The College Dropout

Agreed. Stoke are good at defending. And that's what they done. Our class won us the game.

What do you mean trying to do too much?

I agree it was down to trying to make things happen but it was simply impatience on his side. Sometimes you have to play it simple if the pass isn't on. I told you just a couple of days ago that pass completion rate is a rubbish statistic, stop using it. It's not rubbish. If you're AM and ST can't consistently find a NUFC shirt, we will struggle to assert consistent pressure. especially at home to a side like Stoke. It really, really is as it doesn't take into account what types of passes that are being made. I'm sure someone like S. Taylor has a very high pass completion ratio, but how much of that consists of back passes to the keeper? It's simply not useful when talking about a creative player whose task it is to set up goals, Sissoko plays so so high up the pitch for us, an area that is crowded with opposition players (especially against Stoke), and his task is to find the decisive pass. Give me someone with a 40% completion rate whose passes consists of potential goal scoring opportunities more often than not than someone who'll play the safe pass in that position. Everyone has highlighted why his passing stat wasn't great. Impatience on the ball. It's about finding the right pass. Compare the passing of other #10's. Wilshere gets 85% one a good game, 75% on a poorer game. Mata's consistently mid 80's. Toure in the 80's. Scroll through their passing stats to see when they've had less than 80, then less than 70. It's rare. And most likely a sign of having a poor/impatient game on the ball. Trying to make things happen is great but if it doesn't work out, the team loses the pressure and momentum. In that case it's probably best to keep the ball. I'm not saying it must be in the high 90's. For an AM, that probably means he's taking no risks. But at 69%, he's taking too many risks and is losing the ball too much. He's not getting on the ball as much either.

Thought he was playing in defence second half.

Very good point, I think we would be sacrificing a lot of Sissoko's best attacking attributes attributes if we played him in a midfield 3 with Cabaye and Marv. His attacking attributes are best used on the break imo. Early days but I don't think games like yesterday suit him.

I agree it was down to trying to make things happen but it was simply impatience on his side. Sometimes you have to play it simple if the pass isn't on. I told you just a couple of days ago that pass completion rate is a rubbish statistic, stop using it. It's not rubbish. If you're AM and ST can't consistently find a NUFC shirt, we will struggle to assert consistent pressure. especially at home to a side like Stoke. Exactly this. Marv was really the man for yesterday. He plays the game at his own pace, if the balls not on, he'll pass and move. Siss plays at 110mph and at home to Stoke he was too impatient.

under CH Bassong has looked like a proper CB again.

Width.

Disappointing game from him. The lowest pass completion rate of any outfield player tells the whole story. Needs to be more patient at times with the passing. A few times he woul make a great run, try a killer ball that doesn't come off. Sometimes he should just play it simple. A couple occasions he got near the box he should've passed earlier. It doesn't matter because we scored from the Fk but e had a good whole to pass the ball to Cisse on the edge of the area. Web Tiote put him through on goal he should've squared it then too Bigger point is he needs to be more patient in these tight home games. His powerful runs create urgency as it is.

What a player. Feels right to see him with that armband.

Hernandez scores loads with his head.

He does need to change something like. In his training.

Look how Benteke adds to the team play.

I like the lad. But he must think, he's made the most appearances out of anyone in our first XI, yet he never gets the armband. He should wonder why. I've said I'd like him to be captain at some point but he just acts very immature. Been solid this season. The Stoke type strikers he loves.

What shit? He kept the ball ticking over, he had teh highest pass completion in our midfield and made the most passes, despite only playing 60 mins. Including a couple really good forward passes that where chances. People still moaning about his passing, he was 58 out of 63 ffs.

Idiotic challenge. You can see he was busting a gut to get back, rush of blood, lunges in. But he was playing well before that no doubt. Most of his passes where forwards. He made 58 passes from 63 attempts, the best in our midfield. Some very good passes too, one to Sissokho springs to mind. His passing was actually much better than Siss' but it's too late for Tiote. The N-O has decided that he can't pass and he must be dropped for Anita.

So would Darren Bent.

Believe me I wouldn't mention it if Cisse played like Suarez.

75% pass completion rate which is very poor. Tbf to him, it doesn't help when the #10 Siss comes in at 69%.

Seems to have a better touch and feel for the game than most of our youngsters. Good first touch. His passing looks more crisp than our other youngsters.

Individually, it wasn't a bad performance overall at all imo. A lack of attacking cohesion being the worst thing. Siss & Gouff passing was hit & misss. Cisse terrible overall. Jonas looking like he was playing in defence. Everyone else looked decent. Even Tiote until he lost his mind.

You see this is where people are missing the point. If a striker doesn't hold it up and wastes possession, how is the team going to consistently create chances for him? How are we going to get that far up the pitch a lot of the times? Stoke defended extremely deep because it was injury time. They allowed us to play up until the edge of their area but that doesn't happen at 0-0 or for most of the match. Modern strikers need to help the team get up the pitch.

In a team that is woefully short of goal scorers I'd say it's a pretty good quality to have. I agree. We don't have any other option. But going forward in the summer, he's looking like someone we should look to upgrade on perhaps. Part of our problems in general play is down to him being crap with the ball and not offering much to his team-mates. Some of his movement is bewildering, gets in the way of others too much. But he must just focus on his game and goal-scoring.

He's a finisher no doubt. I've always said that. But I don't think his overall game is good enough. I don't think he can do enough for the team or for himself to sniff out goals. You can't just knock it over the top for him to use his pace. You can't keep putting it in the air to utilise his aerial ability/movement. You can't just put it in the box and he'll find his foot to it. His volley game is brilliant but you can't just roll it into him from outside the box. Won't out muscle someone and poke it in. You understand what i'm saying? He has such specific strengths that only a few of our players can utilise regularly.

Tbf him dropping too deep criticism is something based on weeks and weeks not just today. Pards needs to sort it out there is no reason at all for him to drop so deep, i'm convinced its the main reason he hasn't as many goals as he should have. Hanging off the shoulder must get frustrating when you're playing poorly and not scoring. Because you're not doing anything. He needs to learn like Michael Owen did, just to keep going at his game. Pards should tell him if he doesn't know.