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Roberto De Zerbi *OFFICIAL*
- Thread starter LutonSpurs
- Start date
SissokoWasGood (BoL)
Nick Barmby
I agree with this. The performance today had the feeling of one without our top two captains on the pitch, and I’m not sure Gray is the guy to lay into the team when they need a kick in the arse like today.
This was a weird, disjointed performance and I think it needed some leadership to get people focused and pulling in the same direction. Otherwise it’s just a bunch of new players all trying to get to know each other, and no one really knows who does what.
thfcsteff
Fanny Walden
What would you have done subs-wise?
DubaiSpur
Jack Jull
Put Danso on and switched to a back three with Fernandes and Tonali in the pivot, Tel and Rich up top, Maddison in behind. Throw on Solanke for Tel at the 60' mark if we need even more physical presence.
Danso on means we possibly don't concede that silly third, or look so weak defending headers all game long. Rich and Solanke up top should win a few. It's all about winning the physical battles vs Brentford.
Kandi1977
Ralph Coates
3 out of our 4 main CB's are absolutely useless in the air. It will almost certainly haunt us all season.
thfcsteff
Fanny Walden
Got it.
I personally think with the lack of endeavor, had he gone to a back three it'd have been even worse but I get what you're saying...
That we are in a place where people are suggesting we need to start Danso is worrying. He's a good player. We should be expecting better. RDZ wants passers back there, but can those passers defend?
fernadez
Alf Ramsey
He should be starting on merit. There's no reason for Senesi to start over him. He's proven himself as our best defender and playing him keeps some sort of continuity in a back line that was brand new.
Baleforce
Joe Kinnear
he's our best defender
I think he's one of the best defenders in the league
it's worrying he's not the first name on the team sheet for me, I question WTF the manager is thinking
DubaiSpur
Jack Jull
Ye
The weakest possible combo is Porro-van Hecke-Senesi-Robertson. Short, not especially pacy full backs, two passing center-backs without pace or physicality. Somewhat alarmingly, that's also the likely combo for many matches given VdV and Udogie's fitness woes. And given Kinsky isn't a big lad for a goalie, it accentuates the problem of aerial threat.
Next season, if de Zerbi is still around and wants to continue with this, we need to rethink this. Either get a physically competitive left-back or a tall goalie who can dominate the box in the absence of strong defenders.
Yeah, I hear you mate. Personally it's been a worry with me for a while now. Think we lack physicality across that backline, and it will hurt us this season unless VdV somehow learns to win a header every now and then.
The weakest possible combo is Porro-van Hecke-Senesi-Robertson. Short, not especially pacy full backs, two passing center-backs without pace or physicality. Somewhat alarmingly, that's also the likely combo for many matches given VdV and Udogie's fitness woes. And given Kinsky isn't a big lad for a goalie, it accentuates the problem of aerial threat.
Next season, if de Zerbi is still around and wants to continue with this, we need to rethink this. Either get a physically competitive left-back or a tall goalie who can dominate the box in the absence of strong defenders.
Bishop
Cecil Poynton
It's a balance thing, Senesi is left sided, both Danso and JPVH are right sided, Danso can play either side but he's definetly stronger on the right.
Tbh as much as the defense suffered today I think the midfield was a bigger issue. If we had had the world best defense it would have still been under constant pressure it would have just coped better but that wouldn't have addressed the cause of the problem. Our midfield was disjointed and non existent.
If a midfield can neither gain or maintain possession then it doesn't matter matter the quality of the defenders, they will be called upon to do too much work as they were today. The midfield is always the heart of all things, you can't attack with no midfield nor can you defend and that's what happened to us today imo. 2nd half with the rejig it looked better even though by then it was too late.
MartyFunkhouser
Vivian Woodward
We can package it up, but even with the front three, today was muck........like proper muck..........muck squared..........muck side of the moon....Red dead redemption muck.......... red dead redemption muck 2................GTA Muck 6...............muckstenders............emerdalemuck..............the muckfather.........meet the muck'ers............
Bishop
Cecil Poynton
It was desperatly brick, but honestly I don't find myself that upset. Possibly because i've gotten so used to losing, possibly because again I looked at that starting 11 and I thought it looked brick and finally probably because I expect this season to be a grind and a season of discovery. We've made so many changes assuming they all have a positive contribution (i doubt they will) its going to take quite some time to gel and look decent.
I know i'm really repetitive on certain points but we have 0 depth and i'm not complaining about that, its totally understanable imo, we've gone from 0 quality to adding 2 players of quality in midfield but theres nothing of quality behind them imo aand midfield is imo where everything begins or dies.
MartyFunkhouser
Vivian Woodward
Yeh and I get that, but that makes it concerning no? The fact after a 3 nil start we say "well I am expecting it"
Thats small time.......and I don't mean that as a dig at you at all and I mean that, I just think no side should go into a first game and shrug and say its fine or it was expected. Especially not a side thats spent like we have.
I am not honestly laying it on thick here, but today has stunned me,
thfcsteff
Fanny Walden
I think playing on the left of a brand new CB pairing in a brand new defense in the first game of the season would've been unfair on him personally.
Bishop
Cecil Poynton
Maybe its small time but I think i'm first a realist. Its why i'm what others think harsh on our players generally, i'm just not clouded by the illusion of hope because they play for my team. I do like the summer business so far but from my perspective I could probably have replaced our entire squad, there was literally no one that I rate highly enough that I would have any issues with them leaving. So if you get that perspective yes the summer incomings have been good and addressed lots of issues, but our starting point was so low and that starting 11 had way too many of the some of what i feel are pretty awful player or those not ready yet.
Thats not to say that I thought we should be getting pummeled by Brentford but again i did think that starting 11 today looked brick and it played like my worst fears. I don't think thats fine per se, but I guess i just understand it. I didn't understand people getting carried with preseason, those games have no stakes and we played very poor quality opposition. I recall lauding performances from Tel and Bergvall and to me i just didn't really get it, those games are meaningless, you cant evaluate a player's performance level from them at all imo. I always expected this season to be one with big ups and downs, it was inevitable considering whwre we have come from and the number of changes we have made and are attempting to make.
DubaiSpur
Jack Jull
Personally I feel it's the reverse. Fundamentally Brentford had a very simple game plan. They constantly hit the ball into the channels where their forwards won headers and held off our defenders with ease. And then, behind those forwards, they pushed 4-5 men up very close to the ball, so there was an intense fight for the second ball we usually lost. They won it as a result, played it quickly and created chances. And when we tried to play out, they pressed us relentlessly using this numerical advantage.
They could do the latter because of the former. Any midfield would struggle when outnumbered, and that happened because our defenders were forced back by their forwards, forcing our midfield to follow.
In a more even game where our defenders deal with their forwards better, either by playing them offside or winning their battles, our midfield would look better because Brentford wouldn't risk getting so many men high in anticipation of winning the second ball. That then reduces the intensity of their press, and lets our midfielders turn on the ball more.
MartyFunkhouser
Vivian Woodward
But the line up was largely made up of manager approved and fan approved players in the back 2/3 with players that have played and won games in the front 1/3.
I don't rate 2 of the front 3, but we didn't get hammered today and look all at sea at the back because of Richy, Moore and Tel.
Bishop
Cecil Poynton
I kind of disagree because essentially a better defence just deals with those balls better but doesn't get to the root of the problem. The balls just keep getting played anyway until we make a mistake and they score anyway. If the midfield can instead maintain control of the ball the opposition get it in worse positions and they then get fewer opportunities to play into the channels and when they do the quality of the ball isn't as good because the player is under more pressure when they want to play it. They also have to think about their defensive responsibilities and positioning more. That double thinking leads to hesitation and doubt that costs a second or so which then leads to a poorer action.
Better use of the ball by the midfield also puts doubt into the pressing team, the more you're able to pass around the press the less the confident of pressing a defence they will be. You also expose the gaps that the press inevitable presents but you need the quality of passing and vision in midfield to take advantage of that.