I'm glad we won but holy **** it's so frustrating. Longstaff or Willock - One of them needs to be dropped as they're ****e in the final third. We just need a bit extra attacking quality. Would it really ruin our defence that much to be without Longstaff and have ASM up front instead? ASM----------Wilson/Isak---------Almiron -----Joelinton--Bruno---Willock-------- Burn------Botman-----Schar---Trippier ----------------------Pope----------------- Surely that back EIGHT is enough to cover for ASM to be worth having for his attacking qualities? Anyways, I'm glad we won. Defensively solid as usual. Ratings - Pope - 8 - Solid Trippier - 8 - A threat going forward, good defending Schar - 8 Botman - 8 Burn - 8 Longstaff - 6 - Worked hard, **** finishing, **** in the final third, but decent midfield work Bruno - 8.5 - Fantastic defending, beautiful passing. Joelinton - 8.5 - Unlucky not to have two goals Wilson - 5 - Couldn't do much. Almiron - 8.5 -Great attacking threat and he's proving himself more creative. Willock - 6 - Works very hard defensively and in midfield, makes great runs, but final ball is piss poor. ASM - 7 - Good impact Isak - 8 - Looks miles better on the ball than Wilson. Great assist. He was the difference in that final third that mattered really. Murphy - 10 - MOTM
He's been crap for a while now. Doesn't look sharp at all and devoid of ideas and speed. I think he's still ****ed after that illness. Drop him. We were so sloppy in possession and there so many **** passes I stopped shouting at the TV after the 50th one. Longstaff had his usual game, ****e! Willock looked ****ed as well. Think everyone is getting really tired. Nearly had a heart attack at the start when Lascelles started warming up when Schar was injured. Overall we were well below par and Southampton are dogshit.
Maxi has been working back well when he's been on the pitch and all round disciplined. There is not a chance Howe will change the team unless his hand is forced for the 2nd leg. Now we have our noses in front he'll just want to stick to what's getting results.
Most of those players need a rest, Manquillp should have been picking up minutes to give Trippier a rest where possible for example. Whole first 11 apart from Pope looked ****ed tonight.
I was saying that to my brother in the 2nd half. We can’t just keep playing the same 11 every game. But we won. So what do I know.
Thanks to work I didn't see more than the first 5 minutes of this match. From the reports and comments I've seen, I hope that we do next week what I was hoping for tonight - that we start with Isak and ASM.
I'm not even saying it because we are linked We need Gordon, honestly. He pushes through the middle and has a shot. We have absolutely no one with the confidence to do that, we always pass it too the side. Howe and the scouts are right on this one, idgaf what pants he wears, he will do us good on the pitch. He's another type of player.
