If Famewo doesn’t get a chance now when does he? Also think I have been a bit wrong with my criticism of Hughes. Yes he is rash but he was noticeably missing and then defence looked far more assured with him in it. His fitness and availability will be pivotal for us. It’s funny you look at Egan and Ajayi as the steady experienced heads but in reality it’s the much younger Hughes that is the real leader at the back.
That feels like recency bias to me. He was the answer against Middlesbrough I agree, but he was the problem against Ipswich. Egan is fairly reliable but the other two make a lot of errors.
They realised late on that we couldn't defend crosses to save our lives and piled the pressure on. Brought on that big lump number 9 Palmer who headed in 2 goals in 2 mins or whatever it was. Here's hoping they've forgotten...
I'm loving the absurdity of that score line, not that we'll score 27, but the fact that we won't concede. That would be the 4th in 20, and the first since Norwich on 1st November. Bring it on!
I always worry about us facing a big number 9 like Moore. Don't know if he's fit or what but he's the kind of player who bullies Hughes, and he can take balls straight from the keeper on his chest and play from there which can hurt us.
Moore is the kind of player that an Egan or Ajayi will probably prefer playing against tbf, rather then mobile forwards who they can't keep up with.
Yep. I don't know whether Parkinson has adopted the modern style of pressing but if not and they are more about just sticking it in the box and hitting the big man then I think there'd be an argument for sticking with Ajayi and Egan for this one. If they are going to press us then Hughes has to come in for Ajayi.
How long is the Afcon? I didn’t realise Ajayi is 32 or maybe I did but forgot He’s injury prone,32 and buggering off for a month!! I think he should play but I don’t think he will He played like he wasn’t interested against Boro
Go to question the gaffers team selection to a degree. Slater and Amir were like a pair of stowaways who had sneaked onto a rusty coaster. Then the captain asked them to join him on the bridge.
Then hoof it the length of the field or into touch And he completely lost his man for the third goal he ran in behind him Or second can’t remember which
Not having that he was gifting possession away all night, even with the simple passes, I like Ajayi, and think he's had some stormers for us this season, but Friday night he stank the place out, his head is on the AFCON.
I think blaming it on his head being at AFCON is a cop out. It didn't look like a lack of effort to me, just a player not comfortable enough on the ball being pressed and coughing up possession over and over.
He is comfortable on the ball but if no one shows for it then his space is closed down and nowhere to go . For one of those goals he was in sour right backs position so where was our right back ? . Time after time we don’t play it out quick enough to our backs and then we are shut down . This is a tactical flaw that needs addressing but if the coach is at pitch level 60 yds away he won’t see the space available , I would hope his team are watching from ‘above’ to advise him . Tactic seems to be play barrow when defending and wide when attacking .
We could certainly do with a win after the horror show against Boro. Will the gaffer go 3 at the back and try a shore up the defensive frailties. I can see Belloumi starting with Millar and Oli coming on later in the game. I do find it a bit complexing that Sergi is a defender himself and with Egan & Ajayi who have played at the top level cannot organise the defence better! Though as has been debated, maybe the problem is more to do with midfield not protecting the back 4 enough.
