M7: Sevilla FC vs Espanyol

He coulda just played Oscar instead of 1 of the 3 DMs on there. I don’t know what the problem is. What did we even get him for?

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We shouldn’t get too obsessed on the wolsburg game. In my opinion tonight is bigger especially with a chance to go 2nd place and take advantage of Barca and atleti poor form and keep up with Real Madrid. The league is our bread and butter and best chance ever to break up the big 3 domination.

I feel we should still have enough to qualify from champs league group even with playing a best 11 in most league games.

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Same old crap… again!

Lesson not learned. The only difference is Delaney instead of Fernando.

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I agree here. I always lope we trust but don’t agree with this lineup. I don’t understand why we need to change much from midweek when we played our best game of season so far.

We should focus on winning this with the best attacking players and then rest them mid 2nd half. I just hope we still in a decent position to try win it 2nd half. I feel we gonna need the subs to bail us out here. Let’s hope we don’t fall behind early.

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What worries and hugely disappoints me is the lack of confidence of Lope in all of this. We all praised him and were very happy for how we performed against Valencia, attacking from the first minute and finishing matters early, then playing it safer in the second half. Now all of that goes down the drain as we revert back to the old philosophy which very rarely works, and we’ll get the 3 points if we’re lucky or Espanyol has a bad night but that’s not a formation that instills confidence. Very conservative and cowardly again.

It would’ve been a bit better had Ocampos been in a great form but he’s far from that. Suso… I don’t know anymore!

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The only real surprise is Suso starts after all that. :sweat_smile:

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Was is Pellegrini a few weeks ago that said something in the lines of La Liga needs to drastically change if it shouldn’t become a boring and low-quality league. Way too many teams are more afraid of losing than hopeful of winning. Although I found the statement to be quite over the top, I still agree to some point. 2 goals so far in the first two games today and it wouldn’t surprise me if we followed that in our game.

Goals isn’t everything, but the mentality in the games is not uplifting either. Some teams are happy to just keep the ball, not putting it at risk, and play the passing game. And the rest are happy to defend their goal and one point. Neither of these approaches are that exciting to watch…

A line-up as ours today surely seems like we are just happy to keep the ball and not much else.

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I’m not that surprised with the lineup tbh. This lineup is almost identical to Lope’s proffered xi last season, just Delaney for Fernando.

It takes a while for Lope to change up the line up, we all know that. Sure, Lamela should probably be starting but I’m expecting him to play agaisnt Wolfsburg

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All right, 2 goals now. Get that average up :wink:

I know Espanyol haven’t had much luck so far but they look decent to me.

I’m a bit disappointed with the lineup but there’s the second half. What I see is a defensive lineup and it’s back to Lope’s careful in the first half approach.

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What hurts the most is how easily fouls are given. The league allows none of it. It’ s better to watch Spanish teams in Europe cause it provides a bit more freedom.

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Yeah its very typical. So 10 days later and Suso is feeling better from the Covid? So weird that he didn’t speak up before feeling bad, and just let Lope put him in there. There are too many holes I don’t believe the whole story. Bad fitness from preseason, out of shape and bad early games.

If Suso plays, he needs to work 100% and actually show up.

Especially seeing what Lamela brings, if Suso can’t bring that (yet?) Idrissi or anybody needs to be taking that spot.

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When you look at this XI, it all needs to happen thru Suso. Who else will be the creative spark when Ocampos has been off his game? That’s why these starting lineups suck cause you know it won’t come from him.

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Sevilla got a tough act to follow. Just got in from watching my local team Sutton United just smash Carlisle 4-0. :sweat_smile:

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Honestly, with all due respect to Suso, if we manage to sign Tecacito either in January or next summer, he’s better off looking for a new club imo

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Got my Jordan kit on today to hopefully give that guy a spark. He needs it.

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On paper the team is still far ahead of Espanyol. But we have seen how badly it can turn out on the pitch. My first Espanyol match i’m watching this season too.

Espanyol XI:

Sunlighted stadium looking lovely quite full!

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Suso ball losses - 1
2

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