victorturner

Take these good points seriously. And I am surprised Borner is 6 2" as he does not play as if he is. Iorfa was a right back under Bruce, ( Lees and Borner were the first choices at the start of this season, not just because Iorfa was initially suspended, and Borner is the replacement for Hector), Borner is average in the air (although good at anticipating and blocking and tackling) , so is Lees, and our full backs are not good/ never been good at anticipating long balls coming in. Their positional play is barely adequate. Westwood was spared playing in a poor defence under JL in 2018 ( when Wildsmith and then Dawson performed acrobatics in the goal area) and now finds defenders relying on him more than in 2017 and previous years when Loovens organised the defence. He is slipping, and JL may have seen things more clearly than accepted at the time, but the defence is generally unconvincing when under pressure from long balls into the box.

I'd advise looking at our defenders inability to protect the keeper after the Swansea match. And at their alertness about appealing for fouls on the keeper. We are far too gentlemanly for today's tactics. For the first goal, the Sky highlights clearly show a Swansea player backing into Westwood with back and backside, finishing on the ground. For the second one, no Wednesday defender looks close to heading that ball away and Westwood finishes up on the ground after being surrounded by bodies jumping right next to him. Clearing with a header , i e heading the ball back towards the direction it had come from, should not have been difficult.

Leaning on and handicapping ability to get near ball. You can see a Swansea player doing it for both goals. On the second occasion Westwood finishes on the ground whereas for the first one the Swan using his backside and back to lean on Westwood finishes on the ground

The midfield cannot hold the ball or keep possession. They have no composure. The defence lacks telling height. Iorfa may win the easy headers with aplomb but unlike Hector , he does not command the penalty area with his presence, while Borner is short and Lees lacks physical strength. Westwood was barged by Swansea for both those goals. You can see it on the Sky highlights where they show repeat video in slow motion. Keepers cannot withstand semi fouling from aggressive opposition at corners etc without physical presence from their own defenders, holding the opposition at bay or jumping with them to put them off.

JL maybe had a few things right despite fans not taking to him and playing too many young players to test them

Family members who were at Blackburn tell me that Monk's interview really angered them. To say the overall approach was fine for 85 minutes was irritating, when a cautious, turgid, no risks, no attack approach against a badly struggling side led to such unadventurous football . ( The plan clearly was to go for a 1-0 win, with pressure only mounted for the last 20 minutes) . FF is clearly not trusted to play as Monk wants and as the best attacker at the club, it is revealing, and if he is not going to play much, surely he should be traded in January.....but he is the best attacker...!

It is 75% true though. And a lot now depends on Longuo. Striker{s} will always miss some chances . FF hardly on the pitch is a puzzle. The midfield was one dimensional in the play off final, with no creativity, shots of their own and bullied by the Hull midfield. Bruce set out to solve it by getting Harris to provide chances and Longuo to be a more versatile midfielder. Fletcher as sole striker against a weak team will not get the goals you would expect to score against that type of opposition unless gifted, and without a goalscoring midfielder or one who can create real chances for the sole striker, it will always look like 1-1 against teams like Blackburn at best, and perhaps Longuo will fill the bill.

The players who have a few poor games never seem to be left out

His improvement was while left back. strange.

What I am concerned about is how many goals are there in a team with a solo striker in Fletcher? And do we have the midfield to reinforce the defence and break away for fast attacks to relieve the pressure to ensure we can win 1-0?

The three we beat were bottom three. Hudds had not then revived under Cowley.

The timing of getting to 1-0 was admittedly difficult-attack or defend-and I wasn't there but if FF does not look like helping the team get 1-0 earlier to give time to get to 2-0, he is surplus. Monk seems reluctant to play him and for two years up to two years ago, he was the best goalscorer . There is nobody else to show same skill and finishing ability. The team is short of a key component.

We were not better than Leeds. Draw fair.

Point is that SWFC have aspirations and are struggling to win matches vs teams there to be beaten. Cardiff, Leeds at home, Blackburn..Defensive mistake by bottom of division Stoke the exception of a win.

Pelupessy being picked is weird