Three defeats in a row and no goal scored in the last two.

I thought we were ok in the first half against Chelsea and insipid after the break. Tiredness may have played a part but considering that Chelsea got to the final of the League Cup and have been playing European football as well, it's not really an excuse.

However, I thought the first half last night was one of our poorest all season. The complete lack of energy and ideas compared to ASM, Joelinton and so on was stark. We had Zaha, Olise, Gallagher and Edouard which, for me, isn't too far off my first choice attack.

Maybe I'm being harsh and it's just an inevitable dip in form after a good run of results but it feels a bit like the players have checked out which, considering we could still finish anywhere between 9th and 16th and there's a couple of million for each place higher you finish, is frustrating.

Thoughts?

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold...

Its important we dont get into that mindset as its normally still there at the start of the next season . Likewise a good finnish normally equates to a good start .

And we still need a striker

surely Laziness is a sackable offence ?

remember Mesut Ozil, walking after the ball when a breakaway has just started.

Eze Peasy at Anfield....

I had heard that Forssell worked so hard on the training ground and it was difficult to get him off it.
I recall him as a player with quick feet who was very strong and had the ability to score with both feet.
The poor lad was blighted with injuries a few yeas after he left our club.

Edited by Willo (21 Apr 2022 10.14am)

So Brighton have returned from their beach have they? Teams against us are allowed to score and beat us, so what if it's three in a row, we sound a little bit like we should be in the top six.

Edited by Tickled pink (21 Apr 2022 10.24am)

I think it's clear that Mitchell is still not quite fit following his injury against Leicester and should probably not have played last night to give him a rest. Olise was probably rushed back too quickly and Edouard looked like JPM when he first came back into the team, having not played for ages.

It's also not hard to understand that following the hugely disappointing loss in the semi, for a group of younger players, to then have to travel to the other end of the country 3 days later for amatch against the team that since January has recorded the second most points in the league was never going to be easy.

Had last nights game been played with a couple more days rest, I think we would have seen a completely different side from us.

I don't think Viera is the type of person who would allow the players to switch off and I think we just lost to 3 good teams under difficult circumstances. Leicester with one eye on the cup match and then no real recovery time after Chelsea match.

At least we now have a longer break before Leeds on Monday.