Smal

the main concern I have is that our high press and counter-press have all but gone recently. It’s very low energy.

Shocking result and performance that, really.

Love Big Dan but he’s been unbelievably bad tonight

Ouattara is really good. Said it before but hope we go for him when Bournemouth go down.

100%. It was working before the world cup but teams were always going to work out how to stop Almiron running in behind them, like. Need to use the left side more. Hopefully Gordon can get out to support ASM more like he did for the goal.

I thought that live too, but he definitely was after seeing a replay.

Some pass from ASM to Longstaff there.

this is appalling

Willock going off might be a blessing in disguise here Really was such a horrible mistake not to sign a midfielder though. Gonna cost is so many points.

Feels like we’re forcing everything down the right hand side and Almiron is in very poor form.

that’s another really good chance for Schar

More of a 4-2-3-1 today by the looks of it

How long is Targett out for?

Still think Brighton will finish above Spurs and possibly us too

Just hope we score a couple. Will be nice to have a couple of quality options off the bench too.

Being a Leeds fan must be absolutely soul destroying. I’ve no strong feelings for them or owt but they’re kind of my second team as I’m from the area and even that’s heartbreaking stuff

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/allan-saint-maximin-responds-ac-26163890 Some good quotes here. Formatted out all the shit for y'all.

That seems unlikely to me, but even if it does happen it’s not great to have to switch system from one that’s been working so well half way through the season because you’ve sold players without replacing them. Bruno is missing so Anderson was the only midfield player we could bring on yesterday. It’s not great is it.

Don’t you think it’s a bit daft and poor planning to go into half a season with 4 midfielders to fill 3 slots? It’s fine to be happy with how the club have progressed but be able to point out mistakes when they happen.

Pep will surely change this at half time. The system is honking. Forwards nowhere near the midfield which is utterly bizarre for one of his teams.

Ashby has made one PL appearance. As a sub in Dec 2021.

Rice has been much improved in possession in pretty much every metric this season despite West Ham’s failings. He was poor for England but his best game was against France where he started playing between lines more. He could play in any team imo.

Looking at yesterday’s pass map backs this up somewhat ASM wasn’t good but was very isolated and didn’t stand much of a chance really.

The way Howe sets the team up, Burn is supposed to be part of the build up with Botman and Schar. Overlaps/underlaps are supposed to be supplied by the left central midfielder more often than the left back afaict. Unfortunately there wasn’t a lot of that yesterday but it’s what was happening when it was Willock/Joelinton on the left.

Just watching the highlights back and I know people have been moaning about set-piece delivery, but we should’ve scored two from excellent deliveries yesterday. Schar first half and Wilson second half are both great chances.