I actually think this has been no better than the Brighton game, we have no control at all and even less since Sarr went off
This 100% Knowing that a style of play depends on having the 'right' players to achieve it, means that when the balance of the sides abilities doesn't support that style then an alternative is needed.
The difference having Romero and VDV in the team has such a huge impact on how we play. As they both play on the front foot and come into midfield to make up the numbers. I am coming around to your way of thinking on this one now as we will lose this game if we continue like this second half
Bmouth can feel very hard done by. They've been by far the better side. Son, Johnson and Lo Celso really poor. I don't think anyone else is having a particularly bad game, but we have zero midfield control and cannot get out of our own half. Bentancur clearly not ready to return this soon.
And Everton too I’d say. We’ve been nowhere near as positive in our play these last few games barring a few short spells.
We need to grind out a result here even if it goes against Ange’s way of playing football. Sometimes you need to win ugly
There are methods to my madness at times, mate! . Emerson invites fear amongst our players, I don’t think they trust him and they’re right not too. Bournemouth are also targeting his area almost every single time, they’ve barely tried attacking through Udogie-Davies. He’s given it away almost as many times as Richarlison and his defending has been shabby. We’re only really going in ahead through Bournemouth’s wastefulness more so than our defensive solidity.
Iraola has done a really good job there. They press all over the pitch and have really fluid and unpredictable patterns of play, which we are struggling badly with.
If Ange doesn’t change anything at half time after watching that last half an hour, then it’s the first time I will question him.
That's also because Porro is far weaker than Udogie defensively, as recent games have demonstrated. It is too easy to get goal side of him and once you do, he lacks the strength to solve the problem.
Definitely need a spoiler in midfield to push back against Bournemouth's press, so if we look at the bench ...okay, how do people feel about Emerson as a DM?
I do struggle to understand his thought process with Emerson. He wants to play a possession based system that builds from the back, yet picks a guy that genuinely struggles kicking a football to be the first point of contact for attacks. Very odd thinking in my opinion. Just have to hope Dragusin is in on the 1st. That way we won’t have to see Emerson again with a bit of luck.
And we’ve always known that with Porro, though we’ve mitigated it a lot this season by playing on the front foot where he’s fantastic. The last 3 games haven’t been too far off of Conte-ball with how we’ve sat back so much. Having Emerson covering Porro is just exacerbating his issues too.
We've already made one change, I highly doubt he'll make more now unless forced to by injury. One idea is to move Skipp into the centre of the midfield instead of hugging the right flank where he is wasted. His physicality could help. Bentancur is back too soon and Lo Celso is all over the place - doesn't look like he understands his role.
Think Ange only has TWO of his players in the team...Vicario and Johnson. Richarlison, Skipp, Lo Celso and Royal wouldn't be in the squad let alone the team if he had been here longer and didn't have so many out. All this (and most matches since the injury crisis started) shows is how much we have to strengthen in January if we are to have a real chance of top 4 .
