Neil Dawson
UTC Legend
Anyone who was surprised we went to a back five against one of the very best sides in Europe needs their head testing.
Knowing that, anyone who was surprised EH then picked tried and tested PL players over Harry Wilson really does need their head testing.
Mepham had a good game and is an undeserving scapegoat.
The 'ease we were carved out at the back' wasn't down to our failure, it's because Citeh are just brilliant.
I hate the fuckers but their quick, one touch passing, often while off balance and moving at speed was nothing short of beautiful. 99% of sides across Europe can't contain that.
The reason we didn't get a point wasn't down to our defenders, it was because significant chances weren't taken up front and almost all our corners were wasted.
Ramsdale getting a 6 is ridiculous. He did nothing wrong against Citeh, did a lot right and, unlike his predecessors, repeatedly helped our attacks.
Generally though, the persistent heroes and villains trope is lazy.
Two games ago people rushed to pile in on Rico. It was really embarrassing.
Fast forward to this match. We played the (now annual) PL Champions and put on a great team performance but it's reduced to blaming Mepham/team selection and slipping in yet another irrelevant eulogy to the ghost of Arter. That's just so TalkSport.
I need to stop reading these. Even playing Dawson Match Report Bingo isn't funny any more.
Rather than stopping reading the reports I think you need to read them more carefully. It was a good performance and I don’t know how many times I had to write that for you to read it.
Eddie came straight out after disappointed with the defending for the goals but we are not allowed to point it out because we were playing Man C?
They did cut through us, but never got behind Ake or Cook. It was always Mepham with Smith. That’s a fact, it’s not scapegoating. They scored from our throw in. Eddie went ballistic but I have to write a report saying it was Aguero and we are not worthy?
Rico switched off for a free kick v Sheff U and was subsequently dropped for the next game and had to watch a right winger playing left back on the third game. Again, facts... not scapegoating. Scapegoating is blaming a player for relegation not the errors of one game.
We did play well. I personally have a view five at the back doesn’t suit us until we learn to play it properly, I also said whatever system we played was highly likely to get beaten.
I think you are looking for stuff that isn’t there.