Late post re being at the game view (hey, occasionally have a life)
Most important
- 3 points, keeps us there or there abouts, a couple more results like this and I think the top 5 will break away from rest
- another goal for Richi (we are going to need him in form)
- Bentancur!!!
- we only conceded one
The bad stuff
- Drop off to Skipp/PEH continues to be a problem, they only work (even then limited) as a pivot sitting deeper, if it's just one of them playing the 6, it kills the system
- fudge off with the injuries
- Tourist day at stadium, crowd got nervous and was flat at times
- We missed a few "easy" opportunities
- We sometimes overcomplicate stuff, try to walk brick into the goal, was really good to see Sarr shoot/score (Royal had a good hit as well), we play so fast that team often just drop back and it leaves space for a player to get good shots at the edge of box, need to d it more.
The good stuff
- Lo Celso, he's a baller, he's got fight and seems to be loving his game right now
- Udogie, fudging monster, how is this his first 6 months in the PL? did a lot of sweeping (see point below), again ref failed to protect/card appropriately when he got fouled on some of his runs (and he doesn't get fouled easily)
- Defense is improving, we seem to have tweaked slightly where the players cover just a little better for each other, couple of Udogie and Royal sweep ups behind/cover that killed chances to the opposition just when it looked dangerous. Felt like we defended against 1000 corners.
- Richi & Son keep scoring
Comment on the narrative
- Social media/pundits/fans seem to think we "got lucky", I completely disagree, it was not an easy game nor a pretty game but Bournemouth had a lot of "nothing" possession/attacks (Vicario had two saves and Davies had one big block, compared to the Brighton game, not the same), alternatively Son should have had a couple more (he got into positions that for him were scoring opps), Richi missed a sitter, Gil should have scored, easily that score should have been 6-1
December was always just a survival month, we have, need to do same for at least first half of January