Manager Watch: Ange Postecoglou

[Tucker]

Was expecting the reality check after all the OTT responses by the usual podcast idiots but I was genuinely surprised Ange was the cause of his own downfall.

Terrible team selection. The midfield - two whom are expected to be gone in 5 days time - weakened the entire 11 to breaking point. With Romero, Maddison and Bissouma ALL out our passing ability under pressure was weakened to breaking point.

Have no doubt Ange will wear this and we'll move on but it's very disappointing mistake.

Was a really naive selection.

 

[GioW]

Can't sugar-coat that.

In a season with no European football that is an early blot and a pretty big one tbh

 

[DarwinSpur]

We actually played well enough to win. So there's that. But Ange didn't give the team the tools to make us favourites at any stage.

We move on. He's still the best

 

[Donki]

Was a really naive selection.

I could nearly understand it against a lower leave team but away to decent PL outfit you are just asking for egg on your face. Fair enough change on CB, on midfielder one forward. Don’t strip the whole first team of the midfield that has been the main reason for our sucessful start.

 

[felmani26]

Given Ange's penchant for telling it straight, this post match press conference should be a doozy

 

[qqq1]

I think he's been massively let down by some of the players today. It's no good playing well in pre season if you hide when you play a competitive match.

 

[glacierSpurs]

Probably wanted to see more from players and make final decision before the transfer window closes, not too surprising with poor preseason. Still it's just too many changes, even if we played a team from Championship and not a decent team like Fulham.

Should have seen enough. Desire never fakes. Players who don't buy into the ethos will never perform like they do. Shitty attitude from some of the players who started the game with no mentality to fight and win. Is obvious who the fans want out because we have seen for years they are who they are.

 

[nedley]

I could nearly understand it against a lower leave team but away to decent PL outfit you are just asking for egg on your face. Fair enough change on CB, on midfielder one forward. Don’t strip the whole first team of the midfield that has been the main reason for our sucessful start.

Exactly.

Only Maddison you could say wise to rest.

Bissouma and Sarr don't need resting..

 

[TommyW]

We actually played well enough to win. So there's that. But Ange didn't give the team the tools to make us favourites at any stage.

We move on. He's still the best

We really didn't. If anything Fulham had the better chances

 

[Danfunkel]

Glad this happened early. He needed a wake up call on who he can and cannot trust in that team.

 

[nedley]

I think he's been massively let down by some of the players today. It's no good playing well in pre season if you hide when you play a competitive match.

This as well.

Who didn't want to take a pen then leaving Sanchez to take one?

 

[HildoSpur]

He got it wrong tonight. Too many changes. Cup game away to a London rival was always going to be a tough match. Some of his players really let him down though. That midfield was shocking.

 

[TheVoiceofReason]

Very, very poor from him today.

Love him to bits, but he fucked it.

But there were losers on that pitch that should have been shipped out and replaced years ago, and again this year, and that’s down to one man.

 

[KILLA_SIN]

Too many changes at this stage 3-4 changes max

 

[DarwinSpur]

I think he's been massively let down by some of the players today. It's no good playing well in pre season if you hide when you play a competitive match.

I look at it the other way. I think he massively let down those players who he knows are staying in his squad by playing players he knows are probably going.

Just Biss or Maddison to start in midfield. And probaly Vic (though Fraser was decent) just to keep the continuity at the back.

 

[Tucker]

I could nearly understand it against a lower leave team but away to decent PL outfit you are just asking for egg on your face. Fair enough change on CB, on midfielder one forward. Don’t strip the whole first team of the midfield that has been the main reason for our sucessful start.

Yeah, he took the spine out of the team and it really showed. We better all hope Bissouma and Maddison don’t suffer many injuries this season.

 

[ARMASPUR]

I know the players maybe let him down but to make that many changes is downright stupid.

 

[DarwinSpur]

We really didn't. If anything Fulham had the better chances

Yeah I was talking about second half when Ange doubled down and we were very good for 30 minutes.

But yeah first half we could have lost the game there and then.

 

[Tucker]

I look at it the other way. I think he massively let down those players who he knows are staying in his squad by playing players he knows are probably going.

Just Biss or Maddison to start in midfield. And probaly Vic (though Fraser was decent) just to keep the continuity at the back.

While Forster didn’t do much wrong, we really missed Vicario’s ease of possession at the back. We didn’t have Bissouma, Maddison and Vicario constantly offering themselves for a pass. As a result we looked nervous and static.

 

[George94]

Based on some of the performances in pre-season I can see why he might have trusted some players in a heavily rotated lineup but he was naive, the same names letting us down again and unfortunately we're out of the cup embarrassingly early.

Still a lot of work to do with the squad overall (which we already knew) but at least the first XI seem to be on the right track.