Douglas Higginbottom wrote:So much disappointment last night with the inevitable reaction. Did Pep get it wrong? Well we are out so he must have but is that first half all down to Pep or is much of it down to the players completely bottling it and failing to play?
I would have had Yaya in for certain and played him in a deep role next to Fern. Yaya has been excellent this season and KDB is off form at the mo so it wasn't a difficult decision imo. What actually happened though is baffling as basically everyone in front of the back 5 had a total mare. Silva and KDB couldnt pass a ball!
I would have hoped Pep would have changed things before half time but it was 2 nil anyway quite quickly and I was just glad it wasn't more at half time. the change came and we were miles better and should have won with the chances we created but then the sucker punch with the free kick goal.
I hear all about the crazy high line being disastrous for the free kicks but have we conceded from one before last night? Maybe it works and that was the exception?
Give us Bonucci, Chelini, Ramos, even Pepe, the two at Spurs deal with that cross all day, we do not concede half the goals we do. The header last night he ends up in A&E with them around. 3 small fullbacks in B4 anything can happen and it did. Pep turned Mascherano into a world class defender, we have decent players not top draw,when it comes on top the defensive side falls apart, Hey and Sergio missed sitters again.