20 year old Kieron Bowie (No 19 on loan from Fulham for a second season) is an aggressive handful. Shares my birthday on 21 September. But they’re clearly an excellent side. Halftime very much needed!
We deserve to be a couple of goals down. Northampton are their own worst enemies here, not only are they outplaying us, but they outplayed themselves at the end there!
Northampton very impressive, pretty much entire domination. Their high press also means that we’re forced to lump an aimless channel ball to Vokes/McLeary/Phillips as soon as we get to the centre circle.
However - we’ve got the goal and importantly, we haven’t conceded. We can’t absorb that pressure for another 45 minutes though, so I’d like to see Hanlan come on and give us an option to actually stretch their defence and push them back, which we’ve not been able to do thus far.
Absolutely appalling half from us for far. How we’re ahead is an absolute mystery.
The defensive as a unit has improved since the opening day but we’ve still had individual mistakes aplenty and we’re lucky Northampton haven’t scored 2 or 3.
The current system attacking-wise is absolutely dreadful. We never ever look like scoring and our only chances come from set pieces, made pretty clear by our centre half being our top scorer for the season so far. Change in system vastly needed now and for the rest of the season.
KVY has started to show a little bit of the attacking acumen we thought he had which is good to see but him, and plenty of others, still seem well off the pace.
The defence and midfield look like they've never played together. Completely at sea, no-one knows when to press, when to sit back, or who to mark.
Scowen being a usual terrier, having to do the job of 2 men as Potts is anonymous.
Vokes has held it up well at times, GMac looks busy, but I cannot fathom what Phillips does in this team.
Countless times we have chances to take it easy, slow it down and ease pressure. Instead, we lump it forward, letting Northants come back at us again.
I thought signs pointed towards us being a more possession based team. Quick, slightly direct in transition, but still more of a ball-playing side. At the moment, we are doing it terribly.
I don’t think the Bowie barge did Phillips much good. Our young loanees do seem to struggle in physical contests. Bowie being into his second season shows that extensive experience of the physical side of the game brings dividends.
No cohesive pattern to our play. Ball doesn't stick up front due to lack of numbers in attack. Fortunate to be winning. Will he tweak the formation or are we in for more of the same?
This is similar to the Rovers game. We're trying to force them to play around us and cross into the box (where we're able win the header), or shoot from range.
In the main it has worked, although a couple of times we've gotten in a pickle.
I'd like to see us drive from midfield with the ball more. There is plenty of room for us to carry the ball into when on the counter and when we commit defenders and win free kicks we look a threat.
Well, if we do lose, at least we can't complain about being unlucky! They should be 2-1 or 3-1 up.
Happy to see KVY doing well going forward, but others having really poor games. Forino especially is far off his excellent best, but Phillips has me scratching my head. We have the "prize possessions" of Man City, West Ham and Crystal Palace, but none of them have shown themselves to be L1 standard yet.
In response to whoever said they would have Gape back, I agree. I know we often overrate our own players, but in his case (and considering his replacements) I think we underrated him.
If nothing changes then we’ll be bloody lucky to come away with a win. Although when KVT carries the ball we look like we have some threat. Not much but some.
Sure Gape was only released because of fitness concerns, if he's fit and available he could help. The three youngsters aren't bad but trying to blood all 3 is a challenge we might not need.
I can’t keep up with the gasroom, so many who’ve always claimed to enjoy ugly football if it means we win complaining about us winning while play ugly football.
Comments
Likewise Phillips. Passengers the pair of them this half.
Re-sign Dom Gape
20 year old Kieron Bowie (No 19 on loan from Fulham for a second season) is an aggressive handful. Shares my birthday on 21 September. But they’re clearly an excellent side. Halftime very much needed!
Phillips started ok but has really drifted out of the game & is not doing enough especially defensively
Keogh needs to start talking to his fellow defenders, almost another Sutton moment there as both Keogh & Leahy left the ball for each other...
We deserve to be a couple of goals down. Northampton are their own worst enemies here, not only are they outplaying us, but they outplayed themselves at the end there!
Either Northampton are a very slick side, or we are not so good defensively. I have rarely felt so lucky to be ahead!
Northampton very impressive, pretty much entire domination. Their high press also means that we’re forced to lump an aimless channel ball to Vokes/McLeary/Phillips as soon as we get to the centre circle.
However - we’ve got the goal and importantly, we haven’t conceded. We can’t absorb that pressure for another 45 minutes though, so I’d like to see Hanlan come on and give us an option to actually stretch their defence and push them back, which we’ve not been able to do thus far.
Absolutely appalling half from us for far. How we’re ahead is an absolute mystery.
The defensive as a unit has improved since the opening day but we’ve still had individual mistakes aplenty and we’re lucky Northampton haven’t scored 2 or 3.
The current system attacking-wise is absolutely dreadful. We never ever look like scoring and our only chances come from set pieces, made pretty clear by our centre half being our top scorer for the season so far. Change in system vastly needed now and for the rest of the season.
KVY has started to show a little bit of the attacking acumen we thought he had which is good to see but him, and plenty of others, still seem well off the pace.
The defence and midfield look like they've never played together. Completely at sea, no-one knows when to press, when to sit back, or who to mark.
Scowen being a usual terrier, having to do the job of 2 men as Potts is anonymous.
Vokes has held it up well at times, GMac looks busy, but I cannot fathom what Phillips does in this team.
Countless times we have chances to take it easy, slow it down and ease pressure. Instead, we lump it forward, letting Northants come back at us again.
I thought signs pointed towards us being a more possession based team. Quick, slightly direct in transition, but still more of a ball-playing side. At the moment, we are doing it terribly.
Phillips will get a second booking if he stays on.
For a side up against it with little control of midfield we've been bizarrely casual a few times at the back.
They obviously fancy themselves and have created goid chances but snatched at them, hope that last part continues.
I don’t think the Bowie barge did Phillips much good. Our young loanees do seem to struggle in physical contests. Bowie being into his second season shows that extensive experience of the physical side of the game brings dividends.
I don’t really understand what our tactics are going forward.
How we are ahead I don’t know.
Phillips is a donkey how is he a product of a higher level?
Potts is trying to play tippy tappy youth footie, he looks terrified. Literally a boy against men!
The central defence is playing like they met in the carpark for the first time.
Apart from that it’s crap.
No cohesive pattern to our play. Ball doesn't stick up front due to lack of numbers in attack. Fortunate to be winning. Will he tweak the formation or are we in for more of the same?
This is similar to the Rovers game. We're trying to force them to play around us and cross into the box (where we're able win the header), or shoot from range.
In the main it has worked, although a couple of times we've gotten in a pickle.
I'd like to see us drive from midfield with the ball more. There is plenty of room for us to carry the ball into when on the counter and when we commit defenders and win free kicks we look a threat.
One for the stats followers out there, do the possession stats include pauses in the action. for free kicks etc or just when the ball is in play?
We are showing as having 28% possession but we barely controlled the ball for the entire half.
Well, if we do lose, at least we can't complain about being unlucky! They should be 2-1 or 3-1 up.
Happy to see KVY doing well going forward, but others having really poor games. Forino especially is far off his excellent best, but Phillips has me scratching my head. We have the "prize possessions" of Man City, West Ham and Crystal Palace, but none of them have shown themselves to be L1 standard yet.
In response to whoever said they would have Gape back, I agree. I know we often overrate our own players, but in his case (and considering his replacements) I think we underrated him.
In the Rovers game we looked fine, we look dreadful today. Possibly the worst performance of the season so far.
Not sure if we're forcing them to cross it too much, Hoskins should've scored at least 1 where it's been gifted to him on the edge
If nothing changes then we’ll be bloody lucky to come away with a win. Although when KVT carries the ball we look like we have some threat. Not much but some.
Let’s hope it’s a game of two halves! Not scorewise of course.
Hanlan the saviour.
Wheels for Phillips.
Sure Gape was only released because of fitness concerns, if he's fit and available he could help. The three youngsters aren't bad but trying to blood all 3 is a challenge we might not need.
You say "Only", but that's quite a huge reason.
And the biggest "if" ever, after 3 or 4 years of small game time.
If Phillips is playing as a Centre Mid, then we’re not using him correctly
I'm not suggesting he gets a 3 year contract, Pay as you play til January if he's got nothing else on?
Potts should have been subbed as well. Grossly over-hyped, not ready for senior football.
Uh-oh, Keogh scrapping with Blooms about being taken off...
I can’t keep up with the gasroom, so many who’ve always claimed to enjoy ugly football if it means we win complaining about us winning while play ugly football.