Another vote for Aina. Excellent on both sides tonight. Was he only on a short term deal? We should look to tie him down if so..
Sangare will be fine..he had a couple of shaky moments but there were some great interceptions in there.
Montiel was a concern, but their left winger looked a player.
As ever, the balance still doesn't look quite with four attacking players. Coops will work it out, but we always look a better side with Yatesy and a front 3.
We are the Big Red Train and Aina is our driver. Thought he was excellent both sides and good going forward. He was carrying a bit of a knock I think for the last 30, hobbling a little and stretching his calf. Already one of the best full backs we've had in a while. Thought Elanga was good as well. Such fun to see wingers driving into the opposition. Gibbs White was a disappointment though. Lots of wrong decisions and poor touches. But we dont have a direct sub for him.
He should of been subbed in the second half. His howler near the end almost cost us and he was gassed and knocking the ball to no-one. I am not criticizing him for not being up to speed, but he really shouldn't have been on for the whole game. So yeah, could have been a mare. Montiel was not a good debut.and ultimately more cause for concern.
We play Citeh next. I am thinking the Dominguez freuler treatment for that one. As in throw him in and sink or swim. Nah, me neither... Yates should play in that game. Still I think we got lucky.. Need to be ready for the Erling Haaaland show especially when we were the last team I believe to take points of them when it mattered... (Yeah Brentford don't count, they had already won by then..)
Chicago: Calming down.
By the way and speaking of refs, I was amused at the goalie getting booked in the 10th minute for timewasting. He was definitely taking his sweet time about the goal kick but I think that Burnley were reeling a bit and he genuinely didn't know what he was supposed to be doing with the ball, kicking short or punting long.
I don't recall ever having seen a card for timewasting that early in a game.
Was also my take.
His arm movement changed too, I thought it was the right decision.
Montiel struggled but so did Lodi early on last year.
CHO looks the real deal, Sangare looked good with some PL naivety.
We were disjointed and will get better but we still got a point. We lost early ‘must win’ games last year to Bournemouth and Fulham.
Pleased that I was watching the same game as most on here. Turner was good - distribution much better than the cup game and generally didn't seem as anxious. Montiel has to improve from that start - not terrible going forward but appeared unable to defend - either nowhere near their left winger or just kicking him for fun. Fair enough to let him start the second half but as soon as he lost the winger again, hook him. Aina obviously man of the match but spent most of the second half feeling his ankle, heel or calf, which seems like a worry. Tavares looks an athlete but I'm not sure he's much of a footballer either. Sangare had a few good moments but not up to speed yet - I'd have taken him off for Yates.
Thought we were the more treatening team for the first half by far but struggled to chase the game (at 0-1 and 1-1) and ended up lucky to get a point.
If he's going to use CHO and Elanga together regularly (maybe home matches against lower level teams?) then the squad looks short of a wide man to me. I've no wish to see Divock playing out there again, and it is a lot to expect to play 90 mins regularly in that position.
Yeah I was thinking this too.
As above it was horribly disjointed last night but showed flashes of being able to move the ball at the level we need to for our Conference League tilt. On Worrell and McKenna it's such a shame but it's not working, Worrell maybe with nouse, ability, leadership and commitment might be able to compensate for his pace and agility issues but we certainly can't play both again.
Progress that we got something out of the game. Burnley weren't complete shite and may well stay up.
Indeed. Said the same in a WhatsApp chat last night. Neco (+ Konate?) is about the only other vaguely plausible candidate.
On the plus side, it was Ayew doing it last season. So we're definitely better off than we were.
Bit early to give up on Origi as a winger. He has player many games at a some big clubs and internationally wide on the left.
You seem to have a downer on Turner and didn't give him much of a chance. I think he has been good and actually better than Hendo. Which is pleasing.
I guess confidence is a bit thing in sport. I am yet to be convinced by Sangare but again, he doesn't speak the language and he's not Ryan Yates but I will give him a chance.
I am actually looking forward to seeing Dominquez play. No idea why but I suspect he is going to be top notch. Neco might hurdle Montiel back from under the patio but essentially we need to clone Aina.
Chicago: Patient.
Do not feed the troll.
Turner looked better last night. If he's better than I think I welcome it as I'm always open to being proved wrong. He has been suspect in other games though, including Chelsea. I suspect Greek/German guy will end up out number 1 though but if Turner takes his chance and keeps him out then good on him.
I was away this weekend, did everyone do a minute’s silence? Seemed a weirdly unconnected one, albeit the two events were obviously tragic.
Yes .... but someone left a speaker on in the main stand so it was accompanied by MGMT.
I heard that on Partridge and assumed Tricky was bored and trying to download Now2010 or somesuch.
