Lotus

Vieira

I’m just happy whoever plays LW has to earn it because there’s another player right behind him with quality.

If we get beat down to the difference in quality I can live with that. I just want us to play with maximum effort and bravery. Want the players coming off the pitch thinking they couldn’t have done anything more, flair, passion, smarts, intensity, game management. That’s the thing, don’t want to feel like last time. Be their best selves and let kismet takes care of the rest.

I’d like us to be circumspect with the ball. We keep either banging hopeful balls forward with little result of it coming off or players with ability trying to play the Hollywood pass nearly every time. We relentlessly give the ball away often after very few touches. Don't see any benefit to us becoming a ‘possession’ side but being more careful with the ball when a magic through/over the top/around the corner pass has only a 10% of connecting I think would help us a bit. Some patience and just working our way up the pitch, making the other team run around a bit. Move them about, see if their positioning/ marking gets a little loose under pressure. Players like Bruno, Sandro, Isak, Miley, Hall, Trippier and even Schar, Gordon and Botman can see and execute clever passes in and around the opponents box.

I’m a fan of his but the only thing he did of note was miss a very easy chance to win the match.

I honestly believe Longstaff would’ve done more. At least disrupted more. Anyway, still look forward to see him develop.

Thought Miley was a complete non event if I’m being honest. I believe he has a high ceiling but for whatever reason he didn’t seem to do anything to affect the game in either direction.

Actually thought he hadn’t aimed to push him in the head but the other bloke ducked down so the contact was definitely there. Oh well. Doubt it would’ve affected the final. Gives Barnes a chance if EH fancies giving him a start on the left.

Think he seems better suited to controlling the ball and passing it, probing for openings but that’s not really our game. When our midfielders get the ball the forwards run away from the ball, always hoping for a Hollywood pass. They rarely come off as that is the nature of such high reward/low probability of success passes. He seems a bit more reluctant to just bang it forward and hope than some of our other players so that’s why I think it looks like he’s slowing it down a bit. Because a good clean pass is not on.

Think his game is better suited to a team who look to hold onto the ball a little more. Always seems to me we’re looking to bang it forward at every opportunity whether the ball is on or not. Think Bruno’s natural game is to play passes that have better percentages. Thus he can get caught ‘dawdling’.

He’s a big lad and he’s played a lot of football and he always leaves everything on the pitch. I think he’s looked fatigued for a while now. I think he’d benefit greatly from a few weeks off. Probs won’t happen because Botman may not be fit and also EH doesn’t favour rotation much, even with players available. Hope he gets a 2nd wind and can continue his great form from up to the Wolves game (that’s when I thought he started to look leggy).

Hope he’s ready to be used more during the last 3 months of the season. I think we need to find out how good he really is in a match day environment, not just in training.

Looked like he enjoyed that kind of chaotic football. He has he brain and technique to move the ball very quickly so I doubt he felt the pressure some of our players did.

Great cross field pass to Murphy. Think he’s probably a better passer of the ball than we see most of the time because as a team we tend towards progressive running over progressive passing.

Surely the bad publicity that will accrue if a bookie doesn’t pay out is bad for business? Is there a widely read publication/zine that they can be listed in?

Really shocked at that. It's a gamble for both sides so the idea that a bookie will restrict or ban you if you have a good streak seems outrageous given how they're almost certain to win out in the end.

Help me out here, are you saying if you’re good at gambling bookies will block or ban you? Genuine question (I’ve never placed a bet).

Was odd, the positions he took up would've been ideal for Hall!

Love JL but if Miley had been playing like him for the past few games he would've dropped for today. Can't imagine either WIllock or Miley would've done worse. But, all coaches have favourites even when it's not working and EH is no exception. We're a streaky team so I hope if we get a result against Arsenal we'll pick up again. But either JL or Bruno need a game or two out. Look knackered and their timing is off.

Tripping. Also, the attitude comment. It's probably Willock's most commendable trait.

Lazy??

I'm not convinced EH would use a squad much. He had options today and there's been players who've looked like they could do with a game or two out but it's the same 11 again.

Agree with all except the need for transfers. We have more than enough in the squad to match Bournemouth and Fulham but couldn't on the day. Sport innit.

Thing that's bothered me for a while is that we rarely can keep controlled possession. It's always bang it up there at the first opportunity. Even when the forward is outnumbered. Never just move the ball forward and start probing for openings. Just first time ball or a touch and then a speculative pass. When they come off we're dangerous but more often they don't and we're a team that's quite easy to play on the transition against. Even with Tonali, he can't defend the midfield on his own (nor should he have to). Another thing, EH doesn't seem to make changes when things are going wrong or we're starting to fall off a bit. He waits until it's gone completely wrong and all momentum is with the opposition e.g. scoring. I'm sure there's clear reasons but I wonder what it would look like if he was more proactive and less reactive. Anyway, Fulham were the better team today. Marco Silva is a very good coach who has got a small club punching way above their weight. Hopefully we'll be better against Arsenal.

Re: Arsenal, It was studs up and onto the players leg above the ankle. Can’t complain if that’s a red.