Not panicking yet, but our squad depth is letting us down - My thoughts on the Bournemouth game

Without ASM and Bruno, we seriously lack creativity. I also think Bruno is a bit wasted in a deeper position.

We really needed to sign another attacking option if Europe was really our goal. I know we spent a lot but remember we were bound for Relegation before the take over, it's going to take another 150m before this squad is really ready for Europe.

We need - A defensive mid to allow Bruno to push forward.
- 2x attacking mid/winger. Without ASM we've got no creativity. Willock, Fraser, Almiron all piss poor. Don't get me started on Murphy. Maybe a bit harsh on Fraser but he's not able to do anything close to ASM.
- A back up CM.
- A back up GK.

Too early to panic though.

I am really disappointed with the goal we conceded also, our team look switched off so many teams and we were lucky to get anything.

The fact that we could't score a single goal from open play against Bournemouth is a wake up call.

Our full strength first 11 maybe top 7, but our squad as a whole is mid table.

Ratings -

Pope - 6 - Strong hands most of the game. Not much to do.

Trippier - 6 - Assist for winning the pen, looked like our only creative spark, unlucky not to score with freekick.

Schar - 4 - Poor. Gave away the ball, **** shots.

Burn - 5

Targett - 5

Willock - 4 - He may score the odd goal, but the guy cannot create anything. Definitely the weak spot in our midfield 3.

Bruno - 6 - Not fully fit. I think he's a bit wasted at times in the CDM spot, but he did some great defending at time and distribution.

Joelinton - 6.5 - Won the ball back quite a bit, unlucky not to score, made some good runs.

Almiron - 5 - Worked hard, created **** all as usual.

Fraser - 5.5 - Wont down rate him too much as at times he was a threat but couldn't really provide much.

Murphy/Longstaff - ****e.

Isak - 7 - MOTM - Had little service, but good pen, and he really worked hard at times to win the ball back and was successful. We really need player who can play balls through defences for him to run onto, as he was getting no service at all. He often had to drift out wide.

 

Dont agree with Joelinton 6.5
More like a 4 for me
Gave the ball away too many times and his first touch was heavy all game

 

Was like Bruce Joelinton, he's been poor for a few games now.

 

I have said previous it was his worst since Howe became manager

 

Usually we defend pretty well, but where was our ****ing defence for their goal?

 

Burn instead of Botman is just weird, he must have had a niggle or something.

 

You know, if we'd just nicked this 1-0 I wouldn't have complained too much despite my worry.

What's most upsetting is not keeping the clean sheet. Our defence is one of our strongest assets, if we'd have kept a clean sheet we'd have been joint 4/7 with City.

The goal was so avoidable and our defence just didn't pick billing up.

It's unbelievably poor defending.

 

What if...?

...Trippier's free-kick had gone in...
Joelinton's shot had gone in off the post...
And Fraser's strike had curled around the keeper?

Would people still be crying and panicking over a 4-1 win? No!

It happens in football. We get these kind of games. Over 70% possession, hit the woodwork twice, some great saves by their keeper. Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't.

Yet everyone is panicking already.

 

Understood, but that's two games in a row now we haven't looked like creating much. We're getting Joelinton, Willock etc is positions to score but not creating anything for our striker.

We're not really creating that much and most of our threat is coming from set pieces.

There's only so long we can say we're unlucky.

Palace game was unlucky, we were robbed, but today wasn't really. **** defending for their goal, and we couldn't score from open play.

We desperately need ASM back and Bruno fit again.

 

But we DID create chances, I just gave a few examples. There were more. And ser.pieces DO count, lots of goals are scored that way.

I just think everyone expects us to bang 4 or 5 past Bournemouth, but unfortunately it just doesn't work like that.

 

I still think we're having difficult creating many chances though.

It may seem from the highlights we were just unlucky, but we clearly were lacking ideas in the 2nd half.

That's two games where we've failed to score from open play. Yeah I know we were denied a clear goal last game, but that's the only goal and it was an own goal.

How long can we say we were just unlucky?

The chances we're creating are not great chances and falling to the likes of Joelinton or Willock who can't score for **** because they cannot finish.

You can only cry about hitting the post so much.

Our wingers are ****, and our midfield is energetic, but Bruno is the only person with vision in our midfield, and he's often playing a deeper role now.

We desperately miss ASM. He created the 3 goals vs Man City and rescued us against Wolves.

 

I agree mate, it's not good enough, but it's also not time to panic. Some on here seem to be over reacting. We're only 7 games in.
It's a big difference to this time last year.

 

They got hit on the counter it was Bournemouths game plan .. trippier was missing because we'd over committed and someone ****ed up in a fwd area....

 

That's what people are saying now, but what if the people are right ?

Newcastle have been found out is what's happened and it's s problem.

It'll look similar to last season very soon, but Bruce didn't have 200 million plus.

 

But we’re going backwards. That’s always very alarming at any level. We were pretty insipid two games running at home. We created little. Their keeper has made maybe one decent save all game. And these problems with our attack have dogged us for 15 years on and off, why are we still talking about the same stuff?

It’s not panic, but this is becoming yet another unwanted trend. We look one dimensional. There’s no plan b in a game - and we had two transfer windows to improve on Murphy, Fraser and Almiron but haven’t done so. I’m no Wood fan, but bringing him on for a winger in the 90th minute screams of a manager who wants to not lose more than he wants to win.

 

You're spot on Roland and I think it's clear to anyone that this side won't score enough goals and that they'll be relying on the same **** players they've relied on for the last 3 struggles.

This season is without a doubt going to involve another fight against relegation.

Pointing it out isn't a crime it's just the reality.

 

Tried to watch the highlights until that horrible sound came on

 

We had 73% possession, 20 shots and 10 on target. Thats the stats.

Serious question Tash, When you can't make games do you watch games live on a stream, do you listen to a radio station or do you get your info from watching Paul Merson etc on Soccer Saturday?

 

Wot? No he's a target man, so clearly it's get height in the box and if we get a corner, pile the big men in. How exactly is bringing a striker on trying to preserve the points?

Bruno just coming back from injury, once sex machine gets ticking, they'll be a huge difference.

 

Exactly, that's the thing, this time last season it would be in reverse. We'd have between 20%-30% possession and would maybe sneak 4 or 5 efforts, on the break, if we were lucky. And yet people are still complaining.

We are playing a totally different style and it will take time, but it's way ahead of last season.

Yes, I totally agree with others that Wood, Fraser, Almiron, Longstaff and Murphy need replacing, but we can't do a complete squad overhaul in one go. It will take a few more windows.

Don't forget we've already improved the 1st team options and offloaded the likes of Hendrick, Hayden, Gayle, Clark, Longstaff jr. who were all getting games this time last year.

Now I'm not saying Eddie is doing EVERYTHING right and some decisions are questionable to me too. But I'm putting my faith in him. I'm sure ge doesn't want to pick from Murphy & Almiron, but he has ro be patient.

We've also had some very dodgy decisions go against us this season and could easily be top 5, which would have everyone feeling very different.