Machin let assistant to explain tactic to sarabia.
Don’t tell me they’re having conflict especially when navas is absent!?
We play like shit when navas is absent, completely shit when navas and sarabia absent
Machin should’ve started with Sarabia and Amadou. I have a feeling that we could’ve won this one, though 1 point is still better than none.
We miss Navas, but should we really miss a 33 year old who is way past his prime? For that not to happen, we need some reinforcements in January, or else every ‘slightly difficult’ match will bring us a lot of headaches.
Sociedad, Espanyol and Alaves were very tactically-disciplined and we were just lucky to come out with points from those matches.
Still not sure why Machin’s not started with Sarabia when most of the goals originated from either him or Navas. Mudo was so-so but Banega’s rapid drop of form is scary, he’s lost possession like at least 90% of the time.
3 Likes
Ben Yedder is worth twice Banega, got to say that the creative players are costing us, while the workers are doing the job. Always I have said that Ben Yedder is the most reliable and capable of goal guaranteed.
This team needs an appraisal.
The Manager is capable, but there’s no replacement for Banega and Vazquez, PROBLEM.
I’m convinced that they know, and the next signings will address this.
4 Likes
Machín got his starting team wrong but at least he recognised this and changed it early. He saved his and the teams bacon. We were poor 1st half but I was encouraged in the 2nd, as only 1 team looked like going on to win and it was us. Sarabia, Amadou and promes all made an impact and we started to cause them problems in 2nd half.
Barring that alaves header, where my heart was in my mouth as would have been tough to take as it was their only chance in 2nd half.
2 Likes
Hopefully. There’s a rumor that Caparros has 100 million euros to play with for the upcoming January window. I hope at least half of it is true (50 mill) and they spend it wisely.
2 Likes
The only wing back we ever have on par or better than navas is Alves. So relying on Navas is quite reasonable.
The board should find a potential Navas class left wing back but that’s extremely difficult.
2 Likes
That seems unlikely, unless we offload some of the dead weight.
I guess 35M is on Silva so not a lot left, if that’s true at all.
Maybe Castro means to sold 100M so Caparros could have 100M to spend…
1 Like
Shendm, I’,m hoping for ambition in this transfer window, but I’m not sure we’re going to spend 100m, but then again I’m usually mistaken, so no change there.
But I still think we have a big problem, we don’t seem to know the best team and the directors wow, I can’t believe we have relaxed this game to pass Villanovense in the copa del rey, but all this is done on statistical analysis with interference from the board of directors, complicated.
We should go forward in ‘la copa del rey’ and clearly, earn more money. But for Christ’s sake let’s go for the league while we have the opportunity because it’s a guarantee of Champions league football.
2 Likes
CL is the floor for this club from now on
1 Like
If that’s how Alaves play every week then god help their fans, it was an awful game to watch with so many fouls.
The only good thing they did was keeping 2 or 3 players high up the pitch which prevented Vaclic from throwing/rolling the ball out, making him kick the ball high and long up to Silva who never had a chance of receiving it against their big defenders.
Banega was very poor tonight, he couldn’t beat anyone and lost the ball 99% of the times he tried to dribble his way forward.
How come Mudo looked shattered and dripping in sweat even though he spent the game stationary or strolling around ?
It is so clear that we are missing Navas
I was shocked by a couple of the changes made by Machin but bringing on Promes for Mercado did seem to work he appeared to relish running up the wing rather than waiting for chances further forward.
The turning point for me was bringing on Sarabia he changed everything. Why was he on the bench? Was it his punishment for his antics last Thursday?
I have said it before playing Mesa Banega and Mudo in the same team does not work, they just get in each others way.
Overall I saw this as a point gained rather than 2 points lost. we have never done well away against Alaves. The big test comes next week against Valencia who seem to be getting over their bad start.
2 Likes
Promes’ sub made a huge difference in opening up the game. Mercado didn’t get forward once I don’t think and thus their left back didn’t pay any attention to that side. Promes’ first run he was so wide open and it took us forever to find him. Too bad he didn’t look up on that shot in the side of the net, we had three guys wide open for an empty net header.
Banega and Mudo were dispossessed 11 times (5 Mudo, 6 Banega). Mesa was just terrible. He really should be loaned out or sold in January. He’s just not at the level we need him to be which is a shame, because I was all about his signing.
We got a point, sit second and have hated Valencia next week. I hope we score 6 on their shitty expensive team.
2 Likes
Only caught the last 30 minutes of this game. I think Sarabia might not be at 100%. We’ve been heavily reliant on him, but he keeps delivering more often than not. Thank God for him. (& WBY, the Tap-In King.)
And it seems like the same problems in midfield. Very worrying. Really wished we signed Gabriel Pires in the summer, but a strong box-to-box CM seems to be the missing piece atm. Any suggestions there?
2 Likes
Alaves away is always tough so I’ll take a draw. Midfield was congested as usual, these players are playing 70 to almost 90 minutes every game so dips in form are expected, that’s where the subs come in. Mesa is capable of the odd game but not every game. Amadou has proven himself in France and in the limited appearances so far so he should really be given an extended run, Promes also.
Having money to spend in the winter transfer window is nice but pickings are usually slim. Iborra is one of the more reputable players up for grabs, haven’t seen enough of the Portugese League to give a verdict on Gabriel Pires so some info would be nice.
Last but not least, the customary “sell/dump/get rid of Muriel”
1 Like
1 Like
Ahaaa . The Champions will introduce VAR in the quarter finals, once the referees have carefully ushered all the big money clubs into the big money quarter finals.
3 Likes