical plan to shreds as we could have gone for it in the last twenty.
The way he is going suspension could dictate Murphs season. Once out of the team would he get back in ? His rather naff glancing eyebrow header into the side netting instead of a nod across to AJ in front of goal, (might have caught it of course), was only just balanced out by the one scintillating pass. Is that Jols plan ?  

[MJG]

It is funny how things work out. AJ had a good game (apart from the sitter he missed, which would have killed the game) and we looked good with him up front. Then Bobby comes on and we look awful, people shirk responsibility and Bobby looks disinterested.

People may bemoan the subs, but we brought on two of our best players who were awful.

We need width, which for me means that Briggs has got to get more forward (when he did they looked stretched) as does the RB, which for me means we have to play kelly.

Positives include the fact we seem to be looking for a way to attack without Murphy (who sat deeper) as well as Kasami looking excellent again.

I thought the substitutions were naff at the time but it looks like they were more enforced than tactical. Kelly looked like he was all set to come on possibly to provide the width and crosses for BZ as you suggest. An already ailing Senderos was a rather rushed sub that i did'nt quite get, Baird was doing fine where he was, and BZ just looked like a lump. Strange he was virtually mugged in the corner when AJ scored. Gecov looked miffed again and I thought he was a shoe in for Murphy on hour after his halftime work out. It looks again like injuries shot the tactical plan to shreds as we could have gone for it in the last twenty.
The way he is going suspension could dictate Murphs season. Once out of the team would he get back in ? His rather naff glancing eyebrow header into the side netting instead of a nod across to AJ in front of goal, (might have caught it of course), was only just balanced out by the one scintillating pass. Is that Jols plan ?   

I agree with the Senderos sub it did seem very rushed. If Briggs was injured I would have preferd Kelly going straight to LB or just swapping with Grygera.
With Senderos coming on the 3 positions changed out of the back 4 with just Brede staying where he was. If Kelly or even Duff had gone to LB it would have meant only one chnage in out of the back 4. There is enough disruption and chnages going on with the team, without making it worse that way.

[Chopper]

First off, apologies to anyone looking for negative posts, I quite liked what I saw against FC Twente.

We actually looked more like a team last night, not only were players moving to support eachother, but some passes were going to where a team-mate was anticipated to be, and he was really there. I would suggest that the lads are gradually getting used to the Jol tactics and formation, a lot earlier than it took them to adapt to Hughes, which is a big plus. We are nowhere near to being the finished article yet, and no doubt the next few games will be a very hard test, but it is getting there.
We need to remember that FC Twente are, in theory, the best team in our group (from pool one, we're from pool two), though I read in the proggy that all our group opponents are Chumpions League drop outs, so we won't have any easy ones to look forward to. However, there were long periods last night when we made them look pretty ordinary (as well as times when we were chasing shadows), and all-in-all I couldn't grumble about the draw. Yes, on another night we could have won 2-1, on the other hand our goal was a little against the run of play, so we could have lost 1-0.

Substitutions, well,they didn't really work, but as I was telling my mates that we could do with bringing on the big hitters a few minutes before BZ came on, I can't criticise Jol for doing just that, can I? Normally bringing on BZ and Duff would signal a final push to seal the win. Maybe next time.

So, same score as last Sunday, but a totally different post match feel. My glass is definately half full today. I wonder how many of last night's starting XI are going to appear on Sunday?

Pretty much sums up how I felt too.

This might be down to a more mellow approach thanks to the pre-match beer but I don't think so.

Felt we were really doing well up until 70-75 minutes and then the wheels fell off a bit.

[mrska]

Thought we played well for the first 75 mins then ran out of ideas. Still not a bad result all told.

[epsomraver]

We would not have scored if they had played till midnight! what did their goalie have to do apart from pull his shorts up and get the ball out of the net for the gift goal, absolutely sweet FA