Think Struijk gets really bad appreciation from some on here. Obviously was quite poor last season, in a poorly managed/coached team. This year he’s improved greatly (yes albeit from a low bar and against less able opponents). However I think he deserves some praise. Personally I’m less convinced about Rodon. Thought Summerville was terrific today even before he scored. A great 3 points today. Good performances across the team, though I’d like Byram switched to right back for Wednesday, as thought Archie struggled a fair bit today. He’s just had too much football recently. MOT
Rodon was pants most of today and Archie is no full back, we need Spence fit ASAP, then just need to sort the LB position out
Relegation has been a godsend for rooter. His confidence was shot in the pl. he was a small fish in a very big pond and he’s now a big fish in a very small pond. He might never have got going had we stayed in pl but this is giving him time to grow into the English game. Have we found the new pablo in Summerville
I’ve seen some say Meslier was crap more say Rodon more saying Archie was poor. If they were all that bad how did Norwich not score ten
You’ve only to look at how the three promoted teams are doing in the pl this season to assess the difference in standard. It’s a huge gulf and you’d expect any of last seasons players to look substantially better surely
Yes and that's what we're seeing although some aren't happy unless the games are being won 10-0 it seems.
Disagree we had shyt coaches who never used him and gave him no confidence. Gracia started him against Fulham in the cup and he was great in a shyt team. He had a good goal disallowed laid on a couple of good chances and forced 2 worldly saves then got pulled and we got beat. He wasn’t given a go in the next game and on it went. Crap management mate and they all allowed him to take the shyt from the fans and pundits instead of giving him his head. Winkers
The defensive unit were very poor today. Especially 1st half. Meslier ducked under the first goal. Got beat at his near post for the second as his positioning was wrong. Rodon and Struijk played as individuals and were too far apart from each other and it was illustrated by Norwich splitting that partnership wide open twice in the first half. Meslier rescued one occasion to be fair to the lad. Both centre halves were better 2nd half and were decent on the ball. Archie Gray looked lost. Maybe due to the quality he was up against but more likely he's played over 300 minutes on international duty. Byram did okay but was targeted on the press as he struggles to play out from left back as he's right footed. It caused us problems today. As a defensive unit we fell well short of what we are capable of. That's fine as the strikers (eventually) got us out of a hole. Implying that everyone was great because we won a game is too simple a way to look at it.
Ampedu wasn't at his best today but kept going and still helped us get the win. He wasn't the only one.
I think the break only works for teams who have no internationals. We have a load including kids so not much chance to work as a unit. The idiot running the U19s needs a slap and we have players like Gruev who are playing for Bulgaria constantly and half the Welsh team. Some of these players don’t get back until a couple of days before the league match. And all are asked to do something different from what they do at their clubs, so willing to accept that being the excuse. We have another break next month, this is a fkg joke
Romano saying Everton are back in for Summerville in January and trying their luck at £20m. Lets hope Everton get points deducted and sued for hundreds of millions. They would also need to agree a price for Jack Harrison too. Marc Roca scored for Betis yesterday
Kinnear said that we rejected a bid in the "low 20's" (million I hope) for Summerville in the summer and he has kicked on since then. If we are pushing for promotion come January then no key player leaves. If we fail to go up then the likes of Summerville, Gnonto, Rutter, Ampadu, Harrison will probably go for BIG money and we build again for next season.
They’ll only go for big money if they continue to perform. IF they all continue to perform promotion will be a given
Klich and Ayling sending big applause to Robin Koch who is now team captain for Hoffenhiem. He has been involved in 5 clean sheets recently and have only conceded 10 goals this season. Trouble is he walks on a free in June, another good player made to suffer in a defensive shambles post Bielsa
If only it was that simple. The reality is we're likely to finish somewhere in the Top 4, with a decent chance of second if all goes well. Leicester Ipswich Leeds Southampton. Come the end of the season that's the Top 4 right there...now it's just a question of which order they finish in.
