Your team v Ajax (Champion's League group stage, second game)

[Insidious]

Awful viewing that.

The inability to get the points today a massive disappointment. That World Cup break can't come quick enough.

Champion's League football for next season will have an almighty question-mark for a while it seems. Let's make sure we are in the knock-outs THIS season in the meantime.

.........................Alisson

Trent.......Gomez.......Van Dijk.....Robertson

.............Henderson......Thiago

Salah.............Firmino......Carvalho

......................Núñez

Núñez was apparently precautionary and am hoping that anti-biotics will clear up Thiago's ear infection.

Bit dejected after that display. Need a tonic against Ajax and then Leeds. So poor.

[Nineteenx]

I'd go with

Alisson

Trent Gomez Van Dijk Robertson

Henderson Thiago

Salah Firmino Oxlade

Nunez

Needs to remember all our players are incredibly familiar with 433 and while there was a need to change up with injuries and to have options and a different way to play in some games, we played 433 for 7 fucking years, yet he forgot all about that in today's game v Forest when it was THE obvious change, talking about throwing the baby out with the fucking bath water, well I have, but that was throwing an entire creche out with it

I expect better and a win on Wednesday, but fucking ridiculous resting players today for that game, it's on Wednesday! ! ! 3 full days to recover

[CCTV]

Saw most of the second half, looked a strange lineup on paper.

Alisson
Gomez Nat VVD Robbo
Hendo Fab
Trent Firmino Carvalho
Salah

I picked a back 3 for today. Going for Nat at CB in this one as Gomez has looked ropey at rcb in recent games.

[Nineteenx]

I picked a back 3 for today. Going for Nat at CB in this one as Gomez has looked ropey at rcb in recent games.

Lolzer I'm guessing you are belatedly and long overdue conceding my assertions about Joe in 19-20 were entirely accurate now, you're welcome, people get there in the end, quite a number on today's match thread belatedly and long overdue coming around to Fab being a waste of space

The popular theme being when we have most of the ball, he's nowhere near good enough with it, and as the majority of teams look to attack us almost exclusively down either flank, and he isn't a true DM who plays right across the line, means he's not in the game in the press and counter press, mostly not in the game defensively and not in it with the ball, like playing with 10 men

[LEGS]

You like to single players out 19 but were they the only two bad today or over this season ???

You like to blow your own trumpet you bigged up De Paul he now looks a failure in Spain now you are on this Enzo train but is he any good really ?

[Nineteenx]

You like to single players out 19 but were they the only two bad today or over this season ???

You like to blow your own trumpet you bigged up De Paul he now looks a failure in Spain now you are on this Enzo train but is he any good really ?

Enzo's the ideal midfielder I've been looking for

Of players we have actually had on our books, the very best midfield we have had, we sadly never got to see was

Gini Hendo Thiago

Put those 3 in midfield and let Fab go and get another actual midfielder in of the right qualities and passing who can play No6 or either No8 and we'd have won at least one more league title and champions league title by now, we let the wrong midfielder go and have been playing handicapped by him needing to be continually bailed out/supported by the other 2 midfielders and our overall press ever since

This is actually what does happen and has happened in games ever since he was brought back in and not on merit I might add in 19-20

He sits off the press in a hole in front of the back 2 most of the time, not in the press or counter press rendering it less effective

We have most of the ball and he isn't good enough with it

Most teams attack us down either flank, Fab doesn't play right across the line as a true No6/DM (because he's a RB) so his actual involvement in any defending which he's 'supposed' to be good at is incredibly limited

On the very rare occasions he does try and get involved in the press or gets higher up the pitch, he gets the wrong side of players he shouldn't with really basic errors that show beyond any doubt he doesn't read the game well or understand what he should be doing in the press and counter press and he is unable to perform in it as required as in all 11 players taking great and appropriate oppositions in accordance with each other and constantly let's our press get broken way too easily as a result

He does these things in every game he plays in and always has since he got busted in the high destroyer role (see the directly above, getting the wrong side of players allowing our press to be broken too easily) and we then used him as a DM/No6, which he pertinently isn't, never has been and never will be

Needs to be used to help fund our bringing in an actual top midfielder who can play No6 and both No8 slots in January, transfer market have his value at 50m, Jesus, if we can get that for him, I'll drive him wherever it is myself, for free

[LEGS]

Look I aint denying Fab is having a poor season but lets be right most are is that fair ?

I think some not saying you think a 90-95 point season is the norm its not.

Yes I think that 3 would be good but its not to be and a crossover period.

We are still a good side just not quite what we were.

I expect us to get a point in Amsterdam at least then we can bin off Napoli game who imo look a very very good side but European footy is strange its best to peak later

[Nineteenx]

Look I aint denying Fab is having a poor season but lets be right most are is that fair ?

I think some not saying you think a 90-95 point season is the norm its not.

Yes I think that 3 would be good but its not to be and a crossover period.

We are still a good side just not quite what we were.

I expect us to get a point in Amsterdam at least then we can bin off Napoli game who imo look a very very good side but European footy is strange its best to peak later

Here's the thing, we had 90-95 point season's WITH a RB converted to DM who the rest of the team were carrying and who was frequently not active in the game in large periods because most teams don't attack us in the area he sits in, he mostly sits off the press, so not contributing to that and isn't anywhere near good enough with the ball, we could have easily pushed 100 points plus with the right actual midfielder there in his place or with the Gini Hendo Thiago trio, easily

I've watched highlights of the 19-20 games in Fab's absence several times, effectively mourning what we lost or rather needlessly gave up and seeing what could have been with Thiago, rather than Milner, Lallana, Keita or Oxlade in that RCM slot

And it isn't Fab having a poor season, Fab is playing no better or worse than he always had, he's playing exactly as he always has, teams have got increasingly better at targeting him and our frailties with him in the side over the past 2 seasons and it is showing all too painfully, we even gave up on 433 because of him

[LEGS]

You keep saying RB converted to CM but Fabinho is clearly in this era not a RB its a very high energy position.

No point looking back its pointless life/game moves forward.

I disagree Fab has been good for us you make it sound like he is a championship level player he isnt.

[Steveo]

Without Fabinho we don't win number 6 or 19, he was the fulcrum...yet we are always told he is shite. He is having a very poor season this term no doubt, but we all know how utterly instrumental he was in our big wins. In fact he is so instrumental still - just look what happens when he is so off form.