Vicario really saving the point for us there. Need to see more of Sarr and Gray together in midfield. Feel like Sarr picks up so many second balls and Gray feels like he makes the team flow more than Bentancur does based on the limited minutes he’s had in midfield. We just feel like a really limited team at the moment. CL is a level up of course but stil. It’s a Frank issue and a player issue. Simons isn’t firing at all. Decent cameo from RKM but he needs to get into a rhythm to be really firing. Kudus is going to get ran into the ground if we’re not careful.
Either Bissouma starts buying his squadmates a lot of gifts, or our January shopping list just got another big ticket item added to it
Until we get the likes of Solanke and Kulusevski back or strengthen in January, I think there’s going to be more instances of these type of games. As long as we can keep chipping away with results though to get us to the knockouts and keep us in and around the European positions in the league. Hopefully we see more of RKM as did more in 20 minutes with regards to holding on to the ball than Richarlison has done all season. Kudus picks himself and hopefully Simons can start to show why he is so highly thought of. Odobert looks to take players on at least but just needs some better end product.
The issue is we're asymmetrical by default rather than design, as on the right Kudus looks to make things happen but on the left we have players who give the impression that things might happen The obvious solution is a LW who could complement Kudus on the left though having the right midfield blend is important so there's more reliable support to what we have, as the amount of times Odobert and Simons wound up passing the ball backwards when in the final third made it clear we needed something else. At the very least we need Sarr forcing turnovers higher up the pitch given the amount of chances he creates through doing that, and if that encourages the midfield to move at least 5-10 yards higher up that helps a hell of a lot
Kolo has to start on the weekend, even if he’s only got 55-60 mins in him, he just has to start. We can’t keep watching Tel or Richarlison **** things up for us, it’s painful. Loan the youngster in Jan and let Richarlison stay at Everton after our game on the weekend. Sick of watching him. Never wanted him, still don’t want him, just get out, please. Sarr needs to be playing more too, Gray also had a decent game and isn’t doing his chances any harm of more game time.
I think the problems run deeper than the missing three attackers. The midfield is a mess and has been almost all season. Three headless chickens, saved by the fact that Palhinha is a bloody good player. Otherwise, no one seems to know what their role is and we are - like last season - being routinely overrun in that area. I don't think Frank knows what his strongest CM combination is - we must have seen half a dozen if not more already. Palhinha and Bentancur start by default but the third member of the trio is anyone's guess and tbph the Uruguayan shouldn't be anywhere near the starting XI on current form. I'm also not at all convinced by the 433 he insists on playing. I know it worked well for him at Brentford, but I don't think we have the midfielders to make it work (yet - Sarr, Gray and Bergvall may develop in that direction but we don't know because he doesn't play them enough). It could be that Kulusevski is the key to unlocking a 433. Right now every combination he tries looks lost.
Honestly wonder if Tel would've been a better option for our CL squad than Odobert Odobert has the pace and trickery obviously, but Tel is far better at pressing - and some games you win by forcing opponents into errors
Odobert had a decent first half, probably the best we've seen of him. RKM impressed in his brief cameo but let's face it, he didn't have a high bar to cross. Sarr improved things and Gray looked more at home in MF, although I wouldn't be too critical of his overall performance either. Bentancur and Palinha doesn't seem to work...and I thought the latter had a very average game. Porro was dreadful - had a complete 'mare. We somehow got a draw, but that was entirely down to Vicario and some poor finishing. That was not a 'resolute performance when not playing at our best' result. Not by a long chalk.
Between the pair at the moment, it’s like choosing between a slap in the face or a kick in the bollocks.
Bissouma, Davies, Romero, Dragusin, Solanke, Maddison, Kuluchevski and Udogie all injured...fair enough that Bissouma is out of favour...but that's a lot for a squad like us to deal with. Romero, Udogie, Kuluchevski, Maddison and Solanke are all nailed on starters. It's not really surprising that we look disjointed and pretty blunt as an attacking force. Not losing was vital so I'll take this result even if it was daylight robbery.
I think we can all see the problem here: nothing is coming through the middle, so Richy drops deep ...and yes, Bentancur being so deep is definitely an issue please log in to view this image
Also shows the following... Gray was more forward thinking and supported Odobert far more than Porro with Kudus. Bergvall was playing more a a CF target than Richarlison - something that was patently obvious. That might work with Kane, but it sure as hell ain't gonna work with Pigeon Boy!
Seems like a broken system to me we just look for Kudus, our ‘inspiration’ comes from the wings so everyone is just focusing the best attacks in them directions without trying much else. I think Simons is being made to look worse because he doesn’t have anyone who can read the game naturally in front of him so he can’t really create much telepathy. I don’t think Richarlison could even spell telepathy. For me, no matter how we shuffle our midfield, we have nothing imaginative coming from there…at best Bergvall/Sarr for some attacking inspiration and that is very limited. No focal point…when we are attacking 85% of me is already resigned to the outcome of the move petering out. Simons or the wingers will play a ball to an Imaginary striker and we lose the ball. When RKM came on we felt a little bit like we have some kind of attacking structure because he was making the runs from central and seems like the role was a bit more natural to him and the tempo went up, instead of the long pass to a winger then the game slows down as the whole stadium and game is waiting to see how the winger is going to do a few step overs or delay delay delay then lose the ball. So much squad upgrades needed in key positions imo for us to move on properly.
Such a poor performance last night thats three champions league games where we have been so lucky to remain unbeaten. Porro, Bentancur, Richarlison and Bergvall absolutely abysmal thank god Vic had one of his better games. Richy started the season superbly but has reverted to type and Bentancur just isn’t the same player he was before his ACL injury he just doesn’t take any risks nowadays and I can’t understand why he was given a new contract. Bad days at the office for Porro and Bergvall but we know they are very good players. It’s still going to be a while before Solanke and Kulu return two important players for us so we must Give Muani and Sarr games now. Sarr might not be the creative 10 but he is brilliant at the high press and forces mistakes. He needs to start there against Everton and Gray to partner the excellent Palinha. I’d still keep Odebert at LW and start Muani in the nine. This would be my go to lineup until players return from injuries and a player or two are bought in January.
It gets more intriguing when you compare it to the Villa match: Simons stays central yet there it was Tel drawing wide, while Bentancur is practically making it a back three Definitely a couple of pass maps which are making a good case for either Sarr or Bergvall to play in the pivot in order to have a presence in midfield please log in to view this image
