Other Matches - Saturday 22nd December, 2018

[carefreeluke]

We were too slow on the ball today. Players taking about 50 touches to do something they could do in 1-3. If we don't play at the right tempo, intensity, and mentality particularly when moving the ball we're going to continue to have problems breaking down teams who set up like Leicester did today which is a reoccurring theme for opposition teams when they come here. 

Next, two things. Sarri's selection and the club. Playing that midfield three combo in games like today isn't worth it. I've come to see that choice as a defensive one. Kovacic retains possession well, is very comfortable on the ball and gets through some good defensive work that often goes unnoticed. All useful in particular games or in certain periods during games. This wasn't one of those games. Apart from those three things, there's not much else there. I'm not criticizing his output in an attacking sense, that is goals and assists, more the fact that we need someone in that position that's more of a danger to the opposition. Sarri should also not be afraid to take off Kanté as well during games, to help give the midfield a bit more attacking threat. 

No striker, Hazard playing out of position, no fullbacks that can contribute well enough to the attacking phase, Willian. Ruben should have also started. A mixture of things you can put on the club and the manager today.

A bloke near me at the game today turned around and said 'Azpilicueta is stealing a living'. A comment 2-3 years ago you would have thought you would never hear at the ground but it's a reality of the times. A great player but one that doesn't suit the type of football the manager is trying to implement. 

I also want to give congratulations to Marcos Alonso and Willian. How they've managed to convince a lot of the footballing world over the years that they are good players is a credit to them. 

[Cicero]

The fact we genuinely turned down 60 million for Willian, still have no reliable striker, and now go into the 3rd season where Alonso has zero competition, shows the incompetence of our board. Where we are in the table is a perfect representation of the level we are at. The audacity for the board to expect better, goes to show they haven't a fucking clue. Fully expect us to be 5th after the Watford game. 

 

[Dan+]

I just do not get it

[LFCMike]

3 minutes ago, Dan said:

I just do not get it

Is he in or out?

[Dan+]

36 minutes ago, LFCMike said:

Is he in or out?

Every single time he's on the verge of the boot he pulls something out the bag. I think this particular fixture was one too far but it's happened again.

Best result under him. I can't change my entire opinion on the back of one result but I saw so many things today that have been missing under him.

[LFCMike]

4 minutes ago, Dan said:

Every single time he's on the verge of the boot he pulls something out the bag. I think this particular fixture was one too far but it's happened again.

Best result under him. I can't change my entire opinion on the back of one result but I saw so many things today that have been missing under him.

Just make sure you better this in the next one! 

[Happy Blue]

19 hours ago, Stan said:

Fucking hell that is unreal.

 

@The Palace Fan @Happy Blue

What a strike.

 

Not seen it yet, went to London for the boxing yesterday but will watch the re run later today  ...maybe 

[Dan+]

It's the best result under Puel by a mile for me. Given their unbeaten record at home to go there and win is a superb effort, totally unexpected.

What I've noticed under Puel is we seem to repeat our performances against particular teams.

For example we are hopeless against Crystal Palace under him, but we keep beating Watford, we keep beating Huddersfield, we keep winning at Newcastle, and we keep getting results off Chelsea - we drew there 0-0 last year in what you could argue was an even better performance than yesterday.

We rode our luck at times but frankly you're always going to have to in that kind of fixture, there's no way they'll create nothing in 90 minutes. The Alonso miss at the end is unbelievably fortunate from our point of view.

But that performance had so much that has been missing under him. We pressed, we were aggressive, we defended how we used to. The full backs were both fantastic, Choudhury's gone from being a player you thought we were just trying to get some experience into one that's actually quite useful for us and offers that intensity in his game we've been lacking, he starts again Boxing Day for me.

Vardy clinical, Maddison far better, Morgan back to his absolute best.

We are still at our absolute best when we play the players who can press and who have the biggest engines, as simplistic as that may read. If Puel accepts that, he will hold onto his job.

[Stan]

Only just seen this