25 Aug 2026 08:25:38
Looked at the replay this morning and all our goals were excellent team goals.
Understandably Sanchez has got and will get pelters for their two goals. He certainly should have done a lot better for both.
On review I also wasn't happy with Rogers for their first and Colwill should have done a lot better for their second.
I guess the point is all players make mistakes and when they do you want your keeper to dig you out of trouble.
I did think the Alonso point about problems being easier to solve if you win, was spot on.
25 Aug 2026 10:55:54
Agree with you, Tom.
I don't think that, as yet, Rogers has offered much defensively in his EPL career. Alonso will have to get him to realise his responsibilities are not just attacking ones alone. He also looked knackered after about 40 minutes. But he also showed, of course, plenty to begin to make us more confident that the huge amount of money we paid for him won't be wasted.
What an EPL team needs to win major trophies - and we were so fortunate and/or clever to have Cech followed by Courtois, who were integral to most of ours - is a keeper who is both world class in ability but a big and unflappable personality.
Why Sanchez has been generally so unconvincing - though he did get better for a while under Maresca and had that great CWC game and a few others - is that he looks so eminently flappable/nervous far too often, and this surely transmits itself to his team mates, not least defenders.
Yes, Alonso's point is well taken.
The last week of the transfer window may yet have quite a bearing on how competitive we will be this coming season, and as ever I just wish - and am sure Alonso does! - all transfers had to be concluded before season started!