On the beach already?

[SuffolkWhite]

The system of play Marco adopts is killing us.
Slow tempo, predictable and unambitious.

There does seem to be a Parker esk similarity to our football. My biggest issue is the tempo and just being slow and predictable.

As an aside, midtable used to be an achievement for us, now we're all a little disappointed , is that progress? 

[alfie]

I was wondering on another post why most teams seem to play well against us . Ie Arsenal and United turning in possibly their worst performances of the last couple of months this weekend and allowing teams from our level to beat them quite comfortably.But is it more that teams fancy playing us , which can be a function of ' on the beach ' . But if you look at our front 6 , who is actually going to press and make a tackle that might actually unsettle a team : Berge , king , iwobi , Wilson , Bobb , Muniz .

Certainly some skillful players but as a defender you would be thinking on a physical level this isn't going to be a tough afternoon and I fancy this .

For me the only player that presents any sort of a press is ESR.

[cookieg]

I think the Saints, Forest and Hammers games were the ones that could have defined our season in a positive way but the results went against us and this is when I feel the momentum dropped off.

[perry geyton]

The squad has been on the beach since we reached 40 points. It's the same fking shite every season.

Life in the premier league unfortunately

[hopper]

@Arthur (not quoting here to save the post length)

I took a look through those last few seasons and not sure I completely agree with your analysis, it does feel like there is typically a tail off in results and quality that happens after we're as good as safe.

22-23: We hit 38 points in match week 24 - then lost 8 of our last 14 and went out the cup. There was of course the Mitrovic suspension.

23-24: We hit 38 points in match week 29 in March, then won 2 of our last 9. There were some particularly bum performances in there - that 3-1 defeat away at Forest, and the 3-3 at Sheffield United.

24-25: This one is a bit more of a mixed bag. We hit 39 points week 25, then W5 L8 of last 13 - and went out of the cup to Palace. Some disappointing results in there but good results v Liverpool and Brentford. Overall that was a slight dip in form.

25-26: We hit 40 points MW 28 and then have stunk out the place a bit since then - v West Ham, Southampton, Forest away, not great v Burnley but we did win, and very lacklustre again v Liverpool.

Know there's a lot of text there, but there is some kind of pattern of form and performances getting worse after hitting safety. This is maybe somewhat normal and natural, but I think is not an unreasonable conclusion to draw.

[Arthur]

Thank you for your reply, hopper.

There is no disputing that our points-per-game in April and May the past three years has been below the average for the season as a whole; the results are there for all to see.

What this thread is about, surely, is whether this dip in form is - and has been in previous seasons - due to the players being 'on the beach'.

I shan't repeat myself from my previous posts. If I might give an example, however, as to how a disappointing result and the aforesaid cliche, in my opinion, can get associated without good reason, it is the 3-3 draw with Sheffield United that you reference. We were 3-1 down in the 85th minute. From this position, a team that's 'on the beach' doesn't salvage a draw against opposition battling for a P.L. lifeline.

[KentFulham]

The squad has been on the beach since we reached 40 points. It's the same fking shite every season.

Life in the premier league unfortunately

Never known a poster as pessimistic and downbeat as PG

[hopper]

Thank you for your reply, hopper.

There is no disputing that our points-per-game in April and May the past three years has been below the average for the season as a whole; the results are there for all to see.

What this thread is about, surely, is whether this dip in form is - and has been in previous seasons - due to the players being 'on the beach'.

I shan't repeat myself from my previous posts. If I might give an example, however, as to how a disappointing result and the aforesaid cliche, in my opinion, can get associated without good reason, it is the 3-3 draw with Sheffield United that you reference. We were 3-1 down in the 85th minute. From this position, a team that's 'on the beach' doesn't salvage a draw against opposition battling for a P.L. lifeline.

I remember that Sheffield United game well, and the issue was we kind of were for most of it. Diaz had a goal or two narrowly disallowed which saved us from a really embarrassing result. We woke up and rallied, as we did away at Southampton last season as well.

As I see it being on the beach doesn't mean not trying in any moments or any game - but taking your foot off the gas visibly in multiple games, which definitely does happen late season for us.

[Arthur]

I, too, was at Bramall Lane that day. My recollection is somewhat different to yours. I recall us being dominant in the first half without creating many chances, which, in my opinion, has been typical of many matches against lower- or mid-table opposition these past few seasons. I recall us looking more threatening in the second half only to concede against the run of play. Having levelled, we had a bad five-minute spell in which we let in two. At this point, Sheffield were on the front foot and we endured a difficult spell. Eventually, however, we 'rode out the storm' and were able to reassert our superiority.

I took a look at the statistics for that day: we had 76% possession; 15 corners; 24 shots. Each rather higher than our norm. While these figures prove nothing, of course, I feel they lend their weight more towards my recollection than yours.

What our exchange shows, unsurprisingly, is how subjective 'on the beach' is. Based on previous years, many on here, yourself included, it would seem, have decided this is where the players are already this season. You may be right and, come the season's end, I may agree. But I haven't done so in the past so I shall hold back my judgment for now.

[sunburywhite]

I have just seen ANderson buildin a sandcastle helped by Leno who was wearing Speedos

[Woolly Mammoth]

I was wondering on another post why most teams seem to play well against us . Ie Arsenal and United turning in possibly their worst performances of the last couple of months this weekend and allowing teams from our level to beat them quite comfortably.But is it more that teams fancy playing us , which can be a function of ' on the beach ' . But if you look at our front 6 , who is actually going to press and make a tackle that might actually unsettle a team : Berge , king , iwobi , Wilson , Bobb , Muniz .

Certainly some skillful players but as a defender you would be thinking on a physical level this isn't going to be a tough afternoon and I fancy this .

For me the only player that presents any sort of a press is ESR.

Especially when he is ironing his trousers

[Woolly Mammoth]

The system of play Marco adopts is killing us.
Slow tempo, predictable and unambitious.

There does seem to be a Parker esk similarity to our football. My biggest issue is the tempo and just being slow and predictable.

As an aside, midtable used to be an achievement for us, now we're all a little disappointed , is that progress? 

Rumour has it that Scott Parker attended a six week work shop on the Marco Silva training course of how to bore the pants off of long suffering Fulham Fans, or was it the other way round.

[perry geyton]

The squad has been on the beach since we reached 40 points. It's the same fking shite every season.

Life in the premier league unfortunately

Never known a poster as pessimistic and downbeat as PG

Believe it or not I actually like the beach,

[FFC007]

Definitely now on the beach...

[hopper]

No goals in 5 of last 6. Yeah, it's beach. No counter argument can convince me otherwise. 40 points and chill.

[sunburywhite]

Someone posted that Thomas Frank was in the stands so he could look us over

How does everone feel aout that if it were to happen

[FFC007]

The last few games have been boring, let's not beat around the bush.

We've really nothing left to play for, and the only exciting thing left is to see Kevin back on the training pitch.

The Pepi deal looks like a dead duck now, so it's back to the drawing board.   

[Whitestone]

Someone posted that Thomas Frank was in the stands so he could look us over

How does everone feel aout that if it were to happen

Good manager. Would be fine with me.

[Woolly Mammoth]

Someone posted that Thomas Frank was in the stands so he could look us over

How does everone feel aout that if it were to happen

Good manager

I hope he stops chewing that gum, I am fed up looking at his tonsils.

[Woolly Mammoth]

The last few games have been boring, let's not beat around the bush.

We've really nothing left to play for, and the only exciting thing left is to see Kevin back on the training pitch.

The Pepi deal looks like a dead duck now, so it's back to the drawing board.   

More like back to the floor board.