Defensive overhaul desperately needed - My thoughts on the Watford game

Another game we dominate throughout most of it yet we fall apart defensively. 2 defensive mistakes vs Villa cost 2 goals, 2 today, a few vs City.

I suppose you could say this is the cost of us coming out of our shell and playing 4 at the back instead of 5, but then again we looked crap with 5 at the back at times.

We have too many weak players who fall apart under pressure.

Ratings -

Dubravka - 5 - Can't really blame him for much today, some reasonable takes, nothing great, nothing terrrible.

Manquillo - 2 - poor.

Lacelles - 5 - Some people will probably think this is too much, but I don't think he did much wrong today. He made some good aerial challenges and his strength was important early on vs Deeney.

Fernandez - 4 - I'll be generous and give him a 4 for his assist but defensively shocking.

Rose - 3 - Looks disinterested. I'd avoid playing him at all from now on.

Ritchie - 3 - Not in good form at the moment, but I'll stick by him as he is usually good for his work rate.

Shar - 5 - I thought he did ok out of position. Some poor moments but some good challenges, passes and defensive headers. Not his fault his lack of pace was exploited in midfield.

Shelvey - 5 - Looks knackered, some good passing and defensive work at times. Worked as hard as I think he could have done, but cannot play him without a proper defensive mid. He needs someone that can run off him.

Alain Saint Beast - 5.5 - Not his best game but was gang raped by 3 players at once at times and at least created space. Despite not having his best game, he still put in some fantastic balls and I can't be too critical for not scoring, it wasn't an easy chance. Good work rate despite obviously being fatigued.

Almiron - 5.5 - Good work rate, unlucky not to have a goal, still have a bit of work to do, but I believe he deserves more time in his proper position.

Gayle - 7 - MOTM - Good goal, he's definitely our best forward and should be chinning bruce if he doesn't start every game from now on. His work rate is fantastic, some good challenges and defending. Almost had an assist with ASM chance. His positioning and runs off the ball are canny, and I hope we keep him in the summer. Good work rate, good strikers instincts and pace. He deserves more game time and next season he should hopefully be in the squad.

Joelinton - n/a - Wont give him a rating but he didn't do too badly.

All other subs - Cannot give rating as not enough time.

Bruce - 6 - Can't blame him today, too many ****ers in the squad and individual errors. Players look motivated up top to score, just not quite enough quality. I think it may have been better to have played Bentaleb in midfield to give Shelvey more pace and energy to work with, but I understand why he was dropped as despite not being terrible vs city, he wasn't engaged.

 

I blame him for playing players in silly positions tbh... had a shocker again today bruve imo .

 

Lascelles and Fernandez far too high. Agree Gayle was our best player

 

Bruce was 3 at best. Weird 2nd half tinkering left us confused and toothless.

Schar another stinker. Ritchie shouldn’t be here. Arm wavingly useless.

 

he excelled in rafas system but he's not a very good player is he.. gives his all and a good pro but very limited.... rose and Ritchie were hopeless on that side ... Bruce realised but made a weird call moving manq there...

 

Apart from his goal he did nowt but he was being bulldozed over from minute one ..our lot got bullied into submission imo and the ref let it happen..

 

I know Rose and Schar have technical quality but they're not the types of players I'd want around our 11.

They just come across very casual and lazy and that's frustrating to watch. So many loose passes, lazy tackles etc.

Shelvey looks tired so can't blame his performance too much. We miss a fit Shelvey with Hayden doing the hardwork beside him.

 

schar is a cb that Bruce didn't fancy and he doesn't wanna be here anymore and rose is an overrated hasbeen

 

When is Clark due back?

 

never

Koulibaly will be here 1st

 

It's not happening like

 

I'd ****ing rape my players in the dressing room if they did that arm waving, complain to linesman, never get back into position nonsense that tends to go on.

it does nothing but leave you exposed and looking confused.

 

it is mate

 

Wednesday?

 

Bruce mainly at fault but not solely at fault.

Schar played out of position when we have someone on the bench who actually plays that position.

Rose played.

Ritchie played. He waves his arms but so did my kids when they were little and were having a “paddy” but I never suggested that they should play. He works hard but very rarely actually does anything.

Manquillo swapped to play left back. He is not a left back and at best is a decent back up at right back. I know CC but I have seen excellent right backs and Manquillo is not one of them.

Obviously Pearson had an effect on his team in his half time talk. Bruce either had no effect or completely the wrong effect. Pearson simply outthought Bruce in the second half.

Bruce may be a nice bloke. He has done better than expected this season. He is still not a good manager and needs to go at the end of the season when the Saudi’s take over no matter how many friends he has in the media. Ask any of the pundits as to whether he would deserve a shot as manager of Liverpool, Man Citeh or Utd, Chelsea or Arsenal or Spuds. If the answer is no, which it would be, why on earth should he have a chance of managing us when the Saudi’s take over? The fact he comes from this area means absolutely nothing. Klopp doesn’t come from Liverpool etc, etc.

He is a tactical dinosaur, has the worst managerial record of all PL managers who have managed over 300(?) games and has not demonstrated he can cut it with the top managers ever. Nor should we keep him in any other capacity as he doesn’t have the CV for any other job either.

With an absolute fortune at risk and to be invested following the takeover why would we look to continue to employ someone who wouldn’t get the job if he applied for it? Why not simply look to employ the best manager available whoever that might be. I don’t want a manger who qualifies as he’s a “Geordie” and he’s “nice”. I want the best and I want the return of the “Entertainers” at the same time.

Since the return we have played well against Bournemouth and against Sheff Utd once they went down to 10 men. As far as the rest are concerned we have not played as a team and have relied on Maxi. There’s no harm in relying on Maxi but it shouldn’t be the only tactic but it has been. And ultimately that sums up Brucie and the extent of his managerial skills.

 

Today was all on Bruce, no one else. Playing players out of position, making defensive changes with 10 mins to go when we're chasing the game. The championship would be a better place for him to go.

 

Today was all on Bruce, no one else. Playing players out of position, making defensive changes with 10 mins to go when we're chasing the game. The championship would be a better place for him to go.

 

I think you're all doing Bruce a terrible disservice by questioning his tactical abilities. He was Corbridge and district crib and dominos champion 3 years running.

 

How's the bacon did ye say?

 

Rose was ****ing awful. His response to every 50:50 challenge was to flop on his arse and appeal for a foul. Lazy, uninterested. And he should be the most motivated out there with something to play for. He also was lucky not to give away a third penalty.

At least he won’t be hanging around on stupid wages next season - that’s the one (and only) thing to be said in favour of Ashley’s loan model.