Sporting CP (A) | CL | Post Match Thread

[bondsman]

Injuries, ageing players and two summer windows buying players not good enough has come to bite us.

This for me. There’s no way Nunes, Kovacic, I’d say Doku as well are good enough. We needed to keep improving not plateau. I love stones and ake but they are never fit. KDB Gundo and Walker incredible but they need replacing. No replacement for Alvarez is criminal. He scored goals that we haven’t replaced. It’s really quite worrying. Uncertainty around Pep can’t be helping either. The last two games we’ve been humbled if we are honest and we don’t look like we have a response in us.

 

[Gray]

1.Score

2.Defend.

3.Control midfield.

Problem solved.

Great (sur) name?

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

I’ve seen us thrashed so many times over the years, that wasn’t a thrashing the score shows. We simply couldn’t put the ball in the net.
Threw it away

Actually, we were genuinely thrashed by Bournemouth, more than tonight. The respective results don't seem to indicate it. But it is the case.

 

[bert38]

I thought the young lad was thrown right under the bus tonight, but Akanji did'nt help one iota

Akanji is clearly playing with an injury.

 

[eyalluvitt]

Apparently the players and coaches are arguing now

Fireworks?

 

[s1ty m]

Simple disgraceful tonight the minute they equalised. Played like pussies. No physicality. Defence are guaranteed to give up goals. Incapable of keeping clean sheets. Savinho has done little these last few games he's played. He's weak. It's clear we miss Rodri. More than expected. Haaland is off the boil. I can see us losing 4 in a row this weekend. Just can't see us winning a game at the moment.

The last few years are catching up on us now. It had to happen. It's been a blast. We now need to reset in January and summer. Dare I say it perhaps we need a fresh perspective from the sidelines now as well. Then we go again. CTID.

Can't disagree. It's been fabulous. Can be again.

 

[Blue Bogey]

Sam Lee has tweeted a confrontation between Kev and coaching staff

I don’t mind this if this truly happened. It’s not just on the players, Pep and the coaches have to work through this together with them. Maybe the players are questioning the tactics. De Bruyne has been in sides @ City and maybe he is wondering what the **** is going on. It all feels a bit experimental this season.

 

[Kippax77]

Akanji is clearly playing with an injury.

Bravo/ so what the fuck is he doing crossing the white line?

 

[Phil1]

When we were a yoyo team, we got to visit some of the lesser clubs in the country. I for one found it very enjoyable.

Of course, the result stopped being important in those days, we weren’t ever going to abandon the team however shit things got. We embraced it and have been rewarded by the footballing gods in ways we ever could have imagined.

 

[Nevizade]

First half an hour was possibly the most ‘us’ we’ve looked all season. Wingers high and wide, sharp passing, good pressing and that numerical superiority in midfield. Should have been three or four up at half time and they couldn’t live with us.

But fuck me, how vulnerable do we look on the break? Every time they got over the halfway line it looked like we were going to concede and I can’t remember the last time we looked all over the place to that degree. Probably Pellegrini’s last season.

Anyone’s guess as to how we sort it before January when we surely, surely get the chequebook out. Stones would be the most obvious answer on paper but can’t stay fit to save his life. From a technical point of view I’d say Gvardiol but then we’re taking our best defender out of defence.

Grealish is the answer for me. Gives us the control we desperately need, rarely loses the ball and no stranger to winning the odd free kick. Him next to Kovacic and Rico dropping in is by no means perfect but if we carry on like this until January we’re probably out of the title race, bearing in mind we’ve got Tottenham, Liverpool and Villa within four weeks.

 

[OB1]

I don't know if this is true - but as much as i love the player when on form..his demeanor worries me, looks genuinely depressed!!!

Sam Lee said they were having an exchange of opinions. That doesn’t mean there’s an issue between them but I’m damn sure they are all emotional and pissed off, which they should be, and that will come through in their demeanour.

 

[East Level 2]

I don't know if this is true - but as much as i love the player when on form..his demeanor worries me, looks genuinely depressed!!!

Not surprised he's depressed. Got chucked on when the game was already lost and when he's possibly still not match fit, gets played too often for Belgium and hasn't had a decent summer rest for about four or five years.
He, and many other players, are running on fumes. They are more shagged out than the Norwegian Blue parrot.

 

[cookster]

Each to their own but can't help feel he's being made a scapegoat rather unfairly. Of all our attacking players first half I thought he was the best by far, bar the odd flick from Foden.

He fell out it second half and didn't play well on the right but everyone was terrible and he was no worse than any.

He's been better as of late but, IMO he's still a poor signing for the money spent.

 

[B\connellblue]

Have we always played this outrageous high line where CBs push so deep into the opposition half and leave us so wide open to that one pass? I don’t remember us being this high and open in past seasons.

Yes we used to have curle and phelan to gallop after them.

 

[BlueMonkey79]

I’ve seen us thrashed so many times over the years, that wasn’t a thrashing the score shows. We simply couldn’t put the ball in the net.
Threw it away

Mate we was outplayed from the 35th minute onwards. Possession doesn't always tell you the real story of a game.

The second half we was hanging on to a.4.1 deficit. Apart from the generous penalty, we didn't offer much.

If we beat the scousers, Arsenal or United 4.1 - we'd take that as a thrashing!

 

[Tolmie scores]

As I've said in another response, Haaland was the worst of a generally very poor bunch.

I also think Pep loved trying to win without a number nine - meant faster more creative passing - quick passes between full backs and centre halves than cut backs from the by line..all exciting and easy on the eye. Defenders now though are immense physically, so fit, so quick, get blocks in easy when they are around the ball. That's why all teams seem to just play to create pace behind.. Drag oppo's back four up to the half way line (give away a corner etc) then work on lightening fast breaks - sadly we haven't read the script and I don't think the possession football really cuts it v power and pace now

 

[Mike N]

Sam Lee has tweeted a confrontation between Kev and coaching staff

That shithouse has waited a long time to spread some sickness in the camp.

 

[I'm Blue]

As I've said in another response, Haaland was the worst of a generally very poor bunch.

Fair enough but to say he doesn’t deserve his place is another thing entirely.
As i said originally without his goals we’d be fucked.
The rest of the team isn’t scoring enough or creating enough so it’s very easy for the opposition to nullify our only real goal scoring threat.
Our problem is much deeper than Haaland and because of a poor transfer window right now he’s our only option to score goals.

 

[wilky]

Let's be honest, we are winning nothing this year. The defence is poor, the midfield is slow with no creativity. We have gone backwards. We are at rich club but don't spend money. We should be improving the squad each year but we haven't. I'm so frustrated, we are painfully slow in the build up, every team we play have worked us out.

 

[Palerider]

Well this is a challenge for Pep isn't it? Not surprisingly, having climbed Everest 4 years on the trot we are perhaps lacking a little enthusiasm to do it again. We are being caught the same way in every single game and do not seem to be learning at all. I'm going to trust in Pep and the character of this great team to get us through this but, for me, I'd try a strong physical specimen as a defensive midfielder, probably Gvardiol or Stones.