I watched it late last night as Tilly had a netball match. At half time I was pretty staggered that Pauline manages to drill more positional and tactical awareness into a team of school kids she sees for an hour a week, than Gary O'Neil has managed to put into a team of full time professionals that probably earn in the region of of £20m per year between them.
I don't care what the half time stats said, that 1st half could've been any score Brighton wanted it to be. The movement and opening up of lanes between the defenders and midfielders was absolutely atrocious, we gave the ball away time and time again. The press was pathetic and disjointed. The defensive shape was wank. We offered absolutely no control with the football, in any phase, other than when Brighton let us play it around the back four. Utterly terrible performance.
Second half, they'd clearly had a bollocking, and we did create some chances and pressed harder - though I don't think it was organised and triggered, it was just "gaffer says close down, me close down" imo. We weren't setting traps, it was just that Brighton's second string were faltering under pressure on them.
Other than Pond and Joao, every single one of those lads is considered 'strength in depth', in reality they showed themselves to be pretty big drop off. A drop off, of course, to a team that's pretty shit.
Sa - he was either shit and nervous, or just shit. The club have simultaneously replaced their number one goalkeeper *and* kept him, and that's only going to go one way, whether it's through fear, nerves, or bad attitude.
Lima got over a really difficult first half to show glimpses of potential, but it'd be a lie to say he looked like a top talent.
Doc at left back was everything you thought he'd be.
Santi and Pond had clearly never met until half six last night. A few times both rushing out to go after the same ball, or both dropping back to cover. Neither bad on the ball given the limited movement and options ahead and either side of them.
Sarabia was a fucking disgrace. £100k a week. A hundred, thousand pounds, every week. What technical ability he has got was nullified by the strength and pace of a 60 year old smoker. Not that you'd know what his top speed was, he rarely gets over a jog other than for the occassional press these days.
Hwang put in the most anonymous performance you'll ever see. Or not see, as seems more appropriate. Still, hiding from the ball is a good way to make sure people don't notice how wank your touch is, I guess.
Joao disappointed me most. With such an inexperienced/shit back four, you need to be a solid shield, and constantly moving to offer his defenders a simple ten yard pass, and he just didn't do it anywhere near often enough.
Doyle was similar in the first half, with the added bonus of launching long passes out for a throw in, but definitely improved second half.
Rodrigo didn't do himself any favours on the ball, he'd faced his man up a few times nut didn't create anything with his running, though linked up well with Doc for the goal.
Guedes, good finish, should have scored another. Worked reasonably hard, but certainly not a performance that screamed out to you that he's desperate to make the most of this chance. I'd give him MOTM and I'd also give him 6/10 at the same time.
Can't be arsed with the subs, but Semedo and Cunha were decent. Forbs impressed me with one track back. That's how little it took to be noticed ffs.
GON's comments can get straight in the fucking bin. Offering him 4 years this summer was outrageously premature. I don't care about break clauses or whatever exit strategies we may have put in place, the optics and message it gave out were that patchy form and mediocrity, and failing to progress on any of your existing faults, will not only be accepted, it will be rewarded.
Johnstone
Semedo - Dawson - Yerson -RAN
Lemina - Andre
Forbs - Gomes/Guedes
Cunha
JSL
Tell Semedo not to bother crossing the half way line as it's pointless. Lemina can go forward on that side. RAN pushes on, Andre steps in. Hwang and Sarabia are fucking pointless and don't deserve to start a game until we've seen what the other three options there will do if given consistent minutes.
