We just never started & were a yard behind in everything. Changes made from the bench were just a change of players & not the system. We just never got the ball into the last third all night. We need to be able to change the system if it's not working.
We'll need a big improvement next week.
Fuck.
I was really and genuinely looking forward to us playing in Europe next season.
Had all sorts of thoughts of us all travelling away and singing load and proud somewhere. (If restrictions allowed)
Dean n Co. Please sort the midfield out and make it happen.
We could still do it, but we won’t be travelling anywhere.
Magnificent from Emi tonight and just hope Matty Cash hasn’t done that hamstring. Really wish we hadn’t let Freddie Guilbert go.
The goalkeeper is alright I suppose.
We look really well balanced and threatening with El Ghazi and Traore out wide and Jack in behind Watkins. Sides struggle to make plans for him when he has more licence to roam. I can understand why it would be a difficult decision to leave Barkley out and as poor as he was tonight, he was no worse than some others, but tangible evidence suggests we were playing better when he was injured.
Teams are also starting to make plans for us now. We earned their respect. Now the players and management need to work out a way escaping those plans. Collectively, they seem like the sort who will relish the challenge.
Centre midfield changes next week could be an idea. I’d give Nakamba and Sansom a run.
To play that shit and get a point is a positive.
Rubbish really. Flat and don't even think we had a shot? Reminded me of McLeishs time. In saying that, another clean sheet and our back 5 were very organized. Mings motm for me, another very good game for him. Martinez made some saves but all were comfortable enough. Brighton had no threat up top really. Sanson showed a few nice touches.
A number of players are starting based on reputation only. Not just Barkley who was rubbish again. McGinn was at best trundling, Luiz offered very little bar fouls, Traore anonymous again. Far too much direct ball to Watkins up against three centre backs. We have been doing that far too much in recent games.
Trez was shite when he came on too, tries hard but such an average player.
Martinez 7, Cash 6 (Elmo 5), Konsa 7, Mings 8, Targett 7, Luiz 5, McGinn 5, Traore 4 (Trez 5), Barkley 4 (Sanson 6), Grealish 5, Watkins 5
Some of Martinez saves were brilliant. Top corner deflections the lot. That was a top class performance from a top class keeper. A World class keeper. I'm amazed that you're playing down Emi's performance which you're entitled to do but I completely disagree with your assessment of his performance tonight.
We were robbed of that penalty in the home game, so luck has evened out tonight.
But that is all we do - give it to Jack. And now other teams have sussed us out we cannot change. Dean needs to get his thinking hat on and work on it. Plus some changes might change the mentality a bit, I think there are some in the team who think they are guaranteed a place.
But that’s just it - when we play well it’s not just a case of “give it to Jack”.
We should all stop, breath, take stock and remember that 12 months ago Bournemouth had just done the double over us, we then lost to Spurs and we we were 17th in the league.
We’re 7th and have been, in the main, excellent
Let’s stop the over reactionary nonsense about a point away from home
Honest assesment from Dean tonight, said not even bang average and kept giving away to many unforced errors.
They are the form team (other than ManCity) and we nullified each other. They were better but rarely threatened.
It's another point.
Rarely threatened ? They had 26 shots with 9 on target. I'd hate to see us play a team that did threaten.
Off the pace but we get another clean sheet against an inform side. Unusually sloppy at times but that's the way it goes sometimes. A couple have been off the pace recently and could do with a rest. I really like Bossouma for them, cracking player.