This is not the spirit at all.
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
He plays safe too often for sure, like a more cultured James MC Carthy. Think there's a player in there but not sure what player he is trying to be at times. Still think we are much better when he plays than we don't as a rule thoughTheRam wrote: ↑Thu Feb 27, 2025 5:48 amLast night is the type of game where he’s exposed.
Had the freedom of the park but did absolutely nothing with the ball.
I’ve seen people say he keeps us ticking over but playing square balls for 90 minutes isn’t keeping us ticking over.
Ticking over is playing quick, sharp balls between the lines, progressing us forward, switching the play, turning forwards with the ball.
Saw none of that last night. Took too many touches and everything was a nothing sideways or backwards pass.
He just isn’t it for me.
I think Mangala is a much better player.
My issue isn’t that he didn’t thread a through ball to the striker, it’s that the easier (but still progressive) passes like crossfield to a forward running fullback or between the lines to Charly/Lindstrom/Harrison were being made more often by both Tarkowski and Branthwaite.AjaxAndy wrote:He did try a couple of longish range through balls but both were intercepted. It's not easy threading a ball through to a striker if you're playing a deep midfield role. The longer the pass, especially on the floor the more likely it is to be cut out.
Yeah I think you've nailed it.StirlingBlue wrote: ↑Fri Feb 28, 2025 12:56 pm My issue isn’t that he didn’t thread a through ball to the striker, it’s that the easier (but still progressive) passes like crossfield to a forward running fullback or between the lines to Charly/Lindstrom/Harrison were being made more often by both Tarkowski and Branthwaite.
He would drop between the CBs to recycle the ball then wait for them to make the progressive passes