Aye. That offside goal changed the complexion of the game. It was so f***ing close too. That counts and we likely go on to score a third...but hey ho.
Think it was just cramp and exhaustion - here's hoping anyway!
Aye. That offside goal changed the complexion of the game. It was so f***ing close too. That counts and we likely go on to score a third...but hey ho.
Seemed to be holding his hip when he went down for a spell first half, who knows.originallad wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2024 8:53 pmAye. That offside goal changed the complexion of the game. It was so f***ing close too. That counts and we likely go on to score a third...but hey ho.
Think it was just cramp and exhaustion - here's hoping anyway!
He had him in a f***ing headlockBodacious Benny wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2024 9:15 pmNot sure how it looked on TV, but we were f***ing awful in the second half - couldn’t hold onto the ball at all and kept presenting it back to them.
Positives: Hall did quite well, Anderson looked good, Dubravka better than he has been, Burn much better as a centre back.
Negatives: Barnes struggled to get into the game, especially in the second half. Willock poor when he came on, Longstaff (injury or not) still poor.
Was it a penalty? Couldn’t tell what happened from where I was. Seemed to be a long time from the alleged offence, to when VAR checked it.
Quite the impact subjpg wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2024 9:20 pmHe had him in a f***ing headlockBodacious Benny wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2024 9:15 pmNot sure how it looked on TV, but we were f***ing awful in the second half - couldn’t hold onto the ball at all and kept presenting it back to them.
Positives: Hall did quite well, Anderson looked good, Dubravka better than he has been, Burn much better as a centre back.
Negatives: Barnes struggled to get into the game, especially in the second half. Willock poor when he came on, Longstaff (injury or not) still poor.
Was it a penalty? Couldn’t tell what happened from where I was. Seemed to be a long time from the alleged offence, to when VAR checked it.
I feel you. A man needs a good hat.
To be fair, I think injuries is an excuse at this point. I understand we've had more games and play at a high intensity, but the rate and seriousness of injuries this season is unprecedented. Before today's game, apparently this could've been an 'unavailable' XI.Crouching Shola Hidden Talent wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2024 10:14 pmI mean it was a penalty all day long.
We look gassed. Started well, but it feels more and more like Howe relies on the first 30/40 mins to see games out against teams. Everton grew into it and we just lacked ideas in the second half.
I hate to use injuries as a thing, but I do think we'd have had enough against this lot with a full squad to choose from
Yep, it has been unprecedented.Valentino's fast feet wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2024 10:24 pmTo be fair, I think injuries is an excuse at this point. I understand we've had more games and play at a high intensity, but the rate and seriousness of injuries this season is unprecedented. Before today's game, apparently this could've been an 'unavailable' XI.Crouching Shola Hidden Talent wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2024 10:14 pmI mean it was a penalty all day long.
We look gassed. Started well, but it feels more and more like Howe relies on the first 30/40 mins to see games out against teams. Everton grew into it and we just lacked ideas in the second half.
I hate to use injuries as a thing, but I do think we'd have had enough against this lot with a full squad to choose from
Pope
Trippier - Lascelles - Botman - Livramento
Miley - Tonali - Joelinton
Almiron - Wilson - Gordon
Not just injuries because of tonali, and skewed slightly to include Gordon's suspension. But that's a solid team, that we just don't have at our disposal.
This is it for me (and I understand it's an oversimplification) in so much that we just play the same way all the time. Consistency is great, of course, but when your players are dropping like flies is flogging them to death the only way? And even then, because we are missing the players that can do that the best (Joelinton for example), do we need to make players who aren't built that way do the same job?Bodacious Benny wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2024 10:32 pmYep, it has been unprecedented.Valentino's fast feet wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2024 10:24 pm
To be fair, I think injuries is an excuse at this point. I understand we've had more games and play at a high intensity, but the rate and seriousness of injuries this season is unprecedented. Before today's game, apparently this could've been an 'unavailable' XI.
Pope
Trippier - Lascelles - Botman - Livramento
Miley - Tonali - Joelinton
Almiron - Wilson - Gordon
Not just injuries because of tonali, and skewed slightly to include Gordon's suspension. But that's a solid team, that we just don't have at our disposal.
Tho to play devils advocate, isn’t there an argument that we should have adapted our style of play to mitigate against more injuries given how the season has unfolded and how many we’ve had? Or do we only have one way of playing? If you continue to get injury after injury and are stuck in that cycle, why keep doing exactly the same things…
Not saying that’s my opinion, just an alternative perspective on it. Players clearly “in the red” continue to be told to play with the same intensity.
This.Crouching Shola Hidden Talent wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2024 10:46 pmThis is it for me (and I understand it's an oversimplification) in so much that we just play the same way all the time. Consistency is great, of course, but when your players are dropping like flies is flogging them to death the only way? And even then, because we are missing the players that can do that the best (Joelinton for example), do we need to make players who aren't built that way do the same job?Bodacious Benny wrote: ↑Tue Apr 02, 2024 10:32 pm
Yep, it has been unprecedented.
Tho to play devils advocate, isn’t there an argument that we should have adapted our style of play to mitigate against more injuries given how the season has unfolded and how many we’ve had? Or do we only have one way of playing? If you continue to get injury after injury and are stuck in that cycle, why keep doing exactly the same things…
Not saying that’s my opinion, just an alternative perspective on it. Players clearly “in the red” continue to be told to play with the same intensity.
The lull this season was always going to happen, and any sensible fan knew that, and I do think Howe has done really well with the injuries we've had. We still look threatening, we score goals and he's brought out the best in the likes of Gordon, Schar etc. My only frustration sometimes is that there is seemingly no desire to make those little changes when needed.
I for one am 100% in Howe's camp, but I would like to see that ability to change it up a little more
Absolutely. This has definitely been a difficult season, unprecedented even, but it's not been a bad one. Obviously some lows, but also some highs. I disagree with what appears to be the general consensus of turning the nose up at the conference league. Firstly, it'd be good for us to raise our european coefficients going forward. Second, the extra games will be vital experience for the squad to get up to speed, something that clearly affected us with the intensity of the CL. Finally, we are a club that hasn't won any kind of real trophy in a million years. We surely can't be arrogant enough to turn down any chance to win any kind of competition, it may be new and it may be seen as "tin pot" by the established elite, but we aren't that. Not yet. I'd love us to win the whole f***ing thing.Bodacious Benny wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2024 7:06 amYes, I think that all things considered, if we finish 8th along with 2 cups quarter finals it hasn’t been a bad season. If this team on its arse for 80% of the season with an entire first XI missing most of the time can do this, then if/when we sort the injuries next season we should comfortably be challenging for top 6 at least (that’s without any additions).
I am pro-Howe, hopefully he has also learnt from this season and becomes less rigid and more willing to give other players a shot. Burn for example has shown that he’s a decent PL CB, if we’d shifted him over and played someone else at LB earlier can’t help but think we might have done better in some games but it took injuries to Tino, Trippier, Botman and Lascelles for him to do it.
Our goal scoring record has been incredible, if we can tighten up a bit this team has huge potential. Obvs a new centre back is top of the list for summer, and a midfielder if Bruno/Joe go.
Well said.Valentino's fast feet wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2024 7:37 amAbsolutely. This has definitely been a difficult season, unprecedented even, but it's not been a bad one. Obviously some lows, but also some highs. I disagree with what appears to be the general consensus of turning the nose up at the conference league. Firstly, it'd be good for us to raise our european coefficients going forward. Second, the extra games will be vital experience for the squad to get up to speed, something that clearly affected us with the intensity of the CL. Finally, we are a club that hasn't won any kind of real trophy in a million years. We surely can't be arrogant enough to turn down any chance to win any kind of competition, it may be new and it may be seen as "tin pot" by the established elite, but we aren't that. Not yet. I'd love us to win the whole f***ing thing.Bodacious Benny wrote: ↑Wed Apr 03, 2024 7:06 amYes, I think that all things considered, if we finish 8th along with 2 cups quarter finals it hasn’t been a bad season. If this team on its arse for 80% of the season with an entire first XI missing most of the time can do this, then if/when we sort the injuries next season we should comfortably be challenging for top 6 at least (that’s without any additions).
I am pro-Howe, hopefully he has also learnt from this season and becomes less rigid and more willing to give other players a shot. Burn for example has shown that he’s a decent PL CB, if we’d shifted him over and played someone else at LB earlier can’t help but think we might have done better in some games but it took injuries to Tino, Trippier, Botman and Lascelles for him to do it.
Our goal scoring record has been incredible, if we can tighten up a bit this team has huge potential. Obvs a new centre back is top of the list for summer, and a midfielder if Bruno/Joe go.