Lush Vlad

Even 7th seems like it'll be difficult now. Not purely based on last night, although that hardly helped. But the latest round of injuries has just robbed us of decent starters and also any meaningful bench options. With Lascelles, Tino, Almiron out and Trippier seeming like he's had a setback. It's looking like a first team squad of what? 14, including Karius, for the next month or so? The Man U game being postponed might help us. Just hope we can get at least Trippier back for Palace or Sheff Utd. So tight from 7th down to Fulham in 13th. Only 6 points in it and the game against Fulham now looks massive after those 2 points dropped.

Anderson was and all. Not had many minutes this season and was putting himself about loads. Was all over the pitch. Hopefully with Gordon coming back and assuming Willock is fit enough to start/play more than 20 minutes. We can see a tiny bit of rotation and options when players are getting gassed.

He was superb first half. Deceptively quick, as well. Doesn't seem like he is, but he's great at carrying the ball up the pitch. Those stats just confirming that.

I've still not seen his early chance back. Looks like a great save from Pickford, but should really be scoring that. Maybe if it wasn't so early in the game, he buries it. He gets an impressive amount of shots off, constantly looks like a goal threat and is chipping in with assists and creating chances. Such a shame he's missed so much of the season. EDIT: Just seen that chance back. Pickford narrows the angle really quickly. But still should do better, IMO. Hits it straight at him.

At least respond with some sort of argument against if you think that. Most of the season, I think our build up play from the back has been poor and we don't have enough players with quality on the ball when it matters, to help us control possession and methodically progress the ball up the pitch. I have referenced injuries. Not having Tonali and Botman available has hardly helped. But I do think teams have figured out to press Bruno all the while and we struggle. I do also think that the technical quality of the players we have in the squad is lacking. Hence why I'd like to see us go after players with more ability on the ball.

This is going to sound like it's reactionary based on last night. But I think I've mentioned it a few times on here and others have. But we are really bad at building from the back in possession. I'd love to see that as the next step in our development and evolution under Howe next season. Teams have worked out to stop the pass into Bruno. Meaning we struggle to move the ball up the pitch along the deck. As he's the only real technician in the midfield capable of retaining possession under pressure and progressing it upfield. We then often rely on Schar spotting a diagonal or when Trippier is playing, managing to break the lines with a sharp pass into feet. But all too often, we just slowly pass the ball along between the CB's, Dubs sometimes getting involved and sometimes we go out to the full backs, who never seem to have a decent option ahead of them. It never looks like we're close to working an opening or setting something up. It's all really ponderous and laboured. Again, injuries, fatigue and then more recently, constant, enforced shuffling of players hasn't helped at all. There were actually some flashes last night with Murphy coming off the wing, Bruno when he found space, Anderson, Hall and Barnes all linked up well down the left at times, too. So that is promising. But I would like to see us go after players in the transfer market who are more technically sound and not just a team full of athletes who keep breaking down for whatever reason. Whether that is because they're bodies aren't up to playing in the system, the system isn't fit for purpose for a long season, training methods, the medical team, bad luck or all of the above. I often look at players we are linked with and think 'wouldn't suit our system. Not a Howe player.' But I'm now starting to lean the other way. Howe has spoken about wanting more control over games and more possession this season. So for example, a player like Smith-Rowe, injuries aside. Would be a much better use of finances than someone like Onana, who I thought was atrocious last night and is terrible on the ball. I don't specifically mean those two players BTW. Just using a couple of examples that sprung to mind as we have been linked with them multiple times.

Yep. Said as much in the Isak thread that he should be burying that. Hope Barnes can stay fit and start most the games between now and the end of the season. Our xG (sorry) would improves massively.

I feel like he needs a run of games where he is getting plenty of starts and at least 30 minutes here and there. Before I can judge him. Still not sure what his best position is? I still think he looks better out wide and he’s often too aggressive off the ball in centre mid and gets caught wrong side. He’s by no means slow, but not quick, either. Feels like he gets bypassed at times. Lots of energy and attacking intent, though. Plus the aggression wasn’t all bad. It was nice to see someone putting themselves about and getting stuck in. Not had enough physicality this season.

Hope so. Would perhaps suit an away game and help on the counter. Gordon and Willock back in. About as much rotation as we can manage.

He was quality for most the night. Unlucky not to get another great assist to go with the one from Saturday. Has to put that one away from the Barnes cutback, though. It’s good defending from Mykolenko. But he seems to scuff it and didn’t get much power. I also thought he faded late, again. But in his defence, he’d done enough to have won us the game already, I thought. Just a moment of madness cost us.

This is kind of where I’m at. The squad has been decimated for so long. It is easy to forget just how fucked over we have been by injuries and lack of rotation. It gets boring using it as an excuse all the while, too. Results like that are infuriating. Other games going our way again and we haven’t capitalised. I think based on that showing from certain individuals and how weak the bench is again already. Then with the players available that are going to see out most of the remaining fixtures. I think 7th might be beyond us. The latest round of injuries might be a bridge too far. Tino, Trippier, Lascelles and Almiron all available then I think we’d manage it.

I know he wouldn’t fetch much. But Longstaff has to be first to get moved on for FFP purposes. Home grown counts as pure profit or some shite? No idea who would be interested in Willock or what his value would be after a long term injury. But I’d rather lose him than Joelinton. Even though he is one of my favourite players.

I know most of the time he was on against Fulham. We were playing against 10 men. But fucking hell. The difference between that game and the last two performances. Looks scared to make a tackle, clear the ball or even have a touch. Seemed sharp and like he’d found a yard of pace against Fulham. But played in slow motion the last two games. Lord help us if he is at right back for the rest of the season. Think I’d rather have Murphy there. I thought he was ok as cover. But seems like I was wide of the mark.

I thought he was like a lot of our players tonight. Just bang average at best and nothing that really stood out as good or bad. Never got going or got into the game.

I can understand him staying on tonight. Maybe Howe didn’t think Anderson had 90 in him? As for all the other games he has started and then stayed on the whole match. Fuck knows. He is consistently awful and whatever his injury is. It has made him pretty much redundant as a footballer. Almost feel sorry for him now. He shouldn’t be playing a full game every week. Injury crisis or not.

Looked a bit lost and unsure defensively at times. But it was a positive performance overall, I thought. His touch and passing is better than most of our first team regulars.

Very good tonight. Hall was understandably a bit shaky at times defensively, I thought. Schar didn’t do too well with the physical stuff. The less said about Krafth, the better. Burn held them all together. Countless clearances, headers and covering tackles.

I thought he was really good for 60-70 minutes or so. But then faded out of the game, the same as Isak. But we did struggle to build any meaningful attacks towards the end of the second half.

This season can fuck off. Sloppy second half. Still should have won comfortably. Other games going for us so far and all. So annoying.

Feel like we need another. As we look a bit shaky at the back and like we have a mistake in us. So much time and space on every counter. Just a bit sharper with our passing and decision making near the box and we can kill this off. The defence really don’t trust Dubs, do they? poor bloke has tried to be positive and come and get it 3 times. Only for the defender to nick it away and run it out, instead. Solid performance so far. Albeit against a poor side.

Tarkowski in the box, wasn’t it? Horrific challenge and probably a red. No foul

Guessing Willock being on the bench means we at least have an attacking sub. Plus he hasn’t looked quite right the last few games. But my God. Longstaff, again. I know we’ve hardly been spoilt for choice with centre mid options. But it’s as if Longstaff has a clause saying he has to play every minute of every game. He’s been terrible basically all season and the foot/ankle injury is clearly bothering him.

I'm sure he used to get early team news spot on earlier this season or last. Then stopped for whatever reason. Like others have said. He now just seems to be chucking rumours out there as fact and then massively back tracking when proven to be BS or he's called out.

Yep. Possibly a bit extreme to say, but it could be the difference between Europe or not. Especially when you consider how many games we seem to be conceding 3 or more since Pope went down. Not all Dubravka's fault, of course. But he hardly inspires confidence. I just hope if he does come back. He is sharp enough to do himself justice. The way he plays, it's split second decisions deciding whether to come or not. It feels like it has the potential for us to see some absolute howlers