Good game. Our attacking players have to continue to score goals, because we can´t rely on the scoring-form of our wingbacks/defenders the whole season.
I don´t think it will matter though. We have a nice team, but we probably won´t be competing for the title. City and Liverpool are still ahead of us (technique-wise they are are on another level) and I doubt we are able to keep their pace over the course of 38 games. That being said we will secure a comfortable and good third place, which is not a shame given the quality of our opponents. We have a better chance in the cup competitions.
Sarr cost us almost two goals yesterday. Completely misjudged a header and subsequently almost conceded a clumsy penalty. Then few minutes later he completely lost his man just to be saved by Mendy again. Then he lost a header again which led to the bicycle kick which Mendy kept out. Look at the highlights from 1:30 onwards. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IinThi4xNOw
I know it was his first PL start and I don´t want to slate the guy too much (he actually made some good tackles in the first 60 minutes), but I thought his defending in the box was a bit off in the last 30 minutes so I wouldn´t say it was a good performance by him.
We should have never bought him. We traded our pressing, intensity and build-up for a flat-track bully who looks alien to this team. To add to that, our other attacking players like Havertz won´t flourish next to Lukaku. As bad as our finishing was last season, we created many chances and I thought it was possible the likes of Havertz, Werner, Pulisic upped their game with say 10-15 goals per season which would have been enough. Now our team had to be accomodated and looks completely unbalanced upfront. Granted, he isn´t the only problem in the team right now, but from a player with this price tag I expect more.
Its nothing personal against him, I quite like his spirit at times, but I never believed in his qualities. I wanted him gone in 2014 when he demanded the number 9 and didn´t wanted him to come back in 2017 and 2021.
He turns 26 in about three months. He hasn´t done anything notable in his career and with his technical limitations I doubt his game will get better. As sad as it sounds I think people should accept that he won´t become a starting player at a club.