Why are we so **** from set pieces still? It's so route one and its been our Achilles heel for so long.
We've looked pretty decent going forward, but our set-pieces have been awful at both ends and the Rose/Chadli combination isn't really working when we don't have the ball. Nobody seems to know who's playing the holding role and when Paulinho pushes up there's a gap that someone should be filling. A decent half overall but you can see what we need to work on.
Main stat for the first half... we got 100% more penalties in 45 minutes than the whole of last season
Entertaining enough. Don't quite look sharp enough still and the same old problem of defending set pieces like fannies. Rose is proving a liability and and has had a poor touch so far but Chadli worked well with him in the early stages, I like the look of him. Thought Fryers looked good, much better than when I've seen him at left back anyway. Good to see us getting a penalty from a Premier League referee too! Oh and Soldado
Soldado has done more in 45 mins than Ade last season. Chadli looks a steal for the price Danny Rose needs to go, he is not a left back.
Watch Bobby off the ball, you can tell he's class, finds space without drawing attention and without sprinting. Also, when he drops deep to get the ball he gives it and the first thing he does is go towards goal! Exactly what I bleat on at Ade for not doing. I think this chap is gonna score some goals
Main thing is, I'm glad we're going with our (minus Bale) starting lineup (not to mention it's the one I'd pick minus Beni). They need all the time they can get to work with each other. Maybe I'm a little surprised it's 4-2-3-1. About what you'd expect. We look strong in midfield. Maybe lacking the key pass, but they are sitting back. Lennon and Chadli look good. Paulinho may be trying to do too much, but he's very active. Gylfi working hard and getting hammered. Four players hit him and somehow the foul is on us. Rose not making me very happy. He works hard and is strong, but a terrible giveaway in our area, and too many mistakes in general. Beni is better. Fryers not bad at all.
Hammered in American English does mean getting intoxicated, but in a game context means people are hitting him. Or am I missing something?
As long as you don't mean it in the literal sense, and Espanyol players had a quick trip to B&Q before the game.
If Bale was playing today would have been perfect. So nice to see Kaboul and Sandro back. Benny not being on the bench must mean a deal is being done for him to move on. Is Adebayor injured?
