A night of few positives but I thought he played very well. A clever player who rarely makes a mistake.

Has to start for me.

Oh, and, GET IN ARSENAL.

Agreed. Don’t think O’Shea played badly tonight either. He probably shouldn’t play that ball to Berge, but for me the goal comes from a very poor touch from Sander.

The problem tonight wasn’t the defence.

Played well considering in my opinion he was playing on the left side of the two as well. Possibly a little slow to get across for their goal but, seems composed.

jedi_master wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 10:13 pm

A night of few positives but I thought he played very well. A clever player who rarely makes a mistake.

Has to start for me.

Oh, and, GET IN ARSENAL.

He reminded us of how cool and composed he is, and I thought he played some good balls when moving forward. He has a good footballing brain-thats what you need in our side right now

Our best player tonight, has to start with Beyer.

agreenwood wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 10:18 pm

Agreed. Don’t think O’Shea played badly tonight either. He probably shouldn’t play that ball to Berge, but for me the goal comes from a very poor touch from Sander.

The problem tonight wasn’t the defence.

I think they’re equally culpable r.e the goal. O’Shea shouldn’t try the ball in that position just before half time and Berge should simply hoof it into touch the second he realises he has two on him. Silly goal, but O’Shea was solid barring the error.

Played well hopefully it means we don’t have to witness O’Shea for a while now.

Ekdal was super tonight. A ‘proper’ defender that reads the game, positionally is very sound, and is comfortable enough with the ball at his feet.

He's decent but probably lacking pace at this level.
We all know the sketch anyway, he'll start two games and by half time in the second one, he'll be getting called worse than Lee Howey.

Yep, great game. Him & Beyer for me.

Which is a bit of a shame as I think O’Shea has been getting better and better recently.

Unpopular opinion but I'd keep O'Shea and Ekdal

Cunha is a top, top striker and Hwang aint bad either - bar the ******** up they marshalled them two very well.

Beyer - though talented has struggled with the physical side of the game this season.

Primarily OShea's error for me. Berge has 3 closing his and is trapped. So the ball is a bad idea in the first place and it's also underhit. Perhaps he might have bailed himself out with a really really good touch but I'm not sure the heavy touch made much difference once he was surrounded.

I too thought Ekdal was assured.

O’Shea in at right back, possibly.

He’s got a decent cross on him if Saturday was anything to go by.

CoolClaret wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 10:25 pm

Unpopular opinion but I'd keep O'Shea and Ekdal

Cunha is a top, top striker and Hwang aint bad either - bar the ******** up they marshalled them two very well.

Beyer - though talented has struggled with the physical side of the game this season.

Beyer played excellently against both Sheffield United and Luton, so I don’t really get the physicality point.

agreenwood wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 10:18 pm

Agreed. Don’t think O’Shea played badly tonight either. He probably shouldn’t play that ball to Berge, but for me the goal comes from a very poor touch from Sander.

The problem tonight wasn’t the defence.

Oshea shouldnt be playing if ekdal and beyer are fit

I’d be up for trying O’Shea at right back - in fact, I think that’s a really good shout if he has experience of playing there. Vitinho has done well recently, excellent against Sheffield United, but getting added physicality into the side would be very welcome.

O’Shea Ekdal Beyer Taylor is quite a physical back line.

Swizzlestick wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 10:27 pm

Beyer played excellently against both Sheffield United and Luton, so I don’t really get the physicality point.

And equally has been bullied off other strikers this season. Sheff United I'd say was O'Shea battling with McBurnie for a half then it was smooth sailing for the defenders.

Luton? Perhaps

Listen I like him and think he's a supremely talented footballer but is poor at defending set pieces and crosses - was the same last year but we didn't see it much with our dominance with the ball.

Every time I see Ekdal he impresses me. Has to start.

claretspice wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 10:26 pm

Primarily OShea's error for me. Berge has 3 closing his and is trapped. So the ball is a bad idea in the first place and it's also underhit. Perhaps he might have bailed himself out with a really really good touch but I'm not sure the heavy touch made much difference once he was surrounded.

I too thought Ekdal was assured.

At least you are consistent

Not for me not knocking him but he slow on the turn and caught out several times doesn’t allow you to push high as he be mince meat on the turn.

He ok in possession but I prefer O Shea to be honest think he offers a little bit more all round for me

Bayer is weak and is a suited to a back 3 on either side he can carry and play but is weak and gets bullied.

O’Shea took the physical lead against Sheffield United and followed there physical threat.

O'Shea will never be a PL standard centre back as long as he has a hole in his arse.

I have no idea why people think O'Shea is going to be better at right back.

That is, better than he is now, and better than Vitinho or Roberts.

Right now a back four of O Shea Ekdal Beyer Taylor is potentially our best defensive line up. On Saturday Mitomo v Vitinho is worrying me

Ekdal "Performance was good, we're On The Right Track".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5JQnNbyVHo

RB/LB are arguably the most specialised positions in the team, but you'd put a guy in who is hardly managing to play in his own position?

ElectroClaret wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 10:38 pm

O'Shea will never be a PL standard centre back as long as he has a hole in his arse.

Think this is exceptionally harsh on someone I don’t think was at fault tonight, has been growing on to the season and is rapid - a massive plus at this level.

I would go with Ekdal & Beyer but O’Shea is very close to that pairing and has attributes they don’t, so a close one for me.

Starts on Saturday imo

Away to Brighton who are a possession and skill based footballing side. Therefore I don’t see why O’Shea at right back is that big an issue given it shores us up defensively.

Might not give us the same as Vitinho going forward but I’d feel a lot less nervous of the pace and attacking threat of Brightons young side with him not being a ticking timebomb around our defence defence.

I hope VK plays him alongside Beyer on Saturday.

According to many on here.......https://images.app.goo.gl/dB4eo8ZPjJ4D4AAP6

On a side note, I flew into Stockholm last night and there are many pictures of famous Swedish people - saw his Ekdal’s brothers picture and then a little further down John Guedetti

That was quite a blast from the past- I’d forgotten all about his loan with us.

He's reads the game well Jedi - what he lacks in a bit of pace he makes up for with that half a yard in his head. He reminds me a bit of Dobson in the latter years of his career. Never flustered and ahead of the game. Has to start with Beyer going forward.

claretspice wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 05, 2023 10:26 pm

Primarily OShea's error for me. Berge has 3 closing his and is trapped. So the ball is a bad idea in the first place and it's also underhit. Perhaps he might have bailed himself out with a really really good touch but I'm not sure the heavy touch made much difference once he was surrounded.

I too thought Ekdal was assured.

This has lost me. Literally the only reason Wolves scored is because of Berge’s heavy touch. If the touch is better they do not score, regardless of the pass (which was weighted okay). I accept O’Shea should realise the pressing trap Wolves are setting but let’s not kid ourselves here, it’s a shocking first touch from Berge - if it’s better he can use his upper body strength to shield the ball quite easily.

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 06, 2023 9:37 am

This has lost me. Literally the only reason Wolves scored is because of Berge’s heavy touch. If the touch is better they do not score, regardless of the pass (which was weighted okay). I accept O’Shea should realise the pressing trap Wolves are setting but let’s not kid ourselves here, it’s a shocking first touch from Berge - if it’s better he can use his upper body strength to shield the ball quite easily.

Yep 100% correct.

The chance only comes because of his poor touch. Berge is 100% at fault.

It’s only people with agendas saying O’Shea. Who I thought had a strong game

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 06, 2023 9:40 am

Yep 100% correct.

The chance only comes because of his poor touch. Berge is 100% at fault.

It’s only people with agendas saying O’Shea. Who I thought had a strong game

The majority think otherwise, including me.

Even if his touch is good he is trapped, it's a stupid pass to play with just about all options for Berge blocked. The only option is to his right where the available option is at severe risk of being closed down by an onrushing Wolves forward.

Team sets traps when pressing, unfortunately sometimes this season we have set the traps for ourselves.

O’Shea should be nowhere near the first team.

The problem isn’t individual players , their being coached to make stupid passes under pressure at the back when booting it away from danger would be the obvious thing to do!

This obsession with crap slow Italian 90’s football is the problem , we seem to love giving the opposition 1 or 2 goals head start.

Both culpable. It's a poor choice of pass, especially when O'Shea can see the full picture better than Berge can, which gives him little option but to come back towards O'Shea. Second touch is abysmal but it's O'Shea who has put him in that position.

Thing to remember is that they are being told to make these types of passes and there's nothing wrong with that but the players have to make better decisions. The touch is terrible but the pass is absolutely stupid, into a central area with two opponents already heading to cut it off.

Newcastleclaret93 wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 06, 2023 9:40 am

Yep 100% correct.

The chance only comes because of his poor touch. Berge is 100% at fault.

It’s only people with agendas saying O’Shea. Who I thought had a strong game

Berge’s touch was poor/heavy. No doubt. But how can it be 100% Berge’s fault when O’Shea’s pass put him in such a situation? They were both a fault. And while we’re at it, a goalkeeper with a bit more experience might arguably have just picked the ball up and calmed the game down instead of playing it out so quickly to O’Shea.

Ekdal was very strong and commanding, last night.