Directness without end product counters one another out though. Being a good dribbler only gets you so far, when you can’t do anything with it then it becomes pointless. There’s no brain in the guy’s head, unfortunately. He’s another Traore/ Bolasie/ Saint Maximin. As King has just said, he’s a Fulham/ Wolves type of player, not a team with big ambitions.
It's a systemic issue Bissouma isn't moving the ball into the space he was at the start of the season, and to be honest I am starting to suspect he's playing though an injury as that would explain his dropoff in the transition (let alone his sudden nonexistence defensively) and as a result Maddison is dropping deeper to fill that space during the buildup - which in turn is causing Sonny to start dropping deeper so a gap isn't left between midfield and attack While dropping Bissouma for 2-3 games could resolve part of that issue, the issue is we don't have a certain option to replace him: Bentancur has some of those same issues due to recoving from a serious ankle injury (and breaking a toe before the Palace game didn't help), Hojbjerg would put in a shift but is still better placed for the Sarr role, while moving Sarr back is the most obvious solution but would deprive us of his energy in the middle (which both Skipp and Hojbjerg can replicate to a point, admittedly, but just that one part of his game rather than the whole burrito)
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The difference is that Werner has a directness that can create things, which we rarely saw from Townsend etc Look at our winner from today as an example: absolutely pelts it down the pitch when Sonny gets the ball on the edge of our area while remaining onside, turned Kabore and left Clark for dead before nutmegging Kabore to cross the ball low to Johnson, and Johnson touched it into Sonny's path Imagine that same passage of play from any of Traore, Bolasie, Walcott, Saint Maximin et al: while the three of them could do at least one of the things mentioned in that passage of play, maybe two, but at the same time they would just as likely be either offside for Son's pass, or smack their attempted cross into Kabore's ankles, or when turning Kabore run down a blind alleyway
Gotta say it... some of the criticism is so ott. We weren't great by a long shot but we hit both posts with one shot, had one cleared off the line, had another that some how didn't go in, and missed two other great chances. Their goal went in off the post. Their was some lovely football with just the end product missing (yes werner, I am definitely looking at you). We have not got a deep enough squad (quality wise) so out of form players are still starting. However we are still playing some decent football, are still in with a chance of qualifying for CL football, have only failed to score once away from home all season and have scored in every home game. If you'd offered me this in July I'd have bit your arm off. A little perspective is needed along with a memory off how awful and turgid we were last season.
2nd half was a definite improvement on the 1st, Johnson made a very good impact should keep his place against West Ham in the week. Thought that Porro played so much better with Brennan than with Kulu, mixing his game up more. No question that we deserved to win, but we do like to make hard work of it.
Let’s see what we are saying mid-week! But yes, on the whole the team played okay today. A couple of players need to start from the bench (Biss and Kule). I thought Werner was okay as a winger and only narrowly missed his opportunity in the first half. Son was poor despite his goal. vicario made a couple of decent saves. Mustn’t forget his contribution. Did Maddie pick up an injury?
They probably didn't show it on the TV footage, but a Luton player changed his early on. When Kulusevski collided with their keeper he stayed down and got treatment so it could happen.
I saw him on the sideline when their keeper was injured in the first half...thought he'd taken a knock
I'd love to see a longer sequence for their goal. Not sure what Kabore was thinking for the equaliser, though.
There is no longer a case to be made to start Bissouma for the rest of the season. We have a horrendously difficult set of fixtures coming up and he simply offers nothing at either end of the pitch. Can't defend, can't pass, can't shoot and despite brief evidence to the contrary earlier in the season, can't carry possession either. He is the dictionary definition of a passenger. Hojbjerg has to replace him for the cup final on Tuesday night. Really disappointing signing but it is strange how many players have looked world class at Brighton and then totally mediocre having moved to 'bigger' clubs. Kulusevski also starting to drain me of confidence tbh. Pretty obvious why Juve were happy to get rid and in the cold light of day, an £8m loan fee plus a £30m payment to make it permanent looks like pretty bad business.
I am more reminded of late stage Poch in the sense that what was once a solid meritocracy seems to have totally collapsed and in its place a small group of favourites are selected irrespective of form. Bissouma and Kulusevski must have some embarrassing pictures of Ange on their phones, I can't think of a more rational explanation.
It's more likely that Ange understands that you have to judge players' abilities over many matches and that 'form' is irrelevant as a few recent performances are a worse guide to future ones than the full history.
But I also doubt if the full performance histories are sufficient to give any statistical certainty to a claim that any of our current midfielders are better than any of the others. So whoever Ange thinks follows his systemic role the best is the right choice to start.
Not that strange IMHO. Think of the Lesta fairy tale. A team that had several players rated, when the reality was that only Kante / Mahrez / peak Vardy were good enough to be guaranteed starting XI in a PL top 4 club. "Kulusevski also starting to drain me of confidence tbh. Pretty obvious why Juve were happy to get rid and in the cold light of day, an £8m loan fee plus a £30m payment to make it permanent looks like pretty bad business." He has been far from the form of the 2021-22 season. If that is due to attitude problems. then on the manager to read the riot act.
