I think you're being unfair on Rowe, who had one bad match having just been brought back into the team; and Sido, who had his first bad match as right back this season, having been shifted into the centre to cover for injuries. The player I most hold responsible for our defensive difficulties yesterday is Garry Thompson, who was constantly passed on the wing (and should have been switched up front when it was clear this was going to happen all afternoon). Once Harriman is back on the right of midfield he and Sido will combine effortlessly again. Rowe is one of our outstanding young players and will form a superb partnership with Pierre in a settled back four between now and Xmas.
I agree with @mooneyman and @aloysius The reason our defenders looked so vulnerable yesterday was because they had to cope with hordes of swarming Cobblers thanks to an ineffective midfield selection/formation ahead of them.
They passed us to death for most of the match, and a one-goal defeat flattered us.
It was just a poor performance all round yesterday. I like Thompson as a striker, he has enough pace still to cause some issues for defenders but on the right of a 3 up front (and dropping into right midfield at times) he does not have the mobility/energy to play in that position. Consequently, we were repeatedly overrun in midfield by a very good Northampton performance. Similarly, a at the moment McGinn doesn't offer enough on the ball to get past his lack of mobility in central midfield and lack of bite in the tackle. For me, the team going forward needs to stick as closely as possible to 4-4-2 - Ingram, Sido, Pierre, Rowe (Stewart when fit), Jacobson, Wood, Bean, O'Nien, Harriman, Hayes, Thompson. I think Ugwu is a decent option from the bench primarily, but at the moment doesn't offer enough. Holloway is a bit of a worry as he just does not seem right - it may be just a factor of fitness, some players take longer to get their fitness optimal, and Aaron is a big lad. Once he comes good again, we'll be a better side, and I would fit him in somewhere. But for now, I would not want to see Ugwu and Holloway play together again if we can avoid it.
I am still sticking with my original prediction that we will finish in or around the play offs. We have a very good squad of players, but perhaps just a shade less class from the team last year (having lost Mawson, Scowen, Murphy, Cowan-Hall, and significant contributions from Fred, Yennaris and Saunders). But it's a fine line, as we have some really good additions, especially O'Nien, a flly fit and firing Marcus Bean, and Michael Harriman. With everyone fit and the addition of, for example, Sam Saunders in January ( assuming we can extend Harriman) we could still challenge that top 3. Either way though, regardless of the poor day yesterday, Gareth is doing a great job. Long may it continue!
I agree with your team Quaterman. With Wood bombing down the left and Harriman the right we would have a better balance. However, I would love to see a few loaners in the shape of a pacey front man and maybe Sam Saunders back.
Funny how people see games, bluntphil thought he (Rowe) had a great game on commentary. Indeed even as much as our mom! We did miss Harriman though that was obvious!
Have to say, I thought Rowe was ok yesterday, it's just that the partnership between him and Pierre is nowhere near as strong as it is when Pierre partners Jombati.
Danny Rowe was NOT awful today. His understanding with Pierre, however was, indeed awful. Maybe this is not surprising as this was his first full game back since his injury at Barnet, and we need to bear in mind that the boy has been mucked about ever since he arrived here (with the exception of a brief run in the awful team at the end of the season before last). I am sure some of you will disagree with me and that is, of course, your right but in my view he is a very good player with a great deal of potential. Give him a consistent run in the side and an opportunity to strike up an understanding with Pierre, as Alfie did last season, and only then, if he still fails to impress, critisise him.
Algernon I generally agree with you, but I don't think he is a natural central defender. I feel his best position is as a defensive midfielder. Jombati seems to have a much better rapport with Pierre.
Rowe had a very solid partnership with Pierre the end of the season before last. I've not seen anything from him that suggests he isn't a high quality central defender. And he's still a teenager.
There can be no doubt we deserved to lose that. The formation felt disjointed and unbalanced (O'Nien, Bean and McGinn felt like a central midfielder too many), and too often our men were isolated on the ball with few (if any) obvious passes on. Northampton were able to take advantage and get their three goals in barely 15 minutes of play, though could easily have had a good few more. To be fair we could have got more than the one we did in our earlier period of being the better team, though we can hardly have any complaints about the result in the end.
Robbed of me car for the day I had to get a train and the bus from the station to see us well beaten by a team wearing pink cycling gear I swear I last saw labouring up Coombe Hill. Although the referee was truly appalling Northampton were better than us at everything. They playted largely on the deck and at speed and we were lucky to go in 1 -1, I reckon. Wilder got the measure of us for sure...the defenders went down screaming every time they were up against the (ineffectual) big men and though their keeper made a couple of excellent saves...I think the scoreline flattered us. Poor old Thompson was defending, taking throw-ins in our own half and had the best chance...and it looked to me as if the instructions Gaz and the bench were shouting at Sido and Rowe just confused the back four...and a couple of times they were struggling to hear what was being shouted as the speedy Cobblers broke yet again. Surely they know what they are doing by now. I was pleased to see Rowe back and Sido back on the right hand side to start with...but to be honest only Bean and Thompson looked at the races today...and sadly bringing on Blooms was not going to turn the game. Oh well, we cannot win them all...and we usually bouce back. At least we cannot say we played well and were robbed. We were awful and deserved what we got. And my journey home was awful.
Interesting point @mooneyman which I hadn't really considered. I have always thought of Danny Rowe as a central defender because, for the most part, that is where he has been selected. I know he has been shoved in at right back a few times (and done OK in my view) and remember him being given a go at defensive midfield up at Fleetwood about a season and a half ago where he did generally OK in an atrocious team performance (remember Morgan sitting on his arse on the pitch sulking and refusing to play - makes me shudder to remember). Sido will have a better rapport with AP because they have played together, in one way or another, for well over a season. Maybe you are right and the way forward is Sido at centre back, Danny at right back, releasing Harry (excellent season so far), when he is fit, to play right midfield. But I'd want Danny in my team because he is quality, although he now needs some game time to get properly sharp.
Danny Rowe's attempt for the second goal is quite comical, if your not a Wanderers fan. He seems to be trying to head an imaginary ball, and not the one D'ath nodded home. I must admit i think Rowe is one for the future, im not sure he is physically or mentally strong enough yet to play centre half at present, especially against wily old pro's.
Yeah, I saw that Chas and had to laugh: takes the sting out of my earlier rant! I'll still stick up for Danny, though and agree he is one for the future. To quote Fifa: "high potential, give him playing time".
I think it was a bad day at the office for Danny Rowe, but none of the defence played particularly well on Saturday. I think the Rowe and Pierre team at the back will come good...
Well, I said some would disagree; although, from what you have written, it is not clear what you are saying about what Pierre did or didn't make him do. The WHOLE team (bar Bean and O'Nien) were poor - but Danny was no worse than Sido or AP, for example, and to single him out seems unjust.
Let's agree on that, Strongest, and pleased that you rate him as well. One for the future I'm sure. And, by the bye, he was one of our better players last night (not that he had too much to beat).
I think Sido Pierre Rowe Jacobson will work once they get a few games under their belts. One poor performance does not make a season. I fear Anthony Stewart will need some time to get over the injury once he's available again. The fact the midfield and strikers were so poor did not help the defence on Saturday.
Comments
I think you're being unfair on Rowe, who had one bad match having just been brought back into the team; and Sido, who had his first bad match as right back this season, having been shifted into the centre to cover for injuries. The player I most hold responsible for our defensive difficulties yesterday is Garry Thompson, who was constantly passed on the wing (and should have been switched up front when it was clear this was going to happen all afternoon). Once Harriman is back on the right of midfield he and Sido will combine effortlessly again. Rowe is one of our outstanding young players and will form a superb partnership with Pierre in a settled back four between now and Xmas.
I agree with @mooneyman and @aloysius The reason our defenders looked so vulnerable yesterday was because they had to cope with hordes of swarming Cobblers thanks to an ineffective midfield selection/formation ahead of them.
They passed us to death for most of the match, and a one-goal defeat flattered us.
It was just a poor performance all round yesterday. I like Thompson as a striker, he has enough pace still to cause some issues for defenders but on the right of a 3 up front (and dropping into right midfield at times) he does not have the mobility/energy to play in that position. Consequently, we were repeatedly overrun in midfield by a very good Northampton performance. Similarly, a at the moment McGinn doesn't offer enough on the ball to get past his lack of mobility in central midfield and lack of bite in the tackle. For me, the team going forward needs to stick as closely as possible to 4-4-2 - Ingram, Sido, Pierre, Rowe (Stewart when fit), Jacobson, Wood, Bean, O'Nien, Harriman, Hayes, Thompson. I think Ugwu is a decent option from the bench primarily, but at the moment doesn't offer enough. Holloway is a bit of a worry as he just does not seem right - it may be just a factor of fitness, some players take longer to get their fitness optimal, and Aaron is a big lad. Once he comes good again, we'll be a better side, and I would fit him in somewhere. But for now, I would not want to see Ugwu and Holloway play together again if we can avoid it.
I am still sticking with my original prediction that we will finish in or around the play offs. We have a very good squad of players, but perhaps just a shade less class from the team last year (having lost Mawson, Scowen, Murphy, Cowan-Hall, and significant contributions from Fred, Yennaris and Saunders). But it's a fine line, as we have some really good additions, especially O'Nien, a flly fit and firing Marcus Bean, and Michael Harriman. With everyone fit and the addition of, for example, Sam Saunders in January ( assuming we can extend Harriman) we could still challenge that top 3. Either way though, regardless of the poor day yesterday, Gareth is doing a great job. Long may it continue!
I agree with your team Quaterman. With Wood bombing down the left and Harriman the right we would have a better balance. However, I would love to see a few loaners in the shape of a pacey front man and maybe Sam Saunders back.
Opportunity on Tuesday for Banton to stake a claim as pacy forward and Max likewise as creative midfield. Sellers likely to get a chance at FB too.
Funny how people see games, bluntphil thought he (Rowe) had a great game on commentary. Indeed even as much as our mom! We did miss Harriman though that was obvious!
Have to say, I thought Rowe was ok yesterday, it's just that the partnership between him and Pierre is nowhere near as strong as it is when Pierre partners Jombati.
Danny Rowe was NOT awful today. His understanding with Pierre, however was, indeed awful. Maybe this is not surprising as this was his first full game back since his injury at Barnet, and we need to bear in mind that the boy has been mucked about ever since he arrived here (with the exception of a brief run in the awful team at the end of the season before last). I am sure some of you will disagree with me and that is, of course, your right but in my view he is a very good player with a great deal of potential. Give him a consistent run in the side and an opportunity to strike up an understanding with Pierre, as Alfie did last season, and only then, if he still fails to impress, critisise him.
Algernon I generally agree with you, but I don't think he is a natural central defender. I feel his best position is as a defensive midfielder. Jombati seems to have a much better rapport with Pierre.
Rowe had a very solid partnership with Pierre the end of the season before last. I've not seen anything from him that suggests he isn't a high quality central defender. And he's still a teenager.
There can be no doubt we deserved to lose that. The formation felt disjointed and unbalanced (O'Nien, Bean and McGinn felt like a central midfielder too many), and too often our men were isolated on the ball with few (if any) obvious passes on. Northampton were able to take advantage and get their three goals in barely 15 minutes of play, though could easily have had a good few more. To be fair we could have got more than the one we did in our earlier period of being the better team, though we can hardly have any complaints about the result in the end.
Robbed of me car for the day I had to get a train and the bus from the station to see us well beaten by a team wearing pink cycling gear I swear I last saw labouring up Coombe Hill. Although the referee was truly appalling Northampton were better than us at everything. They playted largely on the deck and at speed and we were lucky to go in 1 -1, I reckon. Wilder got the measure of us for sure...the defenders went down screaming every time they were up against the (ineffectual) big men and though their keeper made a couple of excellent saves...I think the scoreline flattered us. Poor old Thompson was defending, taking throw-ins in our own half and had the best chance...and it looked to me as if the instructions Gaz and the bench were shouting at Sido and Rowe just confused the back four...and a couple of times they were struggling to hear what was being shouted as the speedy Cobblers broke yet again. Surely they know what they are doing by now. I was pleased to see Rowe back and Sido back on the right hand side to start with...but to be honest only Bean and Thompson looked at the races today...and sadly bringing on Blooms was not going to turn the game. Oh well, we cannot win them all...and we usually bouce back. At least we cannot say we played well and were robbed. We were awful and deserved what we got. And my journey home was awful.
Interesting point @mooneyman which I hadn't really considered. I have always thought of Danny Rowe as a central defender because, for the most part, that is where he has been selected. I know he has been shoved in at right back a few times (and done OK in my view) and remember him being given a go at defensive midfield up at Fleetwood about a season and a half ago where he did generally OK in an atrocious team performance (remember Morgan sitting on his arse on the pitch sulking and refusing to play - makes me shudder to remember). Sido will have a better rapport with AP because they have played together, in one way or another, for well over a season. Maybe you are right and the way forward is Sido at centre back, Danny at right back, releasing Harry (excellent season so far), when he is fit, to play right midfield. But I'd want Danny in my team because he is quality, although he now needs some game time to get properly sharp.
Danny Rowe's attempt for the second goal is quite comical, if your not a Wanderers fan. He seems to be trying to head an imaginary ball, and not the one D'ath nodded home. I must admit i think Rowe is one for the future, im not sure he is physically or mentally strong enough yet to play centre half at present, especially against wily old pro's.
Looking at the video is that JJ giving their keeping a clip round the head after the second goal has been scored? Not impressive.
Que?!
Yeah, I saw that Chas and had to laugh: takes the sting out of my earlier rant! I'll still stick up for Danny, though and agree he is one for the future. To quote Fifa: "high potential, give him playing time".
I think it was a bad day at the office for Danny Rowe, but none of the defence played particularly well on Saturday. I think the Rowe and Pierre team at the back will come good...
Well, I said some would disagree; although, from what you have written, it is not clear what you are saying about what Pierre did or didn't make him do. The WHOLE team (bar Bean and O'Nien) were poor - but Danny was no worse than Sido or AP, for example, and to single him out seems unjust.
Let's agree on that, Strongest, and pleased that you rate him as well. One for the future I'm sure. And, by the bye, he was one of our better players last night (not that he had too much to beat).
I think Sido Pierre Rowe Jacobson will work once they get a few games under their belts. One poor performance does not make a season. I fear Anthony Stewart will need some time to get over the injury once he's available again. The fact the midfield and strikers were so poor did not help the defence on Saturday.