Taf was excellent. Low also played well after he came on. Mis communication for the sending off has cost us but we defended admirably for 90 plus minutes today.
I’ve just referred on the match thread to what led me to pick him. That was based on the first half. I had migraine aura during the second half and could see very little.
There were precious few contenders but I gather Joe Low was one of them.
At half time I expect a sizeable majority would have voted for Max for those couple of saves, one of which was incredible. Unfortunate turn of events to say the least…
Vindication came swiftly. My judgment was based entirely on the first half. Perhaps, in fairness to those who disparaged it, the vast majority of Tafazolli’s headed clearances may have been in the first half. I was virtually blinded by migraine during the second half.
Low for me, a real shame that KVY pulled up crocked as he was looking incredibly promising, but J-Low was a sensible substitution given Lonwijk's early yellow and the scrap that St Evenage always turn games into - looked a rock at the back.
Low 12 Tafazolli 8 currently. Two defenders sharing approximately 50% of the votes underlines the fact that we are defensively pretty resilient.
But, following the recent series of games where we were scoring goals almost for fun, early domination with no end product was back on the agenda today. We throw so many players forward early in games that (a) we become vulnerable to counterattack and (b) opponents just have to crowd their penalty area to make it virtually impossible to penetrate.
Not sure who to go for, Low is probably a decent shout though. For me, Taf in general had a good game, but did make a couple of errors. Vokes and Wheeler played well, but weren't really on the pitch long enough for MOTM votes.
If it’s any consolation, the gap has widened slightly.
I think Joe Low has been our second best signing this season. Because scoring goals is the priority, I think Sadlier has so far been the best but there is still time for Richard Kone to take that honour.
I wasn’t really able to watch the second half because of migraine aura/visual distortion and Joe was on the far side of the pitch from the camera. My vote was therefore first half skewed but the 17 headed clearances seem to offer a degree of justification.
I was thinking of making more opinionated people's votes count tenfold, so that the unwashed masses don't ruin their day by having their opinions matter equally.
Taffazoli makes League One Team of the Week. Goes to show what game some people were watching Saturday and those who voted for Taf were well justified!
Vokes was the top striker in League 1 last season at the half way mark with something like six goals in 20 games according to the same Whoscored ratings. That was when at least five strikers had many more goals than him.
Whoscored’s system overvalues the importance of winning aerial duels. Tafa won loads of aerial duels but didn’t keep possession with many of them.
Under Ainsworth, we went through a period where we (debatably) unfairly had too many of our players in their team of the week. There were weeks where we had three players in the team and the rest of the top eight barely scraped three players between them.
I got downvoted heavily for my prior comment. I do value everyone else’s opinion. I trust your opinions far more than Whoscored’s. I was just surprised he was anywhere near man of the match for so many of you. I usually agree with most of your votes.
I was unwell during the second half on Saturday and no doubt depended too much on the much repeated words “and Tafazolli heads clear” later confirmed by the stats.
I have read and re-read @Frenchfry’s comments on page 6 of the matchday thread, especially the fifth paragraph in which he does a thorough demolition job on Ryan Tafazolli’s qualities and highlights his perceived shortcomings more generally.
Now I have no doubt that @Frenchfry’s football knowledge and powers of observation are vastly superior to mine but I’d like to take issue on one aspect in particular. ( Others may wish to comment on, for example, his contention that “Taf” tries to look cool and walk his way through the game).
I’ve watched a few thousand matches in my lifetime and my perception (rightly or wrongly) is that central defenders are very often stationary when heading the ball, for the very good reason that they’d be committing a foul if they carried on running.
I’ll be paying much closer attention to “Taf”s wider idiosyncrasies tomorrow evening.
The ultimate irony in all this is that I’d never voted for him before.
But you said you’d trust our opinions far more than Whoscored’s. I’m guessing you don’t trust their stats. I often wonder, to be fair, how accurate they can be unless they have battalions of folk tapping buttons or whatever it is they do.
It’s not that the stats might be wrong. It’s that they are a blunt instrument - what is being measured might not be the best way to judge how good a game a player has had.
Comments
Sads.
Who is voting for Tafazolli? Very funny.
Joe Low was put through a wringer today. He had a good game, but I went with Sadlier.
Low easily MOTM today. Whilst his fellow defenders continuously forgot how to do their jobs, he was tidying up all over the back line.
I assume whoever voted for Tafazolli either did so by mistake or it was the big man himself.
Vokes and Wheeler did well when they came on. Sadlier & Leahy the only players to start who did well.
Taf was excellent. Low also played well after he came on. Mis communication for the sending off has cost us but we defended admirably for 90 plus minutes today.
Low for me. Thought Tafazolli had a mare.
I’ve just referred on the match thread to what led me to pick him. That was based on the first half. I had migraine aura during the second half and could see very little.
There were precious few contenders but I gather Joe Low was one of them.
These player ratings accurately reflect how I saw the game today.
At half time I expect a sizeable majority would have voted for Max for those couple of saves, one of which was incredible. Unfortunate turn of events to say the least…
Vindication came swiftly. My judgment was based entirely on the first half. Perhaps, in fairness to those who disparaged it, the vast majority of Tafazolli’s headed clearances may have been in the first half. I was virtually blinded by migraine during the second half.
I’m not really one to use stats but each to their own.
I’d put a very large proportion of blame for the sending off on Taf, which alone wouldn’t make him MOTM in my view.
I'm amazed anyone would single out a defender for criticism when we are so toothless going forward.
Funny old game. I thought he was poor. Bizarre moment for the goal where he did an Alex Jakubiak.
Low for me, a real shame that KVY pulled up crocked as he was looking incredibly promising, but J-Low was a sensible substitution given Lonwijk's early yellow and the scrap that St Evenage always turn games into - looked a rock at the back.
Low 12 Tafazolli 8 currently. Two defenders sharing approximately 50% of the votes underlines the fact that we are defensively pretty resilient.
But, following the recent series of games where we were scoring goals almost for fun, early domination with no end product was back on the agenda today. We throw so many players forward early in games that (a) we become vulnerable to counterattack and (b) opponents just have to crowd their penalty area to make it virtually impossible to penetrate.
I have never disagreed more with a gasroom motm vote than today. I cannot believe this many of you voted Tafazolli as man of the match. Unbelievable.
Not sure who to go for, Low is probably a decent shout though. For me, Taf in general had a good game, but did make a couple of errors. Vokes and Wheeler played well, but weren't really on the pitch long enough for MOTM votes.
If it’s any consolation, the gap has widened slightly.
I think Joe Low has been our second best signing this season. Because scoring goals is the priority, I think Sadlier has so far been the best but there is still time for Richard Kone to take that honour.
I wasn’t really able to watch the second half because of migraine aura/visual distortion and Joe was on the far side of the pitch from the camera. My vote was therefore first half skewed but the 17 headed clearances seem to offer a degree of justification.
17-10. I surrender!
That's a really bad day at the cricket then, @micra
I was thinking of making more opinionated people's votes count tenfold, so that the unwashed masses don't ruin their day by having their opinions matter equally.
I admire your magnanimity @Shev If I ran regular polls they'd all mysteriously confirm my own views...
Taffazoli makes League One Team of the Week. Goes to show what game some people were watching Saturday and those who voted for Taf were well justified!
Vokes was the top striker in League 1 last season at the half way mark with something like six goals in 20 games according to the same Whoscored ratings. That was when at least five strikers had many more goals than him.
Whoscored’s system overvalues the importance of winning aerial duels. Tafa won loads of aerial duels but didn’t keep possession with many of them.
Under Ainsworth, we went through a period where we (debatably) unfairly had too many of our players in their team of the week. There were weeks where we had three players in the team and the rest of the top eight barely scraped three players between them.
I got downvoted heavily for my prior comment. I do value everyone else’s opinion. I trust your opinions far more than Whoscored’s. I was just surprised he was anywhere near man of the match for so many of you. I usually agree with most of your votes.
I assume Steve Evans was not bemoaning the poor quality of officiating this week?
I have a confession.
I was unwell during the second half on Saturday and no doubt depended too much on the much repeated words “and Tafazolli heads clear” later confirmed by the stats.
I have read and re-read @Frenchfry’s comments on page 6 of the matchday thread, especially the fifth paragraph in which he does a thorough demolition job on Ryan Tafazolli’s qualities and highlights his perceived shortcomings more generally.
Now I have no doubt that @Frenchfry’s football knowledge and powers of observation are vastly superior to mine but I’d like to take issue on one aspect in particular. ( Others may wish to comment on, for example, his contention that “Taf” tries to look cool and walk his way through the game).
I’ve watched a few thousand matches in my lifetime and my perception (rightly or wrongly) is that central defenders are very often stationary when heading the ball, for the very good reason that they’d be committing a foul if they carried on running.
I’ll be paying much closer attention to “Taf”s wider idiosyncrasies tomorrow evening.
The ultimate irony in all this is that I’d never voted for him before.
Would I be right in saying that Whoscored’s output (or at least the stuff we are discussing here) is counting rather than opinion?
Yes. It’s entirely data-driven.
But you said you’d trust our opinions far more than Whoscored’s. I’m guessing you don’t trust their stats. I often wonder, to be fair, how accurate they can be unless they have battalions of folk tapping buttons or whatever it is they do.
It’s not that the stats might be wrong. It’s that they are a blunt instrument - what is being measured might not be the best way to judge how good a game a player has had.