MackHaakon

Second half very good - such a relief

Small sample size but the front 6 that started the second half look much much better 

Brilliant Leon! And love the work from Buendia to set him up

We have decent players but no rythm or momentum going forward. The formation is too narrow and the options for our creative players are too few when everyone gets sucked in.

We also seem to have too many players wanting the ball to feet - which naturally pull them even more narrow and slowing down the play. 

I have a feeling we would be better off if Chambers started the season for us. I think he is currently our best central defender.

This formation is way too narrow. Easy to defend against. 

Just now, CVByrne said:

We're winning 2 0 mate

I know and that's great - just have a habit of focusing on the negatives I guess   

We are poor. Burnley dictates the game, we give it away at the first opportunity. We look like passengers - ridiculous sloppy arrogance by Luiz and Konsa at times. We have technically sound players, but the game intelligence and mental attributes seems lacking for a lot of them.

Buendia and Ings good so far.

The Konsa was broken second half

We put ourselves in a miserable situation with all the talk of 'a winnable stretch of games' or whatever the arrogant complacent narrative was. No - in this league there are no 'winnable stretches' or 'easy fixtures'. You fight like there is no tomorrow for every minute of every game or you lose. Mentally we put ourselves in a situation expecting to dominate and win, which makes every mistake and every point lost tougher to take. So disheartening to see the disconnect between players, coach and supporters start creeping back in when I thought we were, finally, on our way somewhere.

We are in a dark place now - need to get the points to stay up and then start again. 

From being 3-1 up, academy product smashing it into the top corner from a delicious weighted pass from our Brazilian superstar -  to an absolute mojoless shambles of losing the lead, the points, players to injury and players to red cards. Horrible stuff.

They looked more evolved as a unit. I wish I saw more aggression and spirit in trying to get a dominating hold of the game instead of protecting a lead 'defending'.  

Outplayed.  Lucky to get a point.

We were brilliant, they looked like a League 2 side. Take the positives and march confidently on

Wow. It's exciting. If he's gradually embedded, properly conditioned for the Prem and supported to cope with the expectations this will probably work out very well. It'll be interesting to see how the dynamics will work with Targett, Buendia and Watkins/Ings. The chemistry in the side is usually more important than the individual talent imo.   

Controlled the game against a very bleak, shaky and depleted Brentford team but could not execute.

A problem we have is that too many of players want ball to feet, which slows attacks down. The fluidity comes when there is a balance between attacking space without the ball and getting the ball to feet. Our goal was an exception - and wonderfully crafted. It looks like we lack pace in our squad, or at least confidence in it.

All in all very disappointing against a frankly awful team. Special mention to that Brentford player who looked to be pinning Buendias arm as they fell to the ground. What an absolute dick move. Type of thing that can cause serious injury and should be punished.

While the horror of that first half will remain the outstanding highlight and memory of this game - I worry more about type of reasoning that deducts that this absolute black hole of a formation is the way to set up this team with the players we have. It benefits not a single individual in the line-up.  IT MUST STOP. 

It's evident that this formation is crushing the players confidence. As a back five they do not know when to stay our when to go, enormous hesitation and space for them. This needs to stop or we'll be in a relegation battle.

My eyes are bleeding. This is needs to stop. What has Smith done to the tidy back four + GK we built as a foundation last season. Nostalgia after a couple decent performances? It's the worst I've seen in years - just absolutely bafflingly shit. Haiti is better organised.

Deserved defeat. We were sloppy and it seemed our game plan was to just hope that whatever worked the previous games would somehow work here as well just because. How many times did we just send the ball over the touchline without any pressure?  

Sloppy - aside from using the 'channels' we have no way of involving Ings and Watkins. We need a link-up player cause this is not working. Would put Nakamba on for Ramsey and push Luiz up. Or bring on Buendia. 

I don't know Chelsea!

Great result and lovely to end the season like that. Loving the togetherness of the team, underrated aspect of success.

We ran out of steam a bit too soon - giving the ball away easily as a result. Lost structure with the subs, but great to see Smith giving minutes to kids in pressure situations.

Not a fan of the red card situation - although I get how the incentives dictates overplaying a situation I will never get behind it as a way to tilt the game in your favour. 

Great season, now let's kick on  

Can someone please find new rules for penaties in football. Back against the goal, more or less without a chance to finish - Pogba falls over like he's a toddler and you swap a non-scoring chance with a penalty.  Up steps the very charming Bruno, a first class cheater himself, and scores his obligatory penalty. The incentives for cheating for penalties, including for us of course, are so strong it pisses all over the game. 

But at least this way they prove that they are there on merit!

Good game this. We play with pace, which is nice to see. 

Barkley and Traore much better. 

We can win this easily but will probably lose. 

Although they obviously have better players and squad, it's the decision making and timing that really make them unplayable at times.

Don't know about the game, but I think the claret and blue cones look pretty smart

Players and staff are just a bit lost without Grealish.