Lallana's final decision making has been lacking today. He could have done better with a few of these passages of play IMO. Good to see him improving though
Or the referee has told the players that he'll book them if they pass to Rickie. After all, it is the ref's who are scared of him scoring.
Rickie's been marked out of the game a bit, but they're giving our CMs plenty of time and space. Rickie's job here will just be to keep defenders busy and drag them around. Not pretty, but necessary.
Am on the go and not watching for the first time in ages, have got the general gist of the game but can anyone kindly fill me in with the specifics of the handball appeals?
Osvaldo's a strong so-and-so isn't he? Bullies people off the ball nicely. Can't imagine it'll be fun for defenders marking those two across the season.
Might look to bring Ramirez on for JWP around the 60 minute mark (or Schneiderlin, if he cannot go 90)...JWP hasn't been poor, but this is one that looks like it could use Gaston's aggression and wider range of passing.
Glad we've managed to keep them out. I don't think we look as balanced as we normally do. Not pressing or passing like normal. I'm still not convinced by Wanyama and Morgan as a partnership. It just seems to keep Morgan too quiet, which wasn't the end of the world in the last few games with Big Vic bossing it, but he's not so far today. Strange to see us pumping so many long balls. Other then a few crosses we haven't looked dangerous at all. On the plus side. We have kept Norwich out despite them dominating the first 25 minutes or so. I think we can step it up in the second half and have the directness of JRod and Clyne, and the skill and killer passes from Gaston to bring on if we need to change things up.
Well, not great, but he's looked better than he did against Sunderland and West Brom. Arguably been our best player, but that's not much of an accolade today.
Lambert needs to be the furthest forward player, Osvaldo doesn't stand a chance against Turner and Bassong in the air.
Not sure we have the players for the system, playing a midfield 3 with schneiderlin slightly further forward with jwp trying to play the occasional cross from deep is giving us very little width. Better fullbacks and we would be much more threatening, that said the whole team hasn't really clicked yet. Osvaldo has shown good touch but has misplaced passes and has not made decisions has quick or as well as he will after a few more games. I think lallana has looked a threat so unlucky not to have scored this season with two very good shots swinging away from goal just a little tooo much, he hit a similarly good shot with his right last game.
Lallana had a shot drop to him outside the box - whacked it in and Turner did a very passable impression of Superman, or a goalkeeper, but getting both hands across to stop the ball. Webb was only about ten yards away, but as you've seen, there's been a range of theories as to why he didn't give it. I'm afraid my stream stopped on the Chambers one, but from the commentary it sounds like it was much more of a ball to hand type incident.
We play more long balls than any other team it seems a deliberate tactic from pochettino, there was a good article on epl index about it a few days ago.
Suspect that Schneiderlin's muted performances owe more to fitness than the partnership...he has not looked to be at 100% in the first three games.
Agreed - I think a little of Gaston's guile could be useful, though it feels more like a physical game than a skill-based adventure so far....
58% possession my streams stats, but no shots on target or corners. Fer 100% pass completion, Lambert has touched the ball 17 times, for the record
