We've scored more goals (31) than any team in the division except Chelsea, and we've conceded fewer (19) than all but Liverpool, Man United, Chelsea, Forest, and Arsenal. So for all the talk about our defensive fraility, the "suicidal" high line, set pieces, etc, we really don't give up that many goals. And this is with our best defenders unavailable for much of the season.
IMO, the problem isn't the system, it's not the high line, it's not playing from the back. It's that we can't manage the tempo of games. The pressing intensity is like the early Poch years, but we either won't or can't slow games down from time to time.
With the ball, we are obviously set up to play quickly through the lines, kind of like a less-talented version of Liverpool under Klopp. When I watch the dippers play now, they're able to balance that cut and thrust with periods of basically boring football, when they just take the sting out of games through possession. Not sure we have the players to do that (Gray looks like that kind of player for the future) but I think it's what we need. We try to play this turbo-speed football with and without the ball for 90 minutes, and we can't do it. Especially not as thin as we are right now.
None of this is not defending Ange, because it's his responsibility. Also not downplaying the high risk/reward factor of how we play.
But the other thing I'll say is that the stats geeks are usually right in the end. When the numbers are good, which ours pretty much have been, the results usually start to follow. IMO we don't have the squad to finish top four, so we should really focus on the cups, but I could definitely see us putting together a good run soon.
