Cambridge grads might make use of it to jot down some notes on quantum mechanics. Oxford grads could put it under the short leg of the table to cure an inconvenient wobble.
Big Ken on the left side for once. Good to see Penaranda on the bench, good chance he'll come on at some point I'd suspect. Overall though that's a bit of a tinpot squad.
Shoutbox up 26Foster 2Janmaat 6Mariappa 15Cathcart 25Holebas 8Cleverley 29Capoue 19Hughes 12Sema 7Deulofeu 9Deeney Substitutes 1Gomes 3Britos 11Masina 14Chalobah 17Peñaranda 18Gray 20Quina
Well I have bobby p in my fantasy football side, was thinking about switching him out but thought he would come good - so not happy about that Not sure he will be a great loss really last few games hasn’t really got into the action, Ken can play I think Hughes and Gerry D looked alright against spurs, in fact I would go as far as to say I think taking Gerry off and replacing with succes didn’t help , Gerry was tracking back a lot , but didn’t see the same effort from success Think I would like to see Britos start (I know strange thing to say but he’s looked alright) Would be good to Penaranda come on and show us why we have been waiting for 2 years
Happy enough with that line up, and I like the bench too. Can see Adelberto coming on if we need somebody to make an impact. Chance for him to jump ahead of Success in the pecking order.
My prediction is Peneranda comes on 70 minutes when we are 2-0 down. Scores a hattrick. 2-3 win. Venezuela declares 2nd of Feb St Adalberto day and a public holiday.
Depends which leader announces it. Risk Trump could apply sanctions to the club by the end of the weekend if its Maduro.
Should've been: Foster; Janmaat, Cathcart, Kabasele & Holebas; Sema, Cleverley, Capoue & Deuo; Gray & Deeney.
Not sad that Kabasele isn’t back in the team. Not worth a place on his form this season. Similarly, it could be a blessing that Pereyra is injured. He’s been anonymous for weeks but can’t imagine Javi would have dropped him if he weren’t injured. Let’s see what Sema can do on his stronger side. Doucouré not being back should quieten down the conspiracy theorists out there. We will miss him though.
Brighton has been a tough place for teams to go this season, so a clean sheet is not to be sniffed at. But we never really got into that game and, just like against Spurs, there was almost zero ability to build moves from back to front. Way too slow when we tried and often just resorted to aimless hoofs. 4pts away from 7th now.
Awful performance, didn't deserve a point. Foster excellent as were Cathcart and Janmaat. Mariappa good too. The rest were pretty awful, Sema isn't a footballer and Cleverley was very poor again.
I'll take that all day. Maximised the best possible result we could have possibly got from that. We've been poor for a while now, even though results have remained quite good. We're a shadow of the side that started the season. Missing Doucoure, Pererya and Kiko takes away so much from this team.
As sure as the Tin Man has a sheet metal ****, that was ******* awful. A shockingly negative line-up and performance from a shockingly negative coach. ******* pathetic from Gracia today. 7th? Pfft, take a look at yourselves if you remotely believe that.
That was ******* terrible. Zero imagination about our play these days. It's like the aimlessness of Mazzari with the QSF lack of adventure. We're horrible to watch now and have been for some time. We did sneak a couple of workmanlike wins, but the performances have been poor for some time now and there doesn't seem to be any answer forthcoming. It's a shame, because there was so much optimism, but I'm trying to emotionally prepare for a disappointing second half to the season with an fa cup 1/4 final as our possible highlight and a 12th place finish
We are seriously lucky to have Ben Foster. I thought all of the defence did well today. Capoue quite good, Cleverley not as good but not dreadful. Hughes I thought had one of his better games for a while. Deeney very ineffective. Deulofeu may as well not have played. And Sema... Big Ken Sema. I don't like to write players off after a couple of bad performances... but this guy is just not good enough at the moment. I mean.... everyone can see it, can't they? We got an away point, can't sniff at that. But my word that was a tough watch. Highlight for me I think was Lewis Dunk's 50% comedy/ 50% genius defending where he tackled Hughes with his face, then lay on the ball, then picked it up between his legs, hopped, and cleared.
No depth in the squad. Or a reluctance on Gracia’s part to freshen things up with 3 games in a week. A midfield of cappoo cleverly and Hughes and Sema as wingers where was the creativity gonna come from? Especially as 3 games in a week was too much for Delefeou. Strikers can't be blamed if they feed off scraps.
...on a positive note....Everton got smashed 3-1 at home, so it's all set up. Everton lose to us and he's sacked in the morning
We clearly played for a draw away from home at a tough ground. Can’t blame the attacking players if they following a plan. Good point Clean sheet due to our excellent goalie and a defence that played well
A truly appalling spectacle devoid of skill, creativity and ability. Both teams lucky to score nil. Gracia needs a kick up the pants. Did not make the requisite changes when required with the team flagging and looking devoid of any inspiration. Once again appallingly bad in the final third. Where is the decisiveness and accuracy gone of the early part of the season ? Once again second to virtually every second ball and once more resorting to aimless long kicks downfield while the midfield sit deeper and deeper. He did not make the right decisions which suit the team. No grip in midfield. Take Sema off and bring in Quina for some creativity and drive which has been sorely absent with Doucoures absence. One has to feel for Deeney and Deulofeu feeding off scraps and second rate delivery from deep. Hughes was abysmal in the first half with his passing and when you look at him currently and Brooks boy have we missed out big time. Sems was awful throughout aside from one defensive clearance unwilling to use his pace and his much vaunted power cast off the ball like Hughes with ease. He was barely helping to cover Holebas as the second half wore on band was kept on by Gracia for far too long. We have the players that need balls into feet even Gray whose touch is far from the best but recently Gracia has resorted to this long ball tactic. It does not suit is and all it results in with a deep midfield of two is constantly losing possession and being unable to build any pressure rather the opposite. Credit of course has to go to him for a well marshalled defence especially with the offside trap. Foster saved our blushes again and if Southgate has any sense will call him up ahead of Pickford and Janmaat, Cathcart and Holebas were very good defensively. Capoue was superb again in making vital tackles and interceptions but he needs help alongside him. Cleverley is still off his best and that would have been helped by having Quina in there. I cannot understand why Gracia resorts to the 4-5-1 which would suit us far better at present given the injuries we have. A dreadful game which will be deservedly last on MOTD.
Hopefully next week the players will be up to show their former manager and " Star " striker that the grass isn't always greener!
