Just back (please use this thread)

[IrishRanger]

Right posititves:

Park controlled the midfield in the first half and we looked very good going forward
Hoilett looked dangerous, as did Taarabt
Fabio came forward and got back very quickly

Negatives:

Diakite looked a shadow of the player of last season
Cisse was isolated, and they overran him
Mackie looked good for 10-15 mins and then fell away
Green had a shocker ( Not saying he's sh1t but he was poor today)
Hughes waited too long to change anything and when he did he got it wrong taking off hill.
Onouha made 2 very poor mistakes
We missed a commanding Centre Back today


Overall, a very bad day at the office. It is the first day of the season and there is a very long way to go, however it was poor. I hope it was a freak result and we improve next week.

Discuss.

[pauldrayton]

Agree about Park, Hoilett and Fabio. Diakite will improve - he hasn't played much in pre-season and we know what a good player he is.

Mackie is not and never has been a Premier League winger, Cisse needs support and the central defence issue needs addressing urgently. Fans have been saying it for ages.

[QprSinceBirth]

Personally I actually think taraabts role was to be just behind cisse. But taraabt got it wrong.

[WindsorR]

The system was wrong, Taarabt cannot play in that role because he is too selfish and would rather nutmeg someone that assist a goal. Cisse was isolated, but Hoilett looked very good. It has to be 4 4 2 next game.

[suttonranger]

Who booted the ball from right back to centre midfield for their 4 or 5th goal? Ned or samba?

[SuperHoopNik]

We missed Faurlin today. We missed his passing and his ability to control the tempo of the game. We were just rushing forward with our attackers going for goal but leaving the midfield and the defence exposed.

[Gerryhatrick]

The game stats suggest it really was a freak result. Every time they had a shot on goal they scored, 5 out of 6. However we had about 10 shots on target with nothing to show for it. Possession was equal, and no-one watching that game would say we were second best, we deserved a draw at least.

So yes, it was a freak result, still can't believe the scoreline, just incredible. 1-1 was fair

[bmthranger]

4-5-1... MH got it wrong, cisse needed someone up there with him, their defenders had so much time, if AJ had been up front with cisse maybe the outcome may have been different, Taarabt for me was a waste of space..4-4-2 please mr Hughes..