Rightdm00

The final bottom 3 will not include Fulham. Newcastle most likely then Brighton unless they remember the game is about scoring goals and not how many pretty passes one can string together. 

19 minutes ago, Greenfly said:

This is the vital stat imo. I've always seem him as more of a deep lying playmaker, recieving the ball from the defence and pinging them out to wings. His main job, I suspect, is to find Jack wherever he is. I'm no expert, but this is the impression I get.

If we're likely to be overrun, I always prefer to see Nakamba in the team rather than Doug. But Doug clearly has his uses, especially if we're in control. Horses for courses, etc.

And a Deep Lying Playmaker is a DM. He may not be the destroyer everyone is clamoring for on here but he is playing a DM role. 

Just now, villalad21 said:

As you said.

Incredibly low sample size.

So now you draw the line on a small sample size. Never stopped you before.

10 minutes ago, useless said:

He's one of the best DMs in the league, was only a few weeks ago that everyone was insisting that Man City were going to buy him, or do people think that they were going to buy him to play in some other position that he's hardly ever played before, not sure what position people think he should play if he isn't a DM.

Only one game so by no means a full evaluation but the one game where he played a more advanced role, Newcastle H, he looked awful. 

He has shown no ability to play the #8 role. Doesn't have the dribbling skills or the athleticism. If he doesn't play as a 6 then I'm not sure how you get him on the field. 

5 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

Martinez weren't really unwanted though.

Both fans and Arteta rated him and they were sad to see him go.

You didn't say whether they rated him or not you said unwanted. Arsenal rated Leno and considered Martinez surplus to requirements. 

Funny how you don't even mention Mings who was definitely unwanted and not even rated by Bournemouth. That 25 million is a bargain now for the English international. 

5 minutes ago, andym said:

His body simply cant do what it used to, however much he tries

A few mins after he came on he had the ball facing our half, tried to dip the shoulder, spin and drive forwards into the wolves half

He got about 2 yards until the wolves player easily got back round, robbed the ball and set off into our half with barkley treading water behind

His first step and initial burst of acceleration is gone. All those hamstring injuries...

 

It's obvious he's still suffering. As you said, no burst at all. Wouldn't be surprised if he had an operation after the season was over. The injury doesn't look like it's going to heal on its own. 

48 minutes ago, Panto_Villan said:

Martinez says hello.

Mings is another. It's almost like he gets it wrong on purpose. 

Loves the cross so much it's like he gets tunnel vision. Turned down so many on the floor passes to send in another aimless cross. 

Good on defense but I'm ready for Cash to return so we can get our right side attacking again. 

I feel so safe everytime when we are trying to maintain the clean sheet in the final minutes.  What's the clean sheet record? Does Martinez have a shot?

Just now, Wainy316 said:

My Nan > Barkley

Seriously, that near assist off of the Wolves corner gets worse with each viewing. 

1 hour ago, lexicon said:

That challenge on Neto was effing beautiful.

It really was. Just reminding Neto Football is a contact sport. 

2 minutes ago, RobSpain said:

One of the wealthiest clubs in the country and we couldn’t sign another striker in January because “Wes will be back soon” FFS what were they thinking?

 

Completely ignoring FFP and the financial realities of COVID but go off have a useless pop. 

2 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Most predictable nil-nil is nil-nil shocker.

I thought we were very good in the first half, full of energy and running - that side plus Grealish and Cash is very good indeed.

Second half we lost all our fluency and let Wolves have far too much of the ball - we nearly paid the price for that but luckily we have the best keeper in the league and Wolves don't put the ball in the net either.

I felt overall we edged it although the second half wasn't pretty - aa shame Konsa hadn't got his shooting boots with him.

Nothing to get too upset about, biggest thing for me is hoping Sanson is okay, because that midfield three works - it could be a problem solved.

 

 

That midfield 3 with Jack out wide is a winner. A fresh Jack and Cash to finish the season will get us to 55 points. I can feel it. 

Looks like the grind of the season is starting to wear on a couple legs. Neither side took their chances. Good point in the end. 

Disturbingly number of balls being played over the top.  Must be the game plan but we have missed some obvious runners through midfield into the final 3rd. 

7 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

Bruce would be hounded for a performance like that.

Nick an early goal and sit in. That as much of a Bruce performance as you get

Bruce would get roasted for a performance like that because that's his only play. We beat the champions 7-2, beat a team having only ten men 3-0 and you are complaining that we WON a game 1-0 missing our best player. Come off it. 

As a couple other have hit on. The main weakness for this squad is a severe lack of depth. Midfield is about the only area where we actually have any. Given that fact it shouldn't be surprising that we are failing to maintain our early season form.  In the end those wins all the count the same. In Leicester's title run they had some great offensive performances to start then racked up a bunch 1-0 to secure the title. 

Also, I just want to touch in performances league wide.  We just finished a game week where 17 fixtures were played and only 4 times did a team score more than 1 goal. Goals are down, the compressed fixture list has reared its ugly head. All teams, even the Top 6 clubs with multiple options on the bench are struggling to score. 

For me, given our injury concerns and fatigue, 15 more points from the next 13 and this season will be an amazing success. 

36 minutes ago, sne said:

Just adding stats to your post about him "only" being left footed. Think we both agree he's very much left footed and that this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Same with Hourihane down in the championship. When you have a foot that good why would you ever use the other one. 

No need to set our 2 DMs against each other. They both have traits any modern footballing team would find attractive. You play the player better suited for the matchup. 

With Sheffield I can see Dean going either way. They have played better recently but still do most of their work on the wings. Not sure we need a "destroyer" against a team like that. 

1 hour ago, villalad21 said:

Never change a winning team, eyh?

Pretty small time. Top teams change their squad win or lose. Whole point of a squad is to name a team that's best suits winning against the opposition at hand.  Not blindly name the same 11 just because they beat a completely different setup.

7 minutes ago, VillanousOne said:

do you really think any of players are poor or lazy in training?

I just can't see it. Although your argument shoots itself in the foot if players are lazy or poor on the pitch but are fine in training is that ok?

 

Many match performers don't put forth their best efforts forward in training.  Every team has a loafer or two in training.  Dele can't get a game with Spurs right now because he is poor trainer. I'm sure their are others all throughout the league. 

As far as match performance of course it factors into managers selection criteria. It just isn't the end all be all.  Any number of factors including the opponent, fitness, tactics, and probably a few more I'm missing. All of these are worked out on the training pitch. If a player isn't putting forth the requisite effort there then a manager is sending the absolute worst message if he continues to pick that player. 

7 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Bielsa must have good knees, he's a man in his mid sixties who spends an hour a week squatting. 

 

As someone who has had 2 knee surgeries every time he does that squat I get insanely jealous. I'm in my 30s and if I tried that I would last about 5 second's before i tip over from the pain. 

42 minutes ago, VillanousOne said:

That seems to be an excuse being peddled out week in week out for who does or doesn't gets picked, I would argue that what the players do during a match is more important than what they do in training or at least 'equally as important'.

That's a fan centric view of the game. We only see the game so for evaluation purposes we put the emphasis there.

I never played for a coach who would watch me loaf in practice and then let me play in the match. Picking poor/lazy trainers for the match day squad would be the quickest way to spoil team chemistry. Something this team has in abundance right now. 

27 minutes ago, VillanousOne said:

Then by that logic Sanson should never get a game

Training. The manager sees him there every day. If he puts in consistent performances he will eventually get his chance to start. 

59 minutes ago, The_Rev said:

Somehow Emi is still uncapped. I can’t see him having to wait too much longer for his debut. 

Seriously, Emi at worst he is the #2 keeper in the world right now on form. I was bored silly watching tonight because it was obvious we weren't going to score and Emi wasn't about to let Brighton get a snif.