I didn’t know the score, stuck it on Hoofoot, where it was 16 minutes’ worth of highlights and felt cheated. Really boring game and one that probably ends your Champions League hopes (top 5 will likely get into UCL) though as the top 8 are very likely making Europe, you’re still very much in the mix for Europa/Conference.
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With our Midfield…in Germany we say:" Da kannste keinen Blumentopf mit gewinnen"
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I agree with @Mark_L that this game showed where we are as a team. Mid-table at best. We were found out again against one of the better sides in the league and :poop: and Athleti will be equally as tough and I fear we could lose both.
We are desperately lacking a creative spark in the midfield and it’s being left to the centre backs to try and get a ball through to the forwards or having to rely on a moment of quality from Lukebakio. We have some good forward players but can’t create anything for them. The midfield really needs looking at in the summer.
As a team we just don’t score enough goals and can’t continually put pressure on the defence to hold out. We also clearly don’t have the players to play Pimienta’s possession style of play. I lost count of how many times we got ourselves into trouble trying to play out at the back but going nowhere or just hoofing an aimless long ball forward.
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Caught the match on replay, and it was perhaps the expected result on paper. But on the field, more of a stalemate. Athletic started well, but we regained control around 15-20min in. There was difficulty getting forward at times, but we had our fair share of chances to deliver final balls into dangerous areas. Ultimately, that was our undoing.
Bade & Kike are looking a little more comfortable. Nothing to write home about, but there’s at least some stability there. The obvious issue is at RB. Carmona has done his best to fill at that position, but his passes out of defence are often abysmal. I’m sure i say this every game, cause it always happens more than once. Defensively, he generally covers well, which is why he gets the spot over Juanlu, who is more attack-minded like Pedrosa. But notice how it was our 2 RBs who kept Athletic’s scorer on-side for the goal?
This changes drastically when Sambi is on the field. It’s night & day. He simply knows how to open things up and progress the play. It’s disappointing that Sow & Saúl don’t do more of that.
But more than that, we need that #10 who can play the final pass. Perhaps we don’t have the “defensive luxury” to field one from the start. I see progression with this group, but the lack of a playmaker is a major stumbling block in our creativity. We’re not winning our home games because of it, since we can’t always rely on the counter.
I like that Pimienta kept the same starting XI, and it is helping the cohesion. We’re not getting the most out Isaac, simply because of who’s playing up there with him, and the lack of competition. Akor slowly returning to fitness will help us garner a different look in attack. Same with Ejuke, cause we had a terrifying pair of wingers when he was fully fit.
A nice break before we settle the score with these neighbours acting all brand new. Vamos mf!
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