Don't really know what to make of the first 35mins. We're certainly not playing our intense pressing game, which is sensible considering the game on Sunday. But we're not penetrating them in the final 1/3 at all really, either. Hoping it's not going to result in a 0-0 score line with lots of first team players playing 90mins. Hardly ideal.
It needs a goal, that's for sure. From us. This game is more important to them than to us. Lose and they're effectively out. If we can score first it will open them up and force them to commit men forward.
What is this nonsense of short corners? We've got good aerial threats and we're making a complete mess of them.
Well that was boring, wasn't it? No zip or energy about the performance and we didn't really trouble their keeper. Trippier still looks like he's struggling for confidence after some poor games and Davies isn't getting forward as well as Rose does. That's limited our width and we've settled into playing some pretty pointless stuff through the middle, for the most part. Qarabag have been organised and worked hard, which has been enough to prevent anything creative around their box. Our bloody awful short corners have helped though, even gifting them a couple of decent breaks. Not our finest first half of the season, by any means.
The intensity of the press and faster passing means the opponent panics more and the gaps open. That first half was how the Spanners hoped things would turn out last week.
The stupidity of this set up is that we want to play the game at 60% intensity or lower to avoid straining the players, so we've disposed of the usual frantic all-action pressing game. But we also need to win or else playing such a strong side becomes pointless. So we need to set up to counter-attack and hit them on the break. But the two best players for a counter-attacking system are sitting on the bench (Townsend and Njie). So, we're set up with players suited to the pressing game but we're not pressing. Hence one of the most dreadful halves of football I've had the displeasure of watching this season. Oh, and Trippier is indeed bizarrely cack.
Anderlecht 1-0 up against Monaco. Anyone know if a pigeon can reach Baku in the next 25ish minutes, as that'll be an incentive.
Am I the only one relatively content with this so far? Bloody difficult game in so many ways. Short corners, though...
I'll be pleased with a draw tbh...Sometimes we need to grind out results...especially with our run of games
Another crap corner turns into something of a counter-attack. We really do need to improve on the delivery from them. Lloris with his first real save. Time for some fresh legs, perhaps?
