Lush Vlad

Good game this. Chelsea have been the better team between the boxes. Yet Liverpool still could have gone in 3 up. Game on now.

Madueke is killing Robertson. I hope Howe doesn’t go for the more defensive Kelly. As he was backing off a lot when playing left back and Madueke is having a field day due to Robertson doing exactly that.

Poor from Jones for the offside goal. Took an age to release it to Salah.

These cheap ‘fouls’ that refs give to the defending team… It’s a pandemic this weekend if this game and ours are anything to go by. Jota went through 2-3 minutes ago. James dives after a delayed reaction and the ref gives the foul. Bullshit.

Yeah. Just had 5 Live on and they said it was disallowed onfield. Then they advised the review as Silva was not interfering with play. So he was actually changing his and the linesman’s original decision and not sticking to his guns.

We as a fanbase are very reactive or a lot better when we are the underdogs and backs to the wall. Pretty tame, otherwise. Probably the same at most grounds, though? Used to go away 5-10 times a season. But I don’t get to many games now. Most aways I went to we were usually losing so hard to gauge other club’s fans.

I don’t even know what the offside laws are now. But that feels like the right decision. Not sure I agree with it, though? He’s standing on the keeper’s toes and nudging into him constantly. Then at the last second, he moves out the way?! Seems a bit wrong to me. Not quite at the old man down the social club levels of “if you’re not interfering with play. What are you doing on the pitch?” But I think there are too many grey areas and ways to interpret it. I’m sure it’s gotten worse for things like this, handballs, penalties etc since VAR. As they are subjective calls and not black and white. So there is just no consistency week to week and even more of a microscope on every decision.

Love that goal from Gvardiol. Genuinely two footed and it is such a rarity in football. You wouldn’t think that was his ‘weaker’ foot at all.

So he is not on song very often? he has put in good performances under Howe, though and does actually get involved with creating chances and the odd goal or assist. But he is also woefully ineffective most of the time. The same as the other option we have on the right. No arguments that we need to strengthen RW as a priority. I think everyone bar the club have seen this as our biggest need for years.

Maybe a bad example. As Murphy does actually contribute with goals and assists when on song. I suppose my point is. We have a lot of players who have played above their level for a while and are now just back to their base level and not really contributing much. So then on top of that. When our actual elite or close to world class level players are below par. The whole team suffers as a result. Again, the attacking areas in particular. We aren’t exactly creative at the best of times. So if any or all of Isak, Gordon and Bruno are off it. Then forget about it. Barnes, too. Although he’s usually on the bench…..

The bit about form is the problem with the squad, though. Sort of similar to what @Heron was saying the other day regarding player ratings. Murphy in form and playing to the best of his abilities. Is still not as good as say, Gordon out of form. All teams are to a point. But we are heavily reliant on a few top players always being on their game for us to perform well. Especially in an attacking sense. They have an off day or just a bit below their usual levels and we struggle. We just have too many squad/back up type players still getting regular minutes due to the lack of depth at certain positions.

Howe won’t do it and I think he sulks when he plays there. But why not move Gordon to the right? When he gets in behind, his cutbacks and crosses should be a lot better. Plus he might seem more interested in getting to the byline and not just cutting in. Even if it takes something away from Gordon’s game and the team as a whole. Nobody can convince me Barnes on the bench and Murphy or Almiron on the right is the better option.

It does feel like he is always going to be like this. He’s an incredible player. But it’s not great that our number 9 and arguably best player. Is injury prone and even when fit. Is only sharp and able to keep to his levels for about 60 minutes.

Not sure what any of them were doing. Schar is miles off and then slow to react to the through ball. Hall tries to get round on the cover but doesn’t get there. Tino was weak as fuck with his challenge when I thought he was favourite to nick it. He is usually brilliant in similar situations.

Fair enough and good to know. He has certainly been reluctant to do so in the past, though. I get he is obviously trying to strike a balance and he sees Gordon as the starting LW. But when Barnes is too good to sit on the bench and when the other options for RW are players that should have been moved on. Or at best, kept as back ups. Then it is a bit ridiculous that he doesn’t start and Gordon moves over and/or they rotate. I don’t think he will suddenly start playing both of them left and right. Quite a large sample size now to say he is reluctant to do so.

Yep. I think that’s a negative against Howe. He seems reluctant to play what should be our best 3 and for various reasons. Seems to have decided that not shifting Gordon to the right and starting Murphy there is a better option.

He was very good. But he always looks uncomfortable when he has to press high and follow attackers over the halfway line. His lack of mobility means he’s susceptible to yellows like the one he got today and then looking unsure whether to stick or twist for the rest of the game. The other team know it and he’s then on thin ice. It leaves us vulnerable to counters and means we are back to having that big space between defence and midfield. Botman and Kelly would be a lot more comfortable doing this. But one isn’t available and one hasn’t shown enough to be starting.

Yeah. He started alright. But he often wanted an extra touch and just slowed everything down, let Brighton players get back and then he’d just pass back inside, anyway. Complete failure of the club and/or Howe that he is still starting games at RW and Almiron seems to be the second choice. He’s no better.

His movement was good. Got in behind a few times. He just looked like he was playing in rigger boots. Fell over/stumbled a couple of times, his usually silky touch deserted him along with his decisiveness. Took an age on the ball a few times and the chance came and went. Should be scoring that one on one and he also looked leggy trying to reach for the ball.

Yep. I do think today was a mixture of bad passes/decisions in the final third mixed in with some dreadful finishing. It just still feels like we are a bit unsure what to do in the final third. The 2/3 before that have been miles better the last few games.

I’d argue, that based on the last 3 games, our possession and control of games is getting a lot better. The press has been very good for most of those games, too. The finishing and creativity is just miles off.

I agree. But the lack of goals and ability to regularly create decent chances is a worry. Even last year, we seemed to score quite a few, as well as concede quite a few! I think Barnes needs to start. As we need more goalscorers on the pitch. 1 goal, a penalty, in 3 games where we have had large spells where we have been dominant, is not good enough. It wasn’t like we were free scoring before that, either.

His workrate, dribbling, movement, pace. All world class. Technically, he really is lacking a lot of the time, though. Panics in front of goal, always snatches at chances or just goes for a tame, safe finish. He now seems to not make a decision in the final third. Just runs directly at players hoping he might run through them. Not been at the races all season. Which after how brilliant he was last season. It is a bit of a head scratcher. Fully aware that if we at least got a point today. A lot of these players critiques would be far leas harsh but Gordon has been annoying me with certain things this season.

He has been woeful since coming back from injury. Doesn’t look like he wants to fully open up a lot of the time. His touch and passing are miles off. Like he’s deliberately aiming the ball nowhere near our players A bit like Barnes. It feels like he needs a run of games to find some form and consistency. But he won’t get that. As the players ahead of him are just better, or better suited to the system, in Howe’s eyes. Unlike Barnes. Willock has done anything to warrant a start since coming back, mind.

That’s where xG should only really be used as a guide, though. Gordon inexplicably taking that shot so early won’t have had a high xG. But it could/should have been a brilliant chance. I bet his header was quite low and all. But that was a glaring miss. Isak seemed to have 2-3 chances that probably ended up as 0.00. As he just dillied and dallied until the chance had gone. His 1 on 1 was almost automatic last season. So again, you’re fully expecting that to go in and fuck what xG says in that instance Outside of that, it was a lot of huff and puff, bad final balls, close to getting on the end of stuff etc. So wouldn’t really show up. We had enough decent chances and opportunities to score 3-4 today and the fact we didn’t even get 1 is baffling. Not world class saves or anything. Just abysmal finishing.