Seems that a lot of transfer deals are paid in instalments so we might sign a player for 3.6m and pay 1.2m for 3 years.
If you’re right (and I have every reason to think you’re bang on the money with your calculations), then maybe the rumour about getting Cresswell might have some legs after all! Perhaps when Joe said that we shouldn’t expect much in the way of deals this month, he was using that as a smokescreen so as not to show our hand with other clubs as to who we are after?
I bet you can look at every goal scored and blame someone, it happens. If every defender was perfect every game would be 0-0. Now wouldn’t that be fun. Mistakes and bad defending equals goals. No player is %100 perfect.
Thanks for your take on this Purley. Couldn't get to the game on Saturday so watched via stream instead so didn't have a full view of the pitch and what was happening formation-wise. From what I could see, it seemed that it was an aggressive press for the first 30 minutes which won the ball back in some promising positions. As we appeared to tire then it seemed the gap between Honeyman and Mitchell increased and the back 3 dropped a bit deeper giving space for Middlesbrough to run into. As you point out, one pass bypassed the press and we didn't pick up their runners.Their first goal was down to applying a high-press with 5 players pressuring them in their final third, them threading a pass through and the back 5 not picking up as they broke.
The high-press is what made us look so good in the first 20 minutes but was then our downfall
As the squad further accustom themselves to JE’s style of play hopefully these type of mistakes will become fewer
Not sure it was just Billy to blame. Bryan didn't look to see what was going on behind him and no one went with their runner who crossed the ball or looked to challenge until Wes ambled across. A poor goal to concede that seemed to knock the confidence.Watch the highlights again and see Billy leave the runner (again) who gets to the byline and lays it back!
I’ve posted elsewhere that our high press failing to work was what exposed us and the back 5 were all over the shop but if Billy had tracked back correctly I don’t think they would have scored.
I see Middlesbrough’s first and third down to Harding, billy obviously caught out upfield. 3rd Cuffey and Harding both undecided. First Harding should have picked up runner who crossed. Communication breakdown. Harsh on Billy he’s a midfielder not a defender. Sometimes not easy to bust a gut going forward then the same back. Always easier to sprint to score rather than sprint to help stop one. Just my opinion.I’ve posted elsewhere that our high press failing to work was what exposed us and the back 5 were all over the shop but if Billy had tracked back correctly I don’t think they would have scored.
In fairness to Bryan he’s obviously been told to get forward, that’s how his goal came about, so those behind have to organise themselves to cover.
With regards to Billy, his inability to pick up, or worse still leave, runners is a major weakness that costs us time and time again.
He left his man for Middlesbrough’s first; look at Leicester’s first 2 where he’s floundering and for the Watford added time equaliser he picks up and tracks a runner from out wide, the runner lays the ball off, Billy stops, the unmarked runner continues, receives a return wide left, crosses unchallenged for the striker to head home
I first spotted this weakness away to Fulham a couple of seasons back and either Billy isn’t aware of it or simply cannot correct it
People moan about the tourists but with the extra few thousand who seem to turn up for most games, that extra wedge could keep us within our FFP budget and still allow us to make this signing.
Can’t see how the first is down to Harding
. The “runner” was Greenwood (a midfielder and, IMO, the best player on the pitch on Saturday). I expect midfielders to pick up midfielders not CDsThey should do but unfortunately, not yet. Won't be considered until we file the accounts for this year (23/24).
Well I have to stress the adage “we attack as a TEAM and defend as a TEAM. No excuse for Billy or anyone else!
