Junior Firpo

[mentalcase]

That song went to his head last night.

As I've said many times, only a pissed up fool would contemplate signing that song, kin embarrassing
worse than the "Yorkshire pirlo" song.

[weasel]

He didn't cope . . . . .

Sloppy on the ball

Poor positioning off the ball.

Didn't cope at all.

He did struggle but against the lesser lights his attacking ability has been very helpful for us of late.

[andrewjohnsmith]

He did struggle but against the lesser lights his attacking ability has been very helpful for us of late.

I've been really pleased with his improvement this season. He's had a good run of games and looked the part. Last night, he was on Leicester's quieter side but fluffed a couple of things. He had that easy pass that was rolled to him, took his eye off the ball, and it went right past him. That's the school boy stuff he needs to eliminate.

[PhoenixUnited]

I've been really pleased with his improvement this season. He's had a good run of games and looked the part. Last night, he was on Leicester's quieter side but fluffed a couple of things. He had that easy pass that was rolled to him, took his eye off the ball, and it went right past him. That's the school boy stuff he needs to eliminate.

You can lead a horse to water but ........................

[Orange Box]

For me Firpo has been comfortable of late because he hasn’t had a decent winger/attacking force to contend with. Last night he did, and he reverted to form. The guy might be decent going forward but he is no LB. Move him on this summer, he’ll be great for the Blunts.

[1964white]

Well, that performance from Junior confirms he's not good enough even at top championship level, let alone any thoughts of him playing in the PL again.

3 decent actions & 8 poor moments, losing possession & his marker& falling over in our own half on four occasions is not great in a game of such importance.

Is it any wonder we struggled when at least three of our players didn't show their true form?

Maybe Firpo showed his true form

[andrewjohnsmith]

Well, that performance from Junior confirms he's not good enough even at top championship level, let alone any thoughts of him playing in the PL again.

3 decent actions & 8 poor moments, losing possession & his marker& falling over in our own half on four occasions is not great in a game of such importance.

Is it any wonder we struggled when at least three of our players didn't show their true form?

Maybe Firpo showed his true form

I thought Firpo was on a really good run until yesterday. Worst moment from me was when he took his eye off the ball and let a simple pass run past him. School boy stuff.

[Phild]

Hopefully we won’t come up against the 2 wide players again this season.
Gray also given a torrid evening until the final 15 minutes

[Phild]

Meant to say as good as the Leicester ones

[1964white]

Hopefully we won’t come up against the 2 wide players again this season.
Gray also given a torrid evening until the final 15 minutes

However, Gray is a natural defender but, he is a talented footballer, a boy who is still learning his trade.

[Cjay]

He's been asked to defend in 2 games and been really poor both times.

OK going forward but a massive weak link if asked to be a well rounded left back.

If he stays as our starting left back we need to keep him going forward, letting opponents make him defend is an accident in waiting.

Done a decent job going forward (did against vs Chelsea), may get away with it in this league but it's bum twitching every time he's asked to defend.

Not massively annoyed at him for tonight but just a general feeling based on last 2.

Fortunately most teams we face won't be able to force him back as much and won't have players like Fatawu, Mudryk and the rest Chelsea had.

Just wish he could defend as well as he can attack because offensively he was pretty good again but defensively all the goals down his side

[andrewjohnsmith]

He's been asked to defend in 2 games and been really poor both times.

OK going forward but a massive weak link if asked to be a well rounded left back.

If he stays as our starting left back we need to keep him going forward, letting opponents make him defend is an accident in waiting.

Done a decent job going forward (did against vs Chelsea), may get away with it in this league but it's bum twitching every time he's asked to defend.

Not massively annoyed at him for tonight but just a general feeling based on last 2.

Fortunately most teams we face won't be able to force him back as much and won't have players like Fatawu, Mudryk and the rest Chelsea had.

Just wish he could defend as well as he can attack because offensively he was pretty good again but defensively all the goals down his side

I thought Junior was OK today. Poor against Lester, but decent today. You could blame him for that 3rd goal. But he'd just been booked and was likely to give a penalty away from where he was.

But I will agree that he's not going to be good enough to be considered a starting premier league left back/ And Byram can't be relied on. So that's definitely going to be a priority.

[BlackHillsPaul]

I thought Junior was OK today. Poor against Lester, but decent today. You could blame him for that 3rd goal. But he'd just been booked and was likely to give a penalty away from where he was.

But I will agree that he's not going to be good enough to be considered a starting premier league left back/ And Byram can't be relied on. So that's definitely going to be a priority.

“So that’s definitely STILL going to be a priority.”

[CUSSIE01]

“So that’s definitely STILL going to be a priority.”

Should have been THE priority in January.

[DDB220]

I thought Firpo in the main did a decent job last night. He has certainly learned not to dive in, which was a problem for his first two seasons. He took a booking on a Sterling mistimed tackle but it was a good tactical foul as they were breaking. He made a few good recoveries last night. The limitations he has defensively have been largely negated with the system we play and the double pivot.
The winner for Chelsea at the death had a lot of moving parts, it was a decent incisive move and the defending was typical of a leg weary defence thinking about extra time.
He will leave in the summer unless we have a recruitment issue for that position.

[Kennyb41]

I thought Firpo in the main did a decent job last night. He has certainly learned not to dive in, which was a problem for his first two seasons. He took a booking on a Sterling mistimed tackle but it was a good tactical foul as they were breaking. He made a few good recoveries last night. The limitations he has defensively have been largely negated with the system we play and the double pivot.
The winner for Chelsea at the death had a lot of moving parts, it was a decent incisive move and the defending was typical of a leg weary defence thinking about extra time.
He will leave in the summer unless we have a recruitment issue for that position.

This ^

DF will know he needs a good LB, but we're currently in the Championship with a positive attacking style from DF.

I'm pretty sure at this level we're ok for now with Byram, Firpo, Shack, Pascal, Gruev, Gray, who in that order, could play or fill in there.

Like DF has stated, it is one step at a time, and he will know he wants better there going forward.

We have ALL seen he has bought well to build his team and get them playing good enough for the task in hand which is promotion, and he's done it quickly and on a 'first things first' basis with signings like Ampadu and Gruev who cover more than one position, then add the bringing thru of Gray and others, he is doing just grand.

[Kennyb41]

Btw, i was watching him last night as much as possible, he was generally having a good game until it came to what he was signed for.

His passing wasn't bad and he appeared pretty calm when it came to him to pass, but his timing of tackles is atrocious along with a lot of other defensive duties which you'd expect any average LB to be able to carry out.

People have commented Cooper was bad, i don't think he was, this is LC's last year with us, but bad players around you, will also make you look bad too.

[lufc1304]

I thought Firpo did ok last night, though I do think he needs to work on in-game concentration, he seems to switch off at times. Decent going forward, but still ropey when he's being run at. As others have said, he's learned not to dive in, which is a bonus, but he is not a pure LB. Or not one good enough to do a job in the Prem. Works as a LWB in this league, doubtful we'd get away with him starting in the Prem.

[Irish Ian]

Btw, i was watching him last night as much as possible, he was generally having a good game until it came to what he was signed for.

His passing wasn't bad and he appeared pretty calm when it came to him to pass, but his timing of tackles is atrocious along with a lot of other defensive duties which you'd expect any average LB to be able to carry out.

People have commented Cooper was bad, i don't think he was, this is LC's last year with us, but bad players around you, will also make you look bad too.

You have no what Bielsa had in mind when he signed Firpo. He wasn't signed as a LB he was signed as a LWB. There is a difference.

Hes not a great player admittedly but was not the cause of our loss last night.

[The Subhuman]

Firpo was signed as an attacking player by Orta/Bielsa ... it's that simple. I thought he had a better game defensively last night than Roberts say... Rodon being the outstanding defender, Firpo, Cooper, Roberts in that order. I had more issues with Firpo going forward v Chelsea, made the wrong decision a couple of times. And THAT's what we signed him for ...

In matchday ratings I score Firpo on his forward work in the main. We basically play a fluid 3-3 -1-3, which is the formation Bielsa loved but never had the players for. Geo as the free player