Olympiacos (a) CL 19-20 Ratings and Ramblings

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The AVB's of Poch

As with all our home games this season, our intentions were OK, tried to control the ball etc, but omnipresent failings continue to fuck us. Poch's selection/tactical disconnect and the lack of intensity being big ones.

Picking a 4231 with with two non DM/6's, a high line, forwards that don't press and a CB for a RB was pretty flawed against a lively opponent - and this is the third tough away game he's done this now.

We were constantly exposed in those wide channels, and nobody can blame Trippier anymore.

I think he did adjust to a 433 later in the first half, and I think we were more structurally sound, but then they hit with a very good counter and then Vertonghen gave a stupid and needless penalty away so we then reverted back to try and win it again, which again created fragilities.

And how many times can Poch complain about the lack of intensity, this has been a recurrent feature for three years now, it's his fucking job to make sure the players deliver it, and if they don't then fucking drop them and stick a kid in there who will, as he did when he first arrived. Mason and Bentaleb weren't world class, but they were prepared to run through walls for their place, if more experienced players want to amble about pointing and hiding then fuck them off and put a kid in their who will die for the chance. Get some fucking aggression and intensity back.

The other thing as Park Lane Mark Twain Park Lane Mark Twain said in the match thread, is our continued inability to create quality chances, especially when Eriksen has an off day. Moura managed to go through a whole season last year with creating a single assist for anyone. That's pretty special. But it's not hard to see why, he'll score the odd goal, but the rest of the time he tears around with his head up his arse, rarely lifting it to see what's on. He'd be miuch better used as a wide forward in a 433 system, which is where he spent most of his career before us.

Alli continuas to bumble about, like Lamela and Son he's capable of the odd bit of inspiration, but there's a fuck of a lot of wastage with all of them. we could really do with a bit more composure in that forward area. I'd have taken a one knee'd Fekir for 20m all day long.


We've gone from Poch employing the chaos of Redknapp last season, to looking like the last days of AVB. I guess that's some kind of progress?


Individual

Lloris - meh

Sanchez - Such a poor decision to play him at RB. Could build anything down the right and he was exposed by the structure early on, constantly tucking in like a 3rd CB when we were attacked.

Alderweireld - Decent

Vertonghen - Really poor for the penalty. Looked a bit hesitant on an early break too, and seemed to be slow getting across to cover Davies for the first ? maybe harsh but I've only had one look.

Davies - Not his greatest game, torn apart for their goal.

Ndombele - This kind of format is really not going to maximise his skills. Showed some nice touches at times, but also looked a bit like a turtle in windsock at others.

Winks - Put on a real shift. One of the few to come out of the game in credit.

Moura - took his goal superbly, but did pretty much fuck all else. Zipped around with no real composure or purpose.

Eriksen - he grafted, got through a lot of ball and ground, but was really poor creatively and pissed the ball away a shit load.

Alli - Like Eriksen, but with less graft and getting through ball.

Kane - OK/meh
 
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Not a big fan of Lloris?

Here are his reviews so far this season from yourself;

"Lloris - fuck all to do really.

Lloris - Distribution was fucking awful. Couple of decent saves.

Lloris - Not much to do really.

Lloris - Couple of decent saves, maybe I'm being a bit harsh but I thought he was a bit weak on Lacazette's goal (I know it was blaster but he's already falling over as the shot comes in).

Lloris - Fuck all to do.

Lloris - meh"

I think he has been one of our better performers so far this season, for consistency - which might not say a lot right now.. but the highest praise you have given him so far is "couple of decent saves" twice.

He faced 6 shots on target and made 6 saves against Palace, and got "fuck all to do" because we won 4-0?

Fair enough if you want to make a point of him being our captain, and should be looking to lead, motivate an inspire or something - but feels to me like you find it difficult to praise him because he can and does fuck up from time to time.

Just curious what your overall thoughts on Lloris are as our keeper and captain?

Thanks for the reviews though. I do read them all even if I don't normally reply.

Regarding this game alone though I would say something like;

Lloris - 94% pass success rate playing it out from the back should be expected, but was a decent return for Hugo who is often poor with his feet. Made some expected saves, can't really blame him for the goals they scored.

Sanchez - Saw more of the ball in more advanced positions than Davies oddly. Never looked comfortable - and never will as a full back. Won a couple of headers and a couple of tackles so not all bad, but just not an attacking threat.

Alderweireld - Won a couple of headers (67%). Didn't see anywhere near as much of the ball as Jan - which is perhaps a shame given how he can often be more creative than our creative midfielders - like against Palace.

Vertonghen - Very poor pen to concede. Unlike him. Perhaps Poch knows best suggesting he isn't fully at the races yet. Won 5 headers though (100%).

Davies - Looked off the pace. Didn't get close enough when they hit the post early on. Picked up an assist with a pass which showed some good awareness, albeit the credit goes to Moura for the goal itself. More assists than Rose has managed so far this season. Also wasn't tight enough on the 1-2 for their first goal but would share the blame with the lack of left midfield cover at that moment.

Winks - Found covering for Sanchez a lot. 94% passes, 100% tackles, saw a lot of the ball, and felt he had another good game.

Ndombele - Passenger. Not a lot to say really. Didn't get involved enough, and when he did there didn't seem to be much magic about his play. Sissoko sub was justified.

Dele - Slow, not with it. Nice to see him involved bagging the offside goal, but also elected to shoot rather than find Kane on one occasion. Not fit, not good enough.

Eriksen - Dispossessed twice, had less touches than Sanchez, caught napping at times, poor set pieces - not a fine display. Worthy of being dropped.

Moura - Fantastic goal. Fully expected him to miss the target given how well it was sitting. Had quite a strict right wing position compared with the roaming of other players, but he is a very single minded player. Reminds me of Defoe in a way without being offside all the time. Does what he does when in form which isn't often enough - but hopefully with 2 goals and an assist from his first 5 appearances will be good for his confidence.

Kane - Won and converted a pen - becoming the norm. For their first goal, we seemed to be playing a flat 442 with Dele on the left without the ball. Dele had taken a turn up front and Kane was supposed to be covering the left midfield. He didn't. I can only assume he expected Dele to track back, over taking him, and regain the position on the left midfield to assist Davies. As it turned out, they drifted through our left side with little resistance and scored. It would be easy to put full blame on Davies here but we are supposed to defend as a team - and would share the responsibility with Kane. What's particularly annoying with this one is how close to half time it was. We should know better than to switch off at times like this. Kane is supposed to be a leader on the field, and felt he let our team ethic down in this situation. Also responsible for a late counter attacking chance breaking down with a miss placed pass that wasn't too difficult to get right. Can't knock him too much, but felt he let us down a couple of times at crucial moments. World class players go above and beyond what you expect from someone in their position. Think he failed in this regard again.
 
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