After the Manchester game, which actually gave me some hope and belief that it could be used for something positive, I was expecting a great fight minimum.
For me this is the most disappointing game this season even though we have played much worse previously in this attrocious season. It showed us that this team cannot be trusted, cannot be believed in, and that you should guard what you dare hope for. I am genuinly angry, I never am because of football usually, but now I am. Fuck the useless Manchester game ! I would rather take 3 narrow wins where the team fought than to have that ugly false hope.
I have now no more expectations and I refuse to hope for Top 4 after this game. Sure, it is possible, but we donât deserve Champions Leage next season, and if we get there, it will be because other teams have imploded. If it happens it happens. But I am done hoping. This game feels like betrayal after the Manchester game, hit me harder than any game previously. Shameful performance.
Been in shit form all season away from home. With Fab and Bajcetic both starting, was a good opportunity to play them both together in front of the defence.
But in the moments when Bournemouth would break (in the first half), there was no tracking back. Unforgivable against a team that is only looking for that one chance to score. When Stefan is in the holding role, he knows his job. When heâs tasked with playing a little further up, heâs obviously still learning on the job.
Itâs been going on for ages as a tactic, sometimes with good effect, other times as a horror show. A bit of pragmatism is needed away from home. We all could see today that even ballooning the ball into the box would cause Bournemouth problems, but all our subs and tactics seemed to be to go against the notion of crossing it in.
Until midfield is sorted, we canât keep having that high back line, full backs both bombimg forward, and then no midfielder tracking the free man back.
And yet for all that, if Milly was playing RB that goal would not have been scored. Trent sees the play developing, sees Billing and starts covering back. He gets back into position early and is in perfect position to defend the cut back and then just doesnt. Heâs literally marking Billing and then just stops like he expects someone else to do the defending.
With defenders who are struggling youâll often criticize them for not seeing danger. Trent has this inexplicable tendency to see exactly where the danger is and then just do nothing at all about it.
On a little positive note, Jota looked good when coming on. Driving forward with the ball, getting hos shots on goal, and making the runs into the box to be in position for the header.
Maybe, weâll see (although there are big, big problems inside Tottenham as an example with relations imploding there and Newcastle isnât used to lasting an entire season and I reckon 3d and 4th places are relatively weak this season). Right now, I donât see it, but sure I can technically change. But I donât want to place my hopes or thoughts on it. I donât believe in the team any longer this season. Next season, after a pre-season, sure. But this game affected my faith in the team in a profound way.
Okay, offside line sometimes can mess up (Konate). VVD with a lethargic bit of defending. First he gets into good position to make it difficult for the Bournemouth player. But then decides to stop and point to Andy to follow (on the wrong side to boot).
And as you say, Trent gets the hattrick with the looking but not doing. A goal that couldâve, shouldâve been snuffed out at different points.
And I havenât even mentioned what the midfield were doing to track back. The cherry on cake was Salah blasting the pen wide, against a team that implodes once their lead has been wiped out.
This game reminded me of that 1-0 loss to Burnley in the injury hit season couple years ago, when Origi had all the time in the world in the one on one but ended up hitting the bar.
But then with Big Div, you would want him to come off the bench rather than start.
I think itâs best to not expect a thing and see what happens.
Can we ask Nike if we can use any of our other away kits from previous seasons as this one is horrible and weâve still got to play West Ham in it, it thankfully clashes with Soton so we will probably use the third one for that. Thankfully the rest are at home, being home we also might win them.
After a big win last week, when we were all feeling great, John Henry came out and said hello. We will invest in summer, but it will be sensible. After the big win it all seemed so reasonable.
I wonder if we will get another well timed interjection after todayâs result? Hello. Yes, we can see we need investment into the side. Lots of work going on behind the scenes. Players on the way, keep the faith.
