Our start to life under Marco Silva’s guidance has been promising, and it’s evident that our attacking players are enjoying the licence and the freedom that is granted to them. However, our discipline has been a particular concern so far, an area that must be addressed swiftly.
Over the course of our first three Premier League games, we’ve attained five points and scored six goals – a pleasing average of two goals every game. However, we have also attained two red cards in our opening three games, more than any other team in the division.
Naturally, awarding a red card is often the subject of intense debate, and while many disagreed with Jagielka’s dismissal against Wolves, we must ensure that we don’t give the officials the opportunity to award red cards. This, in turn, is linked to our poor defensive start to the new campaign. We’ve already conceded five goals, and while Zouma and Mina have yet to start for us, we must ensure that we don’t allow our defensive fragility to curtail our attacking threat.
While Silva is still experimenting with his tactics – we employed a 4-4-1-1 formation against Bournemouth, as opposed to the 4-2-3-1 strategy used against Wolves and Southampton – it’s clear that the Portuguese manager’s philosophy harnesses creativity and invention.
Personally, this is the most excited I have felt at the start of a season for a considerable amount of time; hence, I’m keen for us to address the side’s weaknesses as I firmly believe we can compete among the best teams in the division. I even feel that this current side are capable of competing in cup competitions, and perhaps concluding our wait for silverware.
The red card tilted the match in Wolves’ favour on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, and we can ill-afford to allow teams to regain momentum once we have taken the lead. It’s vital that we address our defensive issues.
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