Jamaal Lascelles and Karl Darlow

[The Fish 9340]

52 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

 

why not though? that man city team was still pretty decent on paper - definitely better than the one we started the game with.

 

howe could have binned him in the summer, but he obviously sees something he can work with. and he's done an unbelievable job already transforming players we had previously given up on (schar/joelinton/krafth/almiron/murphy etc). i've never seen lascalles pass the ball forwards before like he did yesterday. he barely gave it away, which is rare for him. can you did out his historic pass completion stats and compare them to last night? just in case i'm getting carried away

 

lascelles is still only 29 and has always had the physical attributes. it was the concentration, lack of composure and quality on the ball that let him down. he's playing alongside better players know under a quality coach. i'm happy with him as third choice CB. i imagine he'd look decent alongside botman. 

 

 

Hit total dragged down by the inaccuracy of his long ball passing. Short to medium passes much better;

Total    79%
Short    85%
Medium    85%
Long    57%
 

 

He got 88% last night. 

 

 

[sammynb 2934]

To give Lascelles his dues, there was a ball last night that he brought down like he was fucking Messi, whereas normally you would have expected it to ricochet off his shin, into the back of the head of one of our midfield and out for a corner for Citeh.

He played his best game ever for us last night, probably should retire now.

[The Fish 9340]

23 minutes ago, Alex said:

Fair. You can do it yourself 👍🏻

Steady on, I'm not a Dasypeltis gansi

[Dr Gloom 20234]

3 hours ago, The Fish said:

 

 

Hit total dragged down by the inaccuracy of his long ball passing. Short to medium passes much better;

Total    79%
Short    85%
Medium    85%
Long    57%
 

 

He got 88% last night. 

 

 

 

fair play to the skipper - that's a a notable improvement - obviously helped by playing alongside some better players, though tbf dummet, joelinton, murphy and almiron all played and were all there when we were shit. 

[The Fish 9340]

49 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

 

fair play to the skipper - that's a a notable improvement - obviously helped by playing alongside some better players, though tbf dummet, joelinton, murphy and almiron all played and were all there when we were shit. 

 

It's also down to playing a style less reliant on hoofing the ball to Rondon, ASM, or Joelinton.

[wykikitoon 17331]

Skipper back to shitter 

[Holden McGroin 5147]

3 hours ago, wykikitoon said:

Skipper back to shitter 

Did you think he was crap?

 

I thought he did well. Especially defensively. He’ll never be ball player so I’m expecting him to keep it simple.

[Dr Gloom 20234]

2 hours ago, Holden McGroin said:

Did you think he was crap?

 

I thought he did well. Especially defensively. He’ll never be ball player so I’m expecting him to keep it simple.

He surprised me against Man City because he did pass the ball forwards. Today was more like you would expect. Lots of simple short passes sideways to trippier and schar. Nothing wrong with that - keep it simple, keep the ball and let the better ball players do their thing. He might come unglued against the better pressing sides but so far so good 

[spongebob toonpants 3660]

He seems a bit more mobile to me. He'd gone the full Frank Bruno recently but seems to be better prepared these days

[sammynb 2934]

3 hours ago, spongebob toonpants said:

He seems a bit more mobile to me. He'd gone the full Frank Bruno recently but seems to be better prepared these days

 

I was thinking the same after the Man City game. For years he looked like he was on the roids and spending too much time in the gym, but recently he looks leaner, more like a footballer.

[toonotl 2563]

He's always going to be a limited player and almost certainly always at least third choice. He's played well enough in two clean sheet performances. Bigger tests coming in the next week though.

[wykikitoon 17331]

13 hours ago, Holden McGroin said:

Did you think he was crap?

 

I thought he did well. Especially defensively. He’ll never be ball player so I’m expecting him to keep it simple.

I posted this very early in the game when he was TOT. It was more tongue in cheek at the masterbation of him from Gloomy. 

 

He's improved as a player under Howe without doubt and having a better midfield in front of him helps. 

 

Yes I would prefer sexy botty playing but I'm less nervous with lascelles in now. 

[Dr Gloom 20234]

Another shout out to the skipper. Three very solid performances in a row. I said it in the match thread but he’s going to give Howe a decision to make if he keeps playing like this 

[Holden McGroin 5147]

He is good defensively. That’s  never been a problem. It’s just his distribution.

[Dr Gloom 20234]

26 minutes ago, Holden McGroin said:

He is good defensively. That’s  never been a problem. It’s just his distribution.

He clearly doesn’t have Botman‘s ability to step out and play it forwards but he didn’t put a foot wrong tonight tbf and made some crunching tackles. He was up against some elite forwards and he did not look out of place. 9/10 performance 

[The Fish 9340]

I think with Lascelles he's now playing in a system where his limitations aren't exposed as often, or as significantly. I was worried he didn't have the pace, the technique. But with Trippier beside him and the midfield we've got, he's always got a simple option for a pass and he's got runners around him and covering if his lack of pace causes a problem.

 

Botman still slots straight back in when he's fit, but we can afford to give Botman plenty of time to recover fully.

[Dr Gloom 20234]

3 hours ago, The Fish said:

I think with Lascelles he's now playing in a system where his limitations aren't exposed as often, or as significantly. I was worried he didn't have the pace, the technique. But with Trippier beside him and the midfield we've got, he's always got a simple option for a pass and he's got runners around him and covering if his lack of pace causes a problem.

 

Botman still slots straight back in when he's fit, but we can afford to give Botman plenty of time to recover fully.

 

i don't think he does lack pace. that's never been his issue. he's just as quick, or quicker, than schar and botman. his problems under bruce, for me, were about decision making and passing but there's less pressure on him now, like you say, as he's got one of schar or tripper to play an easy ball to either side of him. he did not look at all out of place last night. 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Dr Gloom

[Gemmill 36167]

He sharp caught up with Dembele when he was free and clear in the box last night.

[Alex 31094]

Looks like he’s lost a bit of weight to me. I thought he bulked up and put on muscle he didn’t need, because he was already a unit, and it had an impact on his pace and his ability to turn. Obviously playing in a better side, working with a better coach etc., etc. all plays a big part in that. His attitude and work ethic must be class for Howe to have kept him around and to still have him as club captain too 

[Meenzer 14178]

5 minutes ago, Alex said:

Looks like he’s lost a bit of weight to me. I thought he bulked up and put on muscle he didn’t need, because he was already a unit, and it had an impact on his pace and his ability to turn. Obviously playing in a better side, working with a better coach etc., etc. all plays a big part in that. His attitude and work ethic must be class for Howe to have kept him around and to still have him as club captain too 

 

Like an... unwieldy sea vessel, one might say?

[aimaad22 3667]

5 hours ago, The Fish said:

I think with Lascelles he's now playing in a system where his limitations aren't exposed as often, or as significantly. I was worried he didn't have the pace, the technique. But with Trippier beside him and the midfield we've got, he's always got a simple option for a pass and he's got runners around him and covering if his lack of pace causes a problem.

 

Botman still slots straight back in when he's fit, but we can afford to give Botman plenty of time to recover fully.

 

This, the system and how well drilled the team is is a massive help.

 

Mind you dont want to take anything away from his performances in the last 2 games, he's been brilliant. All that about attitude off the pitch too, top lad.

[Anorthernsoul 1221]

Lascelles has definitely shifted some timber, he looks a lot sharper. His biggest issue for me was his turn of pace and speed and this looks like it's improved massively.

[sammynb 2934]

6 hours ago, Alex said:

Looks like he’s lost a bit of weight to me. I thought he bulked up and put on muscle he didn’t need, because he was already a unit, and it had an impact on his pace and his ability to turn. Obviously playing in a better side, working with a better coach etc., etc. all plays a big part in that. His attitude and work ethic must be class for Howe to have kept him around and to still have him as club captain too 

 

3 hours ago, Anorthernsoul said:

Lascelles has definitely shifted some timber, he looks a lot sharper. His biggest issue for me was his turn of pace and speed and this looks like it's improved massively.

 

Oi!

 

On 01/10/2023 at 10:22, sammynb said:

 

I was thinking the same after the Man City game. For years he looked like he was on the roids and spending too much time in the gym, but recently he looks leaner, more like a footballer.

 

[ewerk 27104]

 

[Dr Gloom 20234]

Another impressive performance from Lascelles. You can only beat what’s in front of you and he was clearly helped by Palace’s reluctance to press him. He defended as solidly as you would expect but the thing that strikes me about the Eddie Howe version of Lascelles is how much more comfortable he looks in possession. He stepped out of defence and played it forwards a few times yesterday. I didn’t think he had that in his locker tbh