66 | Jahmai Simpson-Pusey - 2024/25

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

TLDR

There's no defensive structure. Defending remains individual without a clear line or system. Players aren't talking to each other to play an offside trap or help each other out. Players aren't working hard enough to press the ball or to track back when we lose it. That leads to individuals playing the opposition onside, or allowing them to get the ball in the box, or making errors that lead to goals.

The long story.

I would really suggest people go and watch the "highlights" of the game before slagging this kid off.

There are so many issues with our defending. The first could have been avoided. It's a tricky ball in the air and he makes the wrong decision, so does Gvardiol. But it's 3-1 and you're still in the driving seat.

Look at our defending for their second goal. They have three players in the box, we have 6. There's no pressure on the ball so it's easy to get the ball in. There's no defensive line. If Gvardiol steps up their players are offside. There's an overlapping player out of shot, that Nunes hasn't picked up either. It's a shambles.

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And here's the third goal. Lewis playing the runner on side. No confidence or leadership on keeping the defensive line and playing offside. No defensive structure or shape, everyone loaded up on the near side.

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Feyenoord have four players bursting into space and Lewis is now the only player in a position to get back.

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But now look at the next frame. Where the hell is the urgency to get back?

If you look at Bernardo from the 1st image to the 2nd he's barely moved.

Then you look at the final image below, and it shows that when he finally put his foot down he was too late. If a few of our players had have instantly put their foot down and tried to get into position we might have been able to deal with the situation.
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Bernado is fucking stealing a living off us at the moment.

The whole thing is a shambles. Look at the space for the second goal. Who is pressuring the man with the ball. Just a complete lack of leaders. Akanji should be taking control of that back four but look at that line for the offside for goal 3. I’d expect a kids team to do better. Why are playing offside near the half way line too? Why are we so high up the pitch?

 

[supercity88]

Bernado is fucking stealing a living off us at the moment.

The whole thing is a shambles. Look at the space for the second goal. Who is pressuring the man with the ball. Just a complete lack of leaders. Akanji should be taking control of that back four but look at that line for the offside for goal 3. I’d expect a kids team to do better. Why are playing offside near the half way line too? Why are we so high up the pitch?

That's why Pep was self harming. He will see that footage and be fuming. You can forgive individual errors but you can't blame a kid for clear issues with our defensive structure.

At 3-1 you have to have someone leading things. The priority is slow the game and keep the ball. Don't try and make it 4-1. Keep the ball, take the fouls, take your time. When you don't have the ball have a defensive structure in place which is based on two things. Pressure on the ball to make it hard to play through us, and an organised defensive shape to deal with situations. We had neither.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

That's why Pep was self harming. He will see that footage and be fuming. You can forgive individual errors but you can't blame a kid for clear issues with our defensive structure.

At 3-1 you have to have someone leading things. The priority is slow the game and keep the ball. Don't try and make it 4-1. Keep the ball, take the fouls, take your time. When you don't have the ball have a defensive structure in place which is based on two things. Pressure on the ball to make it hard to play through us, and an organised defensive shape to deal with situations. We had neither.

Yep: taking a quick free kick at 3-2 up with minutes to go. I mean why are they doing that? A corner straight down the neck of the keeper at 3-2 up? It’s absolutely nuts or just complete arrogance.

 

[bell_mcfc]

Although not at fault for any of the goals last night do you think there is a element of trust and chemistry with the team, not on JSP behalf but on the others?

Lewis, Gvardiol and Akanji all struggled and is that because being paired with JSP as opposed to JSP making the mistakes. Feel sorry for the kid his confidence (like the rest of the team) must be all over the place.

 

[supercity88]

Yep: taking a quick free kick at 3-2 up with minutes to go. I mean why are they doing that? A corner straight down the neck of the keeper at 3-2 up? It’s absolutely nuts or just complete arrogance.

Exactly. It's evidence of a bunch of players more interested in getting their individual moment than ensuring the team win. You have to go back to basics in this situation. A City side on a winning run would have taken the ball to the corner and kept it there, they'd have slowed it down. De Bruyne or Bernardo or anyone in fact, would have waved their hands to slow things down and ensured no one was looking to get an individual moment as the expense of the result.

The defence would have been organised and everyone would have known their responsibilities. Instead it was chaos and we drew a game we should have comfortably won. The outlook in the CL is now negative. The top 8 is going to be incredibly difficult so we face a playoff.