And it had to be bloody SPARV
Just as we were getting into the game.
Off for a meltdown
We can turn this around. Ok not the 5-0. 3-1 it will be, but that away goal could be the bugger!
How was that disallowed?
Ah ref admits mistake gives soft pen
Looking much more lively. Super pleased for Jay.
1st lucky smoke of the season there!
Looking much better now. The tempo seems much better. Have we just woken up for the first for a game and a half! The patience even on here is getting thin, silly forums COYR!
oops woke Mrs D_P up with the celebrations when JRod scored now fighting over the 1 chair in the office.
Also worried we’re running out of steam. But Caulker could have been on a hat trick
These guys are ripe for the taking now. C’mon. Fifteen more minutes to get a winning advantage.
Long about to come on.
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JWP so close, with a curling free kick!
Not the best, but we had a great spell during the second half which was positive. All to play for in the 2nd leg. Now I want to go!
Well, disappointing, but not disastrous. Quite a few positives to take from the game, but it’s official, Europa League qualification is now on a knife edge.
And THAT is why we went to Arnhem…
But we can still turn it round. Etc etc
Disappointing first half where we lacked some sort of spark. Things looked better in the second half. Thought Pelle had a great game as the target man tonight although we did hit the ball long to him too often for my liking. I’m still confident that we can go through.
Don’t forget it is a 18:00 kick off next Thursday… Do not tune in at 20:00 as it could be all over.
That was again shite, very worried.
Could easily have stuck 3 away in the second half and it would’ve been a different picture. We didn’t, and so are facing a scary scenario now.
Midtjylland came with a gameplan and worked it well. Their timewasting and injury feigning towards the end was a shame to see though. The last ten minutes were farcical and ultimately rather pointless.
Also our support was SHITE. Abysmal. 12 fucking years I’ve waited for this - damn right I’m going to sing all game. Struggled to get more than a smattering to join in and this was block 42 of the Northam, FFS.
I can totally see why we needed to have all 3 CB’s on the pitch - well done to our guys for researching their tactics. The problem is that as well as Maya played, he doesn’t add that spark of initiative that is needed when going forward, (which IMHO is Matty Targett’s only crticism at the moment)
So that left us short of guile when we did get into attacking positions, floaty crosses will not work against a tall team no matter how well Pelle plays.
So perhaps last night was a game where we obviously missed Bertrand, but perhaps we would have been better suited going with a 3-5-2 derivative formation. Easy in hindsight especially as it went very wrong the last time we tried it at home.
Again we have needed 2 DM’s in our PL games so far this year and while they gave protection last night it again meant we were short of options 10-15 yards further up the pitch, leading to JRod & Mane having to drop deeper. So that then slowed up our build-ups and let them get 12 players behind the ball (inc the ref of course)
It is difficult to get the balance right with the new players coming in after the season had started, but I don’t think RK has it yet OR the players haven’t quite got it worked out yet.
I don’t believe any of the side last night deserve the stick they are getting on stevesweb, and I do not believe we were poor.
We started slowly (I have said time and again that Davis provides our tempo and we took 30 minutes to get going without him then we were hit with a sucker punch.)
The fans going to Denmark next week now have a hell of a task on their hands to carry us to a 2-2 draw or better.
We can do it but we need to start Arnhem away quick
I never really used to post on the main board over onTSW because it was always too knee jerk and full of ridiculous comments and squabbling. Recently though they seemed to have turned the dial up to 11. More flapping than flock of seagulls.
and migdetland are a bunch of time wasting arse clowns
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Uggh!
The pros
Jay Rod got some good time on the pitch as well as a goal. His early chance when he ran through on goal between two defenders, showed me he still has some pace and strength. In fact, I’ve seen that a couple of times from him since he’s been back, and I can never remember him being that pacy before the injury.
Pelle as a target man and Koeman’s long-ball. I’m a purist when it comes to football style, but I was really pleased to hear Koeman say afterwards that he instructed us to play more long balls. It worked, and I was delighted that it wasn’t a reaction that the players came up with themselves. When you see pros kicking a ball long against the manager’s wishes, it normally means that they aren’t comfortable with the ball and don’t trust their teammates. Pelle was a revelation in that role. Don’t want to see him having to play that way in the Prem too often, and perhaps Prem defenders wouldn’t allow him to be as effective, but good to know he’s got that.
Mané put all the speculation about his future behind him and got on with the game. His pace over 5 yards / meters is wonderful to see. I also enjoyed seeing him play some cutsey passes into the box for one-twos too. Infuriating at times though he is, he is our only spark of creativity at the moment.
Ward-Prowse. I’m concerned that he’s going to be an Andrew Surman sort of player. An excellent all-rounder, but not quick enough, creative enough or tough enough to force his way into the team. I thought he did well, but by God his dead-ball delivery was fantastic last night. Quick, whipping and late-dipping balls into the box. The one for Caulker’s effort that was saved was incredible in the way in dipped late.
Caulker. I thought he looks like the sort of solid buy I expected him to be. I’m sure we’ll find weaknesses against better opponents, but I thought he did well as part of a back five that panicked at times.
The cons
We’ve lost our solidity as a team. We used to be so compact between defence and midfield, and the front 3 would press high, and close down fast. I saw that in spells during the start of the second-half, but we were so open at times. Let’s hope we can drill that into the new members of the squad quickly.
The panic in the defence was concerning at times. It’s somewhat understandable given the unique approach of flooding the box by FCM, but even so I would have liked to see a calm head in there.
Fonte’s header for their goal was poor. I thought CBs are schooled to head away from the goal and out to the wings. Fonte put the ball right at the feet of Sparv, and because both Wanyama and Romeu had been drawn out to the right, he had a free shot. I imagine Fonte was concerned about heading the ball into to touch and having to defend a massive throw-in? Perhaps he got what he could on it, and I’m being unfair?
The questions
I understand playing Yoshida as a third centre-back (albeit at right-back) because of FCM’s long ball/throws and set-pieces, but why did we buy the versatile Martina? Did I not read that he could play anywhere along the back, but was best at right-back. Injured?
Why aren’t we seeing more of Juanmi? Why only 7 mins? Was he deemed too slight for last night’s more physical battle?
Who will take control in the DM role? The understanding between Romeu and Wanyama will take time to grow. I think Big Vic excelled with Mogan alongside him as a calming influence and also as a leader. I don’t know if Romeu can be that mentor for Vic, and I don’t know if Vic can be that player on his own. Perhaps Clasie will player there or at least influence the DMs?