It was a total disinterest in doing any more than strictly necessary after HT. especially midfield and up top. The CB were ran round doing most of the work with holding the ball or defending as union attacked us. We needed guys to take their own responsibility and be there for a pass and take the ball up the park and force them to defend.
think he is just happy to be actually playing again and really happy as so far its all going really well for him with 3 starts and an assist or goal in all 3
When watching him, I get the impression he didn't know what he's doing. I'm sure he does, just seems comes across (to me) as a bit erratic at times.
I agree, in general, but I think analysing individual performances is a waste of time, quite frankly. Like it or not, as a team we seem to play according to the opposition. The performances last night won't be repeated on Sunday because their motivation will be different. We should walk through this EL group, but we'll probably sleepwalk through most of it. The danger of complacency is evident, but I doubt we'd really start playing unless we go behind.
This is kind of a double edged sword in this competition, especially early on. Do you pick a strong team and hope they take it seriously, bearing in mind that game management is also a factor, or do you pick enthusiastic kids and hope they're good enough? Either way we have 6 points so can't complain too much.
Union should have scored though. 12 corners. in the end it had been 2-0 on 45mins and we played that way I'd shrug and assume we would pick it up if we did concede. at 1-0 its a silly silly game to play. especially the sloppy nature of passes at alisson at times.
Re. Gravenberch, he's got a unique style of play that I can't quite work out. He's an intelligent player who looks to be playing within himself so far. I'd like to see him alongside Thiago. I think they would be devastating. I got the feeling last night that they weren't disrespecting the opposition but conserving energy.
He looks quite good technically but languid in his movements defensively. Compared to szoboszlai who looks totally swithced on every second and bursting for work it is a real contrast. the first 20/25mins gravenberch was outstanding. Once they adapted and closed down he vanished. he looks a proper player though. really talented. As I said as well. elliotts driving run then the really really nice pass out to salah rather than shooting was class. Its a shame he totally and utterly vanished at RW. He was nearly jumping out of our own players way or back passing all second half. It was a crying shame he put absolutely no marker down for a role as salah back up OR as an option to move salah to 9 if we needed it
Nothing wrong with being languid. He's long limbed so one stride for him is three for most players. If he is as positionally astute going forward as he was for large parts last night then he will cause problems for the opposition and be another source of goals.
nothing par se if he looked like he was about his defensive work. he's got to develop into the system imo. looks a dribbler and has a lot of attributes.
