Just got back

[Otto_Man]

I know you're not, I took it as you meant.

 

If it helps I thought Antonio was poor but he ran around a bit.

 

Seriously though, my negativity was in the fact we could've been 2 or 3 down in the first 20 minutes or so. We were caught twice too high up the pitch with a mixture of a strikers poor touch and Kirlkland bailing us out on each occasion.

 

I just think that we're surrounded by negativity at the moment and I can't see who that's helping.

 

Bottom line is we did well last night and got a decent result. That was down to DJ's management and the effort of the players. A decent result to build on - onwards and upwards and all that jazz.

 

Probably half of 'em on here would give him MOTM for that feat alone

[Sam779]

Thanks, it actually sounds like things are on the up.

 

 

After the Burnley game until the Doncaster game I was out of the country working. What I've seen is in the last two games is application and effort. We're trying, and we're trying to do the right thing.

 

No arguments from me about our league position and results being way off what we'd hoped and expected, but <there's always a but>, I am satisfied with how things are looking now and the direction we're going.

[Sam779]

Probably half of 'em on here would give him MOTM for that feat alone

 

No chance.

 

It didn't replicate the standards of our hero Lee Peacock.

[Eastern]

Couldnt see a thread on the first page so thought I'd start one.

For all you doom and gloomers, we played very well tonight and Jones got his team and tactics spot on.

After a shakey start we settled into the game well and looked a well organised team.

Yes they had a lot of chances in the first 20-30 mins and we could've been 2 or 3 down, but, after that we were good.

Took the lead at the right time and played well in the second half. We had a couple of chances to go 2 up and were even pushing at 1-1.

The players looked gutted at the full time whistle as they came over.

To a man they all gave it 100% and played well. No 'bad' performance springs to mind.

Kirkland played very well as did Semedo. Was also great to have Buxton back.

Time for the fans and club to stick together and pull through this spell. We can do it and I truly believe we'll slowly but surely climb this league.

Here's to 3 points on Saturday.

 

Were Brighton that good? They didn't sound all that on the Radio. Wondered whether we have played a poorer team on the road this season?

 

Extra possession counts for nothing if you don't know what to do with it.

[AsioOtus]

Must admit that my Dad and I wondered at the time about the substitution being a strange and positive one. You know though, I actually thought it worked and was very wise by Jones. We opened them up and gave Brighton something to think about. They'd made 3 early subs and were beginning to tire. At this stage of the game things swung back in our favour and that's when we looked like nicking a second. So I don't feel it was a gamble which failed.

 

The reason I don't is because when they eventually scored (you just knew it was going to come), we'd got our original shape back as JJ was playing a lone role up front again.

 

It was nearly a superb decision by Jones to catch them out and so very nearly paid off. Reverting back to the solid defensive set up could have actually ended up being the wrong gamble - although, I think we couldn't have sustained with such an open game for the last 10 anyway.

 

I don't disagree it was a bold sub and credit for him for being positive, but it unbalanced the team and didn't work.  Coke was doing well in partnership with the McPhail and Semedo.  JJ came on and did a different job to what Coke had been doing, but that allowed them to build more through the  middle and create more pressure.  It was always likely to come given they were behind at home, but I think the change played into their hands more than giving us more options.  A better change would be to bring JJ on for Antonio and give him a chance from the wing.  If Coke had to go off it should have been for Palmer or McCabe.  When Palmer did come on, 10 minutes later, he took that role and did much better than JJ had.  However, JJ then went up front and lost a lot more than Fryatt had.  He didn't hold the ball up well and didn't even bother to challenge for aerial balls most of the time. The obvious change was to bring on Nuhiu to hold the ball up and carry on Fryatts hard work. JJ's more likely to create something than Nuhiu, but we were winning and should have focused on maintaining the control we had exerted as the match had built up rather than going hard for a second. Instead we let them have more more possession, build their pressure and gave them opportunities to create chances.  Their crowd were getting frustrated and they weren't creating that much after their bright opening - we were the ones on top after about 30 minutes until our subs in the second half changed it again.  As I said, it might have happened anyway but we didn't help ourselves.

 

I still take lots of positives from a good team performance from all the lads.

[Sam779]

Interesting perspective mate.

[wenzdyboy]

Nothing wrong with the content of this post.

But will one of the mods please delete or lock it, just to give Sam a taste of his own medicine?

[Sam779]

FFS

 

[cowl]

Nothing wrong with the content of this post.

But will one of the mods please delete or lock it, just to give Sam a taste of his own medicine?

 

He's been there, done that...

[Guest mrplod]

Were Brighton that good? They didn't sound all that on the Radio. Wondered whether we have played a poorer team on the road this season?

 

Extra possession counts for nothing if you don't know what to do with it.

We have 8 key players missing so won't be any good at the mo,thanks to you ulloa is now out for 2 months to add to the list:(

[Sam779]

We have 8 key players missing so won't be any good at the mo,thanks to you ulloa is now out for 2 months to add to the list:(

You can't blame us for his injury.

It was innocuous and the way he landed.

[OwlontheRock]

We have 8 key players missing so won't be any good at the mo,thanks to you ulloa is now out for 2 months to add to the list:(

Didn't touch him - honest m'lud  :madine:

[Cameregg]

Sams comments are spot on.

Fryatt was on his own all match but I thought he worked really hard, lots of closing down and held the ball up well. Didn't really have the ball in the box much or many opportunities with the ball at this feet, but obviously scored on one of those when he did. He tired towards the end and was right to take him off. A good performance for me 7/10

All played well, both Roger Johnson and McPhail played well, Buxton solid. Helan was causing them lots of problems. Antonio looked low on confidence and wasn't that effective but still put on a decent shift and think it might have been his cross that led to the goal.

The only downside for me were the sub's. Coke was doing well and we looked solid in the middle. Unless there was an injury don't understand why JJ came on. It wasn't like we were going all out for another goal. Coke was in the thick of it and worked hard to get up to help Fryatt leaving Semedo in front of defence McPhail in a deeper floating role. They stepped up after Coke had gone, although were obviously chasing the game, but all the more strange to bring on JJ. A big gamble for me that failed. If there was and injury surely either Palmer or McCabe should have been on. Palmer took that role more when he replaced McPhail and did well

Kirkland 8/10

Buxton 7/10

Llera 7/10

Roger Johnson 8/10

Reda 7/10

Helan 8/10

Semedo 7/10

Mcphail 7/10

Coke 7.5/10

Antonio 6.5/10. (Give him a rest and Mahaogma a chance)

Fryatt 7/10

Ref 3/10 - against us all night. Only luck was he didn't give the LauLau pen, which was a clear dive but he gave plenty of other dubious things against us. Laulau looked very pace and dangerous, but dived for pen and another challenge just before and got lots of abuse from us for the rest of game and didn't do much else!

All in all a good fighting performance against a decent team that gives us something to build on if we can replicate again at home, perhaps with 2 up top.

Most of this is v. accurate, ours was a battling performance with some great performances. As I was in the Brighton fans, I told them at the start that we had come for a draw and thats what we got. But in that second half I really though we would go on and win.

 

The players who really shone were

 

Samedo, who really got under their skin. I had thought he lacked pace for this level but last night he was all over the pitch.

RJ & Llera, excellent partnership

Helan, who with Reda took the game to them on our left (Pity we slept at the throw in that led to the goal)

Coke, who played ahead of Samedo & McPhail and worked to break their play early.

 

For me the performances over the last two games give me optimism.

 

BUT

 

Antonio, dear me, where has the magic gone. His touch is poor, he can't take players on and he has the demenour of a little boy lost.

On Saturday, he was out of position for their goal, leaving Spence to contain 2, his crossing was non existent. Last night he was poor 4/5 would be my score even though his persistence lead to our goal.

 

He needs a break/ rest to get his "mojo" back

 

BTW The Ref was crap, and it was a penalty!!!

[Cameregg]

We have 8 key players missing so won't be any good at the mo,thanks to you ulloa is now out for 2 months to add to the list:(

For the record - Ulloa was hit by a pass cross field and tuned to go for it. No Wednesday player touched him. But I am bias, unlike you!

[Guest intercity0wl]

Couldnt see a thread on the first page so thought I'd start one.

For all you doom and gloomers, we played very well tonight and Jones got his team and tactics spot on.

After a shakey start we settled into the game well and looked a well organised team.

Yes they had a lot of chances in the first 20-30 mins and we could've been 2 or 3 down, but, after that we were good.

Took the lead at the right time and played well in the second half. We had a couple of chances to go 2 up and were even pushing at 1-1.

The players looked gutted at the full time whistle as they came over.

To a man they all gave it 100% and played well. No 'bad' performance springs to mind.

Kirkland played very well as did Semedo. Was also great to have Buxton back.

Time for the fans and club to stick together and pull through this spell. We can do it and I truly believe we'll slowly but surely climb this league.

Here's to 3 points on Saturday.

Got to agree with that Sam, pity you did not stop over for this one Sam, seemed every Pub and Hotel Bar had some Owls in, which made for an enjoyable post match night out

[Eastern]

We have 8 key players missing so won't be any good at the mo,thanks to you ulloa is now out for 2 months to add to the list:(

Thanks to me personally?

Yet it is alright for him to have reckless high kicks at a Reading player? Or Ashley Barnes pole axing Kieran Lee with no concern on an ankle or leg break.

I have not seen the Ulloa injury but I don't recall a foul or Brighton looking for foul.