While I love the fact we won (and how) we desperately need more control in games. That wasn’t a first 11 they put out and they controlled the game albeit they didn’t do much on goal. The three of Bruno Joe and Shelvey is working but won’t progress us. They all say deep in front of our back 4 which was probably the tactic but moving forward we need two good midfielders to mix it up with Joe and Shelvey.
Absolutely nothing we can do about that now tbh. Changing the formation about is absolutely pointless and we don't have good enough players to compete at top level against teams like Leicester. We need to buy better players in the summer.
There was worrying signs with over 20 minutes left as the concentration from the defence just nose dived. That being said I was impressed with Kraft yesterday.
Durbravka - 6 - **** for the goal but did ok at other times Krafth - 8 - Best game he has had for us. Barnes and Lookman were not easy opponents but he did well Schar - 5 - Some decent defending but some terrible errors. Atrocious with the ball which is unlike him. This is Schar all over and why he isn't a top centre back. Burn - 7 - Solid. Played really well. Got a bit of a 50p heed at times mind. Targett - 8 - Like Krafth, he was excellent. Gave them jack ****. Some of his forward play has disappeared but he's just really solid. Joelinton - 6 - Worked hard but caught in possession a fair bit. Bruno - 9 - Got caught with the ball a bit, and was not quite at it at times in the first 45. Aside from the goals however, he's our best in possession, he's our best out of possession and generally has everything. He's a next level player and stands out a mile. Once we get better players around him, he could be anything. Shelvey - 5 - Was ok in possession at times. Out of possession just lazy as ****. He will press sometimes, then other times just reverts back to the 'Benitez hold the line'. Very frustrating player. Struggling as Bruno takes over the running of the game. That's his role and as a result the game just passes him by. It doesn't work him and Bruno at all for me. Too similar in style and one is just light years ahead in terms of quality. ASM - 6 - I thought people were pretty harsh on him yesterday. He worked a lot harder and show some decent touches and dribbles. We need an end product though. Stop being a fanny too. Wood - 5- Worked his socks off as usual but I thought his general play was poor. Wasn't in the box when needed. Almiron - 7 - No end product as usual, but ran himself into the ground. Proper grafter and while I can see him departing in the summer, he does a lot right. Just a shame his arse goes through the floor once in the last third. Murphy - 5 - ****e again. This lads needs shifted in the summer, just won't ever be good enough. Some of his passing is comical. Tries his heart out every game but its just not enough. Yesterday summed him up in a small timeframe. Willock - 7 - Did well for the goal and we need to find a way to extract more from this lad. Has a weird languid style which sees the ball caught under his feet, but his energetic running can change a game. Hopefully Eddie can work some coaching magic with him.
**** for the goal? It was hard to get down that mate and he almost saved it. He drilled it low and hard.. If it was towards the corner it would've been easier
I thought it was poor keeping. I do have slight sympathy in that the amount of time the lad had was criminal. It was poor all round, and Dubravka included - I think he'd expect to do better with that. Its different if he lashes it in the top corner but it was definitely one you'd want your keeper saving that close to him.
Stand up and then try and get down to a ball fired low and hard between you hip and you arm. It's the hardest place to get to. Using his foot would've been easier but he was expecting it into the corner
A top keeper stops that. A top keeper expects to stop that. Its not horrific keeping by any means, but it is less than you'd desire. Just as the awareness in front of him was not really good enough. All round a really poor goal to concede including the keeping. Leicester would say it was well worked of course and the strike was just awkward enough to ask the question of the keeper.
I don't agree for the reasons I've explained... That was struck low and hard on the the most difficult place for him to get down to from about 12 yards.. He actually nearly made a brilliant save like he has for years.. Dubravka is imo one of the best keepers in the premier league.
We can agree to disagree on both fronts. I think you need your keeper saving that and you need to defend that goal better in general. Dubs to me is a middle of the road keeper PL wise. I look at the top teams keepers - De Gea, Ederson, Allison, Lloris, Mendy, Ramsdale. - I don't think he would dislodge any of them (although De Gea had a spell). You then have the Sa, Schmeichel, Fabianski, Sanchez, Dubravka, who are in that next batch (with probably a few others) who are good but not top class. Dubs has made a lot of mistakes this season. Some of that is not his fault, he's been overworked. But even in our recent run since Jan he has made a few when the defence has functioned better.
In a league of 20 teams I named 6 first choice keepers who I think are better than him (more than 25%). I then put him in a bracket with another 4 (probably more) where you could argue about who is the better keeper. I'd rate some of those better than Dubs. If I'm thinking he's in the top 10 keepers at best in a league of 20 teams then your assessment of what I think is wrong. He's definitely not one of the best in my view but each to their own. I'd rate Ederson and Mendy as the best keepers in the league if I was pushed but I think Ramsdale, Allison, De Gea, Lloris are cracking keepers. Sa has impressed me this season for Wolves. Sanchez at Brighton too. So there are 8 I'd have over Dubs without really thinking about it.
I would also have Schmeichael, Henderson, Pope, Krull, Foster, Fabianski before him too. Infact the only one he's ahead of P-Rex
I think he's better than Krul mind! He's ****e with his feet which is not acceptable in the modern game. I would admit to thinking Pickford is better than Dubs but its against my religion. And he has really short arms.
