The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Monday 30th December) Whites on course for 98 points after Ram raid

[1964white]

Ramazani's performance was a bit of a concern, as was joseph's to a lesser extent

Agree, both received the lowest marks in my player ratings.

[1964white]

I think Bamford was on to hold the ball up, as soon after the goal, we just kept lumping it aimlessly back upfield whenever it came into our half.

You called it correctly, David.

Defending from the front is so important.

[1964white]

In his player ratings in the YEP Graham Smyth said Bogle had to "soak up the boos."

I didn't hear any boos for Bogle coming over the television and I can't imagine why anyone would be booing the guy. He's been very good.

Anyone with knowledge of this?

Derby fans.

Played for the rams & he was an ex-Blunts player.

[1964white]

We were on course for well over a 100 last season...

Yes, 49 points from our remaining 22 games is doable.

[1964white]

Very good/good pieces of play with the errors in brackets.

Our error count was much higher than usual.

23 (5) Ampadu
23 (6) Rodon
21 (6) Gnonto
17 (2) Byram
17 (4) Struijk
16 (7) Bogle
15 (4) Aaronson
14 (3) Tanaka
11 (11) Ramazani
10 (3) Soloman
08 (5) Joseph
05 (0) Meslier
05 (1) Piroe A
04 (1) James

[weasel]

"Eyebrows raised over the changes?"

Hardly. It's 4 games in 10 days. We want Farke to use his squad. While the changes didn't excel to the level of their counterparts, we still got an important away win. So, all in all, they were good changes.

Ramazani was making his first start since Watford. Didn't contribute as much as we wanted. But he got a 70 minute run out and Solomon got a 70 minute rest. Good change.

Tanaka and Ampadu played together for the first time ever. Didn't seem to work for Tanaka yesterday. It might take a couple of games to click. But we kept a clean sheet, won the game.

Last season we saw what happened when Farke ran out the same 11 every game. The changes yesterday were just what we needed.

Also worth noting that apart from Ramazani the changes weren't players coming in from the cold. Tanaka has obviously been a mainstay so him coming back in wasn't weakening the side and Gnonto and Joseph have had plenty of starts. Ramazani had really been looking the part prior to his injury. Take one of our early chances and we probably win the game at a canter without needing the bench.

Against Stoke last year, if memory recalls, we had Gruev making his first start after just a handful of short sub appearances, likely Jaydon Anthony's first start, again after just a few cameo appearances and Gnonto hadn't been starting for a while and hadn't been playing or having any impact as a sub (possibly in a bit of a sulk after wanting to leave). I seem to recall Jaydon Anthony really struggling just to stay on his feet, Gnonto having no impact and Gruev similar. Very different to last night given the level of prior involvement of the incoming players.

[mentalcase]

Also worth noting that apart from Ramazani the changes weren't players coming in from the cold. Tanaka has obviously been a mainstay so him coming back in wasn't weakening the side and Gnonto and Joseph have had plenty of starts. Ramazani had really been looking the part prior to his injury. Take one of our early chances and we probably win the game at a canter without needing the bench.

Against Stoke last year, if memory recalls, we had Gruev making his first start after just a handful of short sub appearances, likely Jaydon Anthony's first start, again after just a few cameo appearances and Gnonto hadn't been starting for a while and hadn't been playing or having any impact as a sub (possibly in a bit of a sulk after wanting to leave). I seem to recall Jaydon Anthony really struggling just to stay on his feet, Gnonto having no impact and Gruev similar. Very different to last night given the level of prior involvement of the incoming players.

Without doubt, but he would still have made the subs.
Said in other threads, at no point did I think that derby would score last night.
Killing teams off early is something we rarely do and leaves us on edge, burnely apart, we have proved to be better than anyone else at the top.