It annoys me we never play Smyth close to Bayo. In the same way we used to with Kashket. His pace isnt as effective out wide in a front 3 and that reflects in his goal return.
'Worked us out?' sorry...I thought they worked us out about five years ago! And we've been without arguably our best player for most of the season. The fact is people who were doing well at the start of the season Tools, Gape, Allsopp (!) Thompson (and even JJ's delivery was a bit hit and miss last night) are doing less well...it's not like it took 13 games for managers to realise they needed to put three defenders on Bayo at every set-piece or decide to try and stop wide players feeding him! Or that we excel at set-pieces. Even last night, not a great performance l I know, but had one of those late shots gone in or hit a hand we would have nabbed a point. It's still not all doom and gloom. Well, not for me anyway.
The crazy thing is this league is so poor this season that I genuinely think six more wins could get us sixth place. We'd only need to perform like the mid-table team we are - although last night probably wasn't even 50% of that level. But the more I think like that, the more I think how badly we'd get battered in the Championship. Top half is still success imo, play-offs an unbelievable and unprecedented bonus. Agree we should just absolutely go at them on Saturday.
@eric_plant said:
We just need to go for it on Saturday. Fred + Smyth, attack attack attack. Full backs bombing on. Midfielders making runs ahead of Bayo.
No point holding back now. Gaz can whip them up into a frenzy and send them out like men possessed
Someone's going to the game.
I'd say a back 5 with a double hold in front. Bolton are a threat at home.
Exactly right @chairboyscentral theres plenty of football left and still time for us to turn it around and some of the form teams to fall apart around us.
@chairboyscentral said: @drcongo I've never been on board with suggestions that he's Championship quality.
Gape is a smooth player, effective. But I think last summer, when he was out of contract showed there perhaps isn't the interest from better clubs.
That's our gain though, and it's easy to go through all our players weakneesses after such a dreadful game.
Think most of the horrors of last night have been well covered but one more moan to add from me...Allsop and his goal kicks.
In the first half particularly it felt like all I did was watch him slowly retrieve the ball, check studs, take it to the other side of the goal, check studs, slowly pace it, check studs, check studs again and finally kick.
I understand there are times when slowing down play is helpful but it gets so frustrating on every single goal kick. Get on with it, we haven't paid money to watch you waste time for no reason!
The absence of Darius last night is surely one of the most significant reasons we played so poorly. He was such a vital part of the amazing defensive record in the build up to christmas, as soon as I saw he was missing last night I was worried. The rest of the team look worse when the defence allows the opposition nearer our goal for longer periods. I'm sure we were playing further up the pitch earlier in the season even if we weren't controlling possession.
On the bright side that was the last Tuesday game so hopefully we will have a first choice back four for the remainder of the season. I'd definitely go with Stockdale over Allsop, not to say Allsop is poor just that Stockdale is better.
@Malone said:
This thread is almost acting like a "name the player you think isn't as good as people think".
Smyth is mine.
I've seen flashes of quality from him and Freeman but neither entirely convinces me and I know that will be heresay for those who see Nick as our footballing salvation who just does not get the opportunities. I do, however, think Parker could be far more useful to us, perhaps as Bayo lite, than his limited starts would suggest.
@FmG said:
Think most of the horrors of last night have been well covered but one more moan to add from me...Allsop and his goal kicks.
In the first half particularly it felt like all I did was watch him slowly retrieve the ball, check studs, take it to the other side of the goal, check studs, slowly pace it, check studs, check studs again and finally kick.
I understand there are times when slowing down play is helpful but it gets so frustrating on every single goal kick. Get on with it, we haven't paid money to watch you waste time for no reason!
Totally agree and I'd add the waving of both hands to beckon all the others up the pitch even though they are already far away from him. This happened a couple of times in added time yesterday and both made me laugh out loud.
One more Tuesday game to come, @WildWestFC, potentially two (due to play Shrewsbury during an international break and they've had enough call-ups to postpone both times so far this season). That said, that game is the Sat after Cov away, so might Charles be able to play v Oxford at the weekend then Cov in the week? And have Shrewsbury off regardless of whether it goes ahead as planned or not?
On the bright side that was the last Tuesday game so hopefully we will have a first choice back four for the remainder of the season.
You'll be lucky of Darius plays every game for the rest of the season! Of the two games I would have preferred him to have been available for last night rather than Bolton.
I think we need a leader alongside either Sido or Stewart. They both played well with El Abd, and Charles, but neither seem to influence the players around them.
The Sido Tools option did itself no favours last night to be sure. Just watched the highlights finally and I have to say at first I thought the red card was soft from the Beechdean, but bloody hell how blatant was that? And why did Evans do it? Goal still looked absolutely ridiculous though.
@eric_plant said:
We just need to go for it on Saturday. Fred + Smyth, attack attack attack. Full backs bombing on. Midfielders making runs ahead of Bayo.
No point holding back now. Gaz can whip them up into a frenzy and send them out like men possessed
Someone's going to the game.
I'd say a back 5 with a double hold in front. Bolton are a threat at home.
Listen pal, it's not everyone can bear the burden of being a superfan.
Minimum 4 players ahead of the ball at any given time is the way to go
I fear I might be in a minority of one here, but....
1) No doubt Evans caught McCarthy with his elbow but looked to me like he was simply jumping for a ball using his arms to aid his jump. Not sure there was any intent. Maybe still counts as reckless though?
2) for the goal, good ball in, Madden got away from defender, obvious place for Madden to seek to score was near post so Alllsop was seeking to cover that, actually he barely made contact causing Allsop to be dummied and ball to go in at far post. I am not sure many if any GKs are going to stop that.
Allsop's early pass out was calamitous from which he recovered admirably but apart from that I thought he was fine esp the one on one recovery save at the end.
@Wendoverman said:
The Sido Tools option did itself no favours last night to be sure. Just watched the highlights finally and I have to say at first I thought the red card was soft from the Beechdean, but bloody hell how blatant was that? And why did Evans do it? Goal still looked absolutely ridiculous though.
@WildWestFC said:
The absence of Darius last night is surely one of the most significant reasons we played so poorly. He was such a vital part of the amazing defensive record in the build up to christmas, as soon as I saw he was missing last night I was worried. The rest of the team look worse when the defence allows the opposition nearer our goal for longer periods. I'm sure we were playing further up the pitch earlier in the season even if we weren't controlling possession.
On the bright side that was the last Tuesday game so hopefully we will have a first choice back four for the remainder of the season. I'd definitely go with Stockdale over Allsop, not to say Allsop is poor just that Stockdale is better.
We still have Coventry away on a midweeker.
Also as someone else pointed out the 2 Easter games quite close.
13 games left, hopefully Charles can play 11 of them!
Imagine if he'd had actual injuries this season! Stewart too, who has previously seemed to average a 2-3monther each year.
Comments
It annoys me we never play Smyth close to Bayo. In the same way we used to with Kashket. His pace isnt as effective out wide in a front 3 and that reflects in his goal return.
'Worked us out?' sorry...I thought they worked us out about five years ago! And we've been without arguably our best player for most of the season. The fact is people who were doing well at the start of the season Tools, Gape, Allsopp (!) Thompson (and even JJ's delivery was a bit hit and miss last night) are doing less well...it's not like it took 13 games for managers to realise they needed to put three defenders on Bayo at every set-piece or decide to try and stop wide players feeding him! Or that we excel at set-pieces. Even last night, not a great performance l I know, but had one of those late shots gone in or hit a hand we would have nabbed a point. It's still not all doom and gloom. Well, not for me anyway.
The crazy thing is this league is so poor this season that I genuinely think six more wins could get us sixth place. We'd only need to perform like the mid-table team we are - although last night probably wasn't even 50% of that level. But the more I think like that, the more I think how badly we'd get battered in the Championship. Top half is still success imo, play-offs an unbelievable and unprecedented bonus. Agree we should just absolutely go at them on Saturday.
Someone's going to the game.
I'd say a back 5 with a double hold in front. Bolton are a threat at home.
Exactly right @chairboyscentral theres plenty of football left and still time for us to turn it around and some of the form teams to fall apart around us.
Oozes class?
Maybe i've not seen him enough!
Gape is a smooth player, effective. But I think last summer, when he was out of contract showed there perhaps isn't the interest from better clubs.
That's our gain though, and it's easy to go through all our players weakneesses after such a dreadful game.
This thread is almost acting like a "name the player you think isn't as good as people think".
Smyth is mine.
Think most of the horrors of last night have been well covered but one more moan to add from me...Allsop and his goal kicks.
In the first half particularly it felt like all I did was watch him slowly retrieve the ball, check studs, take it to the other side of the goal, check studs, slowly pace it, check studs, check studs again and finally kick.
I understand there are times when slowing down play is helpful but it gets so frustrating on every single goal kick. Get on with it, we haven't paid money to watch you waste time for no reason!
The absence of Darius last night is surely one of the most significant reasons we played so poorly. He was such a vital part of the amazing defensive record in the build up to christmas, as soon as I saw he was missing last night I was worried. The rest of the team look worse when the defence allows the opposition nearer our goal for longer periods. I'm sure we were playing further up the pitch earlier in the season even if we weren't controlling possession.
On the bright side that was the last Tuesday game so hopefully we will have a first choice back four for the remainder of the season. I'd definitely go with Stockdale over Allsop, not to say Allsop is poor just that Stockdale is better.
I've seen flashes of quality from him and Freeman but neither entirely convinces me and I know that will be heresay for those who see Nick as our footballing salvation who just does not get the opportunities. I do, however, think Parker could be far more useful to us, perhaps as Bayo lite, than his limited starts would suggest.
Totally agree and I'd add the waving of both hands to beckon all the others up the pitch even though they are already far away from him. This happened a couple of times in added time yesterday and both made me laugh out loud.
One more Tuesday game to come, @WildWestFC, potentially two (due to play Shrewsbury during an international break and they've had enough call-ups to postpone both times so far this season). That said, that game is the Sat after Cov away, so might Charles be able to play v Oxford at the weekend then Cov in the week? And have Shrewsbury off regardless of whether it goes ahead as planned or not?
You'll be lucky of Darius plays every game for the rest of the season! Of the two games I would have preferred him to have been available for last night rather than Bolton.
Oh dear, I guess the hope then would be for Grimmer to be fit and McCarthy and Stewart to play CB in those games.
You know what's going to happen: Grimmer will come back and then Stewart will immediately get injured.
Are we all just ignoring Sido as an option?
I'm a big Sido fan, but even I've lost faith in him recently.
I think we need a leader alongside either Sido or Stewart. They both played well with El Abd, and Charles, but neither seem to influence the players around them.
The Sido Tools option did itself no favours last night to be sure. Just watched the highlights finally and I have to say at first I thought the red card was soft from the Beechdean, but bloody hell how blatant was that? And why did Evans do it? Goal still looked absolutely ridiculous though.
Listen pal, it's not everyone can bear the burden of being a superfan.
Minimum 4 players ahead of the ball at any given time is the way to go
@Malone do you not recall Smyth tearing us apart with Accy last season?
He started the season excellently before a long injury lay off.
He would be a huge asset if used correctly playing on the shoulder rather than shoehorned out wide.
Could make a similar case for Kashket.
I fear I might be in a minority of one here, but....
1) No doubt Evans caught McCarthy with his elbow but looked to me like he was simply jumping for a ball using his arms to aid his jump. Not sure there was any intent. Maybe still counts as reckless though?
2) for the goal, good ball in, Madden got away from defender, obvious place for Madden to seek to score was near post so Alllsop was seeking to cover that, actually he barely made contact causing Allsop to be dummied and ball to go in at far post. I am not sure many if any GKs are going to stop that.
Allsop's early pass out was calamitous from which he recovered admirably but apart from that I thought he was fine esp the one on one recovery save at the end.
Dev defending Ched Evans is so 2016
ps Allsopp spreads panic in the defence ahead of him. He should never have been picked last night and he certainly shouldn't be on Saturday
Agree Eric, Allsop general keeping is off a poor standard.
Time to give Stocky a run in the team to install confidence in the back four.
Because he's a piece of shit.
As much of a danger on a football pitch as he is in a travel lodge at half eleven
He was awful as well wasn't he? He used to be pretty highly rated
We still have Coventry away on a midweeker.
Also as someone else pointed out the 2 Easter games quite close.
13 games left, hopefully Charles can play 11 of them!
Imagine if he'd had actual injuries this season! Stewart too, who has previously seemed to average a 2-3monther each year.