Don't agree on Janssen. I thought he was really good and along with Rose one of our best players in the first half.
Held the ball up really well (even from long gk's/ball), movement excellent, unlucky not to score. His touch is sure and he's the right type of player for European game such as this and a big reason why we looked good in this half.
Was also really unlucky to not get an assist after his great touch spin and turn round their defender - keeper got a key nick on his cross.
The second half was terrible, and in the end we were lucky to get away with a point which puts us in a decent position with three matches to go. The home match against Leverkusen certainly won't be easy though. I take back what I said at half time about us being clearly the best team in the group. Leverkusen were good in the second half.
Once again we struggle when teams put aggressive pressure on us high up the pitch. I don't understand why teams so often just sit back against us and let us play. It's clearly a better strategy to get in our faces. In the second half we rarely managed to settle down with the ball. Dembele is usually a good player in such a game as he can keep possession in tight areas, but he is clearly far from where he was last season at the moment.
In terms of individual players I thought Wanyama played well again. He had some important defensive involvements. Tripper was good in the first half when we were on the front foot. His crosses created our two best opportunities. He struggled a bit more when he had to defend. The rest of the defence was also okay. Lloris made an important albeit slightly fortuitous save. The front five wasn't great. Janssen was decent in the first half. The other four weren't great, but Alli was the best of them.
This group will live until the final whistle on the last match day, I reckon. The teams are evenly match and take points off each other. It will be nervewrecking. I'm already dreading Leverkusen at home.
Good point ultimately. Need to work out a way of counteracting teams which press us. Would like us to pick up cover for Dembele in Jan as it feels like we're trying to nurse him through at the moment and could do with a CM who is able to put his foot on the ball. Perhaps we're waiting for Winks
It really was a game of two halves.
Subs aren't solely a function of effectiveness, but also of the need to rest and rotate. I suspect VJ will be starting again at the weekend and in many of our upcoming run of matches.
Absolutely mate for me he was one of the most dissapointing players on the night along with Dier. Not sure what's happened to Dier. Thought the stand outs were lloris, Verts, Wanyama and Rose.Have we played any matches this season with our first-choice 11? Have we played any CL with our first-choice back-four? It's worth pondering...Dele is very close to being a top top player; if he can start converting the chances he's getting even in tight matches (at the weekend one-on-one, last night with the free-running header from 8 yards) he will be the finished article. Unbeaten for ages despite having only hit top gear once this season...one question I do have is with regards to Eriksen. Is it asking too much to expect more from him on nights like this? And when he DID have a glorious chance at the end to dink a ball to the far post for a simple nod-in, he fluffed the cross!!!!
Don't agree on Janssen. I thought he was really good and along with Rose one of our best players in the first half.
Held the ball up really well (even from long gk's/ball), movement excellent, unlucky not to score. His touch is sure and he's the right type of player for European game such as this and a big reason why we looked good in this half.
Was also really unlucky to not get an assist after his great touch spin and turn round their defender - keeper got a key nick on his cross.
Have we played any matches this season with our first-choice 11? Have we played any CL with our first-choice back-four? It's worth pondering...Dele is very close to being a top top player; if he can start converting the chances he's getting even in tight matches (at the weekend one-on-one, last night with the free-running header from 8 yards) he will be the finished article. Unbeaten for ages despite having only hit top gear once this season...one question I do have is with regards to Eriksen. Is it asking too much to expect more from him on nights like this? And when he DID have a glorious chance at the end to dink a ball to the far post for a simple nod-in, he fluffed the cross!!!!