Rousseau

How much did Raskin and Cantwell cost? They were undisclosed, weren't they?

I don't think our DoF had enough authority. The difference in the profile of players signed by SG, GvB and MB seems to prove that.

Sack him.

"At first glance, the stats seem to suggest that there is not much difference in how successful left-footed players are at taking penalties (73% success rate) compared to right-footed players (76%). However, researchers have noted that if you just look at penalty shoot-outs from the last twenty years, the success rate for left-footers drops to 58% (success rate for right-footed players has remained over 70%)." Normal penalties, not much in it. Penalty shootouts, left-footers are worse.

I didn't even think about that! I don't think it had a chance, to be fair. The clear MotM is Tillman, but some are so blinkered that he'd never receive the mythical unanimous vote.

Tillman created 5 chances, more than anyone else. He had 3 shots - same as our forwards, Sakala and Morelos. 73 touches, which is around the same as the CBs. (Souttar and Lundstram had 114 and 115 touches, respectively). He successfully completed 2/5 dribbles, which I'd like to see improved. (Cantwell was 4/6.) Tillman was dispossessed 5 times, which is disappointing. Raskin was dispossessed 3 times, Cantwell not at all. Tillman did recover the ball 12 times, which is the same as Raskin, more than anyone else in the team. I'd like to see more passes into the final third too. He wasn't the worst in that regard yesterday, but he's down on Tavernier, for example (3 vs 7).

I thought Souttar was alright. The stats suggest Tillman was our best player, so GIRUY.

What are your thoughts, folks? This'll be fun...

I was disappointed in MB's appointment - so boring and uninspired - but I think his tenure has been an improvement over GvB. We did play some nice stuff in that first half, and I think we're improving. We're still not creating enough, though, and certainly not taking our chances when they do come. Defensively we seem to get by untroubled for long stretches of games, and then, inexplicably, along come some absolute howlers. The first one yesterday was a fluke - although, these worldies seem to happen too often to be flukes - but the second... WTF.

Nae points. Latest Standings:

Makes sense.

To be fair, I think it's only me.

I hope our tempers don't flare and we don't start throwing knee-jerk reactions back and fo— Oh.

I'd keep Jack. It's a perfect opportunity to rebuild, though.

I don't think the team is that bad. We just need a new 'keeper. And a CB. And a LB. And a #6. And a Right-winger. And a Striker. That's not too much to ask for, is it?

It's alright, folks, we'll ... we'll ... I don't really care.

If Tamundo gets some bend on that, it's a beauty.

I know you're hurting - we all are - but pinning the solution on Kent is... naw.

It's half-time in the Milan game so I'm back for more punishment. Oh–Matondo is coming on...

Alright–I've turned it off. Milan are playing on the other channel.

WTF. I feel that these worldies happen against us too often to be luck.

We should try a De Zerbi approach. Usually teams build out from the back with 3-4 players, whereas De Zerbi uses 6-7 players. It's counterintuitive because you keep a lot back. The idea is to invite the opposition on to you, so you create space for transitions. (I posted a video about it in the Premier League thread.) The issue is whether our opponents will come on to us, or let us have it.

Decision-making and structure (i.e. the players that should be making themselves available). Davies, in particular, is trying to force it when those in front are not making themselves space.

I think the only chances the sheep have had are the ones we've given them, when Davies, Tillman and Tavernier gave the ball away.