None of this makes any sense whatsoever. He’s someone who’s already looking to leave, why would we placate him with giving him this game if it was because he’d throw a hissy fit otherwise?
I don’t think we would have promised him this game either. It’s just the way it is, we expect that our backup goalkeepers are competitive, and therefore that means that for a game like this they should be well up to the task. It’s not as though it’s his first League Cup Final. It’s his first loss, yes, but he’s won 2 with us already.
Honestly, I am, somewhat. It gives the likes of Morton a rare game. I would have preferred we go through, but stick to the same principles of playing just the kids and those who need a game.
I’ve come around to thinking that it’s shaping up for Slot, Hughes and Edwards to let this squad break up, and build a new one.
I hadn’t realised this, but it’s quietly crept up to being one of the oldest in the league.
The thing about Football is that basically it’s a hobby, and you have to fun a way to enjoy it. At the end of the season it is possible that a massive chunk of the first team go. Some people would doom monger the shit out of that. Personally I would be intrigued to see what the club do next.
We were really poor today . The team looks goosed and some very strange tactics and subs also. We all know Slot not a Endo fan but we could have used him today. 3 windows and no proper enforcements starting to show. Luckily we are almost over the line for the premier league.
Incidentally, I watched this match streaming on ITV. I can’t ever recall their commentary team being that unbearably shite. Where did they pull them from?
1 potential cup + 1 odds on cup + 1 likely league + 3 shit games = likely league.
We are thankfully 12 points ahead in the league with an extra point in goal difference, basically the only bright side, and most coveted, of the season. We have essentially run out of gas.
The stats from the game, when we were already 2 down, was an indication of how the game seemed, and in actual fact how the game actually was. We had fewer attempts, shots on target, touches in opponents box, but hey, we dominated the possession.
Mo was invisible and maybe got into the game once. Grav has been trending downwards, exhaustion I guess, I think he has barely been rested.
Thing is our game against Paris sort of led to this and we had chances there. Another day and that is done in 90 and we have more energy than we had today.
And he played in LC finals during seasons we had other cups to play for. That chance went on Tuesday so why not attack this game with our best XI. To me putting your backup GK in for a final is a big boost to the other team.
But not in every game or the detriment of players becoming fatigued.
With this being Slot’s 1st season and the players not knowing his system, the league should be our main focus and the main team should have little rotation, which it hasn’t had. The cups should have had more rotation, to get others into how Slot wants the team to set up and play and to also give our main men a rest.
If our normal competitors had offered more of a challenge, and it’s still not done, I would be a little worried about what happened to our form dropping off as it did at the tail end of last season, although injuries didn’t help.
Great thing now no more cup comps so hopefully the players can get a little more rest between games.
I would have played Alisson, but I think the agreements like the one that Kelleher obviously has around this tournament is not broken lightly.
It is not just a football club. It’s also a workplace, and it would be damaging to Slot to have it get out that he reneged on an agreement with a player.
Grav is an interesting one. His performances this season have been vital for our success and him being allowed to shine in his current role is a huge highlight of the season but I wonder a bit does the lack the killer mentality in big games? Can he be bullied. Newcastle ran right over him at SJP too.
Arne has already mentioned this season about recovery and rest for goalkeepers, so I presume that’s one reason. But another reason would simply be because he has shown himself to be good enough. Not as good as Alisson, but who is?
I genuinely don’t know why we’re blaming him for this one when we’ve seen Alisson get wrongfooted countless times. It happens.
To me, we just ran out of luck and injuries hit at a bad time. That’s all, really.