MATCHWATCH : Bournemouth (h)

[CountryRoyal]

50 / 50. Joao can't break contact. If he stays the gap isn't big enough even with Semedo being a wimp.

How can anyone blame Semedo got that? Joao for so far out of the way you’d think he planned it with Bournemouth.

Because he turned side on and opened the hole wide rather than stayed facing and strong.

Apologies, didn’t clock this at the time. Having watched the replays yep absolutely spot on

Definitely equally at fault. You can tell the types of players - Was it Laurent on the left? And Morro - didn’t flinch, Semedo and Lucas... well the left said the better.

Ultimately it’s piss poor and I bet they will get heaps of abuse from the lads haha. Annoying as it’s cost us a place - fantastic to see the reaction of Morrison and Rafael.

[RoyalBlue]

How can anyone blame Semedo got that? Joao for so far out of the way you’d think he planned it with Bournemouth.

Because he turned side on and opened the hole wide rather than stayed facing and strong.

Apologies, didn’t clock this at the time. Having watched the replays yep absolutely spot on

Definitely equally at fault. You can tell the types of players - Was it Laurent on the left? And Morro - didn’t flinch, Semedo and Lucas... well the left said the better.

Ultimately it’s piss poor and I bet they will get heaps of abuse from the lads haha. Annoying as it’s cost us a place - fantastic to see the reaction of Morrison and Rafael.

Aluko and Rinomhota were clearly less than impressed too!

[RoyalBlue]

Aluko was excellent in his brief spell on the pitch.

Olise was not on his game.

Joao’s attitude much better, and another fantastic goal. He just wrong foots defenders to create space to shoot with such ease.

McIntyre just gets better every week. He could very well be in Scotland’s squad in the Euros.

Spot on about Aluko. Really sharp. JLow always marks him down and only gave him a 5. He was a good 7.
Would love to see TMac in the Scotland squad. He really is turning into some centre back.

Yes, bizarrely Jonathan Low criticised Aluko for some 'silly fouls'. From what I saw, some were clever fouls, breaking up their play and momentum in non-dangerous areas. He also 'won' some fouls for us, defended well, produced a couple of good passes to set up counters and had them frightened when he broke forward with pace.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Yes, Aluko was brilliant in his cameo last night.

(An opinion that won’t fit into everybody's agenda here, obvs).

[Crowbar6753]

The Riquelme question is very fair imo. Hes played 100 odd minutes? He could easily have featured heavily for us so far this season.

But I'm not upset. Aluko has done well and we are finally getting some value from him.

This looks a bit like the Richards scenario, do you go with the bigger team (Bayern) and hope to break through and get more money or do you stay or go to a smaller team (Reading) where you will almost be gaurenteed game time but less money!!

Riquelme clearly chose what he thought was the better team and the better financial payout i guess.

Clearly it looks like he made the wrong decision, lets hope Richards see's sense as well and gives us a few more years.

[Snowflake Royal]

Everybody played their part. Don't think anyone put in less than a seven, no matter what the mad old windbag Spizz will insinuate.

Hard to pick any standouts in a very good team performance, but Laurent, McIntyre, Rino and Swift were fantastic, with Swift just fading out a little towards the end.

Joao was Joao.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Don’t be so precious Ian

It WAS a (perfectly justified) generalisation here.

Now run along runt.

[bloody Volvo driver]

The Riquelme question is very fair imo. Hes played 100 odd minutes? He could easily have featured heavily for us so far this season.

But I'm not upset. Aluko has done well and we are finally getting some value from him.

This looks a bit like the Richards scenario, do you go with the bigger team (Bayern) and hope to break through and get more money or do you stay or go to a smaller team (Reading) where you will almost be gaurenteed game time but less money!!

Riquelme clearly chose what he thought was the better team and the better financial payout i guess.

Clearly it looks like he made the wrong decision, lets hope Richards see's sense as well and gives us a few more years.

Needs to speak to Steve Sidwell about decisions like that. Player destined for better things throwing it away for the big bucks and bench warming of a bigger club.

[Snowflake Royal]

The Riquelme question is very fair imo. Hes played 100 odd minutes? He could easily have featured heavily for us so far this season.

But I'm not upset. Aluko has done well and we are finally getting some value from him.

This looks a bit like the Richards scenario, do you go with the bigger team (Bayern) and hope to break through and get more money or do you stay or go to a smaller team (Reading) where you will almost be gaurenteed game time but less money!!

Riquelme clearly chose what he thought was the better team and the better financial payout i guess.

Clearly it looks like he made the wrong decision, lets hope Richards see's sense as well and gives us a few more years.

Needs to speak to Steve Sidwell about decisions like that. Player destined for better things throwing it away for the big bucks and bench warming of a bigger club.

I doubt Sidwell regrets leaving us for Chelsea

[AthleticoSpizz]

Agree, and I never begrudged him

Put in a shift, right up unto his last minute with us..

[tidus_mi2]

Yep, Sidwell went to Chelsea and stayed in the Premier League until 2016, he made a total of 25 appearances for Chelsea in one season so he obviously did alright.

[Millsy]

9 for everyone.

I'd give MOTM to Richards.

Not sure why João was getting the blame for the goal when Semedo was watching it and did really well to contort his body so as to avoid being hit.

[skipper]

Holmes and Olise a bit high.They probably need some time out.Yids and Yakou to come in.Sorry I really do not rate Semedo.

Agreed. Holmes has done well this season and should now be considered a full time part of the first team, but if Yids is fit, wouldn't do any harm to rest him. I have really enjoyed watching him come through this season, and he has to be viewed as part of the future.

Same for Olise. He's grown so much and it's been a joy, but let's not burden him with expectation. Would start Meite against Stoke, as he looked sharp and up for it in his 8 minutes last night.

[Snowflake Royal]

Hard to drop anyone.

I think I'd be content enough with Holmes to ease Yiadom back in with another 15-30 minutes from the bench. He'll obviously end up back in the first XI if he stays fit, but no need to rush it.

If it weren't for Ejaria and Olise both taking a knock, I'd say the same for Meite, especially as he gives us a more like for like Joao swap in terms of the system than Baldock at least. But worth protecting at least one or the other of those injuries, on performance for the season it would be Ejaria, but that was one of his better games and I think Olise's strain is probably more likely to need a rest than Ejaria's eye, unless that's really quite nasty.

[Westwood52]

Hard to drop anyone.

I think I'd be content enough with Holmes to ease Yiadom back in with another 15-30 minutes from the bench. He'll obviously end up back in the first XI if he stays fit, but no need to rush it.

If it weren't for Ejaria and Olise both taking a knock, I'd say the same for Meite, especially as he gives us a more like for like Joao swap in terms of the system than Baldock at least. But worth protecting at least one or the other of those injuries, on performance for the season it would be Ejaria, but that was one of his better games and I think Olise's strain is probably more likely to need a rest than Ejaria's eye, unless that's really quite nasty.

I have been really harsh on Ovie in the past,but last night he was spot on.

[URZZZZ]

Hard to drop anyone.

I think I'd be content enough with Holmes to ease Yiadom back in with another 15-30 minutes from the bench. He'll obviously end up back in the first XI if he stays fit, but no need to rush it.

If it weren't for Ejaria and Olise both taking a knock, I'd say the same for Meite, especially as he gives us a more like for like Joao swap in terms of the system than Baldock at least. But worth protecting at least one or the other of those injuries, on performance for the season it would be Ejaria, but that was one of his better games and I think Olise's strain is probably more likely to need a rest than Ejaria's eye, unless that's really quite nasty.

I have been really harsh on Ovie in the past,but last night he was spot on.

Was the perfect game for him, he seems to play better against team that try and play, he was also very good away at Bournemouth too IIRC. Forces him to play at a quicker tempo, and more space between the lines which is where he excels it

Compared to teams that play a low block, where there’s no real space for him to work with the ball, and then tries to overdo things to make up for it and makes the wrong decisions. His pass to Joao was sublime for the third goal, perfectly timed and perfectly weighted

Would bring Meite in for Olise on Saturday as Pauno rarely starts Olise three games a week and I reckon Stoke is a game more suited to Meite’s strengths

[SCIAG]

The Riquelme question is very fair imo. Hes played 100 odd minutes? He could easily have featured heavily for us so far this season.

But I'm not upset. Aluko has done well and we are finally getting some value from him.

This looks a bit like the Richards scenario, do you go with the bigger team (Bayern) and hope to break through and get more money or do you stay or go to a smaller team (Reading) where you will almost be gaurenteed game time but less money!!

Riquelme clearly chose what he thought was the better team and the better financial payout i guess.

Clearly it looks like he made the wrong decision, lets hope Richards see's sense as well and gives us a few more years.

Wasn’t the main issue that due to FFP considerations we didn’t actually make a bid for him? Wasn’t a case of him “choosing” Bournemouth ahead of us, he just couldn’t keep waiting for us.

[RoyalBlue]

The Riquelme question is very fair imo. Hes played 100 odd minutes? He could easily have featured heavily for us so far this season.

But I'm not upset. Aluko has done well and we are finally getting some value from him.

This looks a bit like the Richards scenario, do you go with the bigger team (Bayern) and hope to break through and get more money or do you stay or go to a smaller team (Reading) where you will almost be gaurenteed game time but less money!!

Riquelme clearly chose what he thought was the better team and the better financial payout i guess.

Clearly it looks like he made the wrong decision, lets hope Richards see's sense as well and gives us a few more years.

Wasn’t the main issue that due to FFP considerations we didn’t actually make a bid for him? Wasn’t a case of him “choosing” Bournemouth ahead of us, he just couldn’t keep waiting for us.

Fully agree. He's taken a lot of misplaced and unreasonable stick for this. He stuck with us for an awful long time, living in the hotel, waiting for the deal to go through. He only jumped ship at the eleventh hour when it became abundantly clear that we weren't in a position to be able to sign him.

[Hound]

Yeah no bitterness to him. Did wonder if maybe he’d cancel the Bournemouth deal and join us in this window but not heard anything on it

[Pepe the Horseman]

Yeah no bitterness to him. Did wonder if maybe he’d cancel the Bournemouth deal and join us in this window but not heard anything on it

I got the impression Bournemouth paid a hefty loan fee, hence him being sent there over us. If that was the case then I don't think there'd be an option to recall.