Lush Vlad

Fucking hell. I’m a bit of a critic of Longstaff. Certainly not in the fan club when it comes to him. But fuck me, some of the overreactions in here before a ball has even been kicked

This was what he was alluding to when mentioning certain players starting 3 games in 6 days. Really do hope we can get Bruno further forward at some point. But it won’t be today.

Not this again Absolutely pointless stat. Subbed off when losing in 2 of those games and we got a draw and a win. Our two best performances this season came when he didn’t start. Results just didn’t quite go our way. I mean all the lies, bots and racism on Twitter is bad. But the football accounts tweeting out meaningless stats is right up there with the worst of that hellsite

This is it for me. I think he is an outstanding defender. Covers well on crosses, has strength and pace, he is quite aggressive 1 v 1. He uses some of those attributes getting up the pitch, too. I just think he always looks rushed, panicked and unsure on what to do when he approaches the box. Often making the wrong decision, or worse, no decision at all and we lose it.

I actually tend to agree with a lot of that overall. The fact Chelsea played an entirely different XI, most of which seemed completely uninterested has to be factored in. The coach didn't even seem too arsed about going out. They only made one sub and didn't even bother bringing on arguably the best player in the league on recent form to try and get something out of the game. Bit of a small sample size of one game to say doing the above is going to suddenly improve our performances. I don't think Burn will be dropped as they are incredible from set pieces and Howe loves his leadership and as a player. I certainly wouldn't be against trying the same midfield. Bruno has to start though and will that upset the balance on the right side with Longstaff coming out.

I think what state the game is in and who we are playing are massive for how Willock looks. Can make him go from looking almost world class to League One depending on the game . Coming on against Brighton didn't seem like the right sub and he was terrible. I thought the same against Chelsea, but they were still leaving space to attack and he was actually a bit better. When playing teams where we have the chance to counter or when we are ahead. He is so dangerous drifting out wide like he does when he can find some space. You know it's coming, but he manages it anyway. He could definitely do a bit more. It's like that aggression and belief isn't really there a lot of the while. When he is actually a very good technical player on the ball and a terrific dribbler. So it would be nice to see it more often. Injuries and also being in and out of the team have hardly helped. But he probably doesn't get into our best XI, so it is understandable.

Well we only really played it for 30-40 mins. We just managed to get in front, unlike Brighton. Where we did the same first half. I still think we need to pick and choose and I’m sure we do. Depending on opponent, situation, home or away, players in the team, different pressing triggers etc. Last night helped that they seemed fine with going out. But we sat pretty deep from the end of the first half onwards, changed personnel around, as well as the formation. We saw the game out fairly comfortably in the end. So it’s a bit disingenuous to say we can only play one way. We do look far better with that high press, mind. You’re just not going to sustain that over 90 minutes or a season.

The first one Joelinton should score. But it is a bit awkward the way it bounces up right before getting to him. That could be as much him and his erratic finishing making it awkard, though. The Willock one. You on about the cross from Gordon right at the end of the first half? That’s barely a chance FFS He is quite a way outside the post, he has just sprinted at full tilt from the halfway line to keep up with Gordon and is still travelling at some speed when the cross comes in. Gordon has then smashed it across goal harder than when he has a shot, it’s waist high on the volley, on the stretch, on his weaker foot and with a defender right near him.

Great draw. Shame that Arsenal, and Liverpool are more than likely going to get through. Plus one of Spurs/Man U. But it’s usually like that late into the competition. Get past Brentford then who knows. Best draw bar Palace at SJP, I think.

I liked that he was popping up in wide areas again. 3 quality crosses into the box. One Big Joe nearly scored and pretty much got an assist for Willock, sort of the other one he fired in second half and it looked better and more dangerous than most of our crosses this season. Still doesn’t look quite back to his best. But 2/2 at least and starting to get chances again.

I don’t frequent other forums. But is it not just in football fans nature to often focus on the negatives when they lose and the positives when they win? I wasn’t too down on Sunday. There were some promising signs. The midfield looked crap. The Big Joe/Little Joe cameo was a positive. We saw changes to the midfield setup and that left side tonight. So more than happy with that. I certainly think tonight’s performance was better. The individual mistakes weren’t quite as glaring, even if they still could have been punished. We had more control of the game in different ways. Even though we had less possession and territory than Sunday. The caveat being that we were at home and against an entirely different XI.

On another day we score 3 after half an hour. 4-5 in total if we had a better first touch or final pass. Works both ways. Sunday was the same. Close game and both teams wasteful at times. Aren’t a lot of games across football like this every week?!

Tonali doesn’t press, either Or was it that he’s not good at retaining possession? Both? I forgot what his complaint was now.

He has been off form and we have not given him enough service. But he is coming off the back of a 25 goal season and is one of the best strikers in the league. Osula has 2 goals in senior league football. League One, I think. I hope he can get more chances. But we are going to need to be clear in the lead in a game or chasing it and behind by a couple to see more of him, I reckon.

Much better. Looked a lot sharper with his passing and pressing. Was attacking the box like the Willock from a couple of seasons ago. Still has the fastest jog in world football. Seems like once a game he gets that chance 1 on 1 to jog with it for 70 yards past someone

Hard to take too much of that game literally. As Chelsea really weren’t that arsed about this. But we were still playing against a talented, ridiculously expensive XI. We made a few changes and were without plenty of our first team ourselves. All whilst in the middle of a rough patch. Deployed the press to perfection first half and could have been 3 up after half an hour. Rode our luck a touch second half. But bar the penalty shout and Felix getting through. There wasn’t really many scary moments where it felt like they’d score. I’d look for a similar front 3 on Saturday, I reckon. But it does mean you need Joelinton interchanging with Willock, who was much improved BTW. Just not sure he gets in ahead of Longstaff based on tonight and previous games.

Outstanding tonight. Kelly, Krafth and Big Joe the only ones better, I thought. The goal did not look offside either? Only had the one angle and whoever nodded it back, was it Schar? Didn’t look off.

Back to beast mode playing 3 positions. It’s what he does best.

100%. I said as much in another thread. But he seemed much better at finding space tonight to receive the ball and does move it on quickly. It might mean that we look to build attacks in other ways than just Bruno taking it off the CB’s toes and trying to magic something up. I doubt we will see it too much this season. But the Big Joe/Little Joe dynamic also massively helped our midfield and general balance.

Same. Started to come back into it a bit late on because of them two. Oh and Krafth

Faded a bit late on. But we basically just surrendered possession. Wouldn’t mind seeing him start off more central and in the ‘deeper’ (if we actually play with a deeper CM) role with Bruno left or right of him.

He has so many good attributes. But whoever it was (Southampton fans?) saying he will become more of a Bale type couldn’t be more wrong. He is so bad in the final third. Actually annoying how wasteful he is every time he gets near the other box.

His punches are hit and miss. But I genuinely don’t mind it. You can’t always just catch it with players all round you. As he proved when cleaning out Kelly (punch was shit) and when he attempted to catch it and Nkunku beat him to it. He does look a bit less confident, for sure. But teams are packing the 6 yard box and dropping it right in there most games now.

What a performance from the Krafthmeister.

Better at CB, he uses his speed and aggressiveness well there. Seems the polar opposite at full back. Drops off and doesn’t go tight.