Tough watch. Boring. An improvement could be Palmer appears to be playing consistently with more energy. A negative Famara Diedhiou was absent during that lesson.
..... yes, apart from delivering the most exciting few seconds of the game near the end, with his shot which their keeper just managed to tip onto the post........
Not sure of the logic why Fammy starts every game, even though he's been dreadful......am I missing something? Deano also favoured him.....IMO he slows us down and would be much better coming off the bench.
Yes. After a performance of what? Honesty? Energy? Technical proficiency? Tactical flexibility? What does the team lose in return?
Agreed. He gets too many of the 'basics' wrong for me - in particular his first touch - which is crazy because it's possible to TRAIN your first touch, as I know from personal experience. He's still our top scorer though - in a side which has been weak - and without much quality service to the strikers. I can see him scoring shedloads in a side that provides a decent service from midfield. All irrelevant though - he's going in a couple of months time.
Totally agree and his first touch has been woeful since he first arrived. He's a bit like Wayne Allison in some respects where he also needs a few chances before he sticks one away. But you're right, he is our top scorer so I suppose we need to be thankful for that. But personally, I'd still move him on.
He has many weaknesses, but In a team that provides quality service I agree he’d score loads , his goals per minutes played in a team that doesn’t create many chances Is pretty good. I do think though it would probably be in both his and our interests for him to move on in the summer. I only hope we can find a decent replacement.
I agree it's probably time for him to move on. He seems like a really nice guy - but that shouldn't qualify him for a place in the side. He does seem lazy at times, but nobody could sweat the way he does without making a bit of an effort He's made his intentions clear though by refusing to sign.
Hunt for me is still a worry, although to be fair to him he was ok last night, Sessegnon was ok as well, the midfield battled well all game and competed against a physical team, with Semenyo and especially Wells did their bit in midfield and defence, Lansbury just doesn't do it for me his passing is shocking and Diedhiou was awful. Part of the problem was bad choices in promising positions, not playing in players in better positions, poor delivery especially at set pieces and too many tame efforts from promising positions and the ball not being held up, perhaps if we do not have a player who can hold the ball up let's play a different way until we do. On Saturday I would like to see something like this. Bentley Mariappa Kalas Vyner Sessegnon Nagy Walsh Massengo Semenyo Palmer Wells I would also put Louis Britton on the bench, this guy is a real talent but is out of contract, although we have a 1 year option, we need to make him feel wanted and tie him to a longer contract, my understanding there are a host of clubs already circling, also if circumstances dictate give him a run out. We have to start winning at home, last night in commentary there was a lot of talk about the playing surfaces at Blackburn and Birmingham being poor (which they were) but that is not an excuse at home even with the rugby our playing surface is like a billiard table and tailor made for a slick passing game.
I find sometimes the criticism of Sessegnon a bit harsh. We forget that he’s a right back being asked to play as a left back.
Agree Jiffie - particularly with: We have to start winning at home, last night in commentary there was a lot of talk about the playing surfaces at Blackburn and Birmingham being poor (which they were) but that is not an excuse at home even with the rugby our playing surface is like a billiard table and tailor made for a slick passing game. ... and I thought Derby's pitch was SO bad it was bordering on illegal when we played them. How anyone could play football on it is beyond me. With those type of conditions, a team more used to playing 'direct' (hoofball) will have an advantage. Our methods should be able to adapt to that ugly method when needed.
What criticism?, to be fair IMHO he is playing better at left back than he did the few times he played at right back, he is certainly an upgrade on Rowe and Mariappa in that position. He's not our player and unless Fulham survive and they need to unload probably never likely to be. We do need a right back though and there are worse out there.
I think it probably surrounds frustration that for what ever reason with DaSilva injured prior to the season starting, we never brought in any cover and also allowed Pring out on loan and in January knowing that Rowe had joined DaSilva long term injured, we did bring back Pring who was injured and never brought in a replacement, it was poor decision making all round. Add to that the right back position has been an issue for 4 years, we have never quite got it right and have not had a consistent performer in that position since the league 2 days. This season in many of our defeats especially at home, we have been exposed by young athletic full/wing backs and until the half time tweak last night it was a danger to us last night on Hunt's flank. The tweak forced Blackburn to try to target Sessegnon's flank but they got no change from that.
You’ve said a few times that you hope we don’t go for him in the summer. He’s played RB 3 times at the most
Ah right, I thought you meant last night, I have indeed and based on the performances that I had watched and had expressed an opinion about those performances, criticism when deserved about what I have seen and praise when deserved, I even do that with Diedhiou (when deserved) and last night with Lansbury, although I criticised his passing I noted that his defensive work was good. But hey as I said he's not our player and I suspect will probably not be, so no harm done.