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You always hope for a Woodgate-esque home debut, but that’s a massive ask.  Thought Botman looked ok-ish today; he needs to get used to the pace and reduced available reaction-time in games.  He’s a baby in CB years, I’ve no doubt he’ll learn and get better and better 

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Just now, Yorkie said:

I think he's had some wobbles and looked nervous and that has justified Howe's intention to edge him into the side. But he's not been bad at all against the ultimate test so it bodes incredibly well. Youngest player in the team, don't forget. 

 

 

Playing the best team in the world as I see it.

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Every single player had a few shaky moments against Man City. It's hardly criticism to point out, though a bit weird if Botmans thread is the only place people have made the comment to single him out.

 

He'll be immense for us.

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1 hour ago, TheBrownBottle said:

You always hope for a Woodgate-esque home debut, but that’s a massive ask.  Thought Botman looked ok-ish today; he needs to get used to the pace and reduced available reaction-time in games.  He’s a baby in CB years, I’ve no doubt he’ll learn and get better and better 

Didn’t Woodgate play in the 2-6 vs Man Utd?

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People expect defenders to be 100% all the time, seem to forget mighty City defenders got done for pace and skill by maxi and Wilson today, particularly for the second goal. 
 

To be clear, Botman stepped out to cover Haaland while their right winger cut in and beat the left back on a worldie pass by the best attacking mid in the world. 

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Aye just watched MOTD2 there. Can't blame him for stepping out with Haaland. Burn switched off for a second while tracking Silva and it gave him that couple of yards.

 

 

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7 hours ago, Super Duper Branko Strupar said:

Shocking decision to go out and cover Haaland for Bernardo's goal from De Bruynes pass. Now he'll know, though, good learning experience that so not too mad. Got a little deflection too but still doesmt get a pass for stepping out. He did do well generally though, great to see him looking up and forward for passes. Got high hopes already.

Only seen it once, but heard the same criticism on TV. Strikes me as a damned if you do, damned if you don’t kind of situation. If he’s stayed in the space (which Bernardo later occupied/drifted into) and didn’t follow  Haaland, let him have the unmarked space he darted into between the six yard box and penalty spot, then no doubt the TV pundits would have slaughtered him for that too. But only with the 20-20 hindsight of Haaland scoring. Just as it is the wondrous pass from KdB and great movement and finish (who was meant to be tracking him?) from Bernardo that leads to similar certainty that Botman should have stayed in the space/not followed Haaland.
You make snapshot choices in defence and elsewhere, sometimes it is only the outcome which makes them ‘wrong or right’, not the decision itself. 

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6 hours ago, Optimistic Nut said:

Aye just watched MOTD2 there. Can't blame him for stepping out with Haaland. Burn switched off for a second while tracking Silva and it gave him that couple of yards.

 

 

This. Burn's fault all day. Just stopped tracking Silva. 

Shit happens. 

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54 minutes ago, Optimistic Nut said:

Harsh to 'blame' anyone tbf. Very niggly and picky things. World class players will always find a way.

 

Find it hard to see this any other way like. Was great vision and technique

 

 

Edited by OpenC

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3 minutes ago, OpenC said:

 

Find it hard to see this any other way like. Was great vision and technique

 

 

 

 

At the time I just thought City's 3rd goal was downright unfair. He had no right whatsoever to play that through ball. Was ridiculous. 

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i'm unconvinced by him and have been since the little i saw in preseason, but i'm also not declaring him a bust or writing him off

 

he seems decent on the ball which is an asset but i've yet to seem him influence a game the way burn or schar do for us defensively

 

this is not specific to yesterday before anyone starts and i know he's young/new to the league so hopefully he grows into it

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Guest HTT II

Physically and positionally I thought he did really well, but he seemed panicky in terms of passing and receiving the ball. Let’s face it, he’s up against a monster of a striker, a monster of an attacking team, and he come out of it looking decent I thought. As did our whole team. He’ll be fine. It’s his second game for us!

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I agree that he's looked shaky to start with, but it's quite common for defenders. You don't get that extra few seconds in the PL, that you do in other European leagues and it makes all the difference.

 

He couldn't have asked for two tougher games either. One where we up against it in blistering conditions and another against City. I actually thought defensively Burn was far more culpable than Botman yesterday, but he did play some sloppy passes and have a couple of nervous moments clearing his lines.

 

I know no one is saying otherwise, but it's very early days yet. He'll be much better for the last couple of encounters as they've been brutal.

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