I am calm with what has been happening. LvG has reminded us three months is what we need to really apply his philosophy.
Of course, losing to whatever team is disappointing and it is worse that yesterday result meant the playing time for our promising young players has been restricted. I did hope League Cup is going to be our chance to see the like of Pearson, Lawrence, Rothwell, Pereira, Powell...
Every club LvG did manage needed time but our situation becomes worse because of our injuries. I think he wants to work with a solid number of players and make that group be our base and improve from then. Injuries and WC players holiday more or less affect the process.
I have asked myself how come our performance preseason so good. Then the possible answer i probably found just in post 1stmatch interview of our manager. Nervous. We played with confident and most important: fearless to try and not worry abt making mistakes preseason-ly. But in real match, we are afraid to pass a bit advantageous and just go for the safe options. The so called self believe disappear and when it does and the players try hard to do it, everyting goes wrong just like Evans pass yesterday.
The philosophy LvG always talks abt imh is self confident. I know some may argue that it has to be pass and move, work with ball, make run and stuff. And with some clips we have already seen, there are a lot of passing related training. Even from preseason matches and some documentary videos of LvGs former teams it is obvious. But the way our boss said: "I train the players in their brains, not their legs, It is about brainpower." i think and believe the next couple of weeks we will see the differences once our players trust themselves and go out there enjoy the football without fear...
Iirc, the goal we scored away against Roma when Ronaldo headed in is what we need from our players (especially midfielders). A overlap run from Scholes made the opportunity. I don't know why the goal just pop up. Maybe because it did not required any special technique or super tatical sense? or maybe i want to support the above "self believe and play without fear" idea? as for me, it is about seein the oppotunity, takin risk to run overlap to create something and not afraid that "im not holding my position, im waitin for the back pass...". I think that is what we lack atm: a bit risky with movement and passing in real match. And i think we are gonna see those next match with Di María.
I agree that this is the right time to say goodbye to 3CBs system. The formation needs: good wingbacks n good and mobile pair of CMs that we are lackin atm , patience and confidence... With ADM and maybe Rojo available, it is time to play- firstly- with 4 at the back. It can not go any worse than the previous formation as we conceded every match so far. Take one from the back to add to another higher positions and see how it goes
Every thing takes time. With LvG, just want our players keep "no pain no gain" attitude to believe thru hard moments, and so do us, the fans.