truly awful calling of the play
Their midfielder scored a tap in. He was one of three players that gave them an overload of players in the worst place possible, meaning each could have scored the tap in. You've discussed the cause of the ball being at the byline and having an easy opportunity to pass it, but the cause of there being three players to pass to was absent - and that was because the midfield had failed to track the run of Billings (plus one) into the box, as is their responsibility.
It's not scapegoating, it's just understanding the role the midfield plays off the ball. Maybe keep an eye on Allison in future, his actions when shouting at the midfield might convince you more. It seems like you've perhaps become so entrenched with defending the inaction in refreshing midfield over last few years that you've lost sight of what you're saying, when trying to conform to that viewpoint. "The midfield had FA to do with the loss to Bournemouth" is a statement that belies reality
Awful eh.
Konate played their lad onside on the long ball over the top. Nothing to do with the midfield. Looking that direction he should have easily kept the offside trap.
Virgil then is in position to defend the ball and player. But instead stops and lets Andy, racing back, to pick up the player. And Virgil became a statue at that point. Nothing to do with the midfield.
Their lad gets to the goal line and sends a routine ball back in towards the penalty spot. Konate tries to redeem himself by getting into a good defensive position. When the ball come in Konate sticks his leg out to block. Replays show the ball cleared his leg by a millimeter.
Billing scores.
We didn't need a midfield to stop the goal. We needed Virgil to make a better decision. When he passed the player on to Andy, Virgil should have beelined himself to where Konate ultimately ended up. That would have left Konate to hold his position and pick up Billing.
But the reason we dropped points was lack of finishing. No mention of VVD's heading and not scoring. Gakpo being offside when he scored and didn't need to be. And of course, Mo should have put the penalty away. He does that, it's 1-1. Bournemouth heads drop and chances are we go on to win the match.
But it was the midfield at fault.
