Tuanzebe

[Milltown1882]

Worth every penny.

[BurnleyHeff]

Worth every penny.

Is that a good thing considering he was was a free Transfer

[warksclaret]

Hard to judge from one game-having said that Watkins did very little, and Tuanzebe was the defender picking him up. Needs a few more games to settle in

[DanH90]

Seen him getting absolute pelters on social media. Don’t really get it, he was fine. Not the reason we lost.

[longsidetrumpet]

Well they all copy off each other don’t they. I thought he did ok

[elwaclaret]

Seen him getting absolute pelters on social media. Don’t really get it, he was fine. Not the reason we lost.

I think it has a lot to do with a lot thinking Esteve couldn’t possibly have been caught out of position for the first goal but for the fact he was trying to cover… it wasn’t. Esteve got caught ball watching, he almost but not quite dug himself of the hole he made himself.

[Barlickclaret]

Seen him getting absolute pelters on social media. Don’t really get it, he was fine. Not the reason we lost.

That's social media for you... I thought he did ok today, and if anybody deserves pelters on today's performance it's esteve, bad for both goals.

[jrgbfc]

That's social media for you... I thought he did ok today, and if anybody deserves pelters on today's performance it's esteve, bad for both goals.

All that talk about Esteve being destined to go to one of the big boys for massive money is looking a bit premature at the moment.

[claretspice]

He was fine, and I can see him and Esteve as a decent enough partnership in a two. But he didn't look to me to be especially comfortable as the lynchpin of a back 3. Perhaps that's just rust, but so far as I'm aware he's tended to play to the right, and that's certainly where he was drawn for the first goal.

[claretspice]

He was fine, and I can see him and Esteve as a decent enough partnership in a two. But he didn't look to me to be especially comfortable as the lynchpin of a back 3. Perhaps that's just rust, but so far as I'm aware he's tended to play to the right, and that's certainly where he was drawn for the first goal.

[Dark Cloud]

It's actually Esteve and Hartman who somehow contrive to allow far, far too much space for the first goal, but the guy takes his shot really early on both goals, but especially the second, which is very clever and means Esteve is still half a stride away from making the block both times.

[Goliath]

It's actually Esteve and Hartman who somehow contrive to allow far, far too much space for the first goal, but the guy takes his shot really early on both goals, but especially the second, which is very clever and means Esteve is still half a stride away from making the block both times.

How have we ended up with Walker, Laurent and Tuanzebe all out of the picture for the first goal. Esteve was left in no man's land, he had to try and cover the runner on the right as well which opened up the space to his left.
I think Hartman could have narrowed a bit but I'd have to see it again to see how we've ended up with no pressure on the ball and only 2 defenders up on the half way line.

[helmclaret]

On the flip side, Konsa looked like a Rolls Royce today.

[Chuckypad]

Is that a good thing considering he was was a free Transfer

https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkP ... /giphy.gif

[RVclaret]

He was fine, and I can see him and Esteve as a decent enough partnership in a two. But he didn't look to me to be especially comfortable as the lynchpin of a back 3. Perhaps that's just rust, but so far as I'm aware he's tended to play to the right, and that's certainly where he was drawn for the first goal.

Yep, he’s either been a right back, which forms a back 3 in possession with him tucking inside, or as a right centre back in a back 5. Not the lynchpin in the middle like you say, there you need someone who reads the game really well, is an organiser and decent in the air. If Ekdal isn’t available v Leeds, which he might be if no injury, I’d go with him and Esteve in a 2.

[Woodleyclaret]

Our powder puff midfield with its non tackling as Villa broke led to the goal. Les should have started as he has the pace and presence we needed as shown in his cameo I can't believe some fans are slagging Steve off.Hes our best cb by miles

[RVclaret]

On the flip side, Konsa looked like a Rolls Royce today.

Very good - surely a starter for England now. He’s absolutely rapid and always positioned well.

[Chuckypad]

Very good - surely a starter for England now. He’s absolutely rapid and always positioned well.

Proper fanny though, some of those Villa players today were full on embarrassing with their injury feigning......including the lad at the end with the brain trauma

[helmclaret]

Proper fanny? Outpaced and outmuscled Foster every time when it mattered.

[Chuckypad]

The 'injury feigning' might have been a clue when I referred to him being a fanny, they were all at it today were Villa - agree with your point though, but saying that it doesn't take much to out muscle Foster

[helmclaret]

That’s the PL unfortunately. Any slight touch and players go down.

[Barlickclaret]

All that talk about Esteve being destined to go to one of the big boys for massive money is looking a bit premature at the moment.

He is a class act no doubt about it, and in a better team he won't get getting run at all 90 mins, but I thought he was too far off today and even had a 2nd chance to put a tackle in for the 1st goal.

[Quickenthetempo]

Was lucky not to give a penalty away with the shirt pull in the box.

Parker has to drill this side in the international break to stop these brain fades. Stupidity at it's finest.

[NewClaret]

My son must’ve been on the same social media mentioned. Kept ranting about Tuanzebe without being able to describe a single thing he did wrong.

Decent performance, I thought.

[boatshed bill]

Didn't see the game, but glad Tuanzebe played well. Perhaps SP will try 4 at the back next game.

[CoolClaret]

My son must’ve been on the same social media mentioned. Kept ranting about Tuanzebe without being able to describe a single thing he did wrong.

Decent performance, I thought.

He was fine, just looked a bit rusty.

This may sound a bit mad, but is one option Walker at CB and Tuanzebe at RB?

[Taffy on the wing]

On the flip side, Konsa looked like a Rolls Royce today.

He's a good player alright, but i thought he got away with plenty of fouls.

[THEWELLERNUT70]

He's still very rusty and not match sharp imo. I actually thought he was culpable in part for both goals yesterday. The first he's caught beyond the halfway line pretty much in no mans land leaving the defence exposed and the second he chooses to stick and hold his ground when he should have twisted made a challenge or at least close the Villa midfielder down which inturn allowed an essay pass into our box for the goal to be scored. Then there was the Villa chance at the end where he trod on the ball forcing Dubravka into a smart save

It's early days yet though for him tbh

[AlargeClaret]

FWIW thought he was ok, though so so hard to fully guage players against the best teams ,especially away. I’d like to see Humph get involved though .

[RVclaret]

Sounds like it was tactical from Parker to use him over Ekdal yesterday. He said part of being more aggressive meant using Tuanzebe’s profile for this one (he is quite quick), which is interesting. I get why Parker went more aggressive, with Villa perhaps a touch tired from midweek, and try force an error, but Villa have generally struggled against more organised, deeper defences, than they do against pressing sides. Palace won 3-0 there from a mid-block, for example. Of course if we did sit off, criticism on here would be Around Parker’s ‘negativity’, though perhaps it was the better choice yesterday, in hindsight.

[dermotdermot]

Proper fanny though, some of those Villa players today were full on embarrassing with their injury feigning......including the lad at the end with the brain trauma

That was ridiculous. Buendia was on his back for a good ten minutes. Killed off any chance of us getting anything out of the game. There was absolutely nothing wrong with him. The referee should have noticed him feigning injury. It was quite clear.

[IanMcL]

Worth every penny.

Just the right price.

[CrosspoolClarets]

I don’t agree at all with dropping Ekdal and keeping Laurent in the back five, but Tuanzebe, though he was rusty, also has 50-100 Premier League games from memory with Man Utd, Villa and Ipswich and he has some pedigree, so I don’t really get the knee jerk reaction to him.

(for that matter, Broja too, in that we know from the past when fit he runs around like Foster does, so as long as the manager praises his attitude which we wouldn’t see as fans, it is fine by me)

[Paddy1882]

Our powder puff midfield with its non tackling as Villa broke led to the goal. Les should have started as he has the pace and presence we needed as shown in his cameo I can't believe some fans are slagging Steve off.Hes our best cb by miles

For me it was Tuanzebe and Laurent over by the touchline who let Villa out of that area too easy that caused the main problem for the first goal. I do think Esteve should have slid to block and Dubrawka was a bit too far over but that’s being picky.

[morninbob]

For me it was Tuanzebe and Laurent over by the touchline who let Villa out of that area too easy that caused the main problem for the first goal. I do think Esteve should have slid to block and Dubrawka was a bit too far over but that’s being picky.

Steve had the chance to play him offside but probably backs himself in a foot race, a more experienced defender would have stepped up.

[elwaclaret]

For me it was Tuanzebe and Laurent over by the touchline who let Villa out of that area too easy that caused the main problem for the first goal. I do think Esteve should have slid to block and Dubrawka was a bit too far over but that’s being picky.

They may have done, but Esteve was ball watching and in no man’s land, unaware of the striker behind him in space. Had he not been there would have been no need for a sliding tackle as he outpaced the striker massively to even get back as he did.

[Goliath]

They may have done, but Esteve was ball watching and in no man’s land, unaware of the striker behind him in space. Had he not been there would have been no need for a sliding tackle as he outpaced the striker massively to even get back as he did.

It's ******** this. He was fully aware of Malan behind him but he's really obviously hedging his bets because there's a runner coming from the other side who's got a clean run on goal. He was left basically as a 1 man defence as Hartman wasn't doing much either. Not sure why Esteve is getting the flack at all for that first goal.

[boatshed bill]

There's too much "blame" from football fans these days. Being done by a better player is not something to be blamed for, it's just a fact.

[elwaclaret]

There's too much "blame" from football fans these days. Being done by a better player is not something to be blamed for, it's just a fact.

It is not ‘blame’ it is observation. I don’t ‘blame’ players for making a mistake in a second, it happens. I have a long enough memory that ai can think of many times playing centre half where I would have acted differently than I did in the heat of the moment. It does not change the fact Esteve was drawn across too far leaving space behind him.

[elwaclaret]

It's ******** this. He was fully aware of Malan behind him but he's really obviously hedging his bets because there's a runner coming from the other side who's got a clean run on goal. He was left basically as a 1 man defence as Hartman wasn't doing much either. Not sure why Esteve is getting the flack at all for that first goal.

I am not aware I was giving anyone flack. I was pointing out Esteve had been drawn over leaving space in behind, it happens.

[Goliath]

I am not aware I was giving anyone flack. I was pointing out Esteve had been drawn over leaving space in behind, it happens.

You stated things as fact that weren't true so I was just pointing that out.

[boatshed bill]

It is not ‘blame’ it is observation. I don’t ‘blame’ players for making a mistake in a second, it happens. I have a long enough memory that ai can think of many times playing centre half where I would have acted differently than I did in the heat of the moment. It does not change the fact Esteve was drawn across too far leaving space behind him.

It was a comment in a general sense, not aimed at anyone. I blame MOTD and social media in general.

[elwaclaret]

You stated things as fact that weren't true so I was just pointing that out.

There is no such thing as fact, it is a football match. I am happy with my assessment much as I was when I pointed out as the move progressed to my friend sat with me watching;”Esteve is too far over and his eyes are on the play, we’re wide open”. It was my opinion and one I stand by.

[elwaclaret]

It was a comment in a general sense, not aimed at anyone. I blame MOTD and social media in general.

Quite agree. It was my position, and as people who saw me play the game reading play was 90% of my game. I turned like a tanker even in my prime, but read the game well enough that I had a couple of clubs sniffing as a youngster. Anyone who’s played at a decent level knows it’s often half a second that makes all the difference. Not something to slag a player off for.

[Goliath]

There is no such thing as fact, it is a football match. I am happy with my assessment much as I was when I pointed out as the move progressed to my friend sat with me watching;”Esteve is too far over and his eyes are on the play, we’re wide open”. It was my opinion and one I stand by.

There's no such thing as fact in football? You should rethink that, it doesn't really make sense.

This is as I suspected, you made your mind up at the game on first viewing and aren't seeing the evidence. He clearly opens his body up to the left knowing that Malan is there but he had to wait until the pass had been played because of the equally wide open runner on the right who could also have gone through on goal.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, he was going to get the blame if either of them scored because he'd been left out to dry by Tuanzebe and Laurent.