Agree with all of this. The team didn't look ready for the 343 yet and as you say, the defence is completely untested. Two very young players playing key positions and seemingly out of their depth today. There are lots of issues we have seen today but no reason to lose faith that the system, manager and players won't be successful in time.

I think these ratings are spot on....especially about Puncheon, adds nothing playing that role and is often a hinderence passing behind the midfielders. Ward looked like he was well out of his depth and I struggle to remember too many goals coming from his crosses.

Thinking someone isn't a "proper fan" because circumstances force him to live hundreds or thousands of miles away and never be able physically to get to matches is pretty downright stupid. We have fans all over the world and seeing a performance like that pi**es them off whether they're in the Holmesdale or on the other side of the world. Equally, when Puncheon scored in the FA Cup Final I jumped as high in the air as any of you that were in the stadium.

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The Ferret
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Before this gets personal, a holistic, detailed(-ish) rating of the team.

First XI

Hennessey - 5
We definitely an upgrade, but no goals were his fault, and I think he's been unfairly treated in others' ratings. He flapped a bit and didn't look calm when being passed back to; not what we need for a 3-43

Riedewald - 3
Very disappointing for me, didn't make any tackles or interceptions of note. Backed off a lot of challenges and headers, two of which lead to goals. He lost possession a lot, but he had piss all to pass to in front of him.

Dann - 4
Crap, but made a couple of interceptions/tackles. he gave away possession a lot, but, again, had no one to pass to bar lumping up top.

Fosu-Mensah - 6
One of two, maybe 3, players who weren't s*** in my opinion. I thought he made a very good account of himself, and showed a lot more tactical awareness than Dann, who's almost a decade his senior. This lad will be the tits one day, and it showed today. Also, credit for that excellent tackle when Mounie(?) burst through our defence after a Scott Dann cock-up.

Ward - 2
Worst player on the pitch for me. I absolutely love this guy (and it hurts to say it), but it's time we upgrade on him; the warning signs were there last season. He doesn't have the pace or positioning to be a RWB; he also lost possession a lot through poor crossing. Credit for the great tackle when a Huddersfield player got through, though; shows his commitment and why I love the guy.

van Aanholt - 4
Was pretty anonymous throughout the whole game, so don't really have much else to say. I suppose one positive is that I don't remember Huddersfield exploiting that flank a lot. Marked down for the atrocious set pieces - honestly, why the f*** was he taking them...?

Puncheon - 2
Not the worst player on the pitch, because Ward was so terrible. I've said we've needed an upgrade since the beginning of last season. Love the guy to bits, and I do not doubt his captaincy credentials, but he does not have the technical ability anymore for the 1st XI. Lost possession so much and gave zero options for the back 3 to pass to. Admittedly, this is not his position, as he is an attacking midfielder; he never has, or will be, a deep lying playmaker.

Milivojevic - 3
Didn't get stuck in like his normally does, gave away the ball so much and just lumped it up a lot. I don't think de Boer is playing him to his strengths, as I believe he's more of a 'I'm the player, get past me', rather than an N'Golo Kante type DM that de Boer wants.

Zaha - 4
He was very selfish at times today, and, given the performance of the whole team, I don't blame him. However, he didn't even try to link up with Benteke, and when the cross was needed, it wasn't going to the right place - he needed to bring his head up a touch to see where the players in the box are.

Loftus-Cheek - 7
For me, he was our best player - he was quick, powerful and on it. He linked up well with everyone, successfully took on the opposition and provided us with options. I have no clue why Chelsea have let him go on a season long loan, because he is quality and will be an England regular one day.

Benteke - 4
He was very, very, very isolated up top. To be fair, he won most of his aerial duels, but there was no one to pick up that second ball, and we were playing into Huddersfield's hands. Arguably could've done better with his opportunities, but going by shot statistics, that would've been a very good conversion. No one linked up, and he ended up dropping very deep at times.

Subs

Townsend - 6
Worked hard, got in and around the Huddersfield players, which we hadn't done all game. I have absolutely no idea why he didn't start the game; he's one of our best players, both technically and work ethic-wise. He did himself proud today.

Tomkins - 5
To me, this was a very bizarre subsitution, and this rang more alarm bells for me than any other point of the game. Why bring on a defender when we're 2-0 down against a team holding back and looking for the counter? To me, that smacks of a lack of a 'plan B option', which was my main concern about de Boer in the first place. Don't really remember anything he did, so it'd be harsh to slate him. I think he's our most technically gifted CB, and I don't know why de Boer didn't start him.

I tried to give a balanced rating for each player, and I think a lot of it is down to confusion of the system. However, it is clear we are a long, long way off making this system work. I think the question is not whether if we can make it work, but rather how long will it take.

Edited by Dan1994 (13 Aug 2017 1.32am)

[Link]

Just watched the motd lowlights....What's happened to Dann he's desperate.

I responding to fans who criticised me for leaving after Huddersfield scored the 3rd. When he doesn't even go. Simples.

Another Damien Diagonal - Total Football