It looks as if we will again change half the team for Forest, which is not the way to give fringe players a fair go, nor discover if they can really be 1st team members. Take Michy Batshuai. No PL starts, only the odd 10 or 15 minute run out when the rest of the regular team is knackered. Result? "He's hopeless, did nothing, no contribution " Now he'll play in a team like this. GK Willy Hasn't played 1st team football for 3 months RB Reece James CD Christensen, back from injury and awful season long form CD Tomori After a great start showed he's full of mistakes and at least 2 seasons from being the finished article No surprise there given his age and experience but needs to be beside a steady player like Rudi, not an out of form plodder like Christensen. LB Emerson Underwhelming and likely to be gone in a week or so. Midfield Kovacic , excellent, Barkley, as useful as a spare navel, truly dreadful player, Mount wrong position. Front CHO bench warmer who has gone backwards but needs game time, Pulisic I assume, should be one of the first picked Batsuhai, no game time, no match fitness.Not much help from a team like this behind him. So all the "fringe players' have bugger all behind them and are having to play with a group of strangers. If Frank was fair dinkum , he'd start Abraham and see how good he really is, and bring on Batman at half time, when the "team" has hopefully got some rhythm going. Suspect instead he'll do the opposite . Anyway, I'll be watching at 1am, and hope a couple of players put some doubt into the "favourite " first team choices. Another matter Transfers. Why are we arguing about fees for selling our duds? Get rid of Alonso, Drinkwater, Pedro, Emerson and Barkley and take anything. Don't bother about the extra 5 or 6 mill we might get, it's not worth it. Clear out the dross and start afresh.
Nie to see the boys play in a retro kit from 1970. Was puzzled that during the whole game we were never a threat from crosses and corners. Happy for the win of course but this squad have to be killers on that service aka Hutchison, Osgood, Garland etc.
Yeah, not down to the service, James put in 4 or 5 crosses that were outstanding, Bats was dreadful, could’ve had 2 or 3. James needs a proper run in the team now, I know he’s played a fair bit but it’s been a lot of cup games or sub appearances. Azpi on the other side cause James is such a threat and should help break teams down in the home games.
Bats was dreadful, and my calling for him to get some game time looks pretty silly. He got 3 gold plated crosses from James mostly ,and I think the best from Hudson Odoi that was a simple nod in, but somehow did a dodgy cartwheel in the air and blasted it over the stand. Also give credit to CHO, he looked really good and played with intelligence. James ditto, and Christensen , especially first half was lively. Emerson is not attacking enough, the contrast with James when getting forward is telling. We did somehow fail to score 2nd half, had 2 extremely close VAR calls go our way, so reinforcements up front very necessary, we lack firepower.
Reece put in some great crosses in first half, but Bats didn't get on the end of them. Can't say for sure Tammy would have done, but one would hope so
Any sort of win at home is a good win.....A pal of mine (charlton fan) reckons Conor Gallagher is something special. The future is certainly looking rather blue.....
To be in a position to bring a couple of Youth players into the squad each year is the ideal for every Club. As long as we are patient, things are really looking healthy for the next few years. Plus we've got RLC and the forgotten Van Ginkel both on the mend. If Frank is able to get a couple of astute buys in, which is not an easy task in January, we have every chance of going into next season as a genuine contender for top 2 or 3. Top 4 this season would be overachieving seeing where we started from,, but well possible.
Pretty much agree mate.I'd like to see a left back and some real competition for Tammy. Trouble is who?......Or maybe just wait til the summer and see how we do with what we have.
We need to get rid of alonso or emerson first to bring in a left back. Quite happy for dave to fill in there and have reece james start on the opposite side. Havent seen the game but strikers generally get rusty and bats probably needs a run in the side
Hope you are right about Bats, Have always thought he needed to get some game time with the A team, not a team with 6 0r 7 changes. However he was VERY rusty. He deserves a shot again , but needs to get the Manager behind him. Barkley was hopeless as well gave the ball away and added little. He might be rusty too, but boy he's had plenty of chances and keeps failing. Left back and striker is absolutely crucial. Imagine if Abraham gets injured !!!
