Are we doing OK or underachieving?

[tardylum]

I often wonder how vital LOB was to our late season revival last time out. It should be pointed out that LOB was here under Williams as well and nothing changed, so the uptick in form started with Sheehan and not LOB. Then again, maybe LOB’s style just suited Sheehan more and you’re still left with it being a lot more about LOB than Sheehan as evidenced by our efforts this season where Sheehan remained and LOB is absent.

No doubt it’s far more nuanced and multifactored than that, but I sure wish we’d pushed the boat out to get LOB in the summer.

I doubt any single player is an instant fix, but I do miss LOB too. Maybe the money we may have had for him went on Widell in January? We did not really spend any money in his position and he would have been great to add on top of what we have now rather than instead of Stamenic, Idah or Inoussa. The club must have thought that Widell and Yalcouye could have replaced him and they were not prepared to match whatever crazy money Wrexham offered.

 

[sit_down_jack]

I often wonder how vital LOB was to our late season revival last time out. It should be pointed out that LOB was here under Williams as well and nothing changed, so the uptick in form started with Sheehan and not LOB. Then again, maybe LOB’s style just suited Sheehan more and you’re still left with it being a lot more about LOB than Sheehan as evidenced by our efforts this season where Sheehan remained and LOB is absent.

No doubt it’s far more nuanced and multifactored than that, but I sure wish we’d pushed the boat out to get LOB in the summer.

Yeah, it’ll be more nuanced than that, but I think the pressing game we built around Franco and LOB is how Sheehan wants us to play but it just doesn’t suit what we have at the moment. I look at the squad and think a possession game feels more natural to this group.

 

[Smurph]

I doubt any single player is an instant fix, but I do miss LOB too. Maybe the money we may have had for him went on Widell in January? We did not really spend any money in his position and he would have been great to add on top of what we have now rather than instead of Stamenic, Idah or Inoussa. The club must have thought that Widell and Yalcouye could have replaced him and they were not prepared to match whatever crazy money Wrexham offered.

I do wonder if not signing LOB enabled us to sign two players instead of one.

 

[lidojack]

I don't object to the use of them, what I reject is the willingness of people to dump all other indicators of performance such as the eye test, in order to worship at the altar of the laptop brigade.

Unfortunately, the only indicator that matters in football is that after 13 games this season we have less points and goals than we did under Sheehan last season despite spending a shed load.

 

[Frankie Burrows Cap]

I do wonder if not signing LOB enabled us to sign two players instead of one.

I can’t remember the time frame (old age), but whilst I’d love us to have signed O’Brien would it have meant we’d have neither Galbraith or Stamenic?

EDIT: Quick google search suggests Galbraith signed first so maybe it was Stamenic & Yalcouye (loan) vs O’Brien (appreciate this is a very simplistic way of looking at transfers)

 

[Smurph]

I can’t remember the time frame (old age), but whilst I’d love us to have signed O’Brien would it have meant we’d have neither Galbraith or Stamenic?

If I had to guess, I would say yes to that question. The signing of both those players could have equalled the cost of signing O'Brien.

Based on what we've seen so far it's fair to say Galbraith is going to be worth a bob or two.

 

[Copamundial]

Seriously….people talking about O’Btien as if he was Messi, he’s an ok player who went off the boil for us the last several games or did some of the experts on here fail to notice it

 

[Swansea93]

We’re currently 1 point better off than this time last season with Williams with a much much higher net spend.

 

[Flash]

We’re currently 1 point better off than this time last season with Williams with a much much higher net spend.

We had to spend that money because we were missing half a squad.

 

[JackSomething]

But we have gotten worse from Sheehan's tenure last season - despite having the second highest net spend in the league.

And the underlying numbers say we should be in an even more precarious position.

Having one of the highest net spends in the league obviously explains all of Man United's success over recent seasons...

 

[PenlanJack]

Right, well if we are going to ignore stats such as "goals scored" and the ever controversial "points won" I don't think this is worth a discussion to be honest.

But you don't have to use the xg synopsis, we don't create an awful lot of chances to score, your eyes tell you that.. don't really need to use xg snobbery

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

Unfortunately, the only indicator that matters in football is that after 13 games this season we have less points and goals than we did under Sheehan last season despite spending a shed load.

So now you're coming back to facts then?

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

We should be doing a lot better, this league is cack this year

Is it cack, though?

Surely cackness is measured by the three relegated clubs running away with it, which was the case the previous few seasons. This season they are all firmly in the bottom half, a couple of them even in a relegation battle. That to me says the league is more competitive than ever.

Again, I come back to it. I don't get this entitlement we have all of a sudden just because Modric is on the board and Snoop is helping us flog a few hoodies. It's absolutely mental.

 

[lidojack]

But you don't have to use the xg synopsis, we don't create an awful lot of chances to score, your eyes tell you that.. don't really need to use xg snobbery

So you agree with the point but don't like it because the evidence used is "snobby"?
I'll call Opta and let them know.

 

[lidojack]

So now you're coming back to facts then?

I honestly don't understand your issue.
If you aren't happy that I'm using statistics and facts to support an opinion I already had then just don't engage in it.

If you would like to discuss the opinion, then at least have something to back it up.