Besiktas vs. Crystal Palace match thread

Well…I’m definitely on ‘Team Positive’ this morning.

I know it’s only one game..but we learned quite a lot….

Namely…
*Wharton works better with Kamada by his side.
*Disalli is more effective in the centre of the 3 CB - Richards was better in his usual position
* JPM is our main striker and someone who gives the team lots of confidence.
* Pino is like a different player this season, and dare I say, a key to our success.
*Benitez has been a good understudy, but having Henderson back is a huge moral boost.
* Glimpses of the old Sarr last night
* Osorio deserves more minutes - he looks a real talent

There you go, crash helmet on, ready for the inevitable slaughter…😂
No slaughter here, think you are spot on
 
I actually enjoyed watching the matchand athough besiktas made ) changes from their last match it's never such a meaningful "stat" because we don't know the preferred 11. Anyway, much beter all around. Talking of stats though, acccording the bbc they only had 10 touches inside our penalty area which is 30 less than our average this season. This suggests that something was set up much tighter. I have to say though, despite the general improvement we still conceded twice (Osario really powder-puff in his attempt at a tackle for goal 2) and if we repeat that on Sunday we will lose. I can't imagine that we will always score 2+ to compensate.
 
Well…I’m definitely on ‘Team Positive’ this morning.

I know it’s only one game..but we learned quite a lot….

Namely…
*Wharton works better with Kamada by his side.
*Disalli is more effective in the centre of the 3 CB - Richards was better in his usual position
* JPM is our main striker and someone who gives the team lots of confidence.
* Pino is like a different player this season, and dare I say, a key to our success.
*Benitez has been a good understudy, but having Henderson back is a huge moral boost.
* Glimpses of the old Sarr last night
* Osorio deserves more minutes - he looks a real talent

There you go, crash helmet on, ready for the inevitable slaughter…😂
I agree with a lot of this, and would like to think I am a cup half full merchant when I can be. Result wise the match was definitely a success. A few key players turned up and did well. We needed a performance after the weekend and we got one. Fair play to the manager and staff as well.

That said, bottom line we conceded two goals again. Two utterly avoidable goals. The first one was under 15B schoolboy stuff: defensive midfielder / defender for Besiktas on the ball, no pressure on the ball from us even though we are supposed to be pressing more this year. Ok no problem inherently in that. But the back line simply must drop in that situation. When they did not one ball over the top was all we needed to concede.

I also could not believe the individual decision making around that first goal. Beskitas were playing with one up top (Oh Hyeon-Gyu) and the likes of rotten fish head Trossard didn't look too dangerous in support. So unless their #9 makes a run wide, he is almost always Disasi's man in that situation. When Ndidi made his run from midfield which was not tracked Richards had to see what Ndidi was doing in front of him and start to track him. He didn't; it was too easy and all too avoidable. Where was the communication? Where was the leadership? Where was the recovery pace?

I can accept the team is not as good on paper as last year, especially in defence. I am struggling to accept that Richards/Disasi/Canvot/Honest are still not doing more in these sorts of situations when they need to (I accept the root issues may be further up the pitch).
 
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I actually enjoyed watching the matchand athough besiktas made ) changes from their last match it's never such a meaningful "stat" because we don't know the preferred 11. Anyway, much beter all around. Talking of stats though, acccording the bbc they only had 10 touches inside our penalty area which is 30 less than our average this season. This suggests that something was set up much tighter. I have to say though, despite the general improvement we still conceded twice (Osario really powder-puff in his attempt at a tackle for goal 2) and if we repeat that on Sunday we will lose. I can't imagine that we will always score 2+ to compensate.
I think we were clearly pressing and getting stuck in from the start, which was an obvious reaction after a good hiding. Much as I’ve not exactly been Mateta’s biggest fan after some of his lazy performances last season and then wanting out, it helped that he looked hungry and up for the fight again and he gave their defenders a rough ride, they certainly knew he was around.
 
I agree with a lot of this, and would like to think I am a cup half full merchant when I can be. Result wise the match was definitely a success. A few key players turned up and did well. We needed a performance after the weekend and we got one. Fair play to the manager and staff as well.

That said, bottom line we conceded two goals again. Two utterly avoidable goals. The first one was under 15B schoolboy stuff: defensive midfielder / defender for Besiktas on the ball, no pressure on the ball from us even though we are supposed to be pressing more this year. Ok no problem inherently in that. But the back line simply must drop in that situation. When they did not one ball over the top was all we needed to concede.

I also could not believe the individual decision making around that first goal. Beskitas were playing with one up top (Oh Hyeon-Gyu) and the likes of rotten fish head Trossard didn't look too dangerous in support. So unless their #9 makes a run wide, he is almost always Disasi's man in that situation. When Ndidi made his run from midfield which was not tracked Richards had to see what Ndidi was doing in front of him and start to track him. He didn't; it was too easy and all too avoidable. Where was the communication? Where was the leadership? Where was the recovery pace?

I can accept the team is not as good on paper as last year, especially in defence. I am struggling to accept that Richards/Disasi/Canvot/Honest are still not doing more in these sorts of situations when they need to (I accept the root issues may be further up the pitch).
Spot on. Loads of positives and I want to dwell on those… but that first goal was the most frustrating non-defending I can remember. It just made no sense and I would have been disappointed with under-11 centre backs doing that.
 

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