Poll: Man of the Match vs Newcastle...and your player ratings

[frastheowl]

 

My ratings for yesterday:

 

Westwood - 6 - Made a smart save from Shelvey in the 2nd half, but a bad error for their goal.Look like he had Shelvey's 1st half audacious effort covered.

 

Hunt - 8 - Another good performance from him. Seems to be finding his best form since he arrived here.

 

Loovens - 7 - Very comfortable 1st half. Had little to do, but kept Gayle quiet in the 1st 30 minutes.

 

Lees - 8 - Started the game slowly, looked hesitant in possession, too often slowed the tempo down or played a hopeless ball upfield. Defended superbly in the 2nd half, and popped up with a vital goal.

 

Pudil - 8 - Brilliant comeback performance. Linked well with Reach down the left, defended well against their wingers. Made a crucial saving tackle late on when Mitrovic was through on goal.

 

Jones - 8 - Another player thriving playing more regularly. Starting to look the player that dictated the midfield for Burnley last year. Very unassuming, but very effective.

 

Bannan - 7 - Started the game terribly. Looked woefully off the pace, constantly got caught on the ball, which resulted in a deserved caution (on another day, he might have seen red for that tackle). However, he kept going, and got into the game more and more, and became a key player in that 2nd half.

 

Wallace - 7 - Steady display. Linking up well with Hunt again. Another great delivery for Lees goal.

 

Reach - 7 - Similar to Wallace. Steady, worked hard, linked well with the full back. Final ball could've been better at times, but involved in a lot of good moves, especially early on.

 

Hooper - 8.5 - MOTM - Only played 60 minutes (otherwise he would have got a 9), but he was quality. Been saying for months, that he's the one were really missing, and it shows. Had their centre half, Mbemba, in a right old tizz. The most intelligent footballer I think we've had for years. Knows what pass to make before the ball arrives to him, finds space in between the lines, but still gets himself in goal scoring positions. Our best, and more important player.

 

Fletcher - 8 - Another fine display, despite the sitter he missed early on. Been given a long overdue opportunity, and is grasping it with two hands. Linked up well with Hooper, took his goal well, and hopefully, we'll see these performances and goalscoring exploits continue til the end of the season.

 

Sasso - 7 - Came on, and didn't put a foot wrong. Stood up well to the barrage of long balls that came in, late in the game.

 

Rhodes - 6 - Worked hard, but didn't see too much of the ball when he came on, despite us scoring twice after he was introduced.

 

Semedo - 6 - Came on a bit too early for my liking, but sat in front and did what he does best. Break things up, protect and be a nuisance.

 

 

The best performance of the season. Should have been by more than 1 goal, but the comeback of Hooper and the return of Fletcher in the side has given us a much more positive effect going forward. Has to be the front two we go with for the next few games at least. They was a good balance to the side yesterday, but the standard of the performance stemmed from a high tempo start and brave pressing. We allowed Lascelles and Mbemba to have the ball, but as soon as that ball went into Shelvey or Diame, the press begun, and Newcastle had no answer to it for 45 minutes. Shelvey ended up roaming about, which put him in more dangerous positions, but at the same, left a defensively inadequate Diame sat protecting, in front of an already vulnerable defence. Carlos, like he saw often has done in the big games, was tactically spot on. It was like going back 12 months to the Cardiff game at Hillsborough, where he did something very similar.

[thewookieisdown]

Commented the other day to my son whose been away from home that Fletcher simply can't cut it.

 

Have atoned for this by voting for him here. He was terrific.

[Holmowl]

2 hours ago, Internationowl said:

Jose Paul Semedo 5 out 10? You f00ki.ng wot son? He's 40 foot tall and his balls were forged in a volcano.

You better wash your mouth out with soap before i slap it clean.

 

Are you David Moyes?

[Internationowl]

7 minutes ago, Holmowl said:

 

Are you David Moyes?

Hang on a minute I'll just check

[Internationowl]

No.

[malek]

Hooper was amazing and my MOM. Shame he aint ready for 90 minutes after long lay off

[Mr Mercury]

Jones 100%

[oh_weds_we_love_you]

Westwood - 6

A solid performance until the fumble for their goal. Could have cost us dear.

 

Hunt - 7

Assured at the back and provided width going forward. Seems to be finding the sort of cosistency that Buxton had a season or so into his Owls career.

 

Lees - 7.5

Scored an important goal and looked solid at the back until Mitovic came on, who caused him a few problems (notably the poor defending which led to their goal).

 

Loovens - 6

Would have been a 7 had he completed the game.

 

Pudil - 7.5

As solid performance as Hunt, assisted the second goal, and give everything even when he could barely move the last 10mins.

 

Wallace - 7.5

Quality deliveries all game and obviously the assist for Lees, comfortable on the ball and keeps possession well - needed when playing against quality like Newcastle.

 

Jones - 8

Man of the Match for me. Coped with a midfield that is too good for this level and think this won us the game.

 

Bannan - 7.5

In there with Jones winning the game for us in midfield. Jumped in a bit too much and gave his man a yard as a result, but he's not a tackler (as we saw from the yellow card).

 

Reach - 7

Really helped Pudil to make sure he wasn't exposed, carried the ball and used it well. Solid again - usually dependable for a solid 7 most weeks. Add assists and a few goals to his game and he'll be a player!

 

Fletcher - 7

Scored the hardest chance and missed the sitter! Could, and probably should, have had an hat-trick on another day. Put in a hard-working performance and got the winner.

 

Hooper - 7

Would have pushed Jones for the MOTM had he seen the game out. Link up play is first class, excellent vision, and so unlucky not to score early on. Can't wait until he's up to speed!

 

Sasso - 6

See Loovens.

 

Rhodes - N/A

 

Semedo - N/A

[bradowl]

Lots and lots of super performances.

 

Hunt Pudil Wallace Jones and Hooper were fantastic but my MOM was Fletcher. 

[Snowyowl61]

Jones. Solid,dependable. Did a fantastic job. Looking better and better with each game.

[Buxtongent]

Must admit that I have been among the Bannan critics recently, but yesterday, one moment apart, he had a splendid game. For once, his first touch was forward and not the usual pass back to the player of the ball to him. He may not be great at tackling, but has the foresight to nip around when one of our  players is tackling/being tackled for the ball and steels the ball. Thoght he was rather fortunate to end up with only a yellow for THAT TACKLE.  He received a perfect pass, didn't control it (as usual)and allowed it to run 3-4yards away, leaving him with no alternative but to slide the tackle. In the old days, it would probably have earned him a ticking off. These days he was fortunate to escape with a yellow. That would have been a real game changer.

As for Reach, he beat his Full back numerous times with shear SPEED, and had to pull the ball back, round the defender and get his cross in, which he did.

One thing I could not understand.We have FF, Winnall and Rhodes, the latter two who thrive on crossed balls, and we play without wingers. We then leave them on the bench, picking what I and many thought was a team to maintain a point, then play with wingers. ?

However, credit to all who took part, on both sides, to make an excellent game. And that includes the Officials.     

[frastheowl]

1 hour ago, Buxtongent said:

One thing I could not understand.We have FF, Winnall and Rhodes, the latter two who thrive on crossed balls, and we play without wingers. We then leave them on the bench, picking what I and many thought was a team to maintain a point, then play with wingers. ?

 

 

It's been a recurring theme on here (and a opinion I kind of agreed with previously), that the reason Winnall & Rhodes are struggling was because we weren't creating chances for them.

 

All well and good. Fair point, perhaps. But both Rhodes & Winnall have played in games where we've played with two "wingers"...and both have underperformed.

 

But is it a total coincidence, that when Rhodes, and in particular, Winnall are dropped, the chances began to be created at will? For me, not. Winnall isn't good enough in my opinion, in any position for Sheffield Wednesday, but certainly not in a number 10 position where he was been played.

 

Rhodes can have little complaint either. He's had a run of 8 or 9 games, playing week in week out, and on the whole, failing to have an impact on most games. Fletcher comes in for 2 games, scores three goals...the only difference in line ups...Gary Hooper.

 

Two fold conclusion here...Rhodes nor Winnall haven't performed anywhere near requirements, despite the rest of the line-up. And Hooper is THE key player for us. With him, long balls are reduced, play is more decisive and quicker and there's always an option in advanced areas.

[Night King]

Westwood 6

 

Hunt 7

lees 8

loovens 7

Pudil 8

 

Wallace 7

Jones 8

Bannan 8

Reach 8

 

Hooper 8

Fletcher 8

 

sasso 7

rhodes 7

semedo 7