Delphinho123

I'd hazard a guess that 99% of this board has no idea what you're talking about!

It's becoming a real concern. Discuss.

I don’t know where to put this, but thought it may as well go in the Emery thread. I don’t think we were that poor last night. I think ultimately, a couple of very, very poor individual performances cost us the game. Emery had a gameplan and it’s always nice to see a manager who has thought out a way of beating a side. Hell, we even got the all important first goal and it was a terrific one at that. BUT. As a club, over the last 2/3 years, us fans have constantly been told it’s important that we aim to win a trophy. Purslow, Gerrard and even Emery have spoken a lot about us going on a cup run and how it would be great for the fans to see us go further in the cup competitions. So, why did we play a whole new back line last night (Konsa aside)? Olsen spread panic throughout a makeshift defence who probably haven’t ever played together before. That’s a recipe for disaster and although we did get the first goal, you could see from the very first minute that we looked very, very nervous playing out from the back and when balls came over the top towards the keeper. On Monday, most of our squad has 6 weeks without a match. Not only that, do you really need to rest a goalkeeper? F**** me, I’ll do more exercise on my walk to work this morning than they do most matches. It’s not a taxing position to the point you can’t play 3 games in 10 days. It just isn’t Im left really disappointed about last night. Like, when your parents say, ‘they’re not angry, they’re disappointed’. That’s how I feel. We’ve thrown away another chance to win silverware - regardless of whether we’d have won it anyway. It’s the hope that kills you.

I don’t actually think he was that bad. He wasn’t good, don’t get me wrong, but I can’t remember him being any worse than Chambers or Konsa…? Obviously not good enough to be a starter but this is a left back on loan who we won’t sign permanently I don’t imagine. Not too put out by him. Olsen on the other hand..

There was concrete interest in him this Summer just gone from West Ham. Unfortunately, we had a manager who not only saw him as a key player, but went as far as to make him captain. We should have cashed in, in the Summer had we any foresight. Right now, he looks like a competition winner. Slow, unfit and terrified every time the ball comes his way. He’s regressing at an alarming rate and quite frankly just looks too overweight for this level. Id be mega surprised if he’s still here next year. We may not be able to get big bucks for him, but he’s worth £10-15m to someone.

You and me both. He seems transformed and his close control with his left foot is absolutely superb. I still think he needs to improve the physical side of his game but right now, he’s one of the first names on the teamsheet from an attacking perspective. Looks like he has a goal/assist in him in every match.

He’s superior to McGinn now in almost every aspect of his play. His athleticism, eye for a goal and ability to run with the ball makes him one of the first names on the teamsheet at the moment. With the way Emery wants to play, Ramsey, Watkins and Bailey must all start.

4 of those players are just fine.

Don’t. He’s had a few drinks tonight.

Just looks like a slightly slower, poorer version of Matt Targett.

Mad to think he’s our captain.

Surely that’s what training is for? No need to gamble in a winnable cup comp.

I’m afraid I agree with a lot of this. The club bangs on about winning trophies but then changes 4 of the back 5 in the third round, 4 days before a 6 week break. I don’t think we were that bad tonight and Olsen was primarily the reason we lost but that’s just it isn’t it, he shouldn’t have been playing. Of all the positions on a football pitch, the keeper does not need to be rested.

Astonishingly bad. So bad I’ll never forget it. Can’t see him playing for us much again.

Diddums.

Not a fan of this high line business at all.

Olsen. I don’t even know how to describe this performance.

You’re chatting s*** tbh.

Butler may have had a point. Why did I ever doubt him.

Awful from Olsen.

McGinn can’t play through a press, no way. Would like to see Bailey come on in the second half.

We’ve been very careless in possession, Olsen in particular. We have a game plan which looks to involve just boring them to death by knocking it around at the back. In Emery we trust, but that was a tedious watch. Hopefully we can pinch a goal from somewhere.

We’re causing ourselves so many problems.

We’re causing ourselves so many problems.

Tactically, this is very, very odd. In Emery we trust!