I thought he was extremely unlucky not to have at least 4 more assists last season. So perhaps a purple patch is exactly what the stars demand? I watched all of his games last season and I think he was a pretty good defender...not great... but good. Especially considering that his relatively good height for a LB allows him to win headers in his own box or on long switches to his side of the field. Of course anytime you have a LB busting down the line on O you open yourself for being out-manned on the counter... but I don't recall a lot of one-v-one duel defeats from him last season.
Some guys put good crosses in to the box that can become goals while others are able to put them right on someone's head. Robinson is one who puts good ones into the mixer but I hope he continues to improve, relax, look up and start putting some on noggins. Playing with a top 2nd division attacking team may help him more than another season getting hammered as his attacking game could improve a lot this year.
Antonee got beaten like a rented mule on the goal today as Fulham lost to Blackpool 1-0. Bummer. He's got to be stronger in 1v1 situations. His teammate didn't help much either. Highlights here:
Antonee Robinson, outstanding for USMNT, one poor game with Fulham. George Bello very poor game with USMNT, responds with great game for Atlanta United. I have a lot of confidence that Robinson will respond appropriately.
Too bad for Fulham, but I wouldn't call that getting beat necessarily. looked to me like there were two Fulham players and two Bpool players running and one of the two Fulham players not named AR, quit and left AR to cover two guys, who was probably assuming the inside defender would take the inside run and he would cover the outside runner. At least that is how it looked to me.
While AR could have done better, that looks like it's a lot on Seri. He gives the ball away, lollygags while it comes back and doesn't challenge until Bowler has a head of steam and in the area so it can only be a half-assed challenge. AR for sure could have done better, but that chance should never have had a chance to develop like that. Asleep at the wheel. Also haven't seen a good angle on how the shot got past Gazza but seems like a tough angle for a nearpost low ball.
Not to be a homer, but I don't necessarily agree with either take. Bello did not have a "very poor game." The team as a whole was disjointed, but he was not nearly as bad as several other players. His subbing out seemed a purely tactical decision as Antonee is a better offensive player and the US needed goals. In this game, what appears to happen is that Robinson was hedging to protect against the overlap, hoping that a teammate would help to the inside. That did not happen as we can see, to disastrous result. It was certainly a mistake for him to not stop the ball -- that is always job #1. But it was his indecision between marking 2 players that led to the mistake. A learning experience.
The Blackpool goal was definitely more on Seri than anybody else. Seri turns the ball over when makes a below average pass in transition to Mitrovic. It's very odd how the whole Fulham team let's Blackpool gather itself with no pressure and dart down the right. Seri again messes up as he has the inside guy with the ball and Robinson steps out to take away the other guy. Idk... I guess Robinson should have stopped the ball first but Seri is right there and is caught in so much space doing nothing. Really sloppy from Seri and Fulham.
Lazy. Unless the system/instructions are for AR to attack the ball there - and nothing suggests that the case - it was just Seri shutting off for a few too many. Credit Bowler for recognizing the opportunity and taking it.
Agree. AR had the outside attacker without the ball as his assignment. Seri was completely in position to cut off the dribble through the slot behind AR and in front of Seri, who had eyes on the situation and should have anticipated such a cut-through dribble. That's a bench-able offense, IMHO.
Fulham fans mainly laying it on Robinson, and from the angles they posted they may be correct. https://www.friendsoffulham.com/for...d85af507dd74f86e6362daa05595da0&topic=83110.0 seri and robinson the culprits for that goal , shame because before saturday theyd both been playing good So so poor from us. The defending from Robinson is a joke, and Gazza gets beat at his near post. I thought that Robinson's positioning was just about as poor as it could have been. It's very rare you'll see an international defender do what he did. There’s no way Robinson should have been selected given the game and travel involved just a couple of days earlier. Poor judgment by the manager IMO. The blackpool player does brilliantly but he runs so far unchallenged, Robinson's attempt to stop him is a joke, seri was mega pathetic, and the galkeeper does nothing to make me think he is woirth his place. Etc.
Seri is generally too good to bench, I think, but he was lazy on that play unless AR was supposed to got to ball as soon as Seri turned it over - it happens, but that was just missed marking and an attacker who saw the opening and took it - still not sure how the ball got in the net. Never saw a good angle on the shot.
They pretty much aren't "mainly" laying it on AR, but he is for sure getting netted in with Seri and Gazza, (who let the "scuffed shot" in) in those comments. AR clearly could have done much better, but unless AR was expected to attack ball after the Seri giveaway (and Seri was expected to drop for the overlap) Bowler is Seri's man all the way in. The two of them should have been able/quicker to impede Bowler's direct line. The best comment, however, is that Fulham never should have been at 0 goals with the chances they had - which is not incorrect. I finally found a good angle for the shot. Ouch.
If you're a defender, your first job is to stop the ball. He was consistently the closest player during that attack to Bower (until Seri caught up). You've got to make a challenge on the ball, or you can take out the body (prior to the box), or you can force him wide to give Fulham time for teammates to recover and help to come. But allowing him to run on a direct line to the goal, with no challenge is not acceptable. As I mentioned before Seri was not any help whatsoever. But AR also got beaten there through his positioning and failure to challenge, and has to own it. Again, the guy did have to travel across the Atlantic immediately prior to the game, and it's not like he was the only one who made a mistake on that play. But you just can't allow that to happen.
Weird play. Serri appears to be gesturing towards end line so maybe he is telling AR to protect there and watch for overlap and he's got the inside but then the gap gets too big between Seri and AR and Blackpool player splits them. If that is what happened (who knows?) I would be pissed if Arob.
It certainly looks like Seri does the "you take him" wave, but it's too late at point anyway, Bowler has a head of steam and is in the box. The breakdown was much earlier when no one stepped to Bowler. In most systems it would be Seri who should have chased his turnover (look like he was waving to the bench to say something or apologize for killing the move) and picked up Bowler well outside the box, but instead he collapsed, AR stayed put and they gave way too much space - and the shot somehow snuck in. All of AR, Gaza and Seri kinda sucked there, but credit Bowler for seeing the space and taking the chance.
On the bench: In the Championship, Birmingham City host Fulham at 2:45pm EST. Tim Ream captains Fulham while Antonee Robinson is on the bench for Cottagers. #USMNT pic.twitter.com/rBXS0RMj10— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) September 15, 2021
Antonee and Ream both started match against Reading. It's 1-0 Reading at halftime no fault to either of them. Both playing well and Antonee should have 2 assists as put ball on head of Decordova-Reid who headed at keeper when all had to do was head it back from where it came for easy goal. Then right before half Antonee used his ridiculous pace to get on end of ball down left flank and put in early cross that Mitrovic hit the crossbar with.
Good news is Antonee played well and is still in very good form. Bombing up the left flank all day today and dropping in what should have been some dimes. Bad news is Fulham squandered chances after dominating and lost 2-1 at home. Ream partially at fault for the winning goal as hit a pass to sideline around midfield that was intercepted though looked like went out of bounds and Reading went down and scored though plenty of other shit had to happen before the goal.
Tied 1-1 away to Bristol. Fulham not looking like a Top Two team this season, so the string of the yo-yo may have broken. Arob needs someone to rescue him. He's doing well enough, in a strong Championship team. He's 24. It's possible he wants to stay in England though, where his family lives. Financially it makes little sense to move from the Championship to the Danish or Belgian league, unless it's to a top club there and as one of the stars. So he may be stuck.
Which is weird to me. I guess maybe I see a bit more in him than some other people, but I find it hard to believe he would be a solid addition for several mid to bottom PL teams