[Droitwich Baggie]

Only one player came out of that game with anything and that was SJ.

[tommcneill]

Thought there was some good passages of play again. But no doubt there will be the ‘it was hoofball all game’ posts.

Came down to calamitous decisions by players who let runners go and didn’t track them.

Couple of changes to that side. Pereira and Yokuslu and we start to be more competitive.

Desperate for full backs though.

[richjonawba]

Only one player came out of that game with anything and that was SJ.

For doing what exactly?

[baggie82]

How did Grant do today?

Solid performance at left back, very expensive left back as well at £16m.

[kc56wba]

I didnt see the game so did we have any shots on goal?

[baggie82]

I didnt see the game so did we have any shots on goal?

Diagne near half time against the run of play was close. Nothing else except for a couple of offside attacks. We had very little possession and played to contain them.

[Droitwich Baggie]

For doing what exactly?

A good one handed save and basically doing what is asked of all goalkeepers and stayed alert.

[LiamTheBaggie]

No issues with the team selection aside from the decision to drop Pereira. He demonstrated in his ten minute cameo that he is by far our best player.

I don’t agree with the overall set up though - defensively resilient in the first hal but where has it got us? Another defeat against our name in a rather limp display. The game plan went out the window five minutes after half time and before we know it it’s game over.

As for the first goal - Peltier has already covered for Ajayi. All Ajayi needed to do was see out the passage of play and then reorganise. He tries to swap position with Peltier, creates the space for Kane and its 1-0. At one point he’s actually stood behind Peltier. Just a lack of awareness and dare I say intelligence

[wodenson46]

He was offside all game. I thought Horsfield had returned. 

  \
Except for the twice he scored when he was fouled, but perhaps not by todays little girl shirt pull standards. The horse got goals as well 

[Droitwich Baggie]

SA got one thing right. He didn't play Livermore.

[Baggies]

How did Grant do today?

I thought he worked hard, but the problem with wide forwards in our current team is that they spend that little time actually attacking, they end up just playing as a traditional winger, which isn't actually their best position.

[baggie82]

SA got one thing right. He didn't play Livermore.

Agree with that and then ruined it by dropping Pereira!

[hardtobeat]

That team and use of subs never gave us a chance of winning. Feel very sorry for Diangne and Grant who probably never envisaged he’d have to play left wing back !
If Perriera is going to play as a number 10 it’s difficult to see how Gallagher fits in the team . Have a feeling Snodgrass is a bit of a con artist and could turn out to be the Phelan/ Townsend of today !

[Atomic]

SA got one thing right. He didn't play Livermore.

Yeah but he completely cancelled that decision out by playing Sawyers.

[DevonInStripes]

How anyone thinks Grant plays as a traditional winger is beyond me , he really isn’t that good either in that role or as a striker .His record this season 1 goal and no assists !  Admittedly did his defensive duties today but shouldn’t be anywhere the starting line up .

[gazberg]

Sam got it very wrong today. 2 inexcuseable decisions involving Sawyers and Pereira

Picked our very own sleeping beauty at DCM again when he didnt need too. Sadly for us Sawyers performances there are a regular nightmare not a Disney dream. I've said hes a liability for months and months now but he's a monster magnet for defensive disasters.

Left Pereira out. Insane. Looked much better for the  last 11 minutes he was on and injury time.

Diagne is what we were told he is. Looks out of the game for most of it but very dangerous in the area. Just needs to stay onside more.

All our fullbacks are rubbish. Karlan Grant looks like he could do well there.

Okay put himself about in his appearance but won some headers and got some tackles in, some unfairly too.  Must play from the start for me.

Ajayi not a disaster today.

Dont pick Sawyers and likely get a point.

[boinging_along]

How did Grant do today?

Spent his time as Left Wing Back.

[seteefeet]

That team and use of subs never gave us a chance of winning. Feel very sorry for Diangne and Grant who probably never envisaged he’d have to play left wing back !
If Perriera is going to play as a number 10 it’s difficult to see how Gallagher fits in the team . Have a feeling Snodgrass is a bit of a con artist and could turn out to be the Phelan/ Townsend of today !

Agree with all of that. Snodgrass poor today although did put a couple of good balls in. Gallagher seems to be our main outlet but appears to be under instruction to buy a foul.
We need to go a bit gung ho for me, get our best attacking players on the ball and get up the pitch.
Pereira, Diangana and Diagne are the only ones with the ability to turn defence into attack. The likes of Livermore, Sawyers, Snodgrass, Phillips are just too slow, lazy or just plain poor.
Snodgrass probably the pick of those but needs quicker more skilful players around him.
Won't happen under Allardyce though, we'll be watching Dad's army till May.

[boinging_along]

Thought first 5-10 mins we seemed to have a bit of intent and then we dropped back.  Last 10 mins once the game was safe Spurs sat back letting us push on and having Pierera on the pitch more.

Not sure where the "nice passages of play" were?  For 70 mins our only attacks came from winning free kicks on our half and hoofing it forward.

[LiamTheBaggie]

Thought first 5-10 mins we seemed to have a bit of intent and then we dropped back.  Last 10 mins once the game was safe Spurs sat back letting us push on and having Pierera on the pitch more.

Not sure where the "nice passages of play" were?  For 70 mins our only attacks came from winning free kicks on our half and hoofing it forward.

This is the premier league - I’d expect all teams to be able to put together some nice passages of play. Our set up is not conducive to this team getting results.

These passages of play offer no solace at all to me.

Another game down, another defeat, another limp effort.

[gazberg]

Back to weekly games for us now with no cups left. Need MASSIVE improvements now.

[colinmax]

It is not the fault of Sawyers that he is picked but his lack of commitment for both of their goals showed why he shouldn't be picked.
When we were losing  why didn't we make substitutions and go all out for goals because our goal difference won't influence our final position.

[wodenson46]

Wrong selection. Wrong tactics. Subs too late. Some tried, but had to to play with Sams shackles on. Not even any good defensively. Kane should have had a hat trick, only his own inept form prevented it, nothing to do with any defensive efforts. Where was the pace we seemed to have going forward at one time (even against the dingles) prior to Allardyce's selections. Where were the ideas and bit of creativity we once had. Very little space created, except for the opposition due to poor defensive positions, nothing passed quickly or to give a  Baggies player a decent chance of reaching it. Just a struggle and awful to watch until MP came on to give some of what we need but also to show we need another one like him he cannot do it alone. So ****** off with this even though I should not have expected more.

[tommcneill]

Thought first 5-10 mins we seemed to have a bit of intent and then we dropped back.  Last 10 mins once the game was safe Spurs sat back letting us push on and having Pierera on the pitch more.

Not sure where the "nice passages of play" were?  For 70 mins our only attacks came from winning free kicks on our half and hoofing it forward.

Well I saw them. I saw a quite a few to be fair.

I didn’t see a game of hoofball either

[Plastic Paddy]

Another game where individual decisions / mistakes have cost us. 1st goal Sawyers is watching Kane and does nothing! 2nd Goal is a catalogue of mistakes. Gallagher does very well initially to win a free kick, but rather that wait until we load the box, he takes the free kick quickly and we lose possession. Spurs break and EVERY other team in the PL would commit a 'tactical foul' and take card for the team but Bartley lets the break continue and we are in trouble from that moment.

Team Selection was obviously wrong from the start. Sawyers isn't (and never was) a DM and have no idea why Sam started him again. Pereira is our best / only creative spark and simply has to start every game.

On the plus side, Diagne looks like he can finish if we can create him enough chances (and he can stay onside!). I though AMN did ok and rarely (if at all) gave the ball away. Yokuslu was only on for about 15mins but showed that he isn't afraid to put a foot. Pity these players didn't arrive at the start of January and we may have had a chance to stay up!