Written by kirsikka
Not too much to say as, even though it was mostly first teams out, it still felt like only a step up from a pre-season friendly in intensity from both teams. A bit weird, but I guess that’s what you get by plonking the World Cup in the middle of the season. Let’s hope Chelsea are the same in their first match back.
It wasn’t a terrible performance. It was alright. For the most part, the match was a bit meh. The kind of game I’d struggle to remember anything from in a year’s time. However, sometimes games like this have a moment that stands out and sticks in the mind. A piece of skill that will be appearing in Twitter clips for years to come. Think of the Yann pass off his back. Take a bow Jaidon Anthony for a ‘getting the crowd off their seats’ moment in the first half.
I can safely say we didn’t spend the break practising taking corners. Two of the worst ones I’ve ever seen taken by two different AFCB players in the same match. In a game of little attacking threat, that’s a killer.
We did create a few openings. Moore should have buried his chance, and Stacey had one decent shot and a couple of fluffed efforts. However, given it was a cup match and we threw on attacking subs it still never felt like we were throwing everything at them with full blood and guts.
The goal was disappointing but there wasn’t too much in the match overall, considering we set out to let them have the play.
So, it’ll have to be FA Cup glory for us this year then.
— Positive performances —
Anthony: Decent and positive. Showing off some skills like a man who knows there’s a billionaire watching who has the power to hand out bumper new contracts.
Travers: Didn’t have too much to do but made one excellent save and looked far more confident.
— Room for improvement: —
Christie: I’m starting to wonder if he never thought he’d be up to the PL and that’s why he chose us over Burnley. Maybe he has a complete lack of confidence in his abilities at this level. If we do recruit someone for that position in Jan and if Brooks does make a comeback, I wouldn’t be shocked if he looks elsewhere.
Smith: His weakness at back post headers is once again an Achilles heel for the side. Actually didn’t look all that good for most of the match (bar the superb cross into Moore). I hope the break hasn’t knocked him off his game.
GON watch:
As the only manager in AFCB history with a permanent managerial record of 100% defeats, I wonder if Foley will consider sacking him. Oh, it’s ok. We aren’t Watford. Yet.
I don’t want to judge as it felt like a game getting minutes into legs. I think there’s going to be some serious surgery on the squad though, coming soon.
Man of the match against Newcastle (EFL Cup)Travers
Senesi
L.Cook
Anthony
Mepham
Christie
Someone else
|
Your say…
northstandmark wrote…
For the love of God, set pieces. It’s far bigger than this one game, but tonight sadly suggests all that extra time on the training pitch has done nothing to help in that department. We’ve conceded several in the first part of the season and yet we basically write them off as an attacking outlet.
In a game of fine margins where at the top level it’s all about adding up marginal gains, it’s a whopping great blind spot for us. If we could just polish that one area of the game up a bit, we could have a tangible impact on the outcome of our season without any radical spending or changes to the team.
Anyway, on a brighter note, it was a decent workout against good-quality opposition. The basic shape looks OK until we’re forced to change it at least.
We created two excellent chances but for some rust, we score at least one of them and probably both.
We need to find a way of getting the most from Anthony and Dembele. – To join the conversation, click here.
