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Andrew James
1 Posted 12/02/2018 at 16:26:46
Paul - I thought Tom had scored a couple more since the City goal. Didn't he score against Leicester around Easter?

Anyway, good review as ever.

I didn't think we were that bad in the first half. Palace defended well and the ball just didn't fall for us in the box with them getting in blocks and deflections to stifle us. We also were guilty of going long too often.

Second half - once we scored, the players seemed to relax and play the ball on the deck throughout. By the third they were clearly enjoying themselves which is good to see.

Bringing on MS seemed like a wasted sub to me. As you alluded to Niasse having energy pills, he was knackered and giving him support with another striker would have kept the ball up top and stretched them. Instead we invited them on a bit but thankfully some sneaky game management with set pieces by Sigg and Rooney wound the clock down.

Steve Ferns
2 Posted 12/02/2018 at 16:41:30
Yes Andrew, it was Tom's third goal, not his second.
Terry White
3 Posted 12/02/2018 at 17:18:11
Andrew (#1), Gana was injured hence the need to bring Morgan on as his replacement rather than an alternative substitution which would have made most of the fans happier.
Si Cooper
4 Posted 12/02/2018 at 19:38:23
Terry, we all know Gana was injured. The question is was a like-or-like substitution necessary? Tom Davies could have assumed the defensive midfielder role instead, giving the manager the option of putting an attacker on. There was no explicit ‘need' to use Schneiderlin.
Dave Williams
5 Posted 12/02/2018 at 20:40:09
Just remember the Niasse substitution v West Ham chaps and how the midfield caved in and we lost. Priority had to be to secure the points- hopefully we will be safe in a few weeks and then we can give Tosun a try and see if he is up to it.

That said, we all wrote off Niasse for months til he started scoring for the Under-23s and he is a cult hero now who also scores and makes goals, so we need to give Tosun some time, I guess.

Andrew James
6 Posted 12/02/2018 at 20:42:29
Agreed but our manager will always consider being over defensive than defending from the front by changing the shape and having an "out ball", even for 10 minutes.

But he's learned what many fans think so we might not see Schneiderlin starting for a while.

Gaute Lie
7 Posted 12/02/2018 at 22:32:37
Paul,

I agree with most – except for your comments regarding Niasse "and began the season not part of Ronald Koeman's plans at all".

Koeman did not have a plan at all.

Jerome Shields
8 Posted 13/02/2018 at 10:51:33
I think your assessment is right. The worry is our defence that, when put under any pressure, looks vulnerable.

Playing higher up the pitch relieves this pressure at home, but when Big Sam gives his video talk on defensive tactics (no playing up the pitch and hoofball to the isolated forwards), before away games, pressure on our vulnerable defensive unit is assured with a performance to match your assessment.

Andrew James
9 Posted 13/02/2018 at 14:19:42
Gaute,

Agreed, he was desperately just rolling the dice with different line ups, back 4 one week, back 5 the next.

Unfortunately, we've witnessed similar behaviour from Allardyce.

Does this stem from an unbalanced squad or managers who aren't good enough? Or both?

John Keating
10 Posted 13/02/2018 at 20:58:06
Paul,

it's great we are looking up and not down. However, I hope we don't look any further upwards than 8th. I think if we go any higher we may get involved in the nightmare of the Europa League.

I think just for the foreseeable future we should just take the close season to take stock, get ourselves in order without the distraction of another European calamity, and concentrate on a good strong full uninterrupted pre-season.

Mike Gaynes
11 Posted 13/02/2018 at 20:58:30
Paul, excellent writeup... thank you.

I will differ only on Mangala, who committed two catastrophic errors in those "challenging opening 15 minutes" and did nothing that I saw to redeem himself before he was injured. A 4 would have been generous in my eyes.

Andrew #1, your recollection is correct... Davies scored 32 seconds into the Leicester game last April. This was his first goal since then.

Liam Reilly
12 Posted 14/02/2018 at 15:30:09
Good summary Paul.

You're correct in your 'fine margins' assessment because if Benteke had been on form, we'd have been chasing the game which may well have had a different outcome.

The difference in quality between the top 6 clubs and the rest is becoming more and more apparent each week and we're fortunate that there are some really piss poor sides in the Premier League this season. To still be in the top half with our performances this season is scandalous and a Indictment against the sides below us.

Look at Tottenham at Juve last night and put Everton in that position at 2-0 down after 10 minutes. My money would've been on another good thrashing!

It's a huge gulf in class that's going to be mighty difficult to bridge.


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