poitier

I'm expecting big things from him in the future, but he was gash tonight.

If we need to move it sideways Doug is the man.

Crap and rubbish.

I wasn't keen on him last season, but not only has his play improved massively, he has shown character too. Probably the only player to step up to the challenge today.

I thought he was the only one of the midfield that offered any resistance in he first half. Poor second half.

11 hours ago, Brumerican said:

Is questionable based on current form.

At least with Watkins you know what he's up to in the box.

Come on people, even if you aren't a fan of quantum physics in your football chat, that deserves a like!

He most certainly doesn't look fat, not his best game by a long way but produced some of our best passes of the night,.

Awful tonight, but a real error from Smith to leave him on so long when he was making so little contribution.

Paid the price for leaving non-performing players on too long. 

21 minutes ago, jackbauer24 said:

Yeah I agree... I mean there was that game he scored 12 goals and ran the show... Actually there was that spell where he scored 8 goals in ten games...maybe I'm getting confused, there surely is evidence somewhere that he has this potential...

Got it. Yep. It's lack of chances and playing at such a high level for a kid that has prevented him from showing us his very best;

Premier League; 22 appearances no goals, no assists

Championship; 40 appearances, 2 goals and one assist

League Cup; 9 appearances, 2 goals and two assists (Burton Albion and Crewe Alexander)

Total 71 appearances, 4 goals.

Prolific. But he's only 22 (older than Luiz and much older than Ramsey). But he's one of us...except he's from Stevenage and we signed him from Biggleswade Town when Stevenage released him.

Yeah I'm stuck.

If you think a players worth is purely defined by the number of goals then ok. Is it really inconceivable that a forward can merit a place due to overall contribution to the team? 

I still think he has incredible potential, it is his injury record that has me more worried. I think if he gets game time he will prove his worth.

For these sort of games he would probably have been a better option to start than Traore.

Very good,  left out to dry by Traore on many occasions. Great shot as well.

He has to score that header. In other games his overall contribution has deflected criticism of his misses, but not tonight.

The pen was soft, but don't think it would have been given if he wasn't pulling him with both hands.

Hause has been great since he came in, but I think we need Tyrone's additional pace against Utd.

He worked hard enough defensively, but seems oblivious to players running in behind him. I thought Cash had a very good game and Traore obviously played a big part in supporting him in that, for the most part.

I thought today was one of his best games for us, he played really well during that crucial 25 minutes at the start of the second half. I'm often critical that he doesn't impose himself on games like he should, but he did that today.

Another game where he could have had a hat trick but didn't score, yet still played really well. His hold up play and running were excellent, great team player.

Absolutely brilliant today, the improvement in his defensive play has been unreal. Credit to all involved in that.

I'm not sure that 'works hard' is necessarily the biggest compliment you could pay someone who has scored vital goals for us when we desperately needed them. We would have been relegated without him. He looks a poor player a lot of the time, but he certainly carries a goal threat. His two sitters in the last two games have been horrific misses, but they say with strikers it isn't missing them that is the real problem, it is when they aren't getting into the positions to score them that is a bigger worry.

I think he will continue to work hard, look poor and score goals. Traore looks a better quality player no doubt, but will he have as much impact, who knows?

I know how much people here rate him so no surprise that so many have rushed to his defence, but even so, I really am surprised that so many think that was a brilliant performance, the standard must be set pretty low. If he is as good as people say then it certainly isn't unreasonable to expect more from him.

1 minute ago, lexicon said:

Ah yes, those famous sideways and backwards long balls. Give over.

Well that isn't an answer is it?

2 minutes ago, lexicon said:

I guess you missed those 10 long balls forward, 9 of which found their man. 

How many of those were properly forward though as opposed to barely forward diagonals? He made some decent passes in the last 20 minutes, how many of your 10 passes were before then?

He was ok first half but disappeared in the second.