- Aug 17, 2004
- 10,156
- 13,883
Completely sums up pretty much 80% of every game this season - We take 5 or 6 touches to get the ball from one side of the pitch to the other, then another 5 or 6 back again. by which time the other team have plenty of time to get neatly into two rows of 5. we then try to play 1 yard passes in amongst them. If you look at teams like Liverpool, their fullbacks pass the ball to each other to switch play quickly cutting out the central defenders setting off speedy attacks before the defenders can organiseOur build up play is very predictable, slow passing around between the centre backs until it eventually goes out to a fullback then maybe pass made to a run down the line or pass back inside, and start again shifting slowly side to side. Teams know our best work is done when we find those pockets between the lines, so they just keep a narrow CM 3/4 and it renders us pretty toothless. we are relying on eye of the needle stuff and when our touch is off our creativity is nil and we turn to hopeful balls in from wide or rely on moments individual brilliance.
Coupled with no pre-season meaning the players levels have been lower than usual and they've been playing catch up from game one, Add in the injuries (due to WC and pre-season) and zero investment, and it just adds up to a low energy game atm.
Lloris, i put the majority of the blame for both goals with him, the first one was a weak left foot shot that he reacted poorly to, and second comedy goal he should have been at the edge of the box but decides to come when Trippier is being closed and left with no option but to pass it.
Toby, really poor for the goal, apart from that fine.
Sanchez did pretty well.
Davies, Pedro ran off the back of him but not sure he could do too much about it, apart from that meh.
Trippier, defended OK for the most part until he and Hugo decided to form a Keystone cops tribute act...
Winks, not much of note, needed to be more confident in demanding the ball from the CB's and FB's seemed to hide a bit, Chelsea's tactics left him with little options when in possession.
Sissoko, hustled and bustled, some good some not so.
Son as bad as he has been this season, everything bounced off him.
Eriksen, lethargic, and lacking in creativity.
Lamela, tried hard, did a dew nice things, skirted the line between feisty and stupid. his huff and puff didn't really lead to much.
Kane, nowhere near as expected (just like when he returned last year and took about 5 months to get match sharp.
Llorente, actually had a few nice touches when he came on, still little effect at the business end.
Moura, zero impact.
Anyway. onwards and...