He's in lukakus class mate . No doubt about it
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A very strange game and in honesty 3-2 was flattering to us. It was a worthwhile test to see how close we were to Spurs who are probably the second best all round team in the Premier League this season. We need to be ruthless in our evaluations that we can draw from today, and given it's Koeman's first season there is no problem with that. We've learnt lessons and thats fine for me.
If we want to be where Spurs are, in honesty Mori's distribution isn't quite there, Williams is ok for now but is only a stop gap. I have serious worries about Baines now, in comparison to the 3 other fullbacks today was the first time I saw him and thought his legs have gone. He's a clever defender who has excellent delivery, but I think a left sided player is more important than I first thought.
In the middle of the park I though Barkley was very good today. Demanded the ball and controlled the game for 30 minutes. Schneiderlin, Gana and Davies showed flashes of skill that they could play at that level but they didn't today. I don't think the formation helps them. While I understand the inclusion of Barry and I think he has some role to play, today was too much for him and I'd be surprised to see him much longer.
Mirallas did ok but if we can improve on him we should. Lukaku's hold up play was quite good at he took his goal well.
Inspite of being hammered, we have lost today because of game management in key moments. The first goal is a great strike, questions of Barry and Robles but these things happen. it's the next 2 that are disappointing. Robles just has to hold that ball, and smash it 60 yard forward. We should have just been playing on their nerves an waiting for the pace to drop. We know if we get a chance to Rom he probably scores. IF we keep it at 1-0, we probably come away 1-1. Completely undeserved but it's what top teams do.
The 3rd goal we are just all over the place. Again there are still 2 minutes to go. It's chaos. We score again. If we defend properly, maybe Spurs switch off and we get a 2-2? Too often today we played silly passes in our last third instead of doing the basics.
If we want to be where Spurs are, in honesty Mori's distribution isn't quite there, Williams is ok for now but is only a stop gap. I have serious worries about Baines now, in comparison to the 3 other fullbacks today was the first time I saw him and thought his legs have gone. He's a clever defender who has excellent delivery, but I think a left sided player is more important than I first thought.
In the middle of the park I though Barkley was very good today. Demanded the ball and controlled the game for 30 minutes. Schneiderlin, Gana and Davies showed flashes of skill that they could play at that level but they didn't today. I don't think the formation helps them. While I understand the inclusion of Barry and I think he has some role to play, today was too much for him and I'd be surprised to see him much longer.
Mirallas did ok but if we can improve on him we should. Lukaku's hold up play was quite good at he took his goal well.
Inspite of being hammered, we have lost today because of game management in key moments. The first goal is a great strike, questions of Barry and Robles but these things happen. it's the next 2 that are disappointing. Robles just has to hold that ball, and smash it 60 yard forward. We should have just been playing on their nerves an waiting for the pace to drop. We know if we get a chance to Rom he probably scores. IF we keep it at 1-0, we probably come away 1-1. Completely undeserved but it's what top teams do.
The 3rd goal we are just all over the place. Again there are still 2 minutes to go. It's chaos. We score again. If we defend properly, maybe Spurs switch off and we get a 2-2? Too often today we played silly passes in our last third instead of doing the basics.
It was a dream, right lads? Sorry but koeman lost this for us before a ball was even kicked. Negative setup, negative instructions, negative result. Not sure I've seen us play so many backwards passes this season.
And Barry was shocking for that first goal. What went through his head when he decided to peel away from the leagjes top scorer with a free shot on goal?
Blues Harp
Player Valuation: £60m
At least dalek supports you bottlers and not us...good riddance
Tony Hibbert's 3rd leg
Banned as requested
Performance was disappointing but Spurs have the best home form and will likely finish in the top three. To get two goals when they've only conceded five at home all season is another plus.
Biggest problem is when your strongest area in the team doesn't perform. When our midfield isn't clicking we don't look solid enough to get a result. This is where the defence needs to be more error free, but unfortunately in the long run question marks remain over Williams, Mori, Baines and Joel. Throughout the winning run we went on it was the compactness of the midfield that covered the fact the defence was shaky.
We have a squad good enough to be best of rest comfortably. But we are a few quality first team additions away from being competitive, and today was another case of lacking real creative options in the final third. That key pass, that attacking intelligence that's needed to get the best out of Lukaku.
Though today was a big error on Koeman's part. Not only changing from a formation that we have been playing well in, but to add a lacklustre Barry in expense of McCarthy or an attacking player. I feel Koeman was far too cautious and whether that be the lack of faith to take the game to Spurs or out of respect for them, it was disappointing to go back to this sort of mentality again. The right lessons should have been learnt from our win vs City, so it is frustrating to see us do the complete opposite in key away games. There is none of the arrogance we have against these teams away like there is when we play at home.
Biggest problem is when your strongest area in the team doesn't perform. When our midfield isn't clicking we don't look solid enough to get a result. This is where the defence needs to be more error free, but unfortunately in the long run question marks remain over Williams, Mori, Baines and Joel. Throughout the winning run we went on it was the compactness of the midfield that covered the fact the defence was shaky.
We have a squad good enough to be best of rest comfortably. But we are a few quality first team additions away from being competitive, and today was another case of lacking real creative options in the final third. That key pass, that attacking intelligence that's needed to get the best out of Lukaku.
Though today was a big error on Koeman's part. Not only changing from a formation that we have been playing well in, but to add a lacklustre Barry in expense of McCarthy or an attacking player. I feel Koeman was far too cautious and whether that be the lack of faith to take the game to Spurs or out of respect for them, it was disappointing to go back to this sort of mentality again. The right lessons should have been learnt from our win vs City, so it is frustrating to see us do the complete opposite in key away games. There is none of the arrogance we have against these teams away like there is when we play at home.
rochdaleblue
Player Valuation: £50m
Knowing your luck it will have rained the whole time and she won't even have a nice tan to 'show off' to you.
summerisle
The rain, it raineth every day
Just got in from work ; 100 pages of angst to read.
Just got in from work ; 100 pages of angst to read.
Don't bother, I'll sum it up for you :
We weren't very good.
They were much better.
We gave two silly goals away.
File under, one of those days.
Professor Toffee
On and on, over the hill and the craic is good
Exterminate?
streeky
Player Valuation: £35m
100% koeman's fault today, some poor individual performances but if he hasn't realised that as soon as we play barry our back 4 retreats to the 18yd box giving the team no chance to press the football. We didn't get a foothold in the game until he went off and we got up the feild, oh and funes mori please be gone in the summer.
Have never understood why the RS seem able to beat the top teams (with ease at times) even though they're crap, and their squad is piss poor, but we always struggle. Could it be that they go out and have a go from the off?
Stutheblue
Player Valuation: £30m
Scoreline did flatter us. But that second goal was avoidable. 3rd goal for them was poor too. Only one man to mark and we let him steal in. Not good enough if we want to compete at top end of table. And we do.
Mori, Williams, Robles are not 'top 4 level'. Robles is only young (for a keeper) and may improve. But, I'm not totally sold on him. Maybe if we got two top class centre backs in, he'd save us the job of buying a keeper. I don't know.
Williams has done ok over the season but is 33 now. Back up centre back next season I'd say. Mori, not up to it for a top 4 side. Baines cracking on too, but worth another year or so.
So, plenty of areas to improve on. We're at a level now (7th) and we want to kick on.
Mori, Williams, Robles are not 'top 4 level'. Robles is only young (for a keeper) and may improve. But, I'm not totally sold on him. Maybe if we got two top class centre backs in, he'd save us the job of buying a keeper. I don't know.
Williams has done ok over the season but is 33 now. Back up centre back next season I'd say. Mori, not up to it for a top 4 side. Baines cracking on too, but worth another year or so.
So, plenty of areas to improve on. We're at a level now (7th) and we want to kick on.
Kantareller
Player Valuation: £40m
defeat was fair, no doubt. Felt a bit like the Martinez days at their second goal, which always leave a disgusting taste.
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