Ekdal

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Perhaps to give him a bit of time off before training for the internationals? It's not like we didn't have cover.

Why would he need extra time off? As I said seems a bit strange added to a very flat performance yesterday.

[willsclarets]

I firmly believe we will end up with a back 4 of Hartman, Esteve, Tuanzebe and Walker. I also think given time opinions of Tuanzebe will become favourable. Maybe not as drastic as the CJ turnaround but comparable.

After that, Ekdal for me has the edge on Worall. Perhaps if you're defending for your life and balls are flying in your box you'd want the latter, but hard to see that happening much this season. Even if we're 1-0 up, teams will be patient in the dying minutes and try to carve you open.

Ekdal is unlucky to be dropped and there's a few on the bench for me who are lucky to be there atm. Notably JBL, and probably Broja until he finds his goalscoring feet in the U21s and looks dynamite in training.

[boatshed bill]

Why would he need extra time off? As I said seems a bit strange added to a very flat performance yesterday.

Well I rate SP as a good man-manager so it could be to give him a bit of a rest before the internationals on a weekend where we tried an alternative centre-back,

[ClaretPete001]

Very odd coming across these quotes from Scott in my tea break.

So it was a tactical choice to play somebody quicker, push higher up the field, and try to aggressively win the ball back?

The trouble was it cost us the goal, Tuanzebe missed the tackle stepping up, Esteve was having to cover much of the backline with Laurent being raw in that position, did well initially, but we ended up one on one and the Villa guy proved stronger and a good finisher. Fairly predictable.

Also odd the rumour, that feels true, that Ekdal was on a flight to Denmark the day before (Boden was mentioning the rumour in the podcast). If a CB had gone down ill the morning of the game, that would have left us in a real state. I hope Ekdal hasn't taken it badly, nothing to say he has but there is a whiff about it. Put it this way, if I was Ekdal and I'd been dropped from the 20 man squad with Laurent starting at CB ahead of me, I'd be upset, so I'd be amazed if he wasn't.

I think Scott is overthinking it at the moment. We have winnable games to come and he is clearly trying to adapt us to be less defensive in those games. But for me that comes with dominating midfield with square pegs in square holes, and that means Lesley in there with Cullen and Florentino. Lesley and Ekdal are both going to be away during the bulk of the Leeds prep so I bet Scott is tempted not to change it for that vital game. If he isn't careful, Laurent will prove to be the hill that Scott's career dies on if he stubbornly refuses to change it (bit harsh on Laurent, who I liked in CM in the Championship, not his fault, he can't turn down a chance to play).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp-PIcsktGo

If you look at 46 seconds - it is Hartman who is picking up Malen not Esteve. Hartman simply let's him run from his side and it is Esteve who responds the quicker and then looks at fault.

It's a horror show really. Walker is trotting back from the penalty box. Laurent is trying to catch Olie Watkins (I think) who is on his own in the our 5 yard box.

The second one, Esteve is ball watching albeit I bet 9 out of 10 he is quick enough to turn and get back across in the Championship,

[MT03ALG]

Gone home to Sweden...
[/quote

For how long ?

[dougcollins]

That's something we could build on

Not in my experience, I'd have to get mrs dc to do it.

[dougcollins]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp-PIcsktGo

If you look at 46 seconds - it is Hartman who is picking up Malen not Esteve. Hartman simply let's him run from his side and it is Esteve who responds the quicker and then looks at fault.

It's a horror show really. Walker is trotting back from the penalty box. Laurent is trying to catch Olie Watkins (I think) who is on his own in the our 5 yard box.

The second one, Esteve is ball watching albeit I bet 9 out of 10 he is quick enough to turn and get back across in the Championship,

Esteve did as much as he could to be honest, and probably the only thing in the match Dubravka got wrong. The two of them had a bit of a discussion about it afterwards, I think Esteve was disappointed Malen got the shot off, but thought he'd pushed him wide enough and Dubravka should have stopped it.

Hell of a finish to be fair.

[dougcollins]

First goal bty.