Started off ok but as soon as they settled down we just let them do what they want. Like we did last week. May as well have asked them how many they wanted to score. We pressed for like 15 minutes and then just backed off them. We pulled a few shirts but hardly put a tackle in. We let them attack at will and hoped they wouldn't score. I'm confused as to what the management team are doing. Our system has been sussed. It was last season. Unless we're playing 110% and all on form we have hardly anything to threaten any team. We look scared. We used to go at teams. Now we sink to our knees and supplicate ourselves in worship or all their world class players. We look shattered. We're only playing one game per week when everyone we're playing is playing two yet looking much fitter. And we only used two subs and for the life of me what has Burke done wrong?
Ramsdale - 5 - I got called names for pointing out he makes at least one bad mistake every game. He was a mess tonight. Can't catch or hold a ball. By punching or handbagging everything he is giving corners and possession away. Catch the bloody ball. Distribution is beyond awful. Makes some standard or good saves then messes one up. He does not command his area. He waits to react to touches in the box instead of collecting the ball. When he does run out for it he's often nowhere near it. Must improve. At the moment, I'm not sure he's earning a place ahead of someone else. Apart from Foderingham. He's worse.
Lowe - 4.5 - nowhere near their man for 90 minutes. Ziyech had the easiest game of his life. Never close to him or chasing shadows. Not helped by a woeful Stevens or at all by Lundstram. Put one good first time cross in but doesn't look good enough defensively at the moment. Poor tracking from the corner for their goal.
Stevens - 4 - A liability all game. If he's not making mistakes, which he seems to make with frequency in a back three, he's allowing men to run off him. Not helped by Lundstram who never seems to be anywhere near helping.
Egan - 5- Poor all game. Gave a stupid free kick away and generally looked slow and close to a mistake all the time. He's not marshalling the defence at the moment and, as a unit, we look all over the shop
Basham - 4 - Mistake-ridden and too eager to charge out and leave a massive gap behind him when not getting the ball. Did well first half to get to the by-line a couple of times but when the CBs are not getting forward he looks poor at the back.
Baldock - 5 - Wasteful going forward but looked shaky at the back. They didn't really attack him that much but when they did it was fairly simple to go round him.
Lundstram - 3 - Bizarrely, he's our only player who see to get in the right positions to get the ball but when he does he just seems to move forward until an opposition player blocks him and then turn back. The 3 is for the fact, and this has happened most weeks this season, he has give his defence very little cover. When he's on the ball he doesn't look confident but off the ball he looks half-arsed and never busts a gut to get back.
Norwood - 5.5 - Defensively, pretty non-descript. However, he was the best thing we had when on the ball. Shifted the ball quickly and well. The only person seemingly capable of passing long distances forward. Surprised when he came off but he seems to be struggling to play 90 minutes after being a regular for us last year.
Berge - 5 - Far too slow on the ball. Gets caught out frequently and today didn't seem to have the legs or strength to get out of it. He started off ok but gradually faded.
McGoldrick - 5.5 - Clever finish for the goal and made a lot of runs first half to give us an out ball. Faded badly after the hour but was the one attacking player actually causing their defenders and midfielders problems.
Brewster - 3.5 - Touched the ball 4 times first half. Was a bit more involved second half but never in the right place, doesn't close down defenders anywhere near well enough and when he does get the ball takes too many touches. Slow to the react and I currently have not idea why we've signed him. Let alone why he's our most expensive player ever. He looked lively for Swansea last season but that was in a team which created a lot of chances and had their fair share of possession. We haven't been that team for 20 games and it currently looks like a baffling decision to sign him. We needed a player who can offer more than converting chances. I'm seeing nothing from him so far. Might come good but not in the style we're playing. Gets an extra .5 because I really think he's been shafted by Wilder. Why he's been chucked in at the deep end against the best 3 teams in the league is beyond me. They're clearly not games suited to how he plays. Makes no sense.
McBurnie - 5 - We looked better with him on the pitch but he did next to nothing. Held the ball up a few times and played players in but he slows things down and seems to need an extra touch all the time.
Osborn - 4.5 - Ran about a bit but had absolutely zero impact on the game
Wilder - 2 - Yes, the players have been poor this season but all he seems to do is blame everyone but himself. We gave up before we started against Chelsea and Man City. We're simply not having a go this season. We're not attacking teams. We're running scared. He can say the players have lost confidence or not doing what he wants but he doesn't look particularly animated on the touchline when they simply back off the opposition and let them play. He needs to change something, quickly. If this goes on to Christmas we're as good as down. It's like Chris Wilder died during first lockdown and we've replaced him with a clone who can only do what his programming tells him. People calling for his head are morons but he needs to answer some strong questions about what he's actually doing to earn his money at the moment.
v.
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