A game in which we did enough to earn at least a point but we come home with nothing. No one would have been disappointed with a draw. The winner was a flukey cross caught in the wind and caught everyone out as it sailed into the top corner. The keeper inevitably carries the can but it wasn’t one of the dumber mistakes we have seen. Watching it again he was where he should have been for the cross I thought but as it carried with the wind he needed to take one more step back before jumping. Earlier he kept us in it stepping out and spreading himself wide to block. Shame.
Defensively, for the most part we coped despite losing half the back line and worst still Tonka getting injured only just before KO. Ward had a tough game at RB up against Pereyra and Andros covering was not always as helpful as recent weeksmalbeit not for lack of trying. Kelly TBF did well but they often looked at sea at set pieces. Most worried that for long spells we looked as if were just ticking over rather than forcing things. It’s here that we miss Cabaye because he would read the game and change the pace when needed. Luka isn’t himself yet and Macca is a different type of player and it’s not quite working there for me. At the EOD we made enough chances to win comfortably but we didn’t take them. This feels likely to be a problem we will struggle with all year but I hope I am wrong.
Surprised that we haven’t yet seen Ayew or more of Kouyate yet. Meyer looks sharp and gets his first assist but needs to be on longer than 10 or so mins. Lot to do still I think. Hoping Tomkins is just a precaution.
Hennessey - 6 - played well up until their second. Has to carry the can for it but it doesn’t need blowing out of proportion. Distribution was flakey at times but a couple of encouraging moments.
Ward - 5 - struggled to contain Pereyra but kept at it. Made a couple of good clearances. It shouldn’t have come down to him but missing that late header for an equaliser summed things up for him really.
Kelly - 6 - did pretty well in the circumstances and to his credit didn’t look like a problem defensively. Not easy opponents. Distribution was nervous but not an issue.
Sakho - 6.5 - tough battle but came through. Didn’t seem to organise at first but got us through.
PVA - 7 - stop PVA and these days you stop 70% of our attacks. He is often at the heart of our best openings. Wilf often seemed to drift too far into the middle leaving few opportunities for a pass today.
Townsend - 6.5 - the key to most good things in the first half but mostly nullified in the second. Defensively a bit rash today and a couple coincided with their goals.
Macca - 6.5 - excellent first half and so close to scoring an opener at a key time. Difficult to fault him on his touches but the middle two aren’t quite working for me. Should not have let Capoue pass Jim like that but see Luka.
Luka - 6 - just isn’t the Luka that finished last season. His failure to challenge Capoue for their second was pretty woeful and left us adrift. Not terrible but missing that extra that made him so dominant last year. Is his head right? He almost looks distracted, reminiscent of his time under De Boer.
Schlupp - 6.5 - thought he did well today and was a little unlucky to come off. Plays tightly to instruction and very much a team player.
Benteke - 6 - very good first half and unlucky not to score with the header. Disappeared In the second half although the turn and shot was impressive but wide. An enigma but one we need to unravel and quick.
Zaha - 6 - not sure what was going on with his game today. He has become very static. I know sometimes this is him pulling players out of the middle but he needs to watch how Hazard moves in a match. Never stays still. He is beaten to the ball and bullied. He took his goal well although a little lucky to find a gap. Benteke was screaming for the gap in but air enough he scored.
Meyer - looks very sharp but needs longer to make an impact. Got his first assist though. I would like to see him in the middle but understand why that might seem a risk against the giants of Watford.
Sorloth - won every header I think which is better but I had expected Ayew on at the death.
Defensively, for the most part we coped despite losing half the back line and worst still Tonka getting injured only just before KO. Ward had a tough game at RB up against Pereyra and Andros covering was not always as helpful as recent weeksmalbeit not for lack of trying. Kelly TBF did well but they often looked at sea at set pieces. Most worried that for long spells we looked as if were just ticking over rather than forcing things. It’s here that we miss Cabaye because he would read the game and change the pace when needed. Luka isn’t himself yet and Macca is a different type of player and it’s not quite working there for me. At the EOD we made enough chances to win comfortably but we didn’t take them. This feels likely to be a problem we will struggle with all year but I hope I am wrong.
Surprised that we haven’t yet seen Ayew or more of Kouyate yet. Meyer looks sharp and gets his first assist but needs to be on longer than 10 or so mins. Lot to do still I think. Hoping Tomkins is just a precaution.
Hennessey - 6 - played well up until their second. Has to carry the can for it but it doesn’t need blowing out of proportion. Distribution was flakey at times but a couple of encouraging moments.
Ward - 5 - struggled to contain Pereyra but kept at it. Made a couple of good clearances. It shouldn’t have come down to him but missing that late header for an equaliser summed things up for him really.
Kelly - 6 - did pretty well in the circumstances and to his credit didn’t look like a problem defensively. Not easy opponents. Distribution was nervous but not an issue.
Sakho - 6.5 - tough battle but came through. Didn’t seem to organise at first but got us through.
PVA - 7 - stop PVA and these days you stop 70% of our attacks. He is often at the heart of our best openings. Wilf often seemed to drift too far into the middle leaving few opportunities for a pass today.
Townsend - 6.5 - the key to most good things in the first half but mostly nullified in the second. Defensively a bit rash today and a couple coincided with their goals.
Macca - 6.5 - excellent first half and so close to scoring an opener at a key time. Difficult to fault him on his touches but the middle two aren’t quite working for me. Should not have let Capoue pass Jim like that but see Luka.
Luka - 6 - just isn’t the Luka that finished last season. His failure to challenge Capoue for their second was pretty woeful and left us adrift. Not terrible but missing that extra that made him so dominant last year. Is his head right? He almost looks distracted, reminiscent of his time under De Boer.
Schlupp - 6.5 - thought he did well today and was a little unlucky to come off. Plays tightly to instruction and very much a team player.
Benteke - 6 - very good first half and unlucky not to score with the header. Disappeared In the second half although the turn and shot was impressive but wide. An enigma but one we need to unravel and quick.
Zaha - 6 - not sure what was going on with his game today. He has become very static. I know sometimes this is him pulling players out of the middle but he needs to watch how Hazard moves in a match. Never stays still. He is beaten to the ball and bullied. He took his goal well although a little lucky to find a gap. Benteke was screaming for the gap in but air enough he scored.
Meyer - looks very sharp but needs longer to make an impact. Got his first assist though. I would like to see him in the middle but understand why that might seem a risk against the giants of Watford.
Sorloth - won every header I think which is better but I had expected Ayew on at the death.
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