Hoofing it long to Calvert Lewin won't work because he'll be so isolated and whilst he's a nuisance his ball retention isn't great, even when we've got players in and around him.
Set pieces will be our best chance for a goal, but as you eluded to, we won't be getting many of them in dangerous positions if we can't get into their half.
I say it every year that we need to kill the game from the first whistle. Time wasting from goal kicks and throw ins and crush their rhythm. Sadly we seem to fight fire with fire and end up receiving a hiding as a consequence.
Martinez never played it like a pragmatist and Koeman threw the towel in from the offset. I expect Sam will try to do exactly what you said- kill the game and get something from a set piece.
From the highlights I’ve seen weekly, teams sitting deep and leaving one man up top against the RS have been getting beat 3-0 as a minimum score line. For me Clive we need to treat their attack with the respect it deserves but also treat their defence with the contempt it deserves. They haven’t been put under nearly enough pressure in some of these games and as such are able to build momentum before inevitably scoring. Look at how isolated Lukaku was when United went their- far too much deferential respect and you totally nullify your own attack.
But the again.. we can’t win in a straight up shoot out, so what do you do? Personally I think Lennon has to play and probably Niasse, just to give us some pace to potentially counter and a lot of graft in their as well. I’ve been critical of him but like the hypocrite of a football fan I am I’m hoping Rooney is up for this more than any game he’s played in years.
Has to be said though, no matter how well drilled we are, our defence is pretty awful personnel wise. Let’s hope Sam has it even more organised with a full weeks training ahead.
