Back again today. It sounds like I needn't have bothered anyway for the Villa match, so at least this one had some entertainment. A bit, anyway.
Here are my ratings:
Schmeichel: 6 - Made an excellent near-post save in the second half; might be disappointed with the goal in the first.
Ricardo: 6 - Some good attacking intent, but didn't manage to create much or really test his opponents by dribbling at them the way he can.
Fofana: 8 - Some vital interceptions and marauding forward runs. Starting to look a genuine class act. My choice for our MOTM.
Evans: 7 - Sometimes hesitant in the build-up, but hit some good long passes and read attacks well to break them up on several occasions.
Castagne: 6 - Unwell or unfit? Seemed to be doing ok, then departed.
Tielemans: 7 - Has struggled recently with the DM role, but played it well here, nipping in to break up several attacks and manoeuvring the play around better than most.
Albrighton: 5 - Made a silly mistake for the Roma goal, wilfully getting on the wrong side. His technique was tested by the press today and several times was found a bit wanting.
Maddison: 7 - Found some possession in good positions, couldn't quite find the killer touch either with shooting or chance creation. Not helped by a ref who looked like he was guessing most of the time.
Dewsbury-Hall: 6 - Wanted too many touches for my liking and a little lucky not to see red for a stretching challenge. Usual bustle was present, but not his best game.
Lookman: 8 - Given arguably a surprise start over Barnes and really took the fight to Roma, running with the ball and looking generally our biggest threat.
Vardy: 6 - Competed well, but for me always struggles to find enough space against a back 3.
Justin: 6 - Not often given the chance to really go forward in attack by too many balls being passed just behind him. But for me we lacked having a left footer at left back at times as he turned down the overlap. Defended well.
Barnes: 7 - Got the break to provide an assist. Very up and down at the moment and hard to rate as it was hard to tell whether he was on it or not.
Iheanacho: 5 - No lack of effort but unable to make his presence felt and looked more worrying toward the end that he might concede possession and cause a counterattack rather than create a chance. Perhaps needed to go on beside Vardy instead of in place of him.
Perez: n/a - Roma shut up shop by the time he came on, so opportunity to influence the match was very limited.
I've seem some say that we look in good shape, but to me Roma looked very organised and like they knew what was needed to get a result. The equaliser keeps us in the tie, but for me Roma are big favourites in the second leg. A Mourinho team can be ready for mutiny, but this side looks competitive and like they're playing for him.
The one curiosity in the match was Tammy Abraham. Skilful, physical, waving to the Roma fans, yet a glaring hole in the Roma press. I thought Arsenal perhaps should have gone for him in the summer, but it was very hard to know what to make of him from this performance. Maybe he just can't play that way.
Player ratings vs. Roma
posted on 29/4/22
I agree with everybody in that if we’re playing like this we have to do is faster and take more risks.
If we do that, we can’t have Tielemans screening the defence.
Either move KDH back to the base of the diamond or bring in Choudhury or Soumare to do that job. Yes they are flawed but we can’t be more aggressive when if we lose the ball the opposition have a free run at our defence.
We have to play quicker and we have to selection the best 11 players to enable that. Which might not be the best 11 players (if you get what I’m saying).
posted on 29/4/22
I'd look to change to a double pivot, pull KDH back a bit so Maddison can properly get in the 10 role and give the team a little more protection for fast breaks. But that's more a slight rejig than an overhaul.
If we wanted to do an overhaul, I'd be looking at the option of a 3-4-1-2 with Maddison again in the 10 role and Iheanacho joining Vardy up front. I could be tempted to play Thomas on the left of that 4 as well to get a genuine left-footer out there.
posted on 29/4/22
You want to be careful Dunge. With talk like that you’ll have True Blue lobbying Ms Whelan CEO to get you into Brendan’s job!
😂😂😂
posted on 29/4/22
comment by old warwick fox (U11640)
posted 59 minutes ago
You want to be careful Dunge. With talk like that you’ll have True Blue lobbying Ms Whelan CEO to get you into Brendan’s job!
😂😂😂
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I wouldn't shoot Tielemans on sight, so I think that's doubtful.
posted on 29/4/22
comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 17 minutes ago
comment by old warwick fox (U11640)
posted 59 minutes ago
You want to be careful Dunge. With talk like that you’ll have True Blue lobbying Ms Whelan CEO to get you into Brendan’s job!
😂😂😂
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I wouldn't shoot Tielemans on sight, so I think that's doubtful.
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Good point.
😂😂😂
posted on 29/4/22
comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 1 hour, 37 minutes ago
comment by old warwick fox (U11640)
posted 59 minutes ago
You want to be careful Dunge. With talk like that you’ll have True Blue lobbying Ms Whelan CEO to get you into Brendan’s job!
😂😂😂
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I wouldn't shoot Tielemans on sight, so I think that's doubtful.
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At least you'd have a standing target.
posted on 29/4/22
We need Maddison back as a 10 and Tielemans shot like a lame deer. All aligned.
posted on 29/4/22
comment by True Blue ( RODGERS OUT ) (U9486)
posted 2 hours, 3 minutes ago
comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 1 hour, 37 minutes ago
comment by old warwick fox (U11640)
posted 59 minutes ago
You want to be careful Dunge. With talk like that you’ll have True Blue lobbying Ms Whelan CEO to get you into Brendan’s job!
😂😂😂
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I wouldn't shoot Tielemans on sight, so I think that's doubtful.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
At least you'd have a standing target.
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We may not all agree with your opinion of Tielemans True Blue, but there’s no doubting your sense of humour!
😉
posted on 29/4/22
Who said I was joking
posted on 29/4/22
comment by True Blue ( RODGERS OUT ) (U9486)
posted 1 minute ago
Who said I was joking
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😂😂😂