[sincher]

Yes, he's been decent.

Hm.

I think he is a good player but I wonder if his head is half way out the door. Ole doesn't trust him to defend obviously, he was playing as a right mid really with Bailly filling in for him at the back. I saw him having to defend about three times in the game and honestly he really lacks tenacity and seems easy to beat. He has ability though and a great cross on him.

 

[sincher]

Great win! Mata is such a nice player to have. If only he had some more pace.
I was worried about this team, but they get the job done far better than the first team.
Although the quality in the game was pretty low.

It was funny when Mata had to sprint and did actually manage to keep ahead of Burn (who is not quick obviously), but looked really relieved when Burn touched his shoulder so he could go down and have a breather and a free kick.

 

[sincher]

Bailly continues to look like our best defender. Get him in the team.

I am not completely convinced Maguire is the second best but he will have to do...

 

[Okey]

So we have 2 draws coming up tomorrow after this win? Not too often that happens. Here's to the luck of the draw(s)!

 

[sammsky1]

 

[Class of 63]

Hang on, thought our squad players were crap, it's all rather confusing ....

 

[ghagua]

Got to hand it to Bailly, apart from one brain fart when he tried to head the ball on the halfway line, missed, and let Brighton attack, he was very good. Lindelof was not bad at all either. Mata was very good today. James was, as usual, a lot of running around doing nothing. VdB was missing all game apart from that great pass to Mata.

 

[dalriada]

SAF used to use the cups properly to give lads experience and keep their motivation up using these games as a reward. He openly talked about it all the time.

I'm not sure why Ole insists on abandoning such a tradition.

If we get to the stage where we can comfortably do that, I'd be all in favour, I think in the present circumstances the priority has been (rightly) to give players minutes and have a functional squad beyond the "1st XI".

Have to say I remember Wootton and Keane against Chelsea - Jose, who always liked the League Cup, put out a strong side and the youngsters were massacred, but I guess you could call it character-forming.