Gray and Spence have been the lone rays of light. How he can watch this midfield and not think it needs heavy investment is beyond me.
Bissouma particularly is maddening. He’s a senior player and he turns into trouble all the time and gives it away to leave us outnumbered on the counter. Just get rid of it if you are in that situation. We shoot ourselves in the foot.
Ange's record in London derbies is shocking. Not just the results, every one I've seen, the players just don't seem to care at all.
This has potential to get ugly, the lack of leaders on the pitch is very evident at the moment. Spence, Gray and Bergvall the only ones coming out with any credit from that first half. Such stupid, soft goals to concede.
I think it’s a bit harsh on Kinsky for the goal. Would have saved it but then it kicks up just in front. We didn’t expect anything and probably won’t get anything (from the game or ref apparently).
For all that we managed to lead the game for a while we haven’t had a foothold at all. Their press is absolutely suffocating us, particularly down the left. Spence is actually having a very good game defensively but when he’s being pressed, him being on the wrong side is very evident. We’ve had a bit of success with Spence, Sarr and Bergvall just running through them but we need to do that more. They’re funnelling our play down our left to target Gray and Spence and they’re doing a superb job of it. Sarr a silly boy to get on that yellow card as well. We need to get the ball moving a bit faster and provide some more options on the right so they can’t just pin us in like they have been. The less said about Biss losing the ball like that for their second, or the non-corner for the first, the better…but we have to change things up quickly for the second half.
Kulusevski looks wiped. Not at all surprising, he's been run into the ground. We're trying to hit them on the counter (at least, I think that's what we're doing but tbh with Ange I can never tell for sure) but have no natural pace up front. I think the Swede needs to come off for Brennan. I'd also bring on Reguilon for Porro who hasn't looked at all comfortable since that injury, and unleash Spence on his stronger side. We cannot continue like this, which means Ange will almost certainly continue like this.
If they score early in the second half this could get nasty. I pray the players come out with way more fight than they showed in the first half. I’d put Maddison on for Bissouma for a start to try and keep hold of the ball better in midfield
I just think Bissouma is out of his depth. His lack of judgement for that 2nd goal was poor, but also where was any support for him? The guy had acres of space and time once he lost possession...
