Largely agree, but think you've been a bit harsh on Meslier & Bill. I've only been really impressed by Llorente & Koch a few times. Very capable guys, but not first class for me. If young Struijk & Cresswell can earn rave reviews most of the time they play, then so should this pair. They should be showing the way to the youngsters. For me Struijk looked like he'd soon become our #1 cb last year. Now I'm wondering is he's already our #1. Happy to have the 2 internationalists, but wouldn't shed a tear if we let them go, especially if it was the year after next. Would leave Struijk, Cresswell, Hjelde, & fallback CB Coops. Not a bad core at all, with more promising CBs on the production line.
Yep. Think raph has been bang average for us quite often to be honest. In fact he regularly has games where he’s error-laden - though he was particularly sh*t tonight. He just has enough games where he’s brilliant that people overlook it.
llirente and Koch are very good footballers but not great defenders in my opinion. Which is a shame as they’re defenders. I actually think Koch has been a pleasant surprise recently as a dm. His ball retention and passing was very good today. I’d have to watch the goals again to know if he was at fault for any.
At 3-1 down Norwich were winning 1-0 and it looked like a three point swing and a huge momentum shift so I’d take that result all day long. Brentford look like they’re going to be drawn into the scrap now as well. I can’t make up my mind whether they cut through our midfield too easy or if I’m just not giving their midfield enough credit. It really doesn’t sound like Bamford is going to play again this season listening to Bielsa
Agree with this. Can be very lazy, greedy, try too much and lose the ball easily at times but can be world class and carries us sometimes so people let it slide. Bielsa only left him on because he knows he can make something from nothing. If Harrison, Rodrigo or James played like that today they’d be getting pelters but as I said he has it in the bank. Also, did anyone see James basically saying **** off am I coming off when Bielsa had Roberts ready Class.
Last 20 minutes of the first half we had a collapse in midfield, just seemed like everyone was out of place, they were walking through us, was surprised not to see Forshaw come out for the second half tbh but it ended well as result and at 8pm tonight would have taken the point, no problem, at 8.45 I definitely would have.
I thought that at the time. Bielsa might not take that too lightly. Would be ironic if Bielsa now drops James after he played a blinder.
