Zola: 'Hull wasn't a step back, just part of the journey' (From Watford Observer)

Well, that's really put the cat amongst the pigeons!
Sleep tight.

We need to look at how we can better teams playing the same formation.

Was not there, but sounded like it was a performance matching Blackburn game, hence inept effort.

Shame not a draw at least as would have cemented playoff place.

Oh well

Great article on us in the Football League Paper today. Well worth a read.

We struggle when going behind at home. The team are definitely best playing counter attacking football, which works well away and when we lead at home and teams have to come out and attack. Can't afford to play that badly in 1st half and hand initiative to the opposition, although I though Hull played well and looked a good solid team. As GF says it's all part of the learning curve on how we deal with it. Hope it's not a reaction to the cup draw,with players looking not to get injured before Jan 5th.

Look guys it's a narrow defeat that's all! We have plenty of games left and we are in the best position we've been in for over 6 years!
Just hope we can bounce back against Burnley next weekend and move on!

We are bound to suffer a few losses, i think Gianranco and the side have done brilliantly. Just a pointer to remember both goals scored saturday are both from loaned players, respectively, one from Man Utd and the other a blackcat. So clearly the old pals act exists for Mr Bruce. So clearly it is a huge bonus when you have an ex star as manager, i doubt if there is any bigger star than Zola in soccer management just now. I am sure in time we will acquire some great signings but for now its great to have the squad we have albeit a cull expected in January.

Sensible comments from the manager, I too was not too disappointed as we lost to the better team, they played "our" system very well and caught us on break, west have faired better had yesterday been at the KC.

You learn more from defeat, we are 6th and ahead of schedule, feet on the ground, we have strength in depth, I hope Geijo, FF, Abdi, Battochio and MBia get a start next Saturday, pace and quality ....

My wish for Xmas/January is I hope we can bring in a "Trotter esque" central midfielder, big, strong and experienced, a natural leader for those moments like yesterday ....

Also Possibly Sheva a run out LOL, that would increase our viewing figures in the Ukraine

In fact, on the subject of Xmas wishes, Buckley, Graham and Trotter = PROMOTION

Holly68 I'd love to see the above signings but I just can't see it happening!
Not sure if we need Buckley as we have Forestieri, and can't see us getting Graham as it would cost £5M and I bet he is on over £25K a week and West Ham and Norwich are looking at him!
Trotter would cost the same as Graham due to age and he is playing for a side that have play off ambitions!

If there's a harder league in the world to put a run together for more than seven or eight games, I'd be very surprised. A loss was inevitable sooner or later... and I'd far rather lose to a better or more established team (as opposed to having a nightmare against a poor one) because the lads'll learn more about where they need to be and what they need to do to get out of this league - which they will eventually.

The leadership and experience we'll gain when Eustace and Abdi come back on a regular basis will only improve what is an already talented and confident side.

and please can we stop slating Yeates and Hogg - I read it on here every week, regardless of performance or result. Battocchio, Bia, Geijo, Murray, Forestieri et al are all clearly very talented, but Yeates and Hogg aren't picking themselves, and are hardly likely to turn around when the teamsheet's read out and say 'well, thanks Franco... but I really think that fella over there in the tracksuit would be a better option!' Zola continues to acknowledge that they've tried very hard to adapt to the new system and accept the new players - and I actually think they've done alright! If the others prove to him further down the line that they're hard working and talented enough to be in the eleven every week, I'm sure it'll happen eventually... but lets accept that everyone in the side is giving everything they can and get behind the lot of them.

PS. big respect to Dyche, but I hope we give his lot a hiding on Saturday.

What would make me happy this Transfer Window would be the permanent signings of Abdi, Forestieri, Geijo, Pudil and Ekstrand!
Also I would love to see the permenant departures of Iwulumo, Garner, Forsyth, Dickinson, Beleck, Anya and Jenkins!
Maybe there might be a few million in the Pozzo pot for a striker?

Holly68 wrote:
Sensible comments from the manager, I too was not too disappointed as we lost to the better team, they played "our" system very well and caught us on break, west have faired better had yesterday been at the KC.

You learn more from defeat, we are 6th and ahead of schedule, feet on the ground, we have strength in depth, I hope Geijo, FF, Abdi, Battochio and MBia get a start next Saturday, pace and quality ....

My wish for Xmas/January is I hope we can bring in a "Trotter esque" central midfielder, big, strong and experienced, a natural leader for those moments like yesterday ....

Also Possibly Sheva a run out LOL, that would increase our viewing figures in the Ukraine

Trotter? As in Del....

DuffmanWFC wrote:
What would make me happy this Transfer Window would be the permanent signings of Abdi, Forestieri, Geijo, Pudil and Ekstrand!
Also I would love to see the permenant departures of Iwulumo, Garner, Forsyth, Dickinson, Beleck, Anya and Jenkins!
Maybe there might be a few million in the Pozzo pot for a striker?

Di Natale now Udin out of Europe ? Now that would cause a stir LOL

Trotter from Bermondsey not Peckham LOL

And throw in Falcao for good measure, his brother Mark used to play for us years ago LOL

Holly68 wrote:
Sensible comments from the manager, I too was not too disappointed as we lost to the better team, they played "our" system very well and caught us on break, west have faired better had yesterday been at the KC.

You learn more from defeat, we are 6th and ahead of schedule, feet on the ground, we have strength in depth, I hope Geijo, FF, Abdi, Battochio and MBia get a start next Saturday, pace and quality ....

My wish for Xmas/January is I hope we can bring in a "Trotter esque" central midfielder, big, strong and experienced, a natural leader for those moments like yesterday ....

Also Possibly Sheva a run out LOL, that would increase our viewing figures in the Ukraine

Would love to see Di Natale play for us, but I think Udinese will need him to finish as high in their league and qualify for Europe next season.
We've got enough firepower already in the squad to win promotion.
But what we need is another experienced ball playing midfielder, an old head for games like yesterday's .
We can't expect Chalobah at his age to be consistent .
Eustace could offer that but we've got to be looking for an ex international who's been there and done it all, Zambrottas name has been banded about, he'll do a great job with Abdi and Chalobah or Battocchio .

Travelling Hornet wrote:

Holly68 wrote:
Sensible comments from the manager, I too was not too disappointed as we lost to the better team, they played "our" system very well and caught us on break, west have faired better had yesterday been at the KC.

You learn more from defeat, we are 6th and ahead of schedule, feet on the ground, we have strength in depth, I hope Geijo, FF, Abdi, Battochio and MBia get a start next Saturday, pace and quality ....

My wish for Xmas/January is I hope we can bring in a "Trotter esque" central midfielder, big, strong and experienced, a natural leader for those moments like yesterday ....

Also Possibly Sheva a run out LOL, that would increase our viewing figures in the Ukraine

Would love to see Di Natale play for us, but I think Udinese will need him to finish as high in their league and qualify for Europe next season.
We've got enough firepower already in the squad to win promotion.
But what we need is another experienced ball playing midfielder, an old head for games like yesterday's .
We can't expect Chalobah at his age to be consistent .
Eustace could offer that but we've got to be looking for an ex international who's been there and done it all, Zambrottas name has been banded about, he'll do a great job with Abdi and Chalobah or Battocchio .

While we're in the land of make believe why not Balotelli & Buffon. Let's really be Italian

Goldenboy1960 wrote:

Travelling Hornet wrote:

Holly68 wrote: Sensible comments from the manager, I too was not too disappointed as we lost to the better team, they played "our" system very well and caught us on break, west have faired better had yesterday been at the KC. You learn more from defeat, we are 6th and ahead of schedule, feet on the ground, we have strength in depth, I hope Geijo, FF, Abdi, Battochio and MBia get a start next Saturday, pace and quality .... My wish for Xmas/January is I hope we can bring in a "Trotter esque" central midfielder, big, strong and experienced, a natural leader for those moments like yesterday .... Also Possibly Sheva a run out LOL, that would increase our viewing figures in the Ukraine

Would love to see Di Natale play for us, but I think Udinese will need him to finish as high in their league and qualify for Europe next season. We've got enough firepower already in the squad to win promotion. But what we need is another experienced ball playing midfielder, an old head for games like yesterday's . We can't expect Chalobah at his age to be consistent . Eustace could offer that but we've got to be looking for an ex international who's been there and done it all, Zambrottas name has been banded about, he'll do a great job with Abdi and Chalobah or Battocchio .

While we're in the land of make believe why not Balotelli & Buffon. Let's really be Italian

Now lets be sensible!

it's wierd this year, you read a report that says we were 'particularly poor in the first half', and you accpet it, but the first half quality on saturday was light years ahead of last season, any season really. even when we're poor, we're not bad at all.