Such a pointless game. Our lot didn’t exactly look hungover... I’d say still drunk. Nobody played well for us. Not even close. At least we can have a good laugh at how it will make their fans even more irate that their bottlejob team let us finish above them (likely by only a point in the end). Not sure how many more times Gray and Success need to prove they’re useless before they stop being included in match day squads. On to Swansea
Difficult to be overly critical given the circumstances. This is probably a bit how Norwich and their fans felt after their game vs us recently. It might be a bit of a wake-up call for some of the staff and players though, especially if Brentford are one of the teams we face again next season. Masina played as if he was hungover. Or a bit unnerved by his Champ team of the season award? Ha. Sierralta was playing at RCB for once with T-E out the side. He still looked good, but maybe he actually prefers LCB? Also, good for him to get a silly error like that out of the way now rather than next season. We definitely need to sign one or two players with a bit more pace and steel in Central Midfield - other than Toney it has been the area of of the pitch where Brentford have generally had the edge over us in both games, with them finding it a bit too easy to quickly and silkily glide their way through the middle of the pitch against us. The likes of Fosu and DaSilva have found it way too easy against us in the middle. Also Olise for QPR who has a similar style. I honestly forgot Sema was playing for most the match, an upgrade is essential. Hungbo was looking sharp. Real shame about his injury. Success is much maligned, and won't make it with us, but there's still enough of a player in there for a mid-table Champ club to take a punt on him. He probably needs a change of scenery and consistent run of games somewhere at this stage of his career. PS Perica seems very unlucky somehow, his yellow card today was as ridiculous as the red card he was given at the start of the season. Plus that offside goal.
Gray needs to be removed ASAP. Stealing a living. Cannot do the basics now. Cannot control the ball and has no idea what to do most of the time. Effort is minimal as well. Horrifying that we spent eighteen million on him and all those wages. Deeney actually applauded when he controlled a ball in the first half......
Well that showed us something we probably all knew - our squad depth is not very good particularly with attacking options. We were so lucky that Sarr didn't get injured. Success is abysmal, has had so many chances. Gray runs around a lot but there is no focal point with him leading the line. He does occasionally hold the ball up sure well against big centre backs but then lays it off to no-one. Sema looks unlikely to trouble Premier League defences, much like last time. He's too slow and doesn't have enough guile. It's the forward options that need bolstering most. Overall, our intensity wasn't there really either except for Hughes, Sierralta. But I have absolutely no doubt that had anything been riding on that game, we would've got something out of it. Brentford looked toothless for the most part and our first eleven would've been comfortable. Have the same feeling as when we lose our last pre season friendly before the big kick off, a big "so what?".
End of season dead rubber. Couldn't care less. The line-up was undoubtedly a message to Gino to say 'get your cheque book out'. Play the kids next weekend.
A plucky hard fought win by Brentford, maybe some of these players who won't make our PL squad might bolster them next year
Ninety nine percent of them are deluded winkers. Fairy tale club with a multimillionaire bankrolling them. Genuinely hope they fall on their arses in the playoffs. Mind you only Barnsleh are a likeable side. Swansea and Muff are champion cheats.
Gray is extremely unlikeable, in general. Not being able to offload him, Success and Troy could prove costly next season
Gray deserves his starts in the last 2 games. Been the best up front backup from a 'not great bunch' last couple of months, and has to make do not getting service from the Sarr/Femenia double act in the remaining games.
Injured? Nothing game today - even more so with 2 early injuries picked up and no Sarr or Pedro in the team. So best we could hope for was 0-0.
Some people are arrogant but in some instances it though an unpopular personality trait is justifiable because of their achievements. Gray has neither the personality or achievements to be arrogant. Genuinely would struggle in League Two.
Like I said on the SB. It pissed me off seeing him getting boozed up and smoking cigars after promotion. He's contributed barely anything to our season.
Leigh-Ann makes another appearance on the Hornets Nest. Gray does not deserve any praise, a contract or anything else. What he deserves is a boot in the jacksie and marching orders to Barrow FC.
Lot of that line up need to be recycled and replaced next year. Sema maybe ok for cover. Gray Success Wilmot Perica Cathcart Sema Not good enough - in some cases for the Championship.
TALKING POINTS. 1. Isaac Success again proving he is badly named. 2. The league debut of Mauricio Pochettino SON OF Mauricio Pochettino. 3. Why am I bothering paying £10 a game to watch these last two games?
Sierralta, Cathcart and Hughes the standouts. Only because they were the three who looked like they knew what a football was.
A nothing game with a nothing result. But, we actually started pretty well until Hungbo (who had looked very lively) went off. Less than ten minutes later we lose Cleverley (again) - but hopefully both of them are not long term. I was impressed with Hungbo and it reminded me of the cameo from Tom DB. Pretty ironic then that both players go off injured after short cameos. Hope we can see more of him in the future. Another good cameo was the young Poch. Nice feet, clean passing and hit the bar too. That's about all the positives I can really take. If Success and/or Gray have any say who plays upfront next season we are in big trouble. I lost count how many times each sat on their arses doing nothing of note. Some of Successes shooting was below League Two level - pretty bad even by his standard. But donkey of the day has to be Gray. How can you actually do TWO back heels to NOBODY? I mean come on. Absolute waste of a squad place. When Perica came on near the end he did more than both Gray and Success did for the length both of them were on. If today showed anything other than this game being a dead rubber, it has badly exposed how we have almost no depth. I do like the look of some of our young squad and they look raw and up for the fight - but if we have to throw them onto pitches against some of the best in the world you have to worry. We had no Sarr, Kiko, Pedro, Masina, Chalobah and a few others today and it really showed. Gino needs to look at not only today, but our whole squad and see what needs replacing/ removing before we even think about staying up next season. If that performance was trying to tell Xisco and us of their "premiership quality" they failed. Don't care that Brentford played their strongest eleven against - we should have played much better than that, especially if some of them are vying for places next season. Swansea will be another game to hopefully show a bit more fight than today. I would hate us to close this season out on a whimper especially at home, where we have been so good in general.
I guess we should have expected that.? However I thought we started OK and Hungbo looked dangerous. We were rubbish once him and Cleverley went off. Also Success meant we were playing with 10. What annoys me about Gray and Success is they clearly do loads of weights in training, and both walk like big weightlifter do. Grays thighs are like tree trunks, footballers don't need that..!! Waste of a tenner....
Stopped watching after the dive of HMS Toney. Emma doing her best bless her to encourage us to split up with another tenner for next week. Swimsea will no doubt be fielding their reserves in preparation for the playoffs. We may do the same. Chabs no doubt recuperating from carrying his injuries deserves it and Sarr cannot be risked as next season is of the utmost importance. No niggles. No fatigue. He has been a workhorse.
We r in the unenviable position of needing to move on 5 out of our 6 strikers (keep JP, lose Sinclair, Perica, Deeney, Gray and 'Success') 3 of them are on wages that are several times higher than their value to the club. Past experience suggests at least 2 of them will stay, Cucho our non goal scoring messiah will come in and then we'll pin our hopes on one new striker who will probably not be good enough and then get another who isnt premier league ready. And so it goes on.......
