I had to double-check as I am sure there is less than a month to the next game. How am I meant to write 10,000 words in less than a month?? I assumed you knew something I didn't!
I’ll have to skip the next one on account of being in Spain for the weekend, I’ll just jinx **** again
How much game time has he had in comparison to the rest of the team? I'm certain Atsu has doubled him
There's definitely some complacency. Shelves, Perez, Yedlin, Dummett (today) and even Ritchie lately I do think if they saw a direct threat this season would be ending with alot more focus than anything. The effort was there today but the choices were **** and too many times I saw us stand still when we should be looking for a pass. On the other side I saw far too many players trying ridiculous long shots. Kenedy's choice to shoot rather than layoff the easy goal to Gayle says it all today.
I know mate I get you, but he deserves more time. Thauvin had at least spent a few years in ligue 1, Murphy's career has been spent in the lower leagues. He's not amalfitano to me, you don't score the goal against Citeh if you are
Does it say that he now knows Gayle well enough to understand that he would miss it, easy chance or not?
Meh, the players are on holiday, compared with West Brom, who are fighting for their lives. We're safe, I don't care!
Players on holiday, very lethargic 2nd half. We struggle with organised teams because Rafas game plan centres around stopping the oppo, frustrating them and then picking them off. We are not great when we have get at teams. There was no plan b. Only thing that frustrated me was taking strikers off for strikers. We are getting beat, it’s an end of season dead rubber, could we not have thrown caution to the wind? Could have been different if we’d put our chances away first half when I thought we played fairly well. Bit of a frustrating day and we need to bounce back as you want to end the season on a high.
Resembled a Championship match, with the difference being we were against a team that took their chance. We won a lot of those last year, but it was very similar to a lot of our mid season performances. Inability to make decisions in the final third kills us. Gayles movement is second tier at best. Perez also doesn’t move well enough, he wants to get the ball and run but it didn’t work for him yesterday. Ritchie was very poor and Yedlin worse; problem we have when the right side is so bad, we only have one attacker the other side in Kenedy. Dummett has his worst game of the season. Just a bad day all round. Joselus Miss was extraordinary and we desperately need better attackers. Two month window and a World Cup yet we will need around 5 or 6 upgrades. Interesting.
Oh yep not for one moment suggesting he showed any of it to us. I'm just saying That I think Rafa could have got more out of him of he had been in charge.
despite the rain that morning they decided to water the pitch before kick off and despite the fact that players were slipping over in the first half they decided to water the pitch at half time
