07 Feb 2026 22:49:18
First time poster but followed for a while and respect everyone's opinions and always a great read.
Another great away result but very frustrating having to follow a very poor first half and having to chase a game - amazing to see us be able to do that on a regular basis given conceding first goal always meant we lost the game over the last few seasons.
Main frustration for me is the lack of use of the youngsters who've shown ability. Jury is out on Dibling (but happy to give him time) but after Rohl and Aznou gave their best and most positive performance they haven't been seen since. Their confidence if / when they're called upon will be shot.
07 Feb 2026 23:29:15
I’m the same read all comments but never thought had the right to say stuff as don’t go the game as played all my life then had kids who now take up my Saturdays playing football
For the last 2 seasons we didn’t have shots pass forward an we all complained as we never scored
We actually creating chances now and people still complain! If we attacked for 90 mins we would loose every game as the other team would pick us off then we would complain
The entertaining game of football as we wish to see has gone especially with VAR cancelling every goal off by a inch or a pull of hair so we have to play to that as everyone else does meaning never actually play attacking footballing till needed….
Anyone who says we should from the start and all game and every game doesn’t understand the league and the way it’s played
Arsenal top of league not nice football just a good squad better than there opponents especially at corners
Something if we hadn’t of conceded at this year we may be even higher in league than we have been for a long while.
08 Feb 2026 08:03:51
I get your point Let’s Be, and welcome to your first post. Continuously attacking is just not possible with this side but is it too much to expect some attacking at least in the first half. We are poor in the first half every game almost, and this must be addressed. We won this weekend and that’s great but honestly once they scored I expected nothing more than a draw as we struggle to get more than one goal per game.
Attacking for 90 mins is not realistic but performing in the first half is not a lot to ask.
Keep the posts coming mate, you too Tommo.
08 Feb 2026 09:15:23
It was like this in Moyes 11 years with us. Under him he likes to play cautious in the first 30 mins then take a foothold. It's just how he thinks. It's not bad or wrong but most of the time we concede a goal and then we have to fight back.
I've pointed this out before. Steven Naismith said he'd never player for a club or manager before that purposely set up to get a draw out of the game. That is what Moyes is.
However, he gets Europe and will stabilise and build the club. As tough as it seems I'd rather that than fight at the bottom of the league every season.
We're 8th and Europe is still possible but this isn't going to be pretty to watch and will frustrate everyone but just take a look back to 18 months ago and the alternative.
{Ed025's Note - i agree with all of that John..
08 Feb 2026 10:16:07
Was going to post something very similar, so thanks John for saving me the time?
It is definitely how I remember us previously under Moyes, I always felt it was like we went in the the approach of sussing a team out for 45 minutes then acting on that in the second half.
When it works I'm all for it, but sometimes we find ourselves too far behind and without reliable goals it can be tough but overall it seems to work more often than not.
{Ed025's Note - i just cant get my head around why we dont start with that intensity from the off EFCONE?, surely if you get the lead its easier to protect it rather than go chasing the game mate?..
08 Feb 2026 12:39:51
Sorry but I don’t see it as Moyes sussing out the opposition in the first half. Let’s be honest here we have rode our luck in the first half of to many games now and this has to stop. Yesterday our defence was all over the place and it wasn’t just the fault of the full backs. We are playing two centre backs who are great at heading the ball away, but are slow to react when players run at them.
Whether we get Europe or not we are safe from relegation. It is now time to start shaping the team for the future. O’Brien and Branthwaite should be in the centre, play Patterson till the end of season and see how he goes with a run of games.
As for Micky well he seemed to be playing three or four positions yesterday, but did set up the goal.
Wide players, we don’t need to buy Grealish we need pace, and we have a good young crop of wide players, especially if we add George to that group. Midfield we have KDH, Garner, Armstrong and Rohl all a good age.
Forwards we are very weak, but looking at many of the teams we have played they all have the same problem.
So the future is very promising but we have to start building on it now.
08 Feb 2026 13:13:06
It's almost like he is hoping the other team expend all their energy first and then we take advantage when they tire. Which to be fair totally worked yesterday.
But agree, I would much rather we put them on the back foot than the other way round. Although I can think of a lot of games when we have done that and then the opposite happens, we concede late, let teams back into it late and lose the momentum and end up losing the games. Think of all those 2-0 leads we blew not so long ago
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08 Feb 2026 21:28:47
BJU, I too, agree with everything you say. And I also agree with lots of things said from the other posters after you. First half yesterday was terrible and it's been that way for far too many games now.
IMO our quality came through yesterday but we were fortunate not to be 2 or 3 down at halftime. It's so frustrating watching us start games this way because we know we can do MUCH better. The sooner Branthwaite is back in the centre and we play a right back at . right back the more balance we will have throughout the team.
Mykolenko can do a job and done brilliant for our 1st goal but he needs improving on asap. I was confused where he was playing in the 1st half, he was everywhere but where we needed him. He did play much better 2nd half.