I sad statement Stan. What got me was the complete lack of direction. F@rt@rsing around on the wings without a thought of making progress. No threat whatsoever trying to get into the final third. I watched as Middlesbrough started to attack in the second half especially down the right wing and I felt that this is where a goal would come from and sure enough. The number of Middlesbrough players in the penalty area when the ball came across showed their determination. Collectively I saw no player on either side capable of becoming anything more than a 'below average' in the Premier League.
Huddlestone Robertson Aluko And two of those I never thought I'd put in one of these threads again. Funny old game.
Huddlestone - looked imperious at times, the high profile setting and the cameras clearly motivated more than dropping him. Aluko - worked the channels tirelessly. Had to hold the ball up for ages often, waiting for support. Sometimes held the ball for too long anyway, as is his way. Livermore - great to see him back, you realise what you miss when he's injured. Linked up play and drove forwards during our period of greatest pressure. Not Diame. He does my ****ing head in.
Hudd Robertson Davies I'm slightly surprised at the people voting for Aluko as most were the same who hated McLean, who also just ran around and did **** all. Although McLean at least didn't fall over as much.
Robbo- the only one to really push forward Hudds- first half impressive, second half like most of them not a lot Davies- just ahead of Dawson
Tom, Aluko but he does frustrate at times and Davis, a team with a decent striker would have murdered them last night. Not sure they will win many more games.
Thudd - agree he was head and shoulders above everyone else Diame - when he tries he shows us what he can do, unfortunately it's not that often he does Livermore - not exactly eye catching but so important to giving Tom the cover he needs. Proof they can play together. Can't understand the bitching and wailing about this performance, it was far better than we've had of late and Bruce appeared to get his tactics spot on to me. We could, and should, have won - really unlucky to lose
I'm afraid it's the usual outpourings from yer modern, social media gobbling, SKY watching football fan i.e. he's a tactical genius brought up on the wonders of Bartha & Real, he sees through the professional managers/coaches flaws, he selects a better team and tactics. He does all this but takes defeat poorly, he's as high as a kite when we win and apoplectic when we lose - he see's no big picture, just the here and now .............. I'm getting too old for this t'internet bollox, it was much better when we argued the toss in the pub!
so when the ball was passed to the wings and Snodgrass and Clucas kept pumping aerial balls into the middle - who was the target man
Agree with some of that but we weren't unlucky. We built this squad with no strikers and tried to take our chances. Just like every year under Bruce. Missed chances are not luck. It's exactly what we deserve for not signing a proper striker.
Huddlestone Livermore - he did well considering his injury, but was really blowing. Aluko, but often takes 1 touch/turn too many. If only we had a striking pair to capitalise on the great build-up play.
Just looked to me like Bruce recognised that Hernandez isn't performing and went for another option, i.e. to play Aluko up front on the basis that he'd hold the ball up better than Abel and therefore bring the midfield into play further up the pitch. To qualify this, I'm not an Aluko fan to be honest, he flatters to deceive more than often (as he did again in this game) but for me he did link up better with Diame allowing him to press further up the pitch and therefore create more space and options for the midfield and full backs to push on.
Don't disagree with any of that but we have to adopt different tactics and stop forcing the ball wide to pump in high balls when we only have Aluko inside middle - there never seems to be any thought about tactics or strategy - it's a one trick pony - build up slowly, get the ball wide and pump it high into the middle - it's a **** tactic and it's getting us **** results - I'm sure it will work at Villa with Rudy in the middle though and Lescott sent out on loan so Junior can play
