Brentford (A) | PL | Post Match Thread

Still don't expect that to result in us being worse than the likes of Southampton, Leicester etc.
Inexcusable.

Not sure.

I think if liverpool were missing their two best defenders for most of the season and their best midfielder/player, they'd struggle too.
 
I think we played well at times last night.

Just continue to be far too wasteful.

Same old mistakes at the back. But that's what happens when you're missing the world's best player in front of them and then our two best defenders.

Any team would struggle with that.

We badly need a DM. However no links at the moment. Perhaps Pep is thinking of playing Akanji there?
 
Sorry guys but I just don't see the point of bringing on Gundo for Kova, even at 2-0.

The point is that Kova will start every game over the next weeks, FA Cup aside, and will be needed at his very best vs PSG. If he plays 90 minutes every game, he will get injured or be too tired to do a job.

Also, I'd prefer to have a CB who can stay fit and help the team throughout the season. Ake and Stones can go. Turning 30 won't help them stay fit. Thanks for the memories etc.
 
The point is that Kova will start every game over the next weeks, FA Cup aside, and will be needed at his very best vs PSG. If he plays 90 minutes every game, he will get injured or be too tired to do a job.

Also, I'd prefer to have a CB who can stay fit and help the team throughout the season. Ake and Stones can go. Turning 30 won't help them stay fit. Thanks for the memories etc.
I'm fine with bringing off Kova for a rest if he needs it; my point was why bring Gundo on - at all?
 
I think we played well at times last night.

.......
If that was playing "well" I am terrified to imagine how playing poor might look like. Playing without the ball puts us somewhere around relegation position right now. Any team with energy and any quality is in our third in 2 seconds and I am not talking about counterattacks. They are gone as a team.
 
If that was playing "well" I am terrified to imagine how playing poor might look like. Playing without the ball puts us somewhere around relegation position right now. Any team with energy and any quality is in our third in 2 seconds and I am not talking about counterattacks. They are gone as a team.

I mean, compared to how we were with the series of loses, going forward we played well.

We also drew. We didn't lose.

The team isn't gone. That's overly dramatic.

We're missing the best player in the world in the middle and two of our best defenders. Also playing without a proper RB.
 
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I mean, compared to how we were with the series I'd loses, going forward we played well.

We also drew. We didn't lose.

The team isn't gone. That's overly dramatic.

We're missing the best player in the world in the middle and two of our best defenders. Also playing without a proper RB.
And a proper left back... and someone who can come on and give Haaland a rest

Last season, Alvarez was coming on most games after 70 minutes or so after Haaland had scored 2 or 3 and the match was won
 
I'm fine with bringing off Kova for a rest if he needs it; my point was why bring Gundo on - at all?
Agree, every time he comes on as a sub playing 6 or 8 we concede within a few mins. Sad to see.

Who am I to question Pep but his subs are so confusing. To me, when we are leading with 10-15 mins to go, this seems like the most sane way of seeing out the game and actually use all our subs as the players are gassed by the 80min mark:

Kovacic >> Grealish (covers well with the LB, keeps the ball, gets plenty of freekicks to kill the game)
De Bruyne >> McAtee (energy and running and an eye for a pass)
Foden >> Lewis (keeps the ball ticking over in midfield and acts as a second RB cover)

And on those occasions when he's stopped running completely or losing every battle with the CB:
Haaland >> Gundogan (stand deeper than Haaland and lay of passes to McAtee and Grealish to keep possession)
 
It’s amazing that Kovetic and Gundogan are effectively finished at this level, yet Fernandinho was possibly the fittest on the pitch until the age of what 35 or 36???

Have the demands on the team really changed that much since Fernandinho finished? He must have been playing a similar amount of games a season?
 
It’s amazing that Kovetic and Gundogan are effectively finished at this level, yet Fernandinho was possibly the fittest on the pitch until the age of what 35 or 36???

Have the demands on the team really changed that much since Fernandinho finished? He must have been playing a similar amount of games a season?
All depends on the person

Some people are naturally fitter and genetically better than others

Perfect examples are Modric and dare I say it Ronaldo
 
I'm fine with bringing off Kova for a rest if he needs it; my point was why bring Gundo on - at all?

There are trade-offs that are hard to calculate. Experience and knowledge of what is needed in particular situations (Gundo) vs. energy and physicality (say, O'Reilly).

The truth is we were shaky at the back before Gundo came in. The formation was too attacking, the balance wasn't there, as Haaland, Savinho, KDB and Fiden don't press and run enough. Bernardo has been overplayed and his legs look gone too. Brentford could have scored 2-3 goals with Kova on the pitch. Also, the whole team faded in the last 20 minutes.

Perhaps Pep is making a mistake trusting experience and knowledge over energy and physicality. Hard to tell now. Guess O'Reilly will get a chance, especially if/when Kova gets another injury. Without Rodri, our midfield is the least physical and mobile in the world. That's a big problem.
 
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It’s amazing that Kovetic and Gundogan are effectively finished at this level, yet Fernandinho was possibly the fittest on the pitch until the age of what 35 or 36???

Have the demands on the team really changed that much since Fernandinho finished? He must have been playing a similar amount of games a season?
Kovacic just isn't good enough at the role. He runs way more than I think Rodri has ever done it that role on account of more often being caught out of position. Also the press in front of him not being effective at all and it is a dangerous cocktail of dysfunctionality in our midfield
 
I can't help but feel there's something going on. Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. In previous seasons Pep has been so ruthless over minor errors. Someone failing to pass and shooting instead would see them hauled off or out of the team. Someone not doing their defensive work off the ball would be berated and out of the team. He seems completely fine with the fact the team are making basic mistakes. I can appreciate the injuries and lack of fitness with some, but at 2-0 surely he has noticed that's a lead we were lucky to have. Surely he would anticipate the fact we've been poor at holding onto leads and will come under increasing pressure? So surely he'd make changes to bring the required energy levels up or to help us retain the ball and pass it around until the game was over?!

I don't see any of our rumoured signings doing anything to address the issue we have in controlling games.
That’s a coaching issue. What are the instructions?
 
Here we go again, KDB brilliant, the rest average. Absolutely no legs in midfield, defence shakier than my hands after a weekend on the beer. Seems we are addressing the defence problems, no movement yet on midfield reinforcements
de Bruyne was all, but nut brilliant.
 
Got a semi (:-0) important phone call at 0-2 had to mute the game then ended up pacing about on the call walked outside for better reception came back in it was 2 -2. Still can't understand how the fuck we gave that lead up.
 
Got a semi (:-0) important phone call at 0-2 had to mute the game then ended up pacing about on the call walked outside for better reception came back in it was 2 -2. Still can't understand how the fuck we gave that lead up.
Course you can. You've watched us all season. It was absolutely no different to Brighton, Feyenoord, united etc.
 
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I disagree that the game was drawn because of Gundogan.
No one is blaming Gundogan!!!

We needed fresh mobile legs. Not fresh pensioners legs.

Mcatee, Grealish, O Reilly could have given us that extra speed in Midfield. Jsut getting to a player half a second quicker makes him think quicker and forces him into a mistake or a pass backwards (safe)..

Peps infatuation with Gundogan will cost us more lost points this season than points gained.
 

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