For me the last two games are very fine margins between a good and bad performance and that applies to most of our games, Villa home and Burnley probably the exceptions. We din't seem to be getting the rub of the green much, such as the bounce over Bash's head (I think it was Basham) for their first goal and obviously "that goal" v Villa.
I do also think that teams that sit deep, such as Villa and in particular Newcastle has proven to be a problem for us. Take yesterdays key moments. The sending off was a hopeful punt down the middle and it became a one-on-one because we were all pushed up truing to score past Newcastle's parked bus. The first goal was also a counter attack and then at one nil down we still created two presentable chances but both were missed. Certain players are under performing, Norwood especially. Berge showed signs of improvement in the first half yesterday and that was encouraging, without been spectacular. I also think that when you look at the quality of both Villa and Newcastle individually in particular. we should expect that they are going to give us more than a good game. We don't have a Grealish, a Jon-Joe Shelvey or a Saint-Maxine, and if we did I think we'd be in the top 5. What we do have is an amazing manager and team ethic and we play as a unit. We haven't stopped fighting or out running teams in my view, we're still having more possession also its just we haven't got the player to unlock teams that sit so deep, and yes our passes into the box haven't been good enough or our play in and around the box hasn't been able to open up teams but we did create some chances yesterday. - more so than the Villa game.
I honestly don't feel there's a need to be over critical of the two first performances, we've certainly lost match fitness but obviously we'e all in the same boat in not playing for 100 days. Many of our wins are very tight affairs that could have gone the other way also. Take the win against Norwich - our last win. We weren't great then, but we were able to get our noses in front and needed an amazing save from Henderson to keep us winning. I don't think there's much difference in the games v Villa, and Newcastle than there is Norwich. I hope against Man U we make it difficult foe them and bring Mousset into the side. The McBurnie and Sharp partnership doesn't stretch teams and fans seem to find it very easy to criticise McBurnie, but often his flick-ons are not followed up by Billy, who is behind or square with McBurnie, whereas I wonder if Mousset could run onto them more and get beyond them. Also when McBurnie or Sharp gets the ball, they've still got 4/5 defenders to beat and and neither will create something from nothing. They rely on service and when teams sit so deep its hard to get the space to put a cross in from a good position. Saying that, v Man U we may find on the counter we can be more of a threat, but that will suit Mousset's pace much more, like the home game.
All in all, disappointing, but not time for panicking either. We're nowhere near relegation trouble and can still finish the season well, hopefully the Newcastle game will be a wake-up call.
