Richmondfox

More of a worry is the players who can’t seem to get the ball up the pitch quickly to get our wingers in space. We need to drive forward like KDH would and bring them into play rather than him and Fatawu having to try and work everything themselves.

He’s receiving the ball too low down the pitch. When he does get in a good position he doesn’t help himself by slowing down to then try take everyone on.

Soumare fair play, but why every game.

Soumare to offer even less of a press in midfield than Ndidi.

It’s like he’s trying to create a show reel of defenders he’s skinned.

The wingers need to be picking up the ball in space rather than collecting it and trying to skin 4 players

Ndidi floating around as usual attempting no press. Even was even kind enough to stop marking the Ipswich player on the edge of the box so he could get a shot in.

Hopefully they haven’t been given the Cooper ball tactics of completely forgetting about the right hand side and shift to the centre.

I think Okoli’s long start of attack passes out the back to the middle have been pretty poor. He seems tidier when he gives it to Winks quickly. He does hesitate a bit too much with the ball at his feet but he’s also young and gaining more experience. As long as he learns from his mistakes.

Fawanews

Salt and shake crisps without the salt packet.

Waiting for HR and security to come and collect him.

But he’s a nice guy.

This game could go either way but what’s guaranteed is a Justin mistake.

It feels like his defensive plan is to mop up attacks rather than attempting to stop them higher up the pitch. We have no bite in midfield since we lost KDH.

If this set up was from the start of the season rather than 1/4 of the way, they would be gelled and drilled in by now. Last night was what the tail end of pre season should’ve been. Justin making his weekly mistake to cost us a goal. I thought a major weakness was when Okoli was playing out of the back, it should be Winks controlling the start of attacks. Individual mistakes cost us. There was some good tight first time passing but too much of the creative output is being put on the shoulders of two young lads. Hopefully Cooper won’t use this as an excuse to roll back to his turgid scrapping for 90 mins, no attack = more defence, players out of position and no right side.

You can almost excuse Bounatte for trying to dribble out because of the type of player he is and inexperience. Justin shouldn’t have any excuses as a senior pro, slicing the shot rather than just booting it cleanly should be his basics. It doesn’t matter where you put him, his mistakes always cost us.

It doesn’t matter the style of play, JJ has proven he will still cost us a goal.

I’m sure this set up would be looking better if it hadn’t taken 9 games to attempt it.

And Justin, that would reduce a goal conceded per game.

The problem with this, as the first half highlighted is that then we have no right wing and two players getting in the way of each other. Just play the better players in their best position from the start. Coopers formation is what doesn’t work and then the player selection is second. Players like Mav and Fatawu can frustrate the opposition, Soton had about 4 players on yellows in the first half. Cooper isn’t playing some 4d chess that no other manager can see. He leaves our right side open and unprotected.

It doesn’t help that Cooper sets the play to push to the left. Faes is always pushed over, JJ tucked in watching and Facundo playing a free roll. So much better with two players in roles they are stronger in. Soton were also down to 10 men so we got more freedom. JJ is always out of position but he doesn’t seem to know where or when to go. For the first goal he watched the winger open and just back tracked marking no one. For the second he got bullied and didn’t even seem to apply any pressure. In the second half he got bullied constantly by the teenage lad and then they switched Walker Peters to that side as he is a clear weakness.

It was great watching him play, so much energy. Itt could be even better with Ricardo offering support.

Mav and Fatawu need to play to push each other as well. Having a right wing and not shifting the whole team to the left helped, who would’ve thought. JJ was still poor on the left, got bullied a few times by that teenager.

I’ll take the goal and pleased for him but he nearly gave away a pen and several fouls. As long as he’s not keeping Fatawu or Fac out of the starting line up.