Thoughts after tonight

[Fibonacci91]

We have played brilliantly in the last two games. More so on saturday but tonight we were quality and at times tonight as well. Defensively we seem suspect.

 

I generally think because we don't have a plan B and no real pace, we will play well a lot of the time but drop enough points through conceding or not being able to find a way through more than once a game.

 

Bannan could be the outstanding player in the division and it was one of his weaker games this season for much of it.

 

Fox contributed greatly going forward but I think Pudil does also contribute and is better defensively.

 

I like Loovens but he was poor tonight. The mistake was almost amateurish but it wasnt just that, he wasnt great at all. Would have that Portuguese lad in or Pudil centre half with Fox on left.

 

Rhodes deserved his goal. He worked incredibly hard and wanted to do anything he could to score. He had a number of chances as well. In very few games has he not had goal scoring chances, it just hasnt dropped much of the time.

 

Could Hooper do with a kick up the arse before it drags on or am I overreacting. Start Joao and Rhodes and get a reaction early doors out of Hooper?

[JoshTheOwl]

We were OK. Started well and had some great opportunities but shot ourselves in the foot with a poor goal being conceded. 

 

Most importantly tonight we got the win but nothing I’ve seen has changed my mind, we lack pace as you mention and don’t look to be capable of thumping teams (Leeds aside).

 

I still feel a change is needed but as with most fans who want this I’m beginning to accept that Carlos isn’t going to be going anywhere. We’ll win more than we lose this season but I’ll be very very surprised if we even make play offs 

 

I’ve got tickets for Villa and expecting to see a game where we’ll be happy with getting a point. 

[crookesowl]

Westwood made a couple of crucial saves as well. 

 

We look decent going forward and have done all season. What worries me is what we do when we dont have the ball. But screw that for now, we won. 

[theowlsman]

Grandad should stay away more if we keep winning. He was obviously a Jonah Jinx

[Fibonacci91]

1 minute ago, JoshTheOwl said:

We were OK. Started well and had some great opportunities but shot ourselves in the foot with a poor goal being conceded. 

 

Most importantly tonight we got the win but nothing I’ve seen has changed my mind, we lack pace as you mention and don’t look to be capable of thumping teams (Leeds aside).

 

I still feel a change is needed but as with most fans who want this I’m beginning to accept that Carlos isn’t going to be going anywhere. We’ll win more than we lose this season but I’ll be very very surprised if we even make play offs 

 

I’ve got tickets for Villa and expecting to see a game where we’ll be happy with getting a point. 

Fair play ye we were OK generally but I think we showed quality at times and for the most part we were at the very least professional and solid.

 

I agree with you that generally we will win a lot of games but we will drop enough points to prevent us being one of the top 6 sides. 

 

Could change with a fit Hutch and Fessi and a firing Rhodes but it seems all of our players generally play with injuries and when they do eventually crash they dont seem to be able to come back quickly or stay back for long periods. 

 

 

[Mr. Tom]

How would a fit FF have slotted into that side tonight in terms of the overall team mix and dynamic, y'think?

 

I felt we were crying out for him against Barnsely, but I couldn't make it tonight so only got the 'radio view' and it sounded almost like we were at risk of throwing too much down the channels already, what with Palmer, Wallace, Reach AND Fox all having a go...would FF have to play in the Hooper deep forward role? But then what of Hooper...push him further forward and risk losing out on his link-up play?

 

Does Reach play more central if FF goes left, or drop back to LB? Fox seemed to do well though, and Pudil's more solid defensively when fit as you say.

 

Tricky one.

Edited November 1, 2017 by Mr. Tom

[Costello 77]

21 minutes ago, theowlsman said:

Grandad should stay away more if we keep winning. He was obviously a Jonah Jinx

Ha! Shame he dropped the mic.

He should come back as Costello 78 right now.

[Fibonacci91]

Id have him more as an attacking central midfielder rather than a second striker because I think he is better starting deeper with areas to run into as opposed to startin on the last line and looking for little touches an turns.

 

He could play centrally and it negates his need for him to track back down the wings.

 

But part of me says screw him if hes not going to play for the team and in his best position.

 

My formation would always be 4-3-3. I said i think we will loose games when it doesnt click and that will be too many times for us. This is cos we dont have something differant and someone that can create something out of nothing an because somtimes Lee and Bannan just wont be enough in midfield.

 

4-3-3- with FF and reach Wide and someone more central and deeper than BB & KL would solve this.

 

Do we score more with the extra centre forward. If we created more and had more runners from deep with 2 wingers that had to do less defensively and two central midfielders that could rely on a hutch or another quality anchor man, would that do?

[Fibonacci91]

7 minutes ago, Mr. Tom said:

How would a fit FF have slotted into that side tonight in terms of the overall team mix and dynamic, y'think?

 

I felt we were crying out for him against Barnsely, but I couldn't make it tonight so only got the 'radio view' and couldn't figure out whether we were at risk of throwing too much down the channels already, with Palmer, Wallace, Reach AND Fox all having a go...would FF have to play in the Hooper deep forward role? But then what of Hooper...push him further forward and risk losing out on his link-up play?

 

Does Reach play more central if FF goes left, or drop back to LB? Fox seemed to do well though, and Pudil's more solid defensively when fit as you say.

 

Tricky one.

 

Id have him more as an attacking central midfielder rather than a second striker because I think he is better starting deeper with areas to run into as opposed to startin on the last line and looking for little touches an turns.

 

He could play centrally and it negates his need for him to track back down the wings.

 

But part of me says screw him if hes not going to play for the team and in his best position.

 

My formation would always be 4-3-3. I said i think we will loose games when it doesnt click and that will be too many times for us. This is cos we dont have something differant and someone that can create something out of nothing an because somtimes Lee and Bannan just wont be enough in midfield.

 

4-3-3- with FF and reach Wide and someone more central and deeper than BB & KL would solve this.

 

Do we score more with the extra centre forward. If we created more and had more runners from deep with 2 wingers that had to do less defensively and two central midfielders that could rely on a hutch or another quality anchor man, would that do?

 

 

[Mr. Tom]

Just now, Fibonacci91 said:

Id have him more as an attacking central midfielder rather than a second striker because I think he is better starting deeper with areas to run into as opposed to startin on the last line and looking for little touches an turns.

 

He could play centrally and it negates his need for him to track back down the wings.

 

But part of me says screw him if hes not going to play for the team and in his best position.

 

My formation would always be 4-3-3. I said i think we will loose games when it doesnt click and that will be too many times for us. This is cos we dont have something differant and someone that can create something out of nothing an because somtimes Lee and Bannan just wont be enough in midfield.

 

4-3-3- with FF and reach Wide and someone more central and deeper than BB & KL would solve this.

 

Do we score more with the extra centre forward. If we created more and had more runners from deep with 2 wingers that had to do less defensively and two central midfielders that could rely on a hutch or another quality anchor man, would that do?

 

 

Yeah I dunno, it's a really tough call. I always want him in the side for the dynamism he brings, but it's hard to know who to drop and where others can move to without getting stretched even further out of shape/balance than we often are. Hmmmmm.

[Buddy Repperton]

We're really ponderous with the ball & look dangerous the few times we speed it up.

Very flimsy in midfield, Bazza aside, no real ball winners, got turned over so many times. 

Played narrow with Reach drifting around just behind the strikers but Hoops was quiet.

Great to see JR scoring again - on another night he'd have got three!

Still not finishing teams off, the lack of pace is a major problem but maybe Doyen will have someone on their books who is free, over thirty and available from Portugal in Jan, if we can stay in touch!!

Pigs losing makes it even better!  

[Fibonacci91]

Just now, Mr. Tom said:

 

Yeah I dunno, it's a really tough call. I always want him in the side for the dynamism he brings, but it's hard to know who to drop and where others can move to without getting stretched even further out of shape/balance than we often are. Hmmmmm.

3 midfielders one of which is a full anchor man. Its a numbers game.

 

If midfield gets breached 10 times and defence gets breached five times then you concede twice. 

Half it and you only concede once. 

 

Bit more solidity and protection in the middle for the defence. Support from at least one if not two of the other centre mids when defending.

3 players able to stay further forward 2 of which with pace. At least one of the centre mids then if not able to break with them with defensive mid always staying back,

[Sgt Wednesday]

Being kind I would say we are playing at about 60%.

 

Millwall and Barnsley were poor and we could have really laid into them but we held off and allowed them to stay in the game.

 

3 points are 3 points but we are nowhere near a promotion team due to application.

[Costello 77]

2 minutes ago, Sgt Wednesday said:

Being kind I would say we are playing at about 60%.

 

Millwall and Barnsley were poor and we could have really laid into them but we held off and allowed them to stay in the game.

 

3 points are 3 points but we are nowhere near a promotion team due to application.

I didn't go.

But experience tells me that the killer instinct comes from confidence.

[asteener1867]

8 minutes ago, Buddy Repperton said:

We're really ponderous with the ball & look dangerous the few times we speed it up.

Very flimsy in midfield, Bazza aside, no real ball winners, got turned over so many times. 

Played narrow with Reach drifting around just behind the strikers but Hoops was quiet.

Great to see JR scoring again - on another night he'd have got three!

Still not finishing teams off, the lack of pace is a major problem but maybe Doyen will have someone on their books who is free, over thirty and available from Portugal in Jan, if we can stay in touch!!

Pigs losing makes it even better!  

Agree mate...Sometimes the pace we lack in players is made up by the speed we move the ball...it worked in fits and starts tonight...But its the sudden lack of it, once we go 1 up that annoys me...Millwall should have been put to bed early doors tonight...but we ended up defending a slender lead...Which we did quite well tonight TBH

[Fibonacci91]

2 minutes ago, Sgt Wednesday said:

Being kind I would say we are playing at about 60%.

 

Millwall and Barnsley were poor and we could have really laid into them but we held off and allowed them to stay in the game.

 

3 points are 3 points but we are nowhere near a promotion team due to application.

We are no way near a promotion side becuase we have gaps in defence and no anchor man, sometimes KL and BB in centre mid wont be enough, and we cant crate something out of nothing when we are struggling to break teams down due to lack of pace/magic/on form Fernando

[Everywhere & nowhere]

Adam Reach is a really good footballer - to me he's showing the same sort of signs that Kieran Lee did in terms of being a quality player.

 

Overall we have a group that can turn this season around.

[asteener1867]

2 minutes ago, Fibonacci91 said:

We are no way near a promotion side becuase we have gaps in defence and no anchor man, sometimes KL and BB in centre mid wont be enough, and we cant crate something out of nothing when we are struggling to break teams down due to lack of pace/magic/on form Fernando

Problem is..WE actually DO break teams down...but then stop doing it and more or less say..."WE got one...What have you got?"..inevitably..."OOOPsss they got one as well"

Instead of just carrying on breaking them down...

WEdnesday were a far better team than Millwall tonight...but when its only the one goal in front....owt can happen

[Hirstys Salopettes]

2 minutes ago, asteener1867 said:

Problem is..WE actually DO break teams down...but then stop doing it and more or less say..."WE got one...What have you got?"..inevitably..."OOOPsss they got one as well"

Instead of just carrying on breaking them down...

WEdnesday were a far better team than Millwall tonight...but when its only the one goal in front....owt can happen

 

As proven at Cardiff away ... We utterly bossed it for 70 minutes ... Then sat back and the Luftwafa long throw bombardment took over

[Ian]

6 hours ago, Fibonacci91 said:

We have played brilliantly in the last two games. More so on saturday but tonight we were quality and at times tonight as well. Defensively we seem suspect.

 

I generally think because we don't have a plan B and no real pace, we will play well a lot of the time but drop enough points through conceding or not being able to find a way through more than once a game.

 

Bannan could be the outstanding player in the division and it was one of his weaker games this season for much of it.

 

Fox contributed greatly going forward but I think Pudil does also contribute and is better defensively.

 

I like Loovens but he was poor tonight. The mistake was almost amateurish but it wasnt just that, he wasnt great at all. Would have that Portuguese lad in or Pudil centre half with Fox on left.

 

Rhodes deserved his goal. He worked incredibly hard and wanted to do anything he could to score. He had a number of chances as well. In very few games has he not had goal scoring chances, it just hasnt dropped much of the time.

 

Could Hooper do with a kick up the arse before it drags on or am I overreacting. Start Joao and Rhodes and get a reaction early doors out of Hooper?

So in summary then

 

Defensively we are suspect

we have no pace and no plan b

bannan had one of his weaker games

Hooper needs a kick up the backside

Fox isn't as good as Pudil

Loovens was poor

 

But we were brilliant!......you thought about a career in journalism?

 

we were far from brilliant....in fact given the space the gave us down our left in the first half I'd be surprised if an average Sunday league side wouldn't have scored a couple

 

but 3 Points is 3 points and all the flouncers and Rhodes bashes can have a few days off