My Two Cents
Taken some time to ponder yesterday as any posts prior would have been reactionary and a little bit emotionally tinged.
Three bad goals to concede. The third one was almost comical and the whole defence should hang their heads on that one. But it happens.
Chances for Hayes after 2 minutes, Pierre later in the half and Woody when (almost) one on one would have made the game a whole different one. Coupled with the total bottling by the ref for the Fred incident. It just was not to be.
Once we were behind we huffed and puffed and as with any team when you have to chase the game so hard formation and discipline of play goes out the window in favour of panic and endeavour. That showed as we tactically fell apart for the final 20 minutes.
As individuals there were more silly mistakes than i can recall for weeks. Passes going out of play, giving the ball away, over hitting balls etc etc. I can't think of an outstandingly poor player as much as I can't think of an outstandingly good one. For the Bean haters out there you really should support the player and the team. Special shout out to the silly little one in the Vere Suite afterwards that got slammed by Matt at the start of the Q and A - what did you hope to achieve with that comment pal? Bean is asked to play a negative role in a formation, i.e. he has to break up play. He made a few good interceptions and broke forward yesterday, so fulfilled that role. He was no worse than 10 others yesterday. Personally if I can't cheer a guy on I won't boo him. While he wears the shirt he is one of ours.
Anyway. We move on. Nothing too exciting to say. The PNL got lucky on a day were were under par and it was their cup final did you really expect them to come along and play second fiddle to our promotion season?
Comments
I'd say we did have one outstanding player out there yesterday - Hayes - battled for everything, won most things, some great passes and moves, sadly not backed up by most of the rest of the team. The good thing is that this season we've been very good at bouncing back from a poor performance.
The enigma right now seems to be Bean. It seems our style away from home suits him far better as he more often than not plays very well away, but seems lost at home. So either we change the way the whole team approaches home games, or drop Bean at home.
After each match recently, people seem surprised how frustrating the performances are, but it is time that we accept that this is how it is. When was the last time people came away from watching WW thinking "great performance", but we have often said "Great Win". What Gareth has built is a team with a great back 5, a great spirit, and the ability to knick a win when on the balance of play, we often don't deserve it.
Read the comments of away fans after every game, they say "how are that lot top of the League?". We know how.... by scrapping, keeping going to the end, and by having a great defence.
We have been particularly poor football-wise for the last 3 games, but that magic formula has still produced 2 excellent away wins.
Our defence has been hiding the fact that our midfield is really poor, not good either defensively or going forward. The lack of protection of our defence has shown itself this calendar year, since losing Scowan (gone) & Murphy (form?/dunno) . I would guess that we have probably conceded 2 goals per game on average over the past 10 or 11 games.
The midfield's lack of creativity is shown by the fact that we continually lump it over the top rather than going through midfield, and hence our forwards are always having to compete with the opposing defenders for high balls, or chasing lost causes.
There is not a great deal I think that Gareth can change, we have this personnel for the rest of the season. In my opinion I would like to see Murphy given another chance to build up some match-time, and I think that Holloway has shown enough to be given a chance, although based on the fact that McClure was thrown straight in the team at Dagenham, it seems that Gareth does not rate Holloway.
It's certainly going to be a roller-coaster to the end of the season.
I wouldn't say ainswirth does not rate holloway. He puts him on late to hope to keep the score sucure with his strength to hold the ball up wene were winning or drawing.
@PHILIPBALL , Holloway usually gets his customary 15-25 minutes, not bad performances considering a player in his first season as a playing Professional.
Holloway is quite often in the top spots on Vital and the other BFP "vote for your MOTM"polling website.
An excellent post that perfectly matches my thoughts. It was a disappointing performance from almost every player in a blue shirt but some of the reactions yesterday were ridiculously over the top.
The chanting at Ainsworth and then the prat in the Vere Suite just show how detached some people are from reality. I spent a depressing hour or so reading through the posts on the WWFC Facebook group and I was despairing by the end at the sheer imbecility of some of the comments on there.
At least there seems to be a decent sense of perspective on Gasroom 2.0 - on the whole...
All this negativity is just like what Martin O'Neill got pre-Runcorn (league) 1993.
Now we're talking comparisons; with a squad this thin we have done wonders already. MoN was not always the legend we remember, GA is still learning his trade and growing massively in his first career position.
The fact that he has committed five years to a club with a vision is commendable, his relationship with AH seems solid and WWFCs future seems bright. Shout down the naysayers as the pro GA chant the other day, let the team & mgt know that the fan(atical) base is with them, come what may come May.
COYBarmyArmy!!!!!COYB!!!!
Agree with the main post. Can I ask what comment was made in the Vere Suite and what was the reaction from everyone else there?