How do you take positives from the worst ever Champions League campaign?
We all know the numbers and the scorelines, what went wrong, how many players were injured and the overall disappointment in a campaign that we had looked forward to for so long, only to wish it was over almost as soon as it had started.
There are though, a few crumbs of comfort.
Set-pieces
Compare and contrast the first Ajax game with the last. When you consider the personnel available, it shows that, structurally, we have made improvements to how we are set up. At the highest level, you simply can’t afford to give away cheap goals but that is exactly what we did. There is a difference between the goals lost to Napoli away and Liverpool at home in that we were in decent shape only for James Tavernier and John Lundstram to lose their individual battles. A lesson learnt the hard way.
Leon King
There is no way that Leon King had been pencilled in to play every Champions League game at the beginning of the season. He has made mistakes against some of the best players on the continent but he should learn from them and work on his weaknesses. He now knows exactly the level he has to be capable of if he wants to reach the top – if it doesn’t inspire him, he is at the wrong club. You can’t put a price on that sort of experience.
James Sands
Red card against Napoli aside, James Sands has probably been our most consistent Champions League performer playing in defence and in midfield. He is neat, tidy and unspectacular but you need players who can win the ball back and give it to others to create. He has all the basics needed to be a good player. Shades of Stuart McCall, if you’re old enough to remember.
Fashion Sakala
It now looks as though Giovanni van Bronckhorst trusts the Zambian international. A successful cameo a Anfield has seen him play more minutes recently and he has taken his opportunity. As with most wingers, he doesn’t get it right every time but his marker for Ajax should have seen red for pulling him back on more than one occasion. Consistency will be an issue but, enthusiasm, directness and the ability to cause chaos means that he should start every week in Scotland from now on. Pace will always cause problems.
Finally
It can’t be this bad again if we qualify next season.
Can it?