If this poor run of form continues and Maresca is seen as not being able to do anything about it, while Felix and Nkunku sit on the bench until the 80th minute, and he starts an academy player out of position at centre half, and he plays Caicedo at right back for 60 minutes, then moves him into a pivot with Enzo so we get overrun for the last half hour, and he looks on as Madueke, Jackson and Sancho do nothing for the second half of games, and we take early leads in games then spectacularly fall apart after half time, then questions might be asked. 

4 minutes ago, Dr. Socrates said:

If this poor run of form continues and Maresca is seen as not being able to do anything about it, while Felix and Nkunku sit on the bench until the 80th minute, and he starts an academy player out of position at centre half, and he plays Caicedo at right back for 60 minutes, then moves him into a pivot with Enzo so we get overrun for the last half hour, and he looks on as Madueke, Jackson and Sancho do nothing for the second half of games, and we take early leads in games then spectacularly fall apart after half time, then questions might be asked. 

To be fair he did not start an academy player out of position at CB, Josh Acheampongs preferred position is CB.

However the Caicedo at RB thing should be used sparingly, we need his in the middle not defending at RB, takes away his ability to intercept plays there.

But Enzo Fernandez must succeed so he is an albatross around our necks, as is Jackson, a left wingers by trade, being asked to be our striker.

1 hour ago, Qaz said:

I actually like this

I think we forget that this is by some distance (about 2 years) the youngest average age team in the league. 

And it will continue to be so for years to come, as the revolving door will see older players (see Nkunku, Chilwell etc) be sold, or attempted to sell, and replaced by kids.

This is the process.

9 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

To be fair he did not start an academy player out of position at CB, Josh Acheampongs preferred position is CB.

However the Caicedo at RB thing should be used sparingly, we need his in the middle not defending at RB, takes away his ability to intercept plays there.

But Enzo Fernandez must succeed so he is an albatross around our necks, as is Jackson, a left wingers by trade, being asked to be our striker.

Fair point. I thought Josh was a right back. Still think it’s tough on the kid to be thrown into the thick of the Premier League when he might be better off getting games in the Conference League. He looked crestfallen being taken off after their second goal. I know the alternative is Tosin, but we are where we are. 

27 minutes ago, Dr. Socrates said:

Fair point. I thought Josh was a right back. Still think it’s tough on the kid to be thrown into the thick of the Premier League when he might be better off getting games in the Conference League. He looked crestfallen being taken off after their second goal. I know the alternative is Tosin, but we are where we are. 

Certainly is tough. Even tougher taking him off right after he is beaten for the second goal. No wonder he was crestfallen. One half mistake and he is subbed. Not like it was for Felix and we went attacking. Nope. Was another CB. That after he sees most everyone else make mistakes and not be subbed.

Felt like I was watching the same movie again...

Despite missing 3, Jackson played well...

We've got some great players... but beginning to think Maresca is trying to put square pegs in round holes... and what are Neto and Felix doing on the bench so long?

 

Felt like I was watching the same movie again...

Despite missing 3, Jackson played well...

We've got some great players... but beginning to think Maresca is trying to put square pegs in round holes... and what are Neto and Felix doing on the bench so long?

 

1 hour ago, axman2526 said:

To be fair he did not start an academy player out of position at CB, Josh Acheampongs preferred position is CB.

However the Caicedo at RB thing should be used sparingly, we need his in the middle not defending at RB, takes away his ability to intercept plays there.

But Enzo Fernandez must succeed so he is an albatross around our necks, as is Jackson, a left wingers by trade, being asked to be our striker.

Caicedo at RB with Lavia and Enzo looked decent against Villa to be fair. Overall, even though Enzo has improved in recent months I still think he is not well suited to the Premier League. I'd like to see a Caicedo/Lavia combination in the middle,

53 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Certainly is tough. Even tougher taking him off right after he is beaten for the second goal. No wonder he was crestfallen. One half mistake and he is subbed. Not like it was for Felix and we went attacking. Nope. Was another CB. That after he sees most everyone else make mistakes and not be subbed.

I see that sub a slightly different way. After their second goal Bournemouth had the momentum and there was every chance we would concede another. Tosin was perhaps brought on as the more experienced player to try and calm things at the back. He also seems to offer more threat than our other defenders for set pieces. He came close with one header before we equalized.

3 minutes ago, forbzy said:

Caicedo at RB with Lavia and Enzo looked decent against Villa to be fair. Overall, even though Enzo has improved in recent months I still think he is not well suited to the Premier League. I'd like to see a Caicedo/Lavia combination in the middle,

It did, and in certain situations I can see it being used.

However for it to be the first choice card we play as soon as Lavia is fit? Big no for me.

Maybe Enzo goes somewhere else and becomes a top player, like to Spain or Italy. Maybe he could even make it at City. He is just a massive hindrance to us, as much as Nicos finishing or Sanchez passing is, imo.

2 minutes ago, forbzy said:

I see that sub a slightly different way. After their second goal Bournemouth had the momentum and there was every chance we would concede another. Tosin was perhaps brought on as the more experienced player to try and calm things at the back. He also seems to offer more threat than our other defenders for set pieces. He came close with one header before we equalized.

Hmm, perhaps but the timing makes it a hard sell. Bitter pill for Josh.

Bournemouth 2nd goal

I have seen similar pic many times 

9 hours ago, Snedger said:

I don’t think many if any people ever questioned Reece’s ability.

Go have a flick through his thread. Several people said he can't be the same player he was after such a long lay off and will have lost his ability. 

50 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Go have a flick through his thread. Several people said he can't be the same player he was after such a long lay off and will have lost his ability. 

Ok, fair enough, but I don’t actually believe it is a particularly controversial opinion to have. There have been a few players that haven’t come back to their best after long or serious injury layoffs. Hopefully he has lost nothing and this time stays fit for seasons to come.

I only listened on the radio, but free kick aside, was it clear from watching his 30 minute appearance that he is unquestionably right back to his best? We certainly need him to be!!

9 minutes ago, Snedger said:

Ok, fair enough, but I don’t actually believe it is a particularly controversial opinion to have. There have been a few players that haven’t come back to their best after long or serious injury layoffs. Hopefully he has lost nothing and this time stays fit for seasons to come.

I only listened on the radio, but free kick aside, was it clear from watching his 30 minute appearance that he is unquestionably right back to his best? We certainly need him to be!!

Its not controversial but they are still wrong. Every time James returns from injury he's world class again, this is why we have to persist with him. 

Lets see how long he stays fit for. 

Not a red then, the VAR told the referee “its your gift”

Just seen a clearer video on sky, he tries to pull him back and then CLEARLY pulls him over by his hair, the sky presenter cant believe the manger of bournemouths reasoning in the after match interview, but REFWATCH tomorrow will be interesting, also Danny Murphy and Simon Jordan both agreed on Talksport he was very lucky NOT to be sent off

2 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Its not controversial but they are still wrong. Every time James returns from injury he's world class again, this is why we have to persist with him. 

Lets see how long he stays fit for. 

 

I think Cucurella's insistence on over dramatizing going down every time he has an incident like this, is starting to have an impact on the ref's decision. They can see he has made a meal of it, so lessen the punishment.

I like Cucurella as a player, but he is making himself look like an idiot the way he goes down (in the old day's we would have said like a big girl), but I don't see women footballers going down like that.

 

Edited January 15, 20251 yr by Nibs

9 minutes ago, Nibs said:

I think Cucurella's insistence on over dramatizing going down every time he has an incident like this, is starting to have an impact on the ref's decision. They can see he has made a meal of it, so lessen the punishment.

I like Cucurella as a player, but he is making himself look like an idiot the way he goes down (in the old day's we would have said like a big girl), but I don't see women footballers going down like that.

 

I just wish he'd get a bloody short back and sides LOL

9 minutes ago, Nibs said:

I think Cucurella's insistence on over dramatizing going down every time he has an incident like this, is starting to have an impact on the ref's decision. They can see he has made a meal of it, so lessen the punishment.

I like Cucurella as a player, but he is making himself look like an idiot the way he goes down (in the old day's we would have said like a big girl), but I don't see women footballers going down like that.

 

100% agree that its embarrassing.

The chances are if he doesn't go down like that the game plays on and they don't look at VAR, sadly you have to make a meal of it these days. If like you say this has influenced refs, it points out once again how truly incompetent the refs in this country are. 

Frustrating run of games for sure, feels like the complete opposite of the first half of the season so far where we were winning these tight games, getting the tight calls, having those ‘moments’ in games.

I don’t think there is a huge difference in the quality of our play or performance levels. We were simply getting the margins then, which led to an over inflation of our league position. And we aren’t now, which is bringing us back down.

it will go in cycles, we’ve just got to remain level headed. I’d have been happy with our league position right now if offered at the start of the year.

To be honest, I think that we were the better team last night, and should have been at least 2-0 up by half time. The second half was more chaotic and they dominated us through some periods, but they didn't create much and scored out of a penalty and a great goal which comes mostly down to our inexperienced defenders (and a bit of Sanchez not covering the short post). But we also had our chances in that second half, so I don't think that they deserved to get in front. Overall, I was ok with the performance, we just need to convert the sitters that we create every game lately. But, with the players that we've got, we are going to be up and down all season because we haven't got a proved goal scorer and none of the wingers score much.

1 hour ago, Nibs said:

I think Cucurella's insistence on over dramatizing going down every time he has an incident like this, is starting to have an impact on the ref's decision. They can see he has made a meal of it, so lessen the punishment.

I like Cucurella as a player, but he is making himself look like an idiot the way he goes down (in the old day's we would have said like a big girl), but I don't see women footballers going down like that.

 

Doesnt seem to have hindered most other players doing the same thing, Salah, Havertz and the vast majority of Arsenal players, Fernandez etc.

1 hour ago, Sexyfootball said:

I just wish he'd get a bloody short back and sides LOL

Busy hair is a tactical ploy. Robbie Savage lived off it for years. Makes you look like you are buzzing around full of energy and vigour when in fact you're doing very little.