The standout problems are pretty evident.
1. Our formation. 5-3-2 (or as it is hoped, 3-5-2) is simply not working.
2. Jack O'Connell. His replacements haven't either had the seasoned experience playing in such a way or are lacking the courage and capability to do what he did, either as a central defender or in support up that left flank. His absence has destabilised the back three and denied our capability to make the left flank pretty solid both going forward and tracking back.
3. Enda Stevens. He is struggling with form and confidence. He is part of that solid left side and is played out of position in the back three (it's clear he doesn't like the responsibility and the role)
4. John Fleck. Another player whose capability seems to have left him. But he's part of that established Stevens-O'Connell-Fleck triad which used to work so well up that wing to overload and threaten. Flecky seems to be lost without a cause out there and stuggling not only to move effectively forward, but to cope with the most basic of tasks
5. Oliver Norwood. Without sounding smug, I am glad fans on here at least are recognising Norwood's shortcomings. I have banged on about him being a one-trick pony (the ping) without any redeeming 'sleeves-up' midfield capability. He is, and remains, Championship standard and will make one of their clubs a brilliant CM pivot, just as he did for us two years ago - against Championship midfields. I'm grateful for that contribution, but not grateful now when I see him totally outclassed in the Premier League.
6. John Lundstram. Another one who has had five minutes of glory for three years of having to put up with his limited ability. I watched him in that pre-season friendly highlights against Stade Riems before we landed in the PL and he was fucking hopeless, all over the place. He was never Coutts's replacement and I think on reflection flattered to deceive during his purple patch this time last year. I did hope he would have pushed on and improved but seems to have gone backwards since his contract refusal and the arrival of Berge
7. 'The midfield'. The above players form a consistent central three of our midfield. Last season they were effective in places (post COVID not as much at all) and this seasonn are totally bypassed or dragged far too close to the back five (as it is) and lack the potatoes to either take the ball up the pitch or pass it whilst in possession. None of them know how to put a decent tackle in and win the ball and only Brege seems to know how to hold onto it, albeit he is easily turned back to face our goal and lacks a shout from anyone in space to pass to. Norwood is always looking for the Hollywood ball and Fleck (as said) just looks lost. None of the three show for each other. Consequently, oppositions bear down on them when we have the ball and bypass them with numbers when we haven't. In short, as a unit, they are poor and ineffective and going the other way we haven't got any capability to put oppositions on the back foot and have them backing off as we surge forward. The midfield alos stands culpable for what is happening - or not - to our strikers.
8. The goalkeeper. As much as people are being charitable to the fragile nature of our goalkeeper, he has been responsible for at least four or five goals going past him this season. Given we have only lost by more than one goal twice, I'll leave it to you to work out how that translates into points. When Ramsdale left us he was 'decent', but hardly first team ready and sat as number three (and on loan) to Bouric and Begovic for some time before he was developed and only then, he was like a soldier out in no-man's-land catching much of the incoming artillery behind a worsening defence. Sound familiar? A lot of Bournemouth fans were moderately impressed with his output but more dismayed at the shitness of their defending than to give him the pelters he is getting right now. We have just let go possibly the best goalkeeper I have seen with the cutlasses on his chest, and fuck me, there have been some good goalkeepers to get above to be that. But Ramsdale is nowhere near Henderson and with a faltering defence in front of him, the results were there two minutes into this season. Poor midfield (Lundsratm) indecisive challenging from the back four and a flap at the header. And so it goes ... Villa, Liverpool, Man City, Leeds, West Brom ... all games we shoulda, woulda, coulda got points from.
9. The strikers. I'll take this as a collective, but highlighting them individually -
a. McBurnie - Isn't anywhere near PL standard. He is another who needs the chances given to him and even when they are, seriously lacks the composure to fulfil his duty and beat the goalkeeper or get it on target. Forget the 'hero in the air' nonsense. Last game he DID have a decent game in defence and for a change capitalised on a shit Leicester set-piece routine and beat Schmiechel with a dropping header. Had we conceded that (and Bamford's header wasn't too dissimilar) we'd be cursing it. But everything else he does regarding being actually 'dangerous' is a catastrophic display of flailing legs and arms and angry protests to an ambivalent set of officials, despite him doing his best to stripe any defender he gets near.
b. Mousett - not sure why people are pinning their hopes of him being a saviour. He is made of biscuits and since he's arrived, has never been match fit in either conditioning or body parts. He's like Florent Cuvellier. 'Just wait 'till he's fit', and all that. Comes in, plays his duty-bound 25 minutes and is back on the treatment table for five matches. I am told he has 'pace'. I also remember him scoring six goals last season, top scorer with the above who got his in 24 starts whereas Mousett got his in 9 starts (with shitloads of sub appearances) I honestly don't think we'll see this feller fulfil anything. He is ten million of wasted cash and people really should brace themselves for that reality.
c. McGoldrick - love this bloke ... everyone does. It's clear that he has loads of (limited now by age) capability and can turn it on when given the chance. But that's it now isn't it? Fitter, younger, more technically capable defences and midfields are now playing in his space and he is not able to do the Che Adams/Mohammed Salah role of laying the ball off and three passes later being on the end of a fucking outstanding ball to slide it into the net on the back end of the 6 yard box. His legs and footballing head isn't there. He's another player who could do with spending the next three years of his post retirement at a middling Championship club scoring seven goals from that number ten role he knows so well. He won't get that with us.
d. Sharp - another player I love deeply (in a special, footballing way, like) but know that he's gone from our 'pick first and make captain' role to 'get warmed up Billy' because McBurnie is limping. His stellar position in our lives is slowly receding into the sunlit horizon and hence his usefulness - fortunately being on the pitch to slam the ball past Fulham to give us our first and only point - is limited against far, far better defences.
e. Burke - what is he? A winger, an attacking midfielder or a striker? And why exactly DID we bin Robinson (who hadn't had a bad game for us really) to get this bloke in return? Don't get me wrong, he puts the fear of bejesus up defences with his pace and tenacity. But put the fucking ball in front of him in front of goal and you might as well turn round and shout 'FUCKING HELL!' before his foot has been drawn back and he falls over.
And what is it with them 'playing in midfield'? Okay, I get it.
10. Strikers playing in midfield. McBurnie, either on as sub or even later in the day when he's not flailing and rooering, tends to be dragged into midfield a lot. He's either making do as a substitute John Fleck out wide or he's between the centre circle and opposition 18yard box ferrying the ball forward (and like Leicester) losing it. You're a centre forward, for fuck's sake. I get it that the wide men aren't advanced enough and are either too scared or not capable of crossing, but you're not gonna score many doing their job for them.
Anyway, that's my ten pennorth. Only a change of formation can save us now.
pommpey
