Pau Torres

[Somniloquism]

It hasn't worked for us against Palace for a while because their approach has been a gentle high press with 2-3 players committed forward but then with a a solid 6 or 7 players holding their positions and choking up all the space in the final 3rd. The rough start to this season has come because a lot of sides have watched those games and started setting up in a similar way. It's on us now to not only improve at finding ways through those teams but also make it harder for them to counter-attack us when their defensive swarm wins back possession. We allow far too many chances for teams on the long-ball counter attack and I think the reason Emery has bene using Mings more is to try to address that exact part of the problem.

Not just rough for us but several other "big" teams as well. However it has affected us more with so many of our players being out of form, but now appearing to be coming back.

[eye digress]

You can isolate it from everything else entirely though. When it works it's because you've managed to create gaps between the lines to exploit and a big part of doing that is "baiting the press" by "fucking around with the ball at the back".

I thought we played build-up noticeably deeper last night, almost willing ourselves into that Konsa-to-Cash or Pau-to-Maatsen by the corner flag situation (you know the one that looks like a death trap until SJM appears on the edge of the D to pick up on the half turn).

Relating to Dave's point, we also played one fantastic vertical ball (can't recall who from) front to back which involved two separate flicks around the corner. Very nice, very efficient.

[paul_e]

I agree, to go with the same terminology I think we've "baited the trap" a lot better in the last couple of games, letting teams think they're pushing us deeper and deeper and then finding the out ball and breaking quickly.

[LeeB]

I agree, to go with the same terminology I think we've "baited the trap" a lot better in the last couple of games, letting teams think they're pushing us deeper and deeper and then finding the out ball and breaking quickly.

There was good stuff all round last night but the best thing was Torres playing the ball to Kamara with two on him seemingly boxed in on the touchline, and then Kamara playing the most sublime pass no more than 5 yards back to him that opened up the entire pitch.

[paul_e]

I agree, to go with the same terminology I think we've "baited the trap" a lot better in the last couple of games, letting teams think they're pushing us deeper and deeper and then finding the out ball and breaking quickly.

There was good stuff all round last night but the best thing was Torres playing the ball to Kamara with two on him seemingly boxed in on the touchline, and then Kamara playing the most sublime pass no more than 5 yards back to him that opened up the entire pitch.

We did stuff like that a few times at the weekend as well, I think we've pretty clearly been working on ways to draw teams out further and we're starting to see elements of that creep in to our play now.

[London Villan]

Kamara is brilliant at this, bogarde did a couple too last night.

[paul_e]

Kamara is brilliant at this, bogarde dud a couple too last night.

Bogarde did a little feint and turn a few minutes after he came on that was just beautiful to watch and looked like he's picked it up from Bouba. I reckon there are many people he could learn from that would be better. I hope other players are picking things up in similar ways, Proctor channels a lot of Emi already so it does seem to be something the club are leaning into.

[Demitri_C]

Vintage pau. That was the pau we know who has the quality to be one of the PLs best. Need to see more of this

[colin69]

Excellent performance last night, glad he’s found some form again.

[Dante Lavelli]

Kamara is brilliant at this, bogarde did a couple too last night.

I’m delighted with how he’s developing.

Not a first choice (yet) but a reliable option to allow us to rotate Kamara and maybe avoid spending millions in the summer

[Russ aka Big Nose]

Torres being in the side is certainly a positive in terms of the build up play, though what has been really important in the last couple of games is the willingness of defenders - especially the CBs - to travel with the ball into midfield if the opposition do not come out of their shape.

On Thursday night, for example, Konsa carried the ball deep into the opposition half on a number of occasions. It's vital to how we want to progress when in possession and it makes a big difference - not least because it means the opposition cannot rely on getting into shape and being compact.

Torres still worries me. For all that he brings when in possession, he is still a (big) risk when we are out of possession.

Lots of teams will target him. He played well when he came on versus Fulham, but had Jimenez not gone off injured it might have been a different story. UTV