Wow ! How dirty are PAOK I wish the commentator would stop saying it's comfortable. We all know what Spurs do when it's comfortable.
Roles off the other post. Great ball by Oakley-Boothe and I think the keeper saves that, but that should be 2-0.
Roles hitting the woodwork twice? Surely ready for a spot in first team ...if he signed a new contract, supposedly
1-0 FT. PAOK having a good whine, despite being total filth. Job done, but really made hard work of it.
We made that a lot harder than it should have been. I don't think Roles is ready for the first team. He lost the ball on numerous occasions trying to be too clever instead of doing the simple. We missed some first team regulars.
Parrott's been out with a knock since last week, while they're also missing Sterling, Shashoua, Edwards, Georgiou and Harrison to a slight case of loan I mean that's sort of like our first team's problems of late...
Round of 16 (12/13 March) Chelsea (ENG) v Montpellier (FRA) Midtjylland (DEN) v Manchester United (ENG) Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) v Liverpool (ENG) Lyon (FRA) v Ajax (NED) Barcelona (ESP, holders) v Hertha Berlin (GER) Porto (POR) v Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) Hoffenheim (GER) v Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) Atlético Madrid (ESP) v Real Madrid (ESP)
Curious to see if we're up against the next Modric/Badelj/Brozovic/Kovacic ...hopefully we don't end up being impressed by the next Halilovic
Watching the stream, it appears our U23s tactics mainly consist of keep trying to create something down the flanks while Roles, Maghoma and Shashoua look increasingly pissed off in the middle
1-0 down - a cross comes in, Dinzeyi clears it from under one Dinamo player who was ready to shoot, but the ball loops to an unmarked second player who smashes it in We had a great chance to equalise a minute or so later, but Maghoma not only sent the ball over the bar but also over the building site at that end of the ground and into the street beyond Also, for those interested, this is the formation we're using (according to Google, anyway...) Austin; Hinds (Marsh), Tanganga, Eyoma (Dinzeyi), Lyons-Foster; White, Shashoua, Maghoma; Oakley-Boothe, Tracey; Roles (Clarke)
A few observations... Roles - doesn't appear suited to playing as an out-and-out striker as he was easily dealt with by Dinamo's defence, and with Dinamo controlling midfield he was caught in possession a few times Oakley-Boothe - didn't seem suited to the initial 4231 formation we lined up with, although when we changed our system he came into the game more, creating a good chance with a cross that Tracey wasted Marsh - his introduction helped us gain control of midfield for the first time in the game, and he did seem more composed Maghoma - had a couple of Dembele-esque surges through midfield, one of which saw him fouled for White's free kick and Dinamo's tactics certainly changed when he got the ball as they were trying to take him out PDQ, although he wasted our best chance of the game by sending it out of the ground Austin - a couple of good saves, not least the diving header on the line to keep a header out Shashoua - rarely saw the ball when he was in the centre of the midfield three, what with the team constantly trying to create down the wings for a large chunk of the game, but when moved to the right after Marsh came on he was a useful out ball for Lyons-Foster Tracey - completely anonymous until getting sent off for a scuffle with several Dinamo players in stoppage time Tanganga - some impressive surges out of defence towards the end of the game, plus he sent a late header wide White - a couple of dangerous set pieces, namely a free kick and the corner that Tanganga put wide Hinds - Dinamo appeared to be targeting him and it's clear to see why, as at the first sign of danger he was passing it sideways or backwards Lyons-Foster - a definite improvement on Hinds when moved to right back, linking well with Shashoua and blocking one cross with his face
