1 attempt on target and we go through In 1991 I went away to third divison Blackpool in the third round and we scrapped a 1-0 win (Paul stewart) in terrible weather... Just saying like
To be honest I wouldn't say I lacked any feeling of certainty with him, I just don't think he was getting into those scoring positions enough due to operating a bit deeper. Though it's like taking the rough with the smooth: Better all round team player as a hybrid 9/10. or Better goal record playing as a straight 9. If only Kane could play passes to Kane!
Just got back from the game. My boys and I wanted to experience the South Stand on this occasion. The atmosphere was a bit crap to be honest. Plenty of frustration amongst the fans everytime someone lost possession or pass sideways etc. But mostly, everyone was sat there bored! Quite a few empty seats all around which I suspect the train strikes was a factor and that the regulars couldn’t be bothered with a 3rd round tie against Portsmouth. As for the game, no-stood out. Portsmouth parked the bus so it was crowded in their half and with spurs passing the ball trying to get into the box, it was tiresome. I understand Conte wanted to rest some players and give others a chance to gain some match time but what a borefest. Sarr and Gil did okay and they just need more playing time to develop further. Son needs to be dropped against Arsenal and brought on as a sub and score another hat trick. Anyway, glad we are home and I feel sorry for my boys as they were looking forward to today and walked out disappointed. 3rd Round ties can be notoriously difficult!
Get through - done Young players who got a chance perform - done. solid enough day, Portsmouth offered nothing so was just a matter of finding a bit of quality to break them down. Not a great atmosphere but to be expected, lot more families there due to going on guest sale and clear to see a number of people having their first visit to the ground.
Just a side note... Another **** ref. 3 or 4 definite yellows for them not given and we picked up two for nothing. Oh well...what do we expect?
The problem is that so much of our turgid play can be put down to one choice: Sanchez as CCB Conte's system requires a CCB who can reliably pass the ball, which is why Dier is his preferred CCB as he can quickly get the ball moving by passing it either to the roving CBs or to a DM who is dropping deep, just like Luiz or De Vrij did in the previous teams where he installed his system And that is something which Sanchez isn't. While he can pass the ball, which at least puts him ahead of Fazio, his passing is incredibly sideways - and with Conte's system based on building up play from the back, that sets our buildup back a good five yards compared to Dier or Lenglet in the same position
I really don't think that this was the issue. Charlton scored 3 against this lot at their ground last week, FFS.
I don't get the negativity. One of Conte's weaknesses is that he doesn't use the squad well. Yesterday he selected 8 or 9 reserve players and we won with the opposition hardly having a shot. Ideal outcome surely
I agree. Teams never do well when there are wholesale changes and multiple injuries. We lacked fluidity and cohesion but that is to be expected - there were plenty of times under Poch we'd either scrape past lower league opposition and/or have to turn to better players on the bench to rescue the game. My only gripe is that Spence didn't start yet Royal was once again abysmal. You have to feel for the youngster, if we get a tricky tie in the next round chances are he won't start in that either.
Really is painful viewing for us. With a bit of luck that could be Emerson’s final game if we sign Porro or a new RWB soon, probably got Sessegnon until the end of the season though as Udogie will then hopefully result in his departure. Stay strong, boys and girls, we done it with Winks and Lo Celso, so we will get through this!
The issue is more that he does very little right. I'm looking to our CBs and GK to do "very little wrong" (sadly most of them have a calamity in them every week). Conte's system as he used it at Chelsea and Inter relies enormously on the WBs being the main drive of attacking focus, which requires the incumbents to take risks and take game to the opposition in a way that Sess and Royal simply do not do. Doherty is significantly better in this regard as his movement is varied and he chips in with goals and assists at a fair rate. But even he is nowhere nearly good enough. Ultimately he and Sess failed to really stretch a League One side in any meaningful or sustained way, and that is unacceptable and unsustainable.
I don't. Conte had by my reckoning 5-6 weeks to prepare specifically for this game. How many of the starting XI were NOT on WC 2022 duty ?? All yesterday revealed is the lack of attacking competence in the squad beyond an on paper strongest 13/14. Which is disheartening IMHO given that the business end of the season is nigh - and it has serious fixture compression.
What gets me irate with Sessegnon even more so than Emerson is that he’s played as a winger before, he should be competent at taking on FBs and delivering regular crosses, he shouldn’t be this bad, it’s defying footballing logic that he’s as bad as he is from an attacking point of view. On top of all that he’s slow as ****. A return to Fulham might be best for him in the summer, it’s certainly best for us anyway.
Both Villa and Portsmouth put 11 men behind the ball. We have always struggled against busparquet. Palace did not . And as far wanting players to go out on loan. I'm sorry, but we regularly complain how weak our bench is. If Sarr is good enough to start then it is brilliant to have such a player on the bench. Look at City's midfield options.
I think that the wingbacks are being put in a very difficult position. They're receiving the ball at walking pace with a packed box and multiple defenders in front of them. We've got no creativity and our buildup play is both slow and predictable. Perisic is a fantastic crosser of the ball and he's struggled to create chances in this system. What chances does anyone else have?
