Written by kirsikka
The paucity of fit resources on the wing was apparent as Andoni Iraola shuffled the midfield pack to try and give himself wide options from the bench, something his system seems to require. It meant a central midfield trio with Christie pushed forward to the 10-style role and Kluivert pushed out wide. Quite a reshuffle.
MAN OF THE MATCH AGAINST BRENTFORDEvanilson
Cook
Christie
Kluivert
Tavernier
Semenyo
Adams
Huijsen
Kepa
Kerkez
Zabarnyi
Someone else
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Kepa was preferred in goal to the in-form and rather unfortunate Travers. A big call from the manager, but that’s his job.
In the end, it was an afternoon that turned on two inflection points influenced by the above decisions.
We started like an absolute train and were all over them. It felt like the new setup was working a treat as the extra bite in the middle didn’t give them a moment to settle and we cut them open repeatedly.
After some excellent recent performances, Senesi’s afternoon could probably be summed up by the effort during this time that he spooned miles over the bar with only the keeper to beat. One to forget for him.
Our relentless pressure, both in terms of play and on the ball, eventually told as it forced a defender into a mistake. His weak back pass was anticipated by a lively Evanilson who collected the ball, rounded the keeper and slotted home.
This was inflection point number one.
Frank, having seen his team be totally dominated, made some tactical switches to which we didn’t really respond and suddenly they had all the possession.
As a team, we’re normally comfortable letting the other side have the ball but something wasn’t right in our balance as we weren’t pressing in the right places and kept leaving spaces open to be exploited.
It’s hard not to look at the change in personnel here as a reason. In the first round of subs, Adams went off and Cook was restored to his preferred position and the difference was palpable. Suddenly when they broke there was a dynamic covering presence. For all his neat and tidy play, this was something Adams hadn’t offered.
I’m hesitant to dismiss things too early but I will ring the warning Klaxon that Cook has been a player transformed since installed into the deep position. We’ve played him so often in his career further forward and he just isn’t the same.
Maybe it will work in time. However, if this is the only role that Adams can play AI mustn’t fall into the Gerrard/Lampard trap. I don’t care if they were the two best players, only one should have been on the pitch for England at a time except in emergencies. Maybe Adams and Cook will be the same. One to watch with a beady eye in the weeks ahead.
Not responding to their tweaks and not having the usual barrelling cover handed the initiative back to them. They equalised from a long throw but, if I’m honest, although they hadn’t created much it still felt like it was coming.
Having been all giddy about recent Semenyo performances, this was a serious off-day. Against Man City he was like a wrecking ball making sure he got to everything first but today he was tentative and easily beaten to it several times. No point raising your game for the big matches if you’re going to relax in the others.
This was crucial as he is where we should have been taking the game to them but instead looked weak and that cost us. I’d have subbed him on 60 minutes, recent form be damned, as he was well off his usual pace.
Back to the flow of the game, and halftime was a chance to reset and try and wrestle back some control. We certainly came out battling and looking good again
It was our turn to take the set-piece route and what a goal it was. A corner with five passes on the deck led to Kluivert being in on goal and he slammed it home. More fantastic work from the attacking set-piece team.
However, this was inflection point two.
Twenty-one seconds later the scores were level as sloppy defending allowed them to play through us and saw Kepa beaten at his near post from an acute angle. I’m not going to mince words here, it was horrific goalkeeping.
You can talk about how much time there was left in the game but for me, this was where it was lost as it completely changed the momentum. We’d come back out fighting, dominated the few first minutes of the second half, got a goal but then given it back to them.
From backpedalling and looking scared, they suddenly grew back into things and were taking steps forward whereas we shrunk into ourselves.
With keepers you look at how calm they make their defence look in front of them, how they command their area and how often they pull off those unexpected saves that win you points.
Today’s, Kepa’s command of his area was poor and rather than pull off an unexpected save he let in a shocker. Compare and contrast with Travers at the Villa match.
It isn’t often I say this but, for today’s game, AI got it badly wrong. The wrong keeper started and it was the wrong message to send to both of them.
This doesn’t mean Travers is flawless but he’d done enough to keep the jersey in the last two and I’ve seen nothing in particular to like about Kepa since he joined, and today he cost us.
For me, Travers won us a point at Villa and, in gifting the momentum back to them at a crucial time today, Kepa lost us three today. I know many won’t agree with that or will talk about the minutes left but it’s the way I see that game evolved.
Their third came from Semenyo being sold a dummy and opening up acres of space. Their midfielder then had all the time in the world to pick and weigh his pass for the onrushing forward who dinked it past the Kepa. Not his fault but you can’t help but feel that may have been his chance for redemption – make the unexpected save after the howler.
The game was relentlessly energetic after their third but we never settled into a pattern that caused them enough problems. I’d say they looked comfortable, one injury-time scare aside.
The subs came on, the game got scrappy, Lewis Cook showed why he should be played where he should be played, Unal missed a header and put in another of his recent non-performances, Evanilson tripped himself up hoping to get a penalty (never a penalty) and we hit the bar in injury time.
After the highs, comes a disappointing low. What’s especially annoying is I felt the game was there for us but some of the tactics didn’t work and some individuals need to take a long, hard look at their performances.
Selected Player Watch
— Tyler Adams —
His first PL start for us (I think?). He was tidy but lacked the dynamism of Cook in the same position. I felt we were more exposed on the break than usual. Now, Cook took a run of 6+ starts after a long-term injury to start showing his full quality so is it fair to judge Adams differently? That’s for AI to answer.
If I’m honest, I still haven’t seen him stamp his authority on any situation yet. He isn’t a Lerma, a Cook, a Surman, all of whom have played there in different ways, so what is he? And yes, I know, still early days in his comeback.
— Kepa —
I wouldn’t have started him but AI made his call. The goal conceded by the near post was a shocker and one cross he flapped at was another horrible misjudgement. Keepers make mistakes but they’re amplified after a big decision on who to pick. Over the season it may prove to be the right call, but at this moment in time, he shouldn’t have been between the sticks.
— Evanilson —
Watch the replay of him scoring carefully and see how early he is anticipating the back pass and is sprinting past his defender. In normal time the goal looks like a screw up but it’s his movement that turned an error into a goal. A more static forward would have got to the ball at the same time as his defender.
Once upon a time, Man City fans used to say “Feed the Goat and he will score”, and I think that’s what we need to do here. Give him the ball into areas that take advantage of his awareness and constant darting and he will be a force with which to be reckoned.
— Kluivert —
Slightly thankless task to be shunted out wide given the injury issues but showed Semenyo up with his work rate and constant availability.
AI and Tactics Watch
The positional reshuffle was significant in order to give more flexibility to the bench. It was like dominos, as Adams came into the Cook role, Cook moved to Christie’s, Christie to Kluivert’s and Kluivert to the left wing position. It worked perfectly until it didn’t work. All over them from the start but after we scored it never quite looked the same.
I’ll probably be criticised for being entitled but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with pointing out mistakes were made today. Not responding to the change in the balance of play after we scored wasn’t great but, if I’m honest, I think the switches didn’t work overall.
We gave them a game at their place, but let’s remember so did Southampton, Ipswich, West Ham etc. They’ve been no great shakes this season at home but have just managed to outscore the opposition. Yet, after that initial spell, it never really felt like we were in control.
The Kepa decision was a bad call. Everyone can make them so nothing to get too caught up about there, but it has put AI in a tough spot. Keep faith in the guy who let us down today? Bring back the guy who you had told through dropping him you didn’t think he was good enough no matter how well he played? There’s some work on heads as well as bodies to be done there.
I asked after the Leicester game who we wanted to be. We needed to pick up points in games we were bossing if we had ambitions upwards. We blew me away with what we did in the next three games but today has me with the same questions.
I know we were away from home. I know we didn’t get blown away and could easily have come away with a point. However, I’m judging us by the incredibly high standards we’ve set recently.
Overall, we’re still in a great place and still with plenty of opportunities for the season. However, I can’t help but feel today we let one slip away.
Your say…
zigger zaggar
I know he’s an easy scapegoat but yes Kepa cost us all three points today.
The one you have failed to mention is their first goal where he just stood rooted to the spot and made zero attempt at trying to stop the ball which was only a soft header that any of us could have got to. Then waved his arms about hoping to claim some infringement to try and get the goal chalked off. Shocking lack of goal stopping effort.
stanthevan
The goalkeeper situation really needs addressing. Travers has played a couple of superb games and is oozing confidence. This in turn gives confidence to the players in front of him. Kepa is always a minute or so away from making a big mistake and that must also be on the minds of the other players. AI has virtually established himself as a demigod but he deserves criticism for this blatant error.
Audenshaw Cherry
I am happy for you to criticise Kepa now, after the game, but it was inexcusable for some of our supporters to be chanting for Travers for large parts of the game.
Kepa did have a very poor game, but how does chanting for his understudy help him or the rest of the team?
Perhaps there should be a review of how the crowd did during the game. On this occasion, I would say poorly!!! – To join the conversation, click here.
