Positives, negatives and more from today

Eddie excels at so many things but sometimes I wonder if he has the ability to get out the hairdryer at halftime during games like this. Pitiful home loss followed by halfhearted applause from players who put in a halfhearted performance is pretty hard to take. Not the first time either. Then again, I'm not in the dressing room, could be wrong
 
Boston_Cherry said:
Eddie excels at so many things but sometimes I wonder if he has the ability to get out the hairdryer at halftime during games like this. Pitiful home loss followed by halfhearted applause from players who put in a halfhearted performance is pretty hard to take. Not the first time either. Then again, I'm not in the dressing room, could be wrong
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Seriously! Pitiful?

This was an even game against a more experienced opponent. Had we put our chances away and our goalie turned up, the result would have been different. I really doubt the (alleged) lack of hairdryer had any impact on Boruc and Mousset’s performance!!
 
Have been concerned about lack of leadership. Brooks showed the way today - he was excellent, taking and keeping the ball and asking for options upfront. On the other hand, Cook was not himself - as if asking him to organise the defensive unit was just too much. Eddie needs more onfield leaders, pref in the form of a midfield recruit - as neither Surman nor Gosling meet the challenge.
 
Agree with the OP.....I was very disappointed with both Boruc and Lys, who had both been brilliant at Chelsea but were both awful today.

Think Jordon is getting more stick than his game deserved, while maybe not being more than a 6/10 at best, there were several that were even worse on the day.

Taylor - did *ok* - one superb cross field pass out to the right wing showed what he can do. Sadly he and Surman are too similar to play together I think. Maybe someone like Oforborh would have been a better partner for Surman??

Pluses - Clyne will be great for us [ as long as he's not changed his mind tonight! ]

Simpson is a good steady talent, was out of position for the second and third goals perhaps but think Cookie didn't lead by example alongside him.

Fraser did ok, got a bit frustrated with a couple of his team mates.

Brooks is rather good isn't he. A Brighton fan on Twitter suggesting we paid 10m for an average player! I think he *could* go on to play for any of the top sides in Europe.

Obviously a sh*tty day, I always hate games against teams in the same division at this stage! But we still know overall, we have a blooming decent first team when all fit and doing their thing.
 
Based on today’s performance

Boruc 5 should have done better with second and third goals he conceded,distribution average.
Clyne 7 Showed composure and good positioning.
Simpson 6 Good effort should have got in a block for their first goal
Cook 7 Dependable unlucky not to have scored with a header
Rico 5 looks out of his depth at present, poor distribution
Fraser 6 flashes of his best but lacked his normal quality
Surman 5 Are his legs made of glass? He never blocks or tackles when he should and his failure to close down their player cost us the second goal
Taylor 6 tidy but ineffective against their more experienced midfield,one for the future
Pugh 6 generally sluggish, but great shot for our goal a piece of vintage Pugh
Mousset 4 showed no strikers instinct and doesn’t look too bothered either?
Ibe 6 not as bad as some have stated on here, not sure why he stops on the ball all the time,great work to set up an open goal for Lys at 0-0

A couple of things where was Mings and Hyndman?


Anyway no cup distractions now...just as Howe likes it....
 
davygravy said:
Agree with the OP.....I was very disappointed with both Boruc and Lys, who had both been brilliant at Chelsea but were both awful today.

Think Jordon is getting more stick than his game deserved, while maybe not being more than a 6/10 at best, there were several that were even worse on the day.

Taylor - did *ok* - one superb cross field pass out to the right wing showed what he can do. Sadly he and Surman are too similar to play together I think. Maybe someone like Oforborh would have been a better partner for Surman??

Pluses - Clyne will be great for us [ as long as he's not changed his mind tonight! ]

Simpson is a good steady talent, was out of position for the second and third goals perhaps but think Cookie didn't lead by example alongside him.

Fraser did ok, got a bit frustrated with a couple of his team mates.

Brooks is rather good isn't he. A Brighton fan on Twitter suggesting we paid 10m for an average player! I think he *could* go on to play for any of the top sides in Europe.

Obviously a sh*tty day, I always hate games against teams in the same division at this stage! But we still know overall, we have a blooming decent first team when all fit and doing their thing.
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Cookie did keep pointing to Simpson as to where he should be to receive the ball and his header which led to the first goal was directed into space where Rico should have dealt with it.

But what do you expect when you cobble a team together that have never played a competitive match against a more physical side you get exactly what happened today.

At least that is now two free weekends or a training trip out to Portugal or Dubai.
 
Thought Cook did a job trying to coach Simpson through the game. He was also desperately unlucky not to score at the end.

However the 1st goal conceded was significantly down to him and that crap header for me.

A 6/10 for skipper Cookie today IMHO.
 
wellsworld said:
I thought we were witnessing some sort of mental breakdown. He's not in a good place.
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Agreed. I've heard lots of rumours that he hasn't settled off the pitch and he certaintly never looks like h'es enjoying himself on the pitch. Looks like he never knows what to do to be honest
 
The players know if they go out of the cup they go to Dubai. I’ve always thought this a strange reverse motivation!

The other odd cup day thing is this board imploding on individual players for misfiring in a team that has never played together before. We have had it for Stan, Gosling, Harry Arter, Surman, Lewis Cook, Jermaine Defoe, Pugh, Mings, King in recent years and today it’s Moussets turn. Make wholesale changes and players won’t look good... if you want to see how they will do in the first team play 70% of your first team with them.
 
Neil Dawson said:
The players know if they go out of the cup they go to Dubai. I’ve always thought this a strange reverse motivation!

The other odd cup day thing is this board imploding on individual players for misfiring in a team that has never played together before. We have had it for Stan, Gosling, Harry Arter, Surman, Lewis Cook, Jermaine Defoe, Pugh, Mings, King in recent years and today it’s Moussets turn. Make wholesale changes and players won’t look good... if you want to see how they will do in the first team play 70% of your first team with them.
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Sorry Neil but I saw nothing to convince me that Mousset will cut it in the PL ever....at least Ibe gave it a go and worked hard...
 
Garbo said:
Sorry Neil but I saw nothing to convince me that Mousset will cut it in the PL ever....at least Ibe gave it a go and worked hard...
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I’m not doubting you Garbo, plus I wasn’t there so couldn’t even if I wanted to!

My point is we have witnessed many abject performances in the cups over the last four years by first teamers we have then proceeded to write off. They have all then gone on to play well in the first team. It’s really difficult to perform in a team of nine or so changes. We have proved this time and time again. I will judge Mousset if ever he gets a league start in a settled first team. He has looked decent in the past and it’s unlikely that has deserted him however bad I’m sure he was today.
 
Dubai???...How the Hell..the Hell is training in Dubai beneficial....I played in a game at Jebel Ali Port near Dubai in the evening under lights...too hot and draining ...unless they train indoors under Air Con!
Can't see it does us any good tbh!
 
northstandmark said:
Thought Cook did a job trying to coach Simpson through the game. He was also desperately unlucky not to score at the end.

However the 1st goal conceded was significantly down to him and that crap header for me.

A 6/10 for skipper Cookie today IMHO.
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although Solent said Steve was to be captain today Surman actually wore the armband
 
BillMcgarrycherry said:
Dubai???...How the Hell..the Hell is training in Dubai beneficial....I played in a game at Jebel Ali Port near Dubai in the evening under lights...too hot and draining ...unless they train indoors under Air Con!
Can't see it does us any good tbh!
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You probably played in the summer Bill. With Uncle Albert in goal...;)

This time of year Dubai around mid twenties....
 
Garbo said:
Sorry Neil but I saw nothing to convince me that Mousset will cut it in the PL ever....at least Ibe gave it a go and worked hard...
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Ibe didn't work hard!?!? That's my biggest issue with him today. He stood there letting the play go past him in the first half!! Mousset covered every blade of grass. Just a headless chicken. I can't believe someone at that game could have their effort levels the wrong way around.
 
BillMcgarrycherry said:
Dubai???...How the Hell..the Hell is training in Dubai beneficial....I played in a game at Jebel Ali Port near Dubai in the evening under lights...too hot and draining ...unless they train indoors under Air Con!
Can't see it does us any good tbh!
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Were they acetylene or paraffin flood lights back in those days Bill ?
:throw:
 
Druss_the_Legend said:
Ibe didn't work hard!?!? That's my biggest issue with him today. He stood there letting the play go past him in the first half!! Mousset covered every blade of grass. Just a headless chicken. I can't believe someone at that game could have their effort levels the wrong way around.
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...don’t be so myopic...Lys was awful,reminded me of Chukki
 
...you have a real issue with Ibe who I thought tried hard today....Lys lost interest when things weren’t going his way and doesn’t have any true striking instincts!
 
Neil Dawson said:
I’m not doubting you Garbo, plus I wasn’t there so couldn’t even if I wanted to!

My point is we have witnessed many abject performances in the cups over the last four years by first teamers we have then proceeded to write off. They have all then gone on to play well in the first team. It’s really difficult to perform in a team of nine or so changes. We have proved this time and time again. I will judge Mousset if ever he gets a league start in a settled first team. He has looked decent in the past and it’s unlikely that has deserted him however bad I’m sure he was today.
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Lys had a real opportunity today to walk the walk but fluffed his,lines badly!
 
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