Thing is Saturday was a game which...

Suited Hoots tactics and ethos perfectly. He was able to put out a team to play in the way he likes. We saw it last season against Arsenal and Man United as well. I feel under him we are capable of achieving results against the bigger teams at home in a much more controlled or professional manner than we would under Lambert where any win would have to be a 4-3 "cup tie" style job.

Where I think Hoot gets in a mess is with his tactics away to some of said teams and his tactics against the lesser teams. Hes allowed himself to be bullied into playing 4-4-2 at times when its not really been appropriate and seems to struggle a bit with the balance between attack and defence when we have games where we are expected to take the game to the opposition more. I think he was actually helped at the weekend by the injuries because I believe that he would probably have played Gutierez if fit and also prob would not have started Redmond either. Which would have meant we basically had no threat.

Now the template should be set for he rest of the season. That formation but with the personnel being mixed up depending on the oppo but Redders starting more and Howson coming in for Johnson when fit.

Posted By: Jim, Feb 10, 10:45:10