Parker Pen

I do like Steve Cooper but I have come to the decision as a result of our performances over the last 4 matches that he is not the right man for us. He is the sort of bloke you want coaching your under 18s or 21s not first team! He is not a leader and doesn’t inspire the team. A good example is how at last chance saloon the players took two quick free kicks in a state of panic rather than looking to the sidelines for inspiration where a good manager will be shouting instructions. No plan! We are too passive and beige plus I feel that in the final third we aren’t creating enough opportunities as the belief is/has drained away. Plus the best chances always seem to fall to Ndidi. Fair play to him for being in those positions but do we want a more capable player in there and Nidid further back!

Man U were poor and were definitely there for the taking! Unfortunately the team don’t have any belief in how they are being asked to play. A hybrid Enzo system without ‘Enzo’ telling the team exactly what he wants or when and how to attack, press etc. Its time to phone a friend Steve! At times we played some ok stuff in midfield but failed to either play the right final pass or convert the chance - Ndidi first half one on one. Another example was the shambles of a free kick in the second half. Just why? 5 corners to their one as well and we have a specialist set piece coach and nothing created. Add into the mix you never ever get anything other than a home refereeing performance at Old Trafford so you have to show up not gift wrap a home win for the tourists to film.

I still don’t know whether we are scoring and getting our points because of him or despite him! To go from Enzo to Cooper are to polar opposites in management style and approach, this is the problem for the squad!

He played well last night, full of running and energy, wanted to get on the ball and make things happen! Took his chance very well! Considering it was our reserves against pretty much their first 11 overall he didn’t look out of place at that level!

Dreadful last night, no first touch, weak in the challenge, can’t pass or dribble! He has always been poor though even remembering back to his Bristol City days and the amount of sitters he used to miss! Terrible signing for us up there with Bertrand and Dennis Wise.

Played well last night and was unlucky not to make it 5-3! He is like that kid at school who looks electric with the ball at his feet in the playground or in 5 aside but put him in an 11 aside game and he is lost!

Good analysis. I think Cooper is definitely caught between attacking with two wingers or utilising the full backs as he has been doing as you point out he is fearful of getting caught in transition and would explain his more cautious approach to matches. I think his cavalier approach when he was at Forest in their opening 10 or so games when newly promoted plays heavily on his current decision making. It was nice to see an improvement with the set play stats you provided as well. Overall though I hope he settles for the Enzo style two winger attacking system as the season continues as we definitely have the attacking personnel to hurt teams!

Great piece as always. One thing I disagree with though is that we did deserve to be back in the game at 2-2 as the players dug in second half. The balls into space behind their full backs were where we could and should have exploited them more with willing runners. It almost worked late on as you described as Ayew blew a great opportunity late on with a dreadful first touch. At best we score or get a corner but to give them a tame goal kick allowed them to build the pressure which saw them score from the corner was criminal. I felt the substitutions were again wrong and feel like keeping Wilf further up the pitch late in the game means we can keep their midfield and back line under pressure. When he dropped alongside Winks with Skipp going off I feel we drop even deeper and Wilf gets in the way. its the hope that kills you though.

Thanks Strider I really enjoy your tactical analysis and breakdown of the matches and it does make me wonder with all the staff and analysts as their disposal why Rodgers, Enzo and Cooper get their substitutions more often than not wrong. Especially changing to a back 5 without a successful outball plan!

Gutted we didn’t get something out of the game as I felt we battled away throughout but just lacked quality in the final third and felt Villa were bang average and full of shithousery. At home I don’t feel we need a midfield 3 of Winks, Ndiidi and Skipp and would rather see one of either Facundo or Bilal start instead moving forward . Mavadidi for me has to start as does Ricardo. We were punished for the first switching off and by a fine headed goal for the second. The standard of refereeing fell far below what we were experiencing last season and the decision for the free kick that led to their first goal poor especially as Skipp received a yellow card for it. Back to talking about refs and VAR decisions rather than football.

Very frustrating that he’s decided to sulk and walk away already. He potentially has good transfer resale as he’s an International and we can replace him with someone in the Walshy or Matt Elliot mould.

I work with a Palace ST holder as well and he is gutted as well. Reckons he’s a grafter who is difficult to shake off the ball, gets stuck in and wins loads of free kicks in dangerous attacking positions.

Those twenty minutes before Bentancur’s head injury from Mads save, I felt we played some great football at times and Spurs were defensively a mess and were the team on the ropes. It’s a shame that Vardy couldn’t have stuck that chance away as it was a great move! Buonanotte looks some player. Fatawu, Winks Reid and Kristianson all put in a shift last night.

Played well I thought and grew into the game. His commitment getting forward, overlap and cross ultimately led to Fatawu sticking the ball back in for Vardyto equalise.

He is just terrible for us, the game just seems to pass him by! He can’t get goalside when tracking a runner when making a tackle and when he does he gives away a foul! Last night in the last minute that put Spurs in a good position. When he presses he he runs in too fast and sells himself everytime. He’s been a Dreadful player for us and needs binning asap!

As much as I’d take Zaha I can’t see this happening. He is a joint owner of AFC Croydon Athletic with Stormzy and will want to be around for that .

Disappointed that there weren’t any tickets today for the 550 + bracket , but If anyone can’t make this fixture then I’m looking for two tickets if possible?

Terrible News and what a genuinely nice guy who delivered both as a coach and manager for Leicester City! One of the reasons we have achieved the success in the past 10 years.

He would be a Sensible signing and a player that Cooper would maybe have coached during his England days? Hopefully pave the way to offload Soumaré.

Add in a manager not brave enough to make tough decisions before or during the match to affect the outcome! Ivan Toneys body language backs this up when being subbed on in the 88th minute again and at the end when Southgate gives him a hug!

Good honest hard working pro! He isn’t the best finisher but will put in a shift from what Ives seen of him which is what’s going to be needed!

Ignorant Tvvat!

Fraud of a player

Don’t forget that he now has value should anyone want to sign a ball playing centre half. He scored last night for Denmark a Steve Walsh style header from a corner.