Nick Pope out for a month with knee ligament injury (Various)

[huss9]

1 hour ago, Lush Vlad said:

I think we will look a better side when he comes back. Assuming he isn’t seemingly rushed back, like it appears with so many players this season. 
 

I don’t even rate Dubravka. But I think it is giving a free pass to some of the horrendous performances in front of him and a bit simplistic to pin it on him. To just say his lack of sweeping is causing them all to put in rubbish showings every week. I’m not buying it anymore. 
 

Pope might hide some of the deficiencies and lack of pace for certain players. I’m sure we’ll get higher up the pitch again, at least.
 

But Burn isn’t going to do loads better 1 v 1 or offer anything more going forward. Botman isn’t going to stop making awful mistakes and bad decisions all the while. Longstaff isn’t suddenly going to improve on the ball and I don’t think our front three will benefit much, either.

he does tend to go down slowly mind and never looks as if its all full stretch either.

might be harsh on him as always looks simpler when watching the telly.

[Mattoon]

[Lush Vlad]

28 minutes ago, huss9 said:

he does tend to go down slowly mind and never looks as if its all full stretch either.

might be harsh on him as always looks simpler when watching the telly.

 

For the record.  I don't think Dubravka is very good and Pope has arguably been our biggest loss overall this season for how we want to play. 

 

I just think it's a bit simplistic to think that all of our out of sorts players, soft as shite and at times, cluelees showings.  Will suddenly improve when Pope comes back into the team.  

[The College Dropout]

Crazy to think we had a pretty solid defence of:

Dubravka

Krafth Schar Burn Targett

Willock Shelvey Joelinton

 

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

1 hour ago, The College Dropout said:

Crazy to think we had a pretty solid defence of:

Dubravka

Krafth Schar Burn Targett

Willock Shelvey Joelinton

 

 

 

Only by playing all-out defence though really.

[The College Dropout]

39 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said:

 

Only by playing all-out defence though really.

Nah we scored goals.

 

And maybe we should get back to all-out defence if that was the previous startegy. It yielded better results.

 

The tactics yesterday didn't make any sense. Chelsea are bad when forced to be on the front foot. We tried to press them, badly. For the entire game. Didn't make sense.

 

And when we got into a low-block. It was awful. No composure. Couldn't track runners.

[SteV]

2 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

Crazy to think we had a pretty solid defence of:

Dubravka

Krafth Schar Burn Targett

Willock Shelvey Joelinton

 

 

For the three games they played together?

[The College Dropout]

29 minutes ago, SteV said:

For the three games they played together?

Maybe the midfield was different (Longstaff, Bruno) but the back 5 was that.

                                                                     

[Lish007]

I don't think it can be underestimated how much Pope helped us. 

 

Arsenal fans have said the same thing about Raya and Ramsdale. They said that against Brentford, even though Ramsdale is the better shot stopper, the reason he has to pull off worldies is because he lumps it up field every time and they can't get it on the floor and are liable to the counter. Raya helps them play the way they want to play. They've all said it and all notice it, plus they all say that all their players are press proof and Arteta notices it which is why he dropped Ramsdale quite suddenly. 

 

We play differently to Arsenal. We aren't usually a play it on the ground team, I think Howe wants us to be but we don't have the players gifted enough for that yet (only Bruno, possibly Tino and Isak are press proof at present). Even though Pope lumped it up field, we pressed significantly and when we lost the ball, we had a sweeper keeper and an excellent shot stopper to prevent the counter attacks. In Dubravka, we don't have that. He's a good keeper and he can play the ball at his feet but he doesn't come out and he isn't as good at shot stopping as Pope. 

 

I really don't think we can underestimate this. Plus looking at what players we are still playing with on a consistent basis. Until the squad is completely overhauled (even from the Eddie Howe-saving-us-from-relegation-year) we will have disappointing results. 

[duo]

7 hours ago, Mattoon said:

Staggering stat but tbf his injury coicided with others but his absences has arguably had the biggest impact. Dubs is just so far down his level.

[gbandit]

That picture is possibly the simplest way of explaining this season 

[christ]

The evening Pope got injured we were three points behind City who were in second.

[Menace]

I miss him.

[The College Dropout]

Howe saying they are targeting the end of April for Pope to return to first team action. Back on grass but "not necessarily diving". I assume he means - but not diving.

[Shearergol]

18 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Howe saying they are targeting the end of April for Pope to return to first team action. Back on grass but "not necessarily diving". I assume he means - but not diving.

 

Bit like Dubravka recently then, eh eh?

[Jordan]

34 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Howe saying they are targeting the end of April for Pope to return to first team action. Back on grass but "not necessarily diving". I assume he means - but not diving.

From March to the end of April. Then it’ll be next season once we reach April. 

[The College Dropout]

The end of April at that.

 

Any issues and it's next season.

 

I imagine Joelinton will be on similar timelines.

 

Might be for the best if we are cut off the European race and out the FA Cup.

[Conjo]

27 minutes ago, Shearergol said:

 

Bit like Dubravka recently then, eh eh?

 

[SteV]

2 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

The end of April at that.

 

Any issues and it's next season.

 

I imagine Joelinton will be on similar timelines.

 

Might be for the best if we are cut off the European race and out the FA Cup.

No thanks.

[tgarve]

3 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

The end of April at that.

 

Any issues and it's next season.

 

I imagine Joelinton will be on similar timelines.

 

Might be for the best if we are cut off the European race and out the FA Cup.

Aye be class that …

[The College Dropout]

I'm saying if we have nothing to play for. There's no need to rush lads back.

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

I'm saying if we have nothing to play for. There's no need to rush lads back.

 

I'm not sure like. If they're fit, play them.

 

Gives a better feel-good factor over the summer if you've won a few towards the end of the season with players who've been out for yonks back in the team.

 

Just gives the fans belief (whether it's true or false), "if we'd had that team all season we'd have finished top 5", etc. 

 

 

[The College Dropout]

1 minute ago, Optimistic Nut said:

 

I'm not sure like. If they're fit, play them.

 

Gives a better feel-good factor over the summer if you've won a few towards the end of the season with players who've been out for yonks back in the team.

 

Just gives the fans belief (whether it's true or false), "if we'd had that team all season we'd have finished top 5", etc. 

 

 

Agreed. But if there's strong doubts. Let's leave them out.

[Guest]

56 minutes ago, The College Dropout said:

Agreed. But if there's strong doubts. Let's leave them out.

 

I'd leave them out regardless of any doubts unless were in the hunt for 4-5th. The risk could be seen as worth it for that.

 

7-8th, not so much. But if they were fit to play for us just chasing a minor European slot, I'd play them if we were 9-10th too for the feel-good factor and to give us a bit of a boost going into the summer. 

[The College Dropout]

I wouldn't. Winning the Conference League is an additional £20m in revenue (prize money & gates), bump in UEFA co-efficient, proves Howe can manage a European campaign and you know... would represent our biggest chance of winning silverware in my lifetime most likely.

 

There's no feel-good factor finishing 9th-10th. The media will be running stories that he should be sacked.