Burnley (home) Sunday 17th April 2:15pm (not on TV)

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Comments

  • FortuneseekerFortuneseeker
    edited April 2022
    36/33/31 Fornals appearances year by year since signing. Give Vlasic time. 👍
  • PrestonHammerPrestonHammer
    I think Hamstew is right, although I wouldn't bet my car on it, even though it's a 16 year old Micra...hahaha
  • claretandblueskyclaretandbluesky
    Lukerz said:

    Of course we need to go for the Cup. We haven’t won anything other than a play-off final in decades. The EL should be the clear focus this season now as it results in a trophy. The fact you also get CL is a bonus. Today was disappointing though as it would have put us right back into the mix for European qualification via the league placings & I think having as many options available as possible is better than relying on two huge games. But I think everybody will agree we prioritise the semi-finals of the EL over anything else now as these chances don’t come around often.

    We need enough points now to get clear of Wolves as I think we’d all be thankful for another European season next year. I don’t really think we’re in a position to be picky about whether it’s the Conference League or the Europa League given our lack of experience over the last few years.

    I think this is the issue Lukerz as prioritising is an active thing and it involves resting players for league games, which means we will be less likely to secure 7th. I think we either play our strongest team available in each match as Moyes has done up to now, or we prioritise the Europa and rest key players. If there is no resting then there is no prioritising.
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    Watching the game and it's highlights again I've come to the conclusion that we played better than it looked first hand. We should have won comfortably missing some gilt edged chances. This, imo, justifies the selection.
  • LukerzLukerz
    What I find a bit odd about Antonio is he has 10 goals this season in all competitions (8 league,
    1 Europe, 1 FA Cup) but only one headed goal (home to Southampton in 2-3 loss). For a guy so good in the air & with so many headed goals, that surprised me & can only be linked with the way we play. I just feel we should be trying to utilise his head more often which may help his goal efforts.
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    Cresswell seems to be bit reticent to cross first time which is where Antonio has been so dangerous in the past.
  • LukerzLukerz
    He’s only scored 5 headed goals under Moyes (both spells).
  • Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_MoyesJorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes
    Feels like we put in a lot of crosses, so I don’t think the issue is not doing it enough.
  • OutcastLondonerOutcastLondoner
    Antonio’s not often enough in a good position for a header because he’s come out wide or somewhere else to get involved with play. Cresswell and Benrahma have both been really hesitant with crossing early because of this imo. There was one where Johnson put it in for Antonio to head and it struck me how rare it was to see him get onto a cross.

    I think we weren’t too bad yesterday. That long break for the Burnley injury disrupted what I thought was a good start and Antonio messed up a few chances. Seems like an entirely mental problem with him. He’s overthinking when he has a chance.
  • LukerzLukerz
    Maybe getting him back to being in the box & getting head high crosses in could be a way for him to start scoring. He used to score with every header he had. Certainly was a more natural finisher with his head than his feet.
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes said:

    Feels like we put in a lot of crosses, so I don’t think the issue is not doing it enough.

    I agree but how many times did the wide player stop and then cross with the second or third touch? It only takes a couple of seconds but well drilled defences sort themselves out in that time.
  • alderzalderz
    In the past, he used to be great at arriving at the back post off the wing. Defenders would be focusing on the striker, and he’d steal in off the flank. Now he’s the one the defenders focus on, and Soucek is the one who makes runs to the back post
  • OutcastLondonerOutcastLondoner
    IronHerb said:

    Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes said:

    Feels like we put in a lot of crosses, so I don’t think the issue is not doing it enough.

    I agree but how many times did the wide player stop and then cross with the second or third touch? It only takes a couple of seconds but well drilled defences sort themselves out in that time.
    But I think a lot of times this is because Antonio isn’t in a good position so there’s no point crossing early.
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    But it's not just Antonio in the middle. Bowen and Soucek are often waiting too.
  • ASLEFshruggedASLEFshrugged
    We signed Antonio from Forest as a winger so often he is the player going wide to get the crosses in.

    As with Arnautovic Moyes doesn't play with an out-and-out centre forward, he plays with four attacking midfielders who shift positions with each other
  • OutcastLondonerOutcastLondoner
    But Bowen and Soucek need time to get in there, which is why I think the player’s crossing often take a touch too many. When they do cross it early it’s often to no one and people complain about bad crossing.

    I think Bowen’s the only attacking midfielder who ever interchanges with Antonio in the front position. Often when he comes to another position it’s just vacant.
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