- Aug 2, 2011
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At least it’s only gloomy till feb. At points under Conte and Stellini it seemed like a never ending nightmareIt has at last become safe to point out Johnson's shortcomings without being buried under a ton of 'ffs sake he's only played a couple games' comments. Before he arrived I thought that his YT best skills vid was less than inspiring and little since has changed my mind. Yes he's super fast, but he doesn't do one on ones.
Also people are now spotting that he pulls out of challenges in a way that makes Sonny look like Graham Roberts. 47 mill, really ? Squad player.
Ange has been honest about the forward line tbf and said we need improving in the front third. My mantra has been that we have a superb 1st team from Vic through to AM..but after that we need to find alternatives.A caveat to this is that Biss has hit a rough spot. Sarr will be the one to give way to Bents and be on the bench imo. Sarr's form has dropped lately.
Kulu penalty was particularly annoying. What it proved was the No One from our much admired management team said to him, after he did exactly the same a game before , 'Cut this shit out, you don't defend corners by pulling player's shirts off or we concede pens'. Now that is truly crap management imo. Oh sure Kulu has learnt this lesson NOW and won't repeat, but where was guidance for him on this before his stupidity ?
I also felt that a restraining comment was not made by captain or management when Romero was boiling over vs Chelsea, leading to his disastrous dismissal and the series of defeats leading directly from it.
Being hands off and treating the players as adults and finding their own way has limitations as a management policy imo. Ange often says when asked about discipline...'do you speak to the red carded player'. 'Nah ' he usually goes, 'The player will know how much damage he has done so no need'
You need a word with players sometimes imo.
So Sonny says Brighton was a 'Wake up call' . Why do we need wakeup calls, are the players not motivated enough anyway ? The tail end of the match was bizarre as our players snapped out of their strange trance and played nearer their potential...Brighton 4 up did slack off off, but that last period has given consolation and a glimmer of hope. Udogie too was a small bright spot and we're all delighted for Veliz I'm sure.
Overall though its a gloomy outlook til Feb tbh.