Agree about the keeper, Taieb just wasnt up to it.The decision to play and then persevere with a truly dreadful keeper - Taieb - was the mistake that has ruined this WSL season. When Keating (age 16) played the difference was immense.
The two key injuries were Ellie Roebuck and Chloe Kelly. Others were unfortunate but should have been dealt with. Taylor’s team selections and tactics were bizarre. Signings have proved questionable and little evidence of any Academy player progression. The omission of Janine Beckie remains a mystery.
Cups will keep Taylor in post for next season. Sadly….
Oh and Taylor's team selection early in the season was very much forced on him. There was a point we had at least 10 players out and any team, including Chelsea and Arsenal, would struggle in that circumstance.Agree about the keeper, Taieb just wasnt up to it.
As for Beckie, she reminds me of Sterling when she's plays up front, as her finishing is very hit and miss. We have a lot of options in forward positions now so I can understand when she doesn't play. I do like her as a footballer, but I was always more impressed by her as a right-back - I thought she was excellent whenever she played there.
Good summary from a former centre back!!!!!I think three things have impinged on our season - the oft repeated question 'Why isn't X or Y starting?", the injury list, and some woeful finishing, witnessed again last night. Put those three in the mix and with one cup and the possibility of a CL place, it's not been such a bad season. I think it is the latter of the three that concerns me most. We battered a couple of teams early in the season - Tottenham and, I think, West Ham - and allowed them to nick the games. Six points we should have had safely in the locker. And those six points would have us third in the table with a game in hand on the current third place. But that's the way a game can go if you don't put away good chances.
It's the woeful finishing for me too. I'd like to see us, from now on in, only practice shooting, from the left, from the right, with both feet, from inside the box and outside. Continued shooting practice then we might get a few more in the net. The first half against Reading was almost laughable.I think three things have impinged on our season - the oft repeated question 'Why isn't X or Y starting?", the injury list, and some woeful finishing, witnessed again last night. Put those three in the mix and with one cup and the possibility of a CL place, it's not been such a bad season. I think it is the latter of the three that concerns me most. We battered a couple of teams early in the season - Tottenham and, I think, West Ham - and allowed them to nick the games. Six points we should have had safely in the locker. And those six points would have us third in the table with a game in hand on the current third place. But that's the way a game can go if you don't put away good chances.
Said so at the time and was shot down because a 16yo would be worse.The decision to play and then persevere with a truly dreadful keeper - Taieb - was the mistake that has ruined this WSL season. When Keating (age 16) played the difference was immense.
The two key injuries were Ellie Roebuck and Chloe Kelly. Others were unfortunate but should have been dealt with. Taylor’s team selections and tactics were bizarre. Signings have proved questionable and little evidence of any Academy player progression. The omission of Janine Beckie remains a mystery.
Cups will keep Taylor in post for next season. Sadly….
Taieb was fairly good in her first few games and then got much worse. Poor defending in front of her wouldn’t have helped and it was clear in some games that she was carrying injuries. It might have been better to play the 16/17 year old earlier but that doesn’t change the fact that the defence was weak at crucial times.Said so at the time and was shot down because a 16yo would be worse.
She proved she wasn't.
For me Houghton at the back was a big miss, even just for her leadership qualities and Greenwood going back to left back.
And how many times is the ball needlessly passed backwards. There seems to be some notion in the back four that Ellie needs a pass to keep her focussed! Every single opposition team I have seen this season, when they are in possession, aim to get the ball up the field and into our area. Most don't get in the area, and don't do much when they arrive, but the transition from defence to attack, even those down at the bottom, shifts the ball much more quickly. It never used to be like this. The midfield wanted the ball and as soon as they had it they were looking for forwards. The finishing follows the same line. Our 'strikers', and there was a graphic example of it on Wednesday, always seem to look for a player with a better chance than the one they have if it's not a clear chance. Four or five passes inside the opposition area is not uncommon.Good summary from a former centre back!!!!!
The finishing has been dreadful at times such as yesterday and Tottenham where we were 1up, missed loads of chances and lost to a goal punched in
Taieb started okay but became completely error prone and that spread to the defence. On balance and without hindsight he should have played the young kid
Still think the slow passing from the back has held us back at times
You could basically be talking about the men's team there, and we mostly just accept now that that is how they play...And how many times is the ball needlessly passed backwards. There seems to be some notion in the back four that Ellie needs a pass to keep her focussed! Every single opposition team I have seen this season, when they are in possession, aim to get the ball up the field and into our area. Most don't get in the area, and don't do much when they arrive, but the transition from defence to attack, even those down at the bottom, shifts the ball much more quickly. It never used to be like this. The midfield wanted the ball and as soon as they had it they were looking for forwards. The finishing follows the same line. Our 'strikers', and there was a graphic example of it on Wednesday, always seem to look for a player with a better chance than the one they have if it's not a clear chance. Four or five passes inside the opposition area is not uncommon.
Yeah, but I think we get the ball up to the opposition penalty area a bit quicker with the men, and apart from Hemp, the women don't have a lot of 'dribblers' who can take a couple of players out. The men have a good handful. But I think it's true that the whole of the club approach is based on possession, and that seems to over-ride any individual approach of trying something that might lose the ball, such as a shot!!You could basically be talking about the men's team there, and we mostly just accept now that that is how they play...