It wasn't a bad game, but it wasn't great either. It's promising that we didn't look overrun by a top class side like Spurs. Even when we were a man down, we looked reasonably comfortable but were just undone by some good football while down to 10 men. In a way, I'm glad Shelvey came off, because that new lad Merino came on and he looks very promising. Very comfortable on the ball, good distribution, where as Shelvey looked lost and if he's this way after half a Frustrating game in a league where he will have a lot less freedom, It was better now than later that we realised that we cannot rely on him if we want to progress. Call it a knee jerk reaction if you want, he;s had plenty of issues with his attitude for years and all it took was a frustrating game and to be wound up by Alli and he feels the need to stamp on a player. Ratings - Elliot - 7.5 - Good distribution at times and some great saves under pressure. Stopped it from being a flattering scoreline for Spurs. Manquilo - 7 - Looks decent Lascelles - 7 - Quite solid Mbemba - 7 - Decent defensive display. Clark - 7.5 - Filled in very well for Dummett with some solid defending and decent support of Atsu on the left. Shelvey - 0 - Was ****e all game and got sent off. Hayden - 6.5 - Good performance. A little bit slow at times but good pressure and work rate. Ritchie - 6.5 - Didn't create much but he worked very hard like he always does even if he's not having a good technical game. Atsu - 8 - Great game considering the opposition. He was our best threat going forward and skinned top class defenders. Just needs to work a bit more on his final ball, but can't complain. I'm excited for him. I'd love to see what he'll be able to do against lesser opposition. Perez - 6 - Was quite anonymous at times but some decent dribbling and runs and distribution. Gayle - 5 - Didn't really get much service and was pretty isolated. Doesn't look fully fit. Merino - n/a - Looks very promising. Benitez - 7 - He got the lads looking well organised and relaxed on our first game into the prem, and there's a good chance we would have gotten a draw if we had kept 11 men on the pitch. I don't know why he made Shelvey captain over Ritchie. Shelvey doesn't marshal the players at all and at least Ritchie would lead by example. MOTM - Atsu
The team really competed today. The players played for rafa and stuck to their task. Good to see you back Tash.
Would have given Ritchie a 5.5 - again another petulant dipshit. Worked hard - so did Perez. But both produced sod all. Thought Perez was more likely to produce something though.
Ritchie flatters to deceive. All brawn and no brain. Scores the odd goal and people rave about him. Sorry - Not for me.
I thought it was a generally solid display, a bit in the Leicester mold of counterattacking play, need more quality on the final ball though, I thought Kane's tackle was poor and on another day could have drawn a red, might have been harsh but when you tackle another player in this manner then there have to be consequences beyond a yellow especially when the player is injured. We were not overrun by what many are saying is the best Young team in the league and apart from the idiot there were more positives than negatives about this performance.
Much better than I expected, especially the fact that we were still trying (without much in the way of success) to produce something when 2 goals and 1 man down.
we've gota give him a little time to get the Sunderland out of his system. I feel this was taken into account by tash in his ratings
He really does but he will show up and look capable for maybe 10 games this season, that may just be enough
It was a bit of huffing and puffing from relegation candidates against one of the finest first XI's and managers in the league. No danger of us getting anything out of that game, so move on. Disappointment from me was why we stuck with 4 at the back upon losing Dummett. Embarrassing enough that a PL club can't bring in a sub left back, but that's another conversation. Seemed well set up to test the 3 at the back, Manquillo another one lacking in defensive know-how. To be honest, I don't know why we're playing one up front. It's really difficult to lead the line on your own, only a handful of clubs do it particularly well but look at the quality they've been able to rely on - Costa, Lukaku, Kane now Morata, etc. Add to that how good you have to be to play No 10 well and again we're hugely, massively short in this area. It's an odd one, for all I want Rafa to stay I do think he could learn something about flexibility and look at the personnel at his disposal. It's a bit of a negative comment, as per, but I feel if we persevere with this 4-2-3-1 we'll go down. We won't keep clean sheets, we won't score, it's pretty fcking simple. Worst thing is he's invested all of his budget in "inside forward" style wingers (the quick kind who are more likely to shoot than set anything up). I don't know where we go from here - the club under Rafa has made it's decision with the identity and it's 4-2-3-1 or nothing, in spite of having no key personnel in the vital areas. We're not going to, but I'd rather see us go 3-5-2 as soon as possible. Two up top certainly. Gayle needs confidence, Mitro will always need a partner, Perez can buddy up with either and isn't a No.10. Both Clark and Dummett are decent left sided CB's, Mbemba or Lascelles would be decent right CB, with Lejeune in the middle. Yedlin/Manquillo would be better suited to right wing back though we do have an issue on the left side (could Atsu do it? Murphy?). In the middle we pick from Merino, Hayden, Shelvey, De Jong - Wilshere or McCarthy's arrival (and fitness) would be welcome here - with two from three or four up front. Even if we sign Joselu, who's a bit of a donkey to be honest, he can't do the central role alone. I know tactics aren't everyone's cup of tea, but I just think we need a change in this league. We won't, though, unfortunately.
Might take a while - some of our players are still trying to get rid of Pardew and Carver out of their systems
1. We looked like we might get something from the game before all the disruptions. Certainly can't say it was looking impossible. 2. Fully agree. 3. Too early to say this - think he might be trying to set us up in a Leicester fast counter-attacking style to colour over our deficiencies as much as possible. We really need that clinical striker though. 4. I keep thinking things like this. Never really liked us with one up top, but I'm not going to convince myself that I'm better qualified than Rafa to judge these things. 5. He needs confidence in his own hamstrings.