What this game showed is that we lack defensive responsibility. Kouyate, for example, gets bamboozled by the free kick routine which led to goal two and after marking Huth initially decides to leave him and mark fresh air. This has always been Kouyate's issue when in midfield. A lack of a football brain. So when he struggles with basic set play marking, how can you rely on him to play as a disciplined DM.
Our second half performance was decent. After all we won it 1-0 and could've scored 3/4. Our play was good and we fashioned clear chances. But the second and third goals can't happen.
We haven't got the balance right between the CB's and full-backs. And then the link between the back four and midfield isn't there defensively. Obiang has been good this season but I think positionally he needs to sit deeper. He snuffs things out but I think he does it 10 yards further up the pitch than he should.
There is often a big gap between Obiang and the centre backs. Either he needs to drop into it, or we need someone in there. For me, our structure should be more of a 4-1-4-1 than a 4-2-3-1. Currently, I don't feel that any of our CMs are disciplined enough to be a defensive minded CM, but to actively change the role to that of an anchor man may change things.
(For the record, that's the role I would like to see Reece Oxford taking in the long run.)
Comments
Our second half performance was decent. After all we won it 1-0 and could've scored 3/4. Our play was good and we fashioned clear chances. But the second and third goals can't happen.
We haven't got the balance right between the CB's and full-backs. And then the link between the back four and midfield isn't there defensively. Obiang has been good this season but I think positionally he needs to sit deeper. He snuffs things out but I think he does it 10 yards further up the pitch than he should.
There is often a big gap between Obiang and the centre backs. Either he needs to drop into it, or we need someone in there. For me, our structure should be more of a 4-1-4-1 than a 4-2-3-1. Currently, I don't feel that any of our CMs are disciplined enough to be a defensive minded CM, but to actively change the role to that of an anchor man may change things.
(For the record, that's the role I would like to see Reece Oxford taking in the long run.)
Adrian
Byram - Collins - Fonte - Cresswell
Nordtveit
Snodgrass - Noble - Kouyate - Lanzini
Carroll/Ayew