What I would say is that while Abel rarely held the ball, he did work the defenders hard enough that we often picked up their clearing headers and tackles, Tommy H especially. It's a valid way of getting the ball forwards. Did anyone else think Kante looked pretty ****? One season wonder maybe.
The top six clubs have players who can pass the ball accurately and control the ball well. Most of the players in the other teams are nowhere near as accomplished. The difference is huge.
We would pass the ball well in midfield sideways and backwards and it would eventually get to Jak who would hoof it up the field and we'd lose it. When we have the ball in midfield why not pass forward? We would have a better opportunity of creating something from there.
He did close down well and worked hard but we need a little more unfortunately. Regarding Kante, I thought our midfield played really well yesterday and that caused him and Matic to struggle. He's been great this year, though. Really turned the Chelsea team around and made them steadier.
Am I remembering right - the squad was barely there, MP played with what he had (a back 3?) and then players came in/back from injury and he had a choice. We had no RB so he put Elmo in there and left Big H out. My memory may be incorrect...
The Liverpool Echo spotlight Niasse's non challenge on Cahill for the second goal yesterday, as the African's curious squat was in effect an 'After you' offer for the Chelsea defender. Vindicates Koeman's decision to let him out on loan. Ash would have dug him out big time for that.
Harry Redknapp's opinion is one that should be ignored. He's a useless manager who just overspends everywhere he goes and has only said what he has because he wasn't probably in with a shot of the job and returning to management.
Ehaw seems to want a pop up club. 6 months from now, the management team will be gone, his loan signings and the players he brought in. What kind of confidence does that show in anyone? Seems Phelan's one season contract set the tone......no intention of building up the club, just employ people for as short a time as you have to.
It's still better to move forward when we have a ball under control in midfield than pass it back to Jak to hoof it.
Anyone care to look and see how many more goals Burnley have scored than us?? Ten points clear of us. Or how about Soton? 11 points clear of us. The answers are 4 and 2!!!! Surprised??? Marco is tightening us up at the back. Of course its going to be nip and tuck. Give Abel the service and he'll score. The rest have to weigh in too.
The difference between Phelan & Silva was in Phelan's own approach and this was vs West Brom FFS.. I don't remember exactly but it was similar to: "We tried to contain them for 60 minutes and then if we're still in the game try and nick a goal bla bla bla" West Brom are one of the teams who generally concede the most possession in the league due to Pulis and Phelan was basically saying, "no you have the ball" Yes the results are similar vs the big clubs but it's less 'backs to the wall'
It's been a problem for quite some time (it was under Bruce), turning it around won't be easy in the short space of time. Obviously new players would help and less injuries would help. The Allams have had no long term thinking at all this season, it's all been about selling the club and they even failed at that.
