- Search

claretspice

I agree. He was fantastic pre Injury but since he's been back his fitness has been unacceptable. Firstly, he was clearly brought back to soon so I think the majority took it quite easy on any criticism but personally I thought his performance was unacceptable on Saturday especially in the second ha...

claretspice

Absolutely. Well said, Spice. And the Luton game is but one example. Presumably at a time when he was awaiting a hernia op. Twice this season we've been away at top sides, had a man sent off early, and then "won" the rest of the game. Twice Foster has been lone striker in those games. That doesn't ...

claretspice

Surely he goes through an intense fitness regime before he's deemed fit enough to play football and if he didn't then he should do it himself. I've got very little patience for that kind of thing. He's recovering from a hernia. Before he had a hernia I heard various criticisms of Foster, but amongs...

claretspice

Fosters been back for ages. We are playing 1 game a week, it really shouldn't be too much to ask for him to get up to fitness It's less than 3 weeks since he was deemed fit enough to start for the first time this year, and that came only one sub appearance which was itself a surprisingly early retu...

claretspice

:?: ⅕ I’m not sure I can see a team lacking fitness being in so many close games at this point of the season. You’d expect us to be struggling to stay in games at the back end of the season, but we’ve actually been in more games of late and even nearly beat Chelsea with 10 men. The problem is in the...

claretspice

I don't imagine all those players will be with us next season at all.

I'd expect one of Beyer O'Shea and Esteve to be sold for decent money, and at least one of the back ups (al-dakhil, Ekdal, McNally, Delcroix to also be sold. We've far too many centre backs on the books.

claretspice

Goliath wrote: ↑
Sun Apr 14, 2024 9:50 am
To be fair you could argue the balls out to the full back had a hint of pragmatism to them, in the sense that he was overhitting them which mean they just went out of play. It didn't put us in any danger.

No but it killed our momentum and that was a feature of the game.

claretspice

I'm not sure about this to be honest. We're talking about a side who matched Chelsea for an hour despite having a man less of the pitch, and who 72 hours later physically bested a strong Wolves team. That doesn't fit with the idea we've a team of out of condition wastrels, and I think we should ge w...

claretspice

Clear penalty and most galllingly Hooper spent the rest of the afternoon giving that sort of clumsy man-then-ball tackle as a foul without fail. Brighton nearly scored directly from one such free kick at the end of the half when Muric made a decent save.

claretspice

ClaretTony wrote: ↑
Sun Apr 14, 2024 9:38 am
I think a book could be written on bizarre substitutions to be honest this season

The majority I can fathom. That one I found really odd.

claretspice

Found his introduction bizarre. He's not been deemed to warrant any game time since Luton at home, and no significant game time this year. Benson has had a couple of cameos recently and showed a threat against Wolves. He's also got the sort of whippy, dipping shot that's well suited to slippery, win...

claretspice

Surprised at the consistency ratings given he gave a number of other free kicks where the player caught the man just before ball, including the one for Brighton from which Muric made a decent save just before half time, and yet didn't give a penalty when Estupinian did exactly that to Odobert.

claretspice

Sorry but Foster and especially Fofana for missing an open net (yet again) cost us the point's, the final ball into the box is terrible like all season and that's cost us point's today and all season not Muric His distribution today was probably on par with normal goalkeepers we've been spoilt with...

claretspice

It’s ******* pointless marking when people are giving 4s to a 19 year old who played in three fantastic crosses as part of some sort of myopic “no end product” narrative. Absolutely this. Could Odobert be physically stronger? Yes. Could he be more switched on to his defensive duties? Yes. Is his en...

claretspice

It was more when he was central that his lack of work rate became more noticeable. It's been the same since he returned from injury. I refuse to blame the management team for that because in my opinion a player should have enough professional pride to ensure he is fit enough to play 90 minutes a we...

claretspice

Thought he had a good first half in which he stretched Brighton with good runs across the line from a central starting position. His confidence is clearly low and he was a bit untidy as a result but he carried a threat and, for example, the reverse pass to Odobert for the penalty appeal was really c...

claretspice

The amount of people saying Odobert had no end product and was not involved are clearly not watching the game. He put a wonderful ball in with his left foot that JBL should definitely have scored, and then put a wicked ball across for that donkey fofana to miss from 3 yards out. And he might have h...

claretspice

A decent performance in awkward conditions, but not enough and this ability to self destruct is mind boggling. Muric - 4 - turns out he's not the messiah after all. A catastrophic error for the second week in a row. One excellent save late on but the damage was done, and he looked a little uncomfort...

claretspice

It was suggested in the ESPN VAR review on Monday, which is written with input from PGMOL, that we were likely to appeal and the article stated the VAR should have told Oliver to downgrade it to a yellow, which implies PGMOL would be sympathetic to an appeal. It also stated it was for denying a goal...

claretspice

I wouldn't guarantee OShea will be suspended. I read we were likely to appeal, and likely to win an appeal. If he's available he plays. I'd drop Assignon and play Vitinho. I've not been that impressed with Assignon after his debut. I'd bring in Brownhill as the advances midfielder, play Odobert off ...

claretspice

We talk a lot about the merits of defensive skills in flair attackers, we see plenty without it (Anthony etc), and what a shame it is that we don’t get any media coverage of us, or player / manager interviews on these topics, which leaves a vacuum I think the implication here is that Tresor is a fl...

claretspice

I accept you can make an argument that much of our general defending has been OK, particularly since we tightened up the way we were playing in November time. We've looked fairly well organised and for long periods individuals have looked perfectly at home at this level. However, that's a bit like a...

claretspice

This has proved an ill-conceived signing that has not worked out at all. Given how little he's been used post-Christmas, you'd have to assume he's not our player for next season. There is absolutely a player in Tresor, but both he and Amdouni are players of a similar ilk, and it was asking too much ...

claretspice

Sounds to have been a hugely disappointing performance yesterday, but I always think you should search for mitigations, and I do think there's one yesterday that has been under-explored. We quite regularly struggled under Dyche with the third Premier League game of a 3 game week and Dyche would make...

claretspice

Tony has said above somewhere that the quasi dof we had was let go in Feb. Well I don't know what exactly his role was but my understanding (from what was reported when he left) is he was someone who reported to Kompany but dealt with off field matters rather than someone to.shom Kompany reported. ...

claretspice

It could work but the dof and manager would have to be exeptionally well aligned for it to. I can’t see Kompany ever being under someone’s else’s control or asking their input. His recent team selections are all over the place like when I couldn’t win on football manager or something. Randomly just...

claretspice

The DOF usually chooses a lot of the players and the manager themselves in some setups. So the team manager usually becomes more of a coach for the players the dof has last say on but they get everyone’s feedback from owners to coaches. I’m not a fan of it tbh as usually the dof isn’t as good as th...

claretspice

We don’t know who would have Wout clauses but that seems less likely with younger players. The big danger is Leeds style relegation loans which leaves us in the doo doo. I would expect though that Amdouni, Tresor if signed, Berge and Odobert would go for £50m between them. Probably a small loss on ...

claretspice

I'm firmly of the view that we need a director of football/technical director/sporting director - but its not Kompany. Its someone who can challenge and peer review Kompany’s thinking (as Head Coach) from an informed perspective, particularly when it comes to transfer strategy. Concentrating so much...

claretspice

You could see exactly what Muric wad trying to do from the angle behind the goal. He waited for the incisive pass to come available, which it did as odobert moved off his man and opened things up. Unnecessary at that time in the game, should have just launched it down the pitch. I'd have more sympa...

claretspice

helmclaret wrote: ↑
Sat Apr 06, 2024 9:59 pm
With respect, I was there and he had a steady game apart from that huge clanger. You can’t judge his performance going off 5live!

I didn't try and judge his performance. I observed on the game changing significance of an inexplicable, wholly unforced error.

claretspice

Seems harsh for Muric for 1 mistake getting scores of 3 … I would have said he cost us the game if we had scored to make it 1.1 /. But we never scored so we can’t win if we don’t score I wasn't there but this is only partially true for the reasons AG states. Listening on 5live the psychological imp...

claretspice

I do believe the players are trying, and are doing their best. But there is a culture which doesn't drive the absolute maximum, because that comes from within a group. There isn't the core of players who set the demand and there isn't the spirit which comes of familiarity because its a team thrown t...

claretspice

boyyanno wrote: ↑
Sat Apr 06, 2024 2:42 pm
One thing I would say is that because of the way Dyche lines up across the pitch I always felt players like Odobert who could take a man on and beat the lines in the centre of the park were very dangerous against us, so it could work in our favour.

Good point this. Agreed. Fingers crossed.

claretspice

I think you could argue that Odobert is a bit of a square peg in the number 10 spot at the moment. He could well transition into a number 10 but I see him as a better fit out wide currently. That being said you could make the same argument (I.E not being quite suited to the position) for the majori...

claretspice

Fofana / Foster did not work v Wolves so why go for it again when away :? :? Well, without thinking its the right set up, I can think of two obvious reasons: - they've had 2 extra days to work on it in training; - it adds physicality to the team. The other point is that Fofana had a poor game on Tu...

claretspice

He nearly costs us a goal with a wayward square or backwards pass that takes the whole team out of the game pretty much every game. That has been an issue at times I agree but that's been part of his learning curve. I don't think it's especially been a feature in the last 3 months and in any event ...

claretspice

Conroy92 wrote: ↑
Sat Apr 06, 2024 2:11 pm
Quite possibly. The rest is just frustrating really though, we're in April and still playing square pegs in round holes. Kompany hasn't found the right side all year.

There's only one real square peg in a round hole and that's Foster.

claretspice

Conroy92 wrote: ↑
Sat Apr 06, 2024 2:08 pm
Disappointed with the line up.

Foster is a not a right winger and Odebert is not an AMC. I also think Vitinho has been one of the stand out performers in recent weeks and is unlucky to drop out.

Think Vitinho might just have been rotated. He's done a huge amount of work in the last 7 days.

claretspice

I’ll accept he’s quicker but passes the ball better?! No doubt he’s improved and can’t question his work rate but he’s not a defender and his use of the ball is ordinary at best. His passing to prompt moves is good and his pass accuracy is general very good, especially as he's not someone who can g...

claretspice

The template is the one from Tuesday night with that intensity and energy- but the limiting factor is whether the players have the legs after last Saturday and Tuesday. I note Delcroix was on the bench on Tuesday. If he's fit then I suspect there's a fair chance he starts because Taylor was clearly ...

claretspice

Even if that is correct it is moot because we're not spending £8m on Assignon if we go down.

claretspice

Not doing at all badly, but I'd take Assignon and even Roberts to be ahead of him as specialised RBs I'd hope that we sell Roberts and have Assignon and Sambo as RBs next season. Vitinho will be a regular in the 1st team squad next season, at RM. Got to be honest, I've not seen much from Assignon t...

claretspice

Thanks for this. I’d never heard of him and can’t find much online. Sounds a good signing for free and presumably is a sign Roberts is moving on. Were you watching him because you knew he was signing or do you watch PSV? I've not seen this lad play. I just googled him and what I wrote is what came ...

claretspice

Interesting signing- player with decent pedigree who appears to have been a regular in a fairly successful Sparta Rotterdam side last season even if he's struggled for game time this season in a highly successful PSV side. Don't think we can hold that against him and good luck to him. I find the com...

claretspice

Pace needs to think very carefully if he wants to come straight back up and decide what is the best way to achieve it. If Muric indicates he wants to leave if he’s not playing again I would keep him at all costs and that includes changing the manager cos he has made a right mess of the keeper situa...

claretspice

Wolves didn't try to press high though, they were happy sitting deeper and the longer it went on the more of a threat they looked on the break. I think they were a bit surprised by how aggressive our press was but they were getting to grips with it by the end, it basically needed one classy touch f...

claretspice

Wolves didn't try to press high though, they were happy sitting deeper and the longer it went on the more of a threat they looked on the break. I think they were a bit surprised by how aggressive our press was but they were getting to grips with it by the end, it basically needed one classy touch f...

claretspice

The stat I saw had us with 51 percent possession. It surprised me to be honest thought we'd had more than that. But also I think most prem teams absolutely slice us apart on the break after watching us play like that. Wolves got to grips with it by the end and the strikers were just knocking the ba...

claretspice

Loads of people seem to know exactly what VK's relationship is with players who haven't featured much this season, which is pretty remarkable. We'll have to ship out a number of centre backs and wide/creative players next summer as we have far too many. If you accept we need 4 out-and-out centre bac...

Search found 4159 matches