Oh piss off, if you can't see that handball the match should be restarted as the officials are apparently blind
Now 8 days until the next game, Ange picked the wrong team tonight for me. Kulu, Son and Spence should have started.
**** first half **** ref in second half Still think we should have 2-3 more wins in the bag before we dare think about de-emphasising the league like Villa clearly have lately
I don’t think we’ve got anything to aim/ play for in the Prem tbh. It’s generally been the case for sides in the bottom half of the league at this stage of the season too. We’re not getting top six, an 11 point swing in the last 11 games feels too hopeful, especially knowing how inconsistent we are. All out for Europa for me. Give that everything and we may just have a chance of turning a fat dog turd of a season into a good one.
Need Solanke back badly if we’re going to have any chance of winning Europa. The way we play just doesn’t suit the likes of Tel or Son up there on their own.
Need a manager who can adapt depending on personnel or opponent. Ange has the team playing the same way regardless. To set up the same way when you have Tel up top compared to Solanke is amateur. Like others have said, the manager isn’t getting the best out of these players.
Given our run-in has a bunch of the most irritating games every season, most obviously trips to Klanford Bridge and the Taxpayer's Arena, a couple more wins in the bank already would help us sleep a little easier Especially if the alternative is expecting us to get six points off Wolves and Southampton in April...
Agree. Tonight seemed a great opportunity to go longer and try and use the pace we had in the front three to get behind them as they were never going to sit back on the edge of their box. I think we all know he’s not going anywhere though this season so relying on Solanke to come back asap it is.
Had to dip in and out of this one while at work. Thought we were far too passive in the first half and lacked a sharp edge in the second, though the performance was better. Tel clearly has something about him but I haven’t seen him be that convincing as a 9 yet. Some of those chances just fell to the wrong people, like Sarr at the end, as well, though maybe he has a better chance without it coming off Sonny. Highlights for me were Odobert, who is showing some of why we bought him now, Bergvall who once again looked mostly very assured in midfield (he got a bit scrappy at the end with some of his decision making, likely rushing to try and make something happen) and Djed Spence off the bench was good again. We had enough chances to get a point out of that and I’m frustrated we didn’t, especially because of that first half performance.
One takeaway from the game: I honestly don't think we'll be seeing Bissouma start another game for us ever again ...not now, Physio Watch
Bergvall was excellent - yes, he had a couple of slips, but overall, his energy and drive is so impressive for a 19 year old. He's going to be a gem!
We are 16 points, effectively 17, ahead of Leicester and Ipswich. Both have 17 points all season. Would be quite the finish from either of them to relegate us.
The thing is sacking off league form at the end of one season for one reason or another can cause ennui which bleeds into the next. Most obviously happened to us with Ramos, and certainly did to lesser degrees with Hoddle and Bloke in a Coat too Considering some of the fixtures we have in our run-in, a little bit of security goes a long way