Say what you want but the team let themselves down on Saturday, but we shouldn't get on at them too much, as surely this result showed the complete lack of creativity and also the lack of punch that our strikers are currently pulling.
I will keep referring to the fact that AVB stated in the summer that Ade, Defoe and Dempsey were enough up front. Now Ade has gone we must find another striker. Also with the fact that there are issues between Ade and AVB (before the African Cup issue) it has led to Ade becoming despondent. I thought that Ade would come on in the second half of the season, but now he is in South Africa we cannot take the risk of not replacing him. The issue for me still remains that the strikers are coming too deep, not one of them, both of them. In a 4-4-2 you have to leave one up. Ideally Ade to come deep to play it on for Defoe around the box, but when there is nothing to aim at you're not going to progress in the final third.
Whilst the strikers are coming too deep we are struggling to create the chances in midfield that provide us with the important breaks, but then when we do there's no one in the box. Don't get me wrong I have the upmost faith in Dembele, but he needs more help and that could be answered with the signing of Moutinho, Sneijder or Willian. These 3 world class players have what it takes to scare the opposition (this alone gives us the edge). Having someone that can control the game and create something out of nothing is important and it shows from the sale of VDV and Modric. When the possession is there we dominate, but can still struggle to score the goals.
When we had Modric and VDV we had someone that could release a ball to unlock the game at anytime, show some skill and cut in past the players with the ball at his feet. This is by no means a negative article, in that I think that this game showed our weakness, which surely cannot be ignored?
The game was so lacking all round that there is not really much to talk about other than Defoe hitting the post with a great shot and then Ade fluffing up the rebound (that had he took it early it would have been an open goal).
I suppose that you can argue that if the balls aren't coming in from midfield what chance do the strikers have? It’ a chicken or the egg issue, but this one couldn't be easier to solve.....
Creative midfielder and a new striker job done. On a positive note Sandro should be fine after injurying himself in the game, oh and Arsenal lost to City and had Koscielny sent off (so that will weaken their defence further for a while).
Good job on the clean sheet lads, but you must dig deeper and show that you have learnt from your own mistakes of dipping in the second half of the season (I can't deflect all the blame on Levy not buying in Jan).
COYS!!!!
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