Costa and Roberts

[bathlad61]

Important 3 points, puts us in touching distance, before we play the top 4-5 again.
Costa & Roberts - improved performance by both, but thats hardly difficult, considering form over last few weeks, real test could be coming, injuries in midfield, may mean longer run in 1st team, so this is their time to show all / make their mark.
Alioski also, seems, yard off the pace, unable to do the basics.

[WTF11]

Important 3 points, puts us in touching distance, before we play the top 4-5 again.
Costa & Roberts - improved performance by both, but thats hardly difficult, considering form over last few weeks, real test could be coming, injuries in midfield, may mean longer run in 1st team, so this is their time to show all / make their mark.
Alioski also, seems, yard off the pace, unable to do the basics.

Alioski is always better when he starts, rather than coming off the bench.

[joellufcprice]

Fair play to Costa he looked better, was particularly impressed with his tenacity and certainly had more of an impact than Harrison. Roberts looked ok and played a great through ball to Bamford.

That said to me they're still not good enough to take us to the next level which is what we want now, good thing is if Roberts can prove himself a bit we might be able to get a good fee for him if we choose to move him on. Though I think he will be a part of our team next year to be honest.

Costa for me will just never be consistent enough, he can turn it on and be brilliant but then can be average to **** for 4/5 games.

[UbiqueLUFC33]

Costa for me will just never be consistent enough, he can turn it on and be brilliant but then can be average to **** for 4/5 games.

Evan allowing latitude for different opinions, I have to take issue with the suggestion that Costa has ever been "brilliant". On a rare good day, he can probably stretch from his normal baseline of mediocre to just about OK.

[Tichi1]

Fair play to Costa he looked better, was particularly impressed with his tenacity and certainly had more of an impact than Harrison. Roberts looked ok and played a great through ball to Bamford.

That said to me they're still not good enough to take us to the next level which is what we want now, good thing is if Roberts can prove himself a bit we might be able to get a good fee for him if we choose to move him on. Though I think he will be a part of our team next year to be honest.

Costa for me will just never be consistent enough, he can turn it on and be brilliant but then can be average to **** for 4/5 games.

Dont see either as world beaters - but both decent squad men - as said earlier understand the Bielsa system so no lengthy bedding in, and both can turn it on occasionally - no more than squad players when everyone fit.

[Dalek_Sec]

It is called management - and something that is not always appreciated by the hacks. Both Costa and Roberts have been out of consideration for starting selection, and I am sure their shortcomings were made clear to them, but also the management team will have been working with them to facilitate their improvement.

Why they are both back in contention probably comes down to that they have taken advice and coaching on board and they are now more effective players than their contributions earlier in the season would suggest. aybe confidence at a higher level? - You can speculate for yourselves why.

Roberts' improvement so far suggests Bielsa sees further potential in him - and I hope he achieves what is expected. Costa sppears to have regained some confidence - maybe he has realised that if he is following the Bielsa way, mistakes sometimes happen, but in a relatively short time, the freedom given to players to play such football will yield consistent results. and the occasional mistake will be forgiven if the principles are being applied, and the error leads to future improvement.

I suspect both have had their mindsets adjusted somewhat.

Similarly, I think Pablo's time has come with us at the end of this season. I am sure he will give his all to the cause before returning to Spain at the end of the season with a great farewell performance and with the noise of crowd at ER at the final game v WBA ringing in his ears all the way home.

[asturianblanco]

Nice post Dalek. But no.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Hehe - computer says no.

Roberts is still very young, had been injured and is showing signs of getting better in the CAM role.

Costa just bemuses me as he goes from being awful some days to imo looking like he can do it at this level. Against Soton and Liverpool he played very well.

The days when the game passes him by and he doesn’t get involved defensively and either won’t take on players or gives the ball away are what he needs to obviously work on.

For the U23 even when KP and Pablo have been playing he often looks like the best player on the pitch.

Harrison seems to have lost his mojo a bit but I guess that is just the nature of team sports.

[Silentman]

Both need to be moved on as part of the continued improvement position by position. Alioski too I fear.

[Billyni]

Have we just seen a glimmer of hope?

I’ve scaled it back to a like a dot disappearing when you switch the tv off.