cityfanlee23

Definitely needs confidence and an attacking squad. He looks like a front foot player and not someone who is going to create a moment of magic, rather be in a position to finish that moment of magic, based on our performances so far I'm holding judgement since whenever he's come on we've really lacked any sort of creative flair and have tended to be on the back foot. I'd prefer we start him and bring Vardy on late than the other way around. The weekend was a perfect example, Vardy ran about for a bit, wasted a massive chance, and benefitted from us somewhat having a go, by the time Edouard was brought on we had 15 mins left and were pinned in our own box. If we continue to use him this way, not much will change.

I think our squad is marginally better now than last season. Edouard has had a poor start but I think he is better than Daka if given a run, Buoanotte and El Khab fill a huge void we had last season, Skipp is better than Winks IMO, and it's really early to call, but the last 3-4 games I think Okoli might just be better than Vestergaard in this league, he's stronger, faster, more agile and his passing is really solid, maybe not at Vesty's level yet, but I'm comfortable with him at CB. Losing KDH after the season he had last year was obviously a blow, I still don't think he could do what he did last season in terms of his role at this level as he only has 1 foot, I'm not sure if he's been injured, but if he's not got a knock, he's already been dropped, someone can correct me on that. He's played 46 mins in the prem and has been dropped from the match day squad in 3 matches, I don't think him and Skipp are too far from each other in terms of ability.

Yep, an international break right in the middle of the 4 week F1 break, I might have to actually talk to people.

Even first half with both sides looking lacklustre in attack and cancelling each other out. 2nd half we reverted to type. Justin and Kristiansen are defensively fragile and almost cost us multiple times, and offensively they don't really overlap or cut in, they both just sort of get stuck in no mans land. Justin had a good return recently offensively with goals and assists, but I'd much prefer Ricardo there for both the defensive stability and the transition on the counterattack. Drop Kristiansen and play Justin on the left. In the 2nd half Skipp and Ndidi both played so deep they were almost CB's and every time we got the ball and drove it forward neither of them offered support, leading to us losing the ball and once again inviting pressure. 2nd half was not good at all from us, but overall I felt like small tweaks would have given us a lot more comfort rather than needing wholesale changes. Stonewall penalty not given, and Vardy struggled badly today, should have scored. Very frustrated by the lack of subs between 60-80 when many players looked completely out on their feet. Okoli, Mads and Faes were exceptional today, Ndidi made some really good tackles, and Buoanotte was fantastic. Today was one of those games where I'm not really sure how harsh to be on Cooper because he clearly put us at unnecessary risk with his lack of subs, and the fact he was happy to allow us to invite massive pressure and have 2 of our midfielders parked in our box whilst inviting Bournemouth back in over and over. Take the 3 points, but this really did feel like another game that delays the inevitable, especially with how simple some of the solutions appeared to me at least. We now go into 3 massive games on a high, and we have to play on the front foot.

Might sound like a strange thing to say right now, but if Cooper does go, I'd go all out for Iraola. He's one of the brightest young managers in Europe IMO.

I think Edouard is a striker who needs to be playing around the oppositions box, not something he is going to get here.

We really did decline in the 2nd half. Thankfully our CB's/Keeper have bailed us out.

Faes and Okoli have been fantastic, Hermansen made key saves, Ayew worked his socks off today.

He's really come good the last few games. He does have that odd moment where he takes a trampoline touch or makes a dodgy pass, but it's a huge step up in pace from Italy to the Prem, overall I think he's proven many of us wrong based on his performances relative to pre season, him and Faes have had a great game today.

I think we've been okay today, stone wall penalty disallowed, absolutely howling attempt by Vardy when 1vs1, could easily have 3 goals today. But again we just look like we want to throw it away by inviting pressure and not making subs that are desperately needed. Both our CMS are parked on our 18 yard line when we are out of possession, no wonder we can't get the ball out of our half, these subs needed to be made 15 mins ago.

From what I can see our main issues are Full backs and CM's, Kristiansen and Justin get consistently beat/lose their man in defence, and the midfield 2 of Skipp and Ndidi offer basically nothing on the counter because they are basically parked on our 18 yard line, so Facundo burst forward and has no option but to turn around or try to get a foul as he has no passing options around him. Ricardo NEEDS to play, Chuck Justin at LB, Drop Kristiansen and play Fatawu on the Right. One of either Skipp or Ndidi need to focus on dropping back to help the defence, and the other has to be a box to box player who can help Buoanotte out.

Skipp and Ndidi are offering absolutely zero support to Facundo there. He comes out of defence, looks around him and has absolutely no options, both Skipp and Ndidi are jogging out of our own box by the time he gets tackled 20 yards ahead of them. Justin and Kristiansen are also massive issues defensively and in transition.

Vardy looked dead on his feet there.

Happy to give you Ricardo, but Winks played the vast majority of his passes sideways and backwards which Skipp is perfectly capable of. And Okoli is far more mobile on the ball than Vesty and often puts in long-range passes through the midfield. Skipp is an upgrade on winks, Okoli is far more athletic and maybe only slightly worse in passing. This is an entirely different level, players like Vesty and Winks would not have the freedom to make 25 passes in one phase at this level, we look very poor when trying to play it out.

This isn't a "dig" at fans as such but I just can't see how many of our fans think this team would be able to play possession football if Enzo had stayed at this level with a net spend of £50m on players. Pretty much every time we play out from the back we look shakey, different ways of approaching playing out of the back obviously, but I just can't see how we would have achieved it without being a defensive bombshell, we need to play to suit our squad and passing it around deep inside of our own half under pressure is causing us big issues.

First half was quite even, Bournemouth edged it early, we edged it late. 2nd half we've started half asleep.

Okoli is playing so well today

Really good play under pressure there, fantastic goal if Vards finishes that

Have to say, I really like Okoli, was very shakey during pre season, but last few games he's looked really strong, athletic and has been the better CB of the 2.

Need a GIF/Replay posted of the hand ball, looked absolutely blatant for me.

Ayew seems to have a free role across the attack, he's played LW, Central and now RW

Both teams have been lacklustre in the final 3rd really, Bournemouth made the better start but we've defended quite well overall.

It's very likely why Cooper doesn't want to play Fatawu on that flank with him, Fatawu and Justin can barely defend between them at times.

WELL DONE STEVE COOPER FOR THAT POSITIVE CHANGE TO MIDFIELD.

Yep, if he played Fatawu they would then move on to hammering him for Ricardo, if he played Ricardo they would then hammer him for not playing Vesty, if he then played them and we drew the game they would hammer him for whatever else they could think of. Cooper has massively disappointed me so far, but as you say, in some fans eyes he cannot do anything right. I won't get political on this thread, but it reminds me of someone I spoke to recently, who was calling Keir Starmer all sorts of names after he announced a government policy to house all veterans, he was genuinely angry because Keir Starmer didn't announce it on day 1. That was what he was angry about, that it took 2 months to announce a policy he agrees with. Madness.