If you consider how little time some players have been in training this season, for example Sanchez and Winks only returned to training last week, there's a microscopic amount of leeway that can be given due to the lack of sharpness and fitness in the squad If we're having the same conversation on 13th October, on the other hand...
I just don't understand the logic behind the team selection lately. I've tried to get to grips with it, but there's always something obviously wrong with Jose's preferred starting team. It also seems to be getting more and more bizarre week by week.
Today’s selection was definitely terrible and his whole approach to the game was dreadful. He cost us that match and needs to make amends in the coming games. If he persists with some of those players in the XI he won’t do himself any favours. At the very least Winks, Dele and Lucas need to be dropped. Good arguments for Davies, Dier and Toby but as of right now we don’t have a number of better options, hopefully Sanchez starts over one of the CBs though.
Because the sub was wrong too, which is why I said the approach to the game was dreadful. Lamela is best placed to replace Dele, or Bergwijn and try going 442 with Son partnering Kane. Having Sissoko play in a three with Winks and Hojbjerg was a disaster. That midfield wouldn’t trouble Fulham or West Brom.
The thing with Sissoko is there isn't a system where bringing him on made sense Sticking with 4231? Lamela Changing to a 442? Bergwijn Changing to a 433? Ndombele Bringing on Sissoko and changing to a 433 would have made sense if we were 1-0 up in the 85th minute, but at 0-0 in the 45th minute it was utterly baffling as it guaranteed our midfield wouldn't be getting the ball forwards for half the bloody match
He should’ve started over Winks (or replaced him at HT). Or Ndombele should have, even though we know he wouldn’t have lasted 90 minutes. Winks is dead weight in the middle because he can’t create, defend or run with the ball. Sissoko is at least able to run with the ball whilst Ndombele can create. Winks doesn’t fit any system this club has had for the four years he’s been in the first team. Genuinely never been so baffled by a player’s regular inclusion in our XI. I can only hope Lo Celso gets fit soon and that Ndombele also comes good.
The above was only part of today’s problem too. CB situation is going to work, Dier isn’t replacing Vertonghen. The one back, one forward FB system has never been to my liking as it makes us predictable. Dele and Lucas aren’t first XI calibre players. We shouldn’t be ceding possession at home to Everton the way we did. Changes needed.
Sometimes I think the desperate decisions are made due to the upcoming glut of fixtures in mind cant play everyone, every game and I think we have a tricky game in Europe tbh. our squad is still a work in progress since we can’t get key positions filled. That has a knock on affect. Sissoko probably for minutes because he probably won’t be playing in Europe but Dele will. Then Dele will be back in on Sunday too. Wether he should be or not is a different debate but I guess a lot of this is rotation. Good for Ndombele he got minutes but he doesn’t seem ready to make any starts I expect Bergwijn to start in Europe plus when all is said and done...if the players can’t perform to their maximum mentally and physically then the whole process is a fruitless one anyway
A large part of that issue is our usual tactic plan didn't seem to be implemented For the post-restart period and in pre-season our system was reasonably easy to see * The wide players press high up the pitch, pushing the wingers/fullbacks into the centre * The central players sit back in a mid-to-low block to win the ball back and hit on the counter, especially into the wide gaps Today's lineup seemed to be setup to follow this pattern, even with the obvious issue of Lo Celso being unavailable - but the issue was that I honestly don't recall many cases of Son or Lucas pressing high up the pitch, which allowed Coleman and Digne freedom to get forward and led to our central midfield being set up in a low block effectively pinning them back so that our own system essentially defeated us While it's easy to lament the lack of Lo Celso as he'd have offered a creative presence as well as pressing high up the pitch to relieve the pressure on Winks/Hojbjerg, if we're letting the wide players have free reign there's only so much he could have done
It’s not just the players and their mentality/ physicality though. The manager needs to get the best out of them and he failed today. Today was a real **** show from him from start to finish. Poor selection, poor subs and poor tactics. Ideally you want to get off to a good start to set the tone, especially with our congested fixtures but today has just put everyone in a foul mood.
Fortunately,or unfortunately,I didn't see it as my wife went back into hospital with breathing problems. I'm not shocked by the result as I believe that Everton may surprise a few people this season. Liverpool,Leicester and Liverpool had easy tasks to start their seasons off,but watch Everton!
Winks is definitely more useless lol. To be honest though, debating between those two is like asking someone if they want to eat a pile of **** or drink from a puddle of piss. It’s poor that both of these have featured prominently in our XI for years now and we’re in a situation where we debate who’s the better. In an ideal world we ship them both to Fulham.
