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Good Week/Bad Week

Krafty

Well-Known Member
May 26, 2004
4,768
2,099
Good Week

Gylfi Sigurdsson

Another strike for the on form Icelander. While he is not a typical winger, he is producing the goods with intelligent movement off the ball and some very cool finishing. After struggling at times last season, it’s a good job he stuck around.

Bongani Khumalo

While it is still difficult to understand why we signed the then South African captain, but he is getting regular games on loan at a Doncaster side that is on a little winning run at the moment.

Jake Livermore

Along with ex-Spur Tommy Hudd, Jake is earning some good reviews on loan at a Hull side who are surprising a few peeps.

Emmanuel Adebayor

Back swimming in the adults pool.

Bad Week

Andre Villas-Boas

He’ll probably feel that Saturday was a missed opportunity, and it was his/our inability to deal with Chelsea’s half time changes that made the game one literally of two halves. While there are plenty he could have done, who knows if it would have worked, but I bet AVB went to bed ruing in his indecision.

Erik Lamela

Record signing, spent 90 minutes on bench and saw Nacer Chadli come on instead of him.

Nacer Chadli and Roberto Soldado

Put these two together because there are a few question marks about what they are bringing to the team. Of course, it is far too early to judge them, and Soldado showed some impression hold up play against much bigger defenders in the first half but was totally anonymous in the second, while Chadli doesn't have the pace and dribbling intentions of Townsend, nor the eye for goal of Sigurdsson. Not saying they aren’t good enough, but I only had the Chelsea game to consider this week, what more do you want???
 

spud

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2003
5,850
8,794
Thanks, as always, Krafty. I can't help thinking that you're barrel-scraping with the 'bad week' nominees this week: are you forgetting that Chadli came on and scored against Villa?. No bad thing, I suppose, if somebody being on the bench and not playing is the most that we have to moan about.
 

Montasura

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2008
7,256
6,768
Bad week for Tom Carroll who appears to be getting panned for his appearances so far in the championship.
 

jolsnogross

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2005
3,730
5,431
The sea change between halves was the most interesting aspect of the game and a little surprising that AVB didn't respond to it effectively. He's usually much bolder in altering the game pattern. So it's fair that he falls into Krafty's bad week column.

Jose screwed up at the outset by playing a central midfielder on the wing and playing longish to Torres. But Mata coming on and Ramires reverting back to the centre turned the game for them. Surely the game-change back to us was to get Sandro on and give Paulinho more freedom once we'd re-exerted control.

But, I'll admit it's much easier to say with hindsight and taking Eriksen off for Sandro would normally incur my derision against too negative a move. But still, the dramatic turnaround of momentum to Chelsea was so substantial that you'd have to wonder why AVB didn't alter the system, rather than just players, to get a grip back on proceedings.
 

Dr.Givengo

Member
Feb 2, 2009
67
45
I was very disappointed Lamela was overlooked for Chadli. Yes the Belgian scored against Villa( in a game that was already won) but Lamela is the clubs all time record signing. Shouldn't he be the man you would put on to change the tide? He's been playing better and better chipping in with a couple of stunning assist passes. I love AVB but I can't understand that move.
 

doom

Well-Known Member
Dec 13, 2003
2,368
1,338
wouldn't include Soldado, did as well as Siggy with his assist he just needed someone to give him the ball in the second half.
 

Durbs

Active Member
Sep 9, 2003
470
193
About Lamela not coming on - he has been used in the premier league matches in the last 5 -10 minutes which has normally proved ineffective. It is hard for any player to adapt for 5 minutes at the end of a game beside maybe a striker who either is also ineffective or becomes a super sub managing to score when coming on.
Lamela will play again on Thursday and I think AVB will keep an eye for when he is ready to start matches in the league. I know a lot of money whom i am saying is not ready yet but will turn out more fruitful this way. I'm sure if you can play in the Argentina team, you will make it in the BPL.
We have a long season ahead and plenty of playing time for Lamela to make his mark this season.
 

2bearis2do

Well-Known Member
Apr 22, 2006
3,820
2,317
Lamela - is a real talent - he rarely wastes the ball. With time I think he'll be superb - he needs a little more confidence and game time...as did err what was that Welshman's name once upon a time?
 

Jonesey

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2004
695
391
I'd add Jermain Defoe to 'Bad Week' - after scoring another two in the cup and then getting dropped in favour of a striker who still hasn't scored in open play.

We just don't seem to play the type of game that gets the best out of Soldado at the moment. I've never been Defoe's biggest fan but I really think we might have scored again in that second half against Chelsea if he - and perhaps Lamela - had been brought on to inject some speed going forward.

Chelsea were really good - but we were so damn slow getting the ball forward when we did manage to get hold of it.
 
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