Pickford had no chance of catching the cross - it was well too high and looping.
The key point is he didn't seem to know that.
As it orbited left to right across his visual horizon (like a space station, it was that high) its trajectory was obviously well out of reach very early on.
Yet he advanced off out of his line 4 or 5 paces, then: sin of sins; he back peddled. He was NOT FOR THE FIRST TIME indecisive !!
His options were:
1) Stay.
or
2) Go, Go, Go, commit all the way and attack the ball at the point of contact with the intended targets head...and the 'Arteta/Dark Arts' side of me doesn't mind if there's a bit of opposition earhole in that contact along with the ball either.
But he chose a '3rd none option' of doing a partial hokey-cokey but sadly neglecting the 'put your whole self in' bit.
Not withstanding the fact that Doucoure gave a Gomes / Lukaku-esque exhibition of the...he might be a big lad, but there are just some players who shouldn't be let anywhere near their own box...type of player.
As to the rest:
Re. Dyche and the new Ownership; To misquote the late Robbie Coltrane...“Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully."
With a virtually unheard of proactive Half Time substitution no less! - who knew?
Ndiaye and McNeil continue to impress in their respective (new-ish) positions.
Branthwaite seemed a bit rusty. But was unlucky not to get a penalty.
How is it that VAR can spot a toenail offside from 50yds away yet when one of the biggest men on the pitch grabs one of the other biggest men on the pitch and wrestles him to the ground, they suddenly go into full 'white stick and Labrador' mode.
Tarkowski seems a bit 'better' now, could that be a combination of recovery from a knock and not having to keep half an eye on Keane - who can tell?
Young did for him, OK.
But no Dixon even on the bench.
Gordon will fancy his chances and no mistake.
3 pts in the bag and we shoot up the league, whats not to like?
Barcodes up next, a bigger but not insurmountable challenge...so long as that diving rs [Poor language removed] Gordon stays on his feet.
