I;'m thinking Big Sam will have beaten that **** out of him the minute he got in the dressing room. I'd definitely not drop him, thought some of his play was really good today. Set pieces weren't the best but he tracked back well and did well in the final third at times. I just can't get over that rabona attempt though utter idiocy.
Hopefully it's one of those things you try once and never again. I don't reckon David Dunne tried too many fancy tricks after that famous clip of him falling on his arse attempting one.
Everyone whinging about a flair player trying to do something fancy! If it'd have worked I guarantee no one would've complained and everyone would've said "great skill" yet the reality of 'stick your left foot through it" would still be apparent.
ofc i would have joined the happy clappers in branding him the Algerian beckham. As it stands he's an utter **** house . haha on another note he is forming a formidable partnership with PVA
It doesn't work like that though, if you're going to try what he did at one nil down then you absolutely have to get it right. You don't think Sam would have been within his rights to give him the hairdryer? I do. Having said that it was funny. But it's absolutely correct to say that it wasn't the time and place for it, even if he'd executed it perfectly.
But you sign flair players and they do flair things. He might get some wrong and some right. Had he got it right everyone would say "great skill" if we'd scored. If he'd sliced it out with his left then he gets it in the neck as well and it's not entertaining. He's not used to being in a situation like we are where points are as important at every stage. (And I do think Sam is within his rights to give him the hairdryer - and Mannone too! His kicking is woeful and little, if any, better than Pantilimon) but I wouldn't want to stop a flair player doing flair things. Time and place is what's needed
That's it, there's a time for those shenanigans and that wasn't it. It's exciting having a player who does try things like that, and who presumably usually pulls it off hence the attempt at it, in fact we're a much more entertaining side in general than we were at the start of the season.
Well I am going against the grain I hope Sam says hard lines nice try might work next time instead of breaking the first decent flair player we have managed to get but you lads can carry on watching the mundane ****e that we are used to if it makes you happy.
I watched the game we had 2 faults the whole game which cost us. 1. Vitto should have saved their goal 2. Defoe should have scored when Colins missed his header from the ball over the top. Apart from that we played well mostly. Only change I would make is Borini in for Ndoye. As for Khazri we have been crying out for a flair player for ages, he is raw and nee to the league at the moment, I am sure Sam will install a balance in him.
You seem to be forgetting our position in the table. Do I want our players to be doing everything they possibly can to get as many points as humanly possible or do I want them to be doing fancy show off crap in order to entertain. I don't imagine Sam would have bollocked Khazri but as someone who plays to percentages you can be sure he'll have told him to cut it out when it's not appropriate. I like sexy football as much as anyone but right now we don't need it we need points. If we stay up then it'd be great to see the lads turn on the flair but I don't want to see style over substance right now.
I think he's playing himself out of the number one slot personally. His handling and judgement aren't great and his distribution is little better than Pantilimon was! Wonder how long Pickford is going to sit and watch that. 4 times yesterday the ball to the wing as on and he found touch. Once a break was on with a well directed pass and it went in the crowd! Not "just out of play" but around 5 yards out before being at a playable height. I don't mind him trying that as its better than him standing with the ball waiting for the opposition to retreat to their positions but get at least one of them right ffs
I'd bring Pickford in for Palace, 100%. Mannone's not a bad shot stopper but his distribution just isn't good enough for a premier league team.
I agree with both of you, we might have got a point yesterday with Pickford in goal or even dare I say it Given.
