Same Old Shape, Same Old Issues

I haven’t written anything until now because the first few matches I attended felt like a continuation of everything we’d already seen under Potter’s rigid 3-5-2 / 5-3-2.

Sunderland away should’ve been a warning, not a humiliation. But once again we looked predictable: slow in possession, passive without it, and far too easy to play through.

What went wrong (again)

• The shape was rigid and readable within ten minutes.
• Midfield offered little bravery on the ball and even less bite off it.
• We defended “spaces” instead of defending moments.

The result was inevitable. The most frustrating part? It didn’t feel like a one-off. It felt like a season-long habit showing up early.

Final thought: We’re not just being undone by quality, we’re being undone by a system that doesn’t fit the players we have, or vice versa.