Game Review (Basic!) + m.o.m

[Lord Snooty]

Wednesday   2 - 2 Espanyol

 

=================

 

Westwood

Odubajo     Lees(c)   Borner     Palmer

Hutchinson

Lee                 Bannan

Reach               Fletcher            Joao

 

Plenty of positive stuff. Super goal from Fletcher. A text book header from Bannans pinged half volley cross.

Should have had a couple more. Fletcher, superbly leading the line in the lone role played in Reach with a lovely reverse pass but the wide man could only side foot at the keeper.  Kieran Lee looked a real threat making runs from deep beyond Fletch to stretch things. 

Joao was neat and tidy in his work but not particularly looking direct and getting at players as he can do. 

 

 

Westwood

Odubajo     Lees(c)   Iorfa*     Palmer

Hutchinson

Lee                 Bannan

Reach               Fletcher            Harris*

 

The arrival of Harris injected a bit more pace into the side the former Cardiff man wasted no time in taking on his full back. Looked very lively in the advanced wide left role. Iorfa came in at centre back.  

Bannan and Lee were enjoying themselves with the cushion of Hutchinson behind them. 

 

 

Westwood

Odubajo     Lees(c)   Borner     Palmer

Forestieri*       Lee      Pelupessy*     Harris

Winnall*       Rhodes*

Rhodes came on and got involved straight away forcing a smart save from the goalkeeper with a header. Bannan looked none too happy about being subbed off  but he needs to think about the bigger picture - being ready for Reading!! 

Pelupessy replaced Hutchinson in the deeper sitting role. Harris took up a deeper starting position.

 

 

Westwood

Odubajo     Iorfa   Van Aken*     Fox*

Pelupessy*

Forestieri           Winnall                  Harris

 

Rhodes           Nuhiu

 

Fox came on for Palmer at left back. Fox has his critics but he put in two superb crosses, one which should have seen a goal from the header and one drilled in from which Rhodes won the penalty that Forestieri tucked away. A natural left peg does give you that extra dimension to our play on the overlap and it's something which I do think we will need to consider in some games.

 

Resting Hutchinson, Bannan and the excellent Lee (how good is it to see him back by the way!) was a sensible move from Bullen ....

.....but in another way highlighted out shortages in central midfield.  Pelupessy looked ok sat infront of the back four but Winnall looked lost when asked to drop back and help out. 

 

 

==========

 

Plenty to look forward to this season. I think Bullen will know his team for Reading.

But there are still one of two areas that need strengthening. Or at the very least some extra cover. Central midfield and left back. 

Reach, Harris and Forestieri will also need another player to provide competition and cover in the wide slots. 

Think a striker will be sacrificed to do it.

Central midfield - David Jones wasn't my cup of tea, but we need a central midfield player in to make up for his loss in the squad as a body at least.  One knock to Lee, Hutch or Bannan and we're looking very thin. And that would be a shame as this set up really suits us. 

 

 

UTO

 

 

 

 

[BigOwl]

Agree about Lee. Calming and creative. Always looked two moves ahead. Great to see him back. Odubajo had a bit of a mare at rb imho. Gave the ball away stupidly at times and miskicked the ball into the path of their striker for a soft late equaliser. 

Theres lots of reasons for optimism based on today but we still suffer from defensive lapses which may cost us. 

Edited July 28, 2019 by BigOwl

[asteener1867]

I voted Kieran lee..cos he's Kieran Lee, an' I thought I wouldn't see him in an Owls midfield again...and there he was..Kieran  lee..., runnin' about like Kieran Lee used to..and he wasn't dead!!!!

Thats why I voted Kieran Lee..............

[Wizzard1867]

Kadeem Harris is what we've been crying out for, for a number of years. We created more in the last thirty minutes than in the first hour, and that was largely down to Kadeem Harris being prepared to run at the full back, and put crosses into the danger area. Rhodes and Nuhiu looked a menace with these crosses coming into the box.

 

I really hope we start the next game with these three and a manager who wants to play the game the way we finished it today from the start. 

 

The first half was poor sideways football, litup only by a great cross from Bannan and Fletcher taking his chance brilliantly. If only we'd seen more of that combination in the first half. 

 

Edited July 28, 2019 by Ozymandias Owl

[Lord Snooty]

See In thought we were good first half.

I thought we controlled the game. 

 

I agree about Harris though.  

I'd go with the team that started but with Harris in for Joao. 

 

It was more open at the end. Though I don't think we had the control we had previously and that Winnall looked slightly lost. 

[daveyboy66]

32 minutes ago, asteener1867 said:

I voted Kieran lee..cos he's Kieran Lee, an' I thought I wouldn't see him in an Owls midfield again...and there he was..Kieran  lee..., runnin' about like Kieran Lee used to..and he wasn't dead!!!!

Thats why I voted Kieran Lee..............

Sorry Andy...who did you vote for  

[Sonny]

I made the mistake of eating a big belly full of pasta at kick off and then feel asleep missing the whole match.

[northeastowl]

On the whole it was a decent run out albeit against a very weakened Espanyol side.

 

Positives - Lee looked back to his old self, just got to pray he doesn’t get injured. Fletcher was very good as he has been for a long time now. Harris looks like he is going to be a player, offers us something different. Rhodes looked sharper than normal when he came on, caused them a lot of problems.

 

Negatives - Very worried about our back 4. We haven’t got a proper left back worth a place in the team. Odubajo looked very bad today, luckily his pace got him out of trouble a few times. As we’ve known for a while now Lees struggles without someone commanding next to him and I don’t see Börner being that person. 

 

Need a LB, CH and a pacey striker minimum to have a chance of achieving anything this season. Still need to get rid of some players too. Nuhiu and Winall for starters, I’d also let Joao go if we get a decent offer.

 

 

[Lord Snooty]

 

@beloved_aunt 

I known you have been one of our group wanting the 4-3-3.

What did you make of today? 

Bullen clearly thinks it's the way forward.

But Bullen may not be in charge for long....

[Lombardo]

Lee for me but but Bannan was also great.

Reach should have done better when through on goal, a bit of a tame shot.

All in all a draw was a good result. Better for the defensive mistake today and just put your foot through it next weekend.....

[fatzooma]

Yep..I reckon Van Aken..just for his brooding looks

[Owly Mowly]

Bannan was behind absolutely everything.

Bormer looked decent and good in the ball.

Harris - how good is it to have a player you are excited by when he has it at his feet - gonna be a great signing.

Moses - only a friendly but worried me - gave it away in dangerous areas onabout 3 occasions. Pace rescued him twice but not a third time.

Beey encouraging - need a LB - where is Penney??

[beloved_aunt]

7 minutes ago, Lord Snooty said:

 

@beloved_aunt 

I known you have been one of our group wanting the 4-3-3.

What did you make of today? 

Bullen clearly thinks it's the way forward.

But Bullen may not be in charge for long....

 

I think Bannan, Lee and Hutchinson are three of our best players and I think they all looked good in this system because it means each of them is in their best position.

 

I think the problem came down the left.  Joao slows the match down and isn’t direct enough.  When Harris came on he stretched the play more, what would’ve been even better is if we had a good over lapping left back to burst into the space he created and put in crosses, but obvs Palmer has to come back inside.

[asteener1867]

27 minutes ago, daveyboy66 said:

Sorry Andy...who did you vote for  

Nuhiu........................................................

[Lord Snooty]

24 minutes ago, beloved_aunt said:

 

I think Bannan, Lee and Hutchinson are three of our best players and I think they all looked good in this system because it means each of them is in their best position.

 

I think the problem came down the left.  Joao slows the match down and isn’t direct enough.  When Harris came on he stretched the play more, what would’ve been even better is if we had a good over lapping left back to burst into the space he created and put in crosses, but obvs Palmer has to come back 

 

For me Harris had played his way into a starting spot.

[roaminowl]

32 minutes ago, asteener1867 said:

Nuhiu.

 

He was that bad, he didn't even make Snooty's list.

 

Who da *** is zzmdu going to vote for now? 

[Lord Snooty]

10 minutes ago, roaminowl said:

 

He was that bad, he didn't even make Snooty's list.

 

 

An honest mistake Guv! 

 

To be honest I wasn't going to put the lads who only had a couple of minutes in the list. Not enough time to impress.

 

But .....

....I see that Van Aken and Winnall have got votes, so I have clearly misjudged it!!

[GMOwl72]

Defence remains a concern for me like it was at the start of last season. Their 2nd goal - a wonder strike - but we should have dealt with the simple long ball forward much better than we did.

[Bez]

Westwood - Did what he needed.  No chance with goals.  

 

Odubajo - Very poor.  Had a nightmare. 

Lees - Decent.  Solid. 

Borner -Better than Lees.  Covered well. 

Palmer - Very good outing.  Seems to be growing as a player. 

 

Hutchinson - Great reading of the game. 

Bannan - Fantastic.  Mom as usual. 

Lee - What we missed last year.  Buzzing everywhere and should have had 2 goals. 

 

Joao - Good outlet from the back.  Good on the ball. 

Fletcher - A man amongst kids.  Outstanding. 

Reach - Invisible and rusty. 

 

Subs:

Rhodes - Good outing.  Should have had another pen before the actual one.  Should have scored. 

Harris - Great energy.  Looks a talent. 

Iorfa - I like him at CB.  Especially when we press high. 

 

Didnt notice anyone else’s. 

[oldishowl]

It’s interesting how people see games.

 

Bannan bossed the first 20 mins.

He played quite deep in that period and this allowed him to get on the ball .

After that he played too far forward and couldn’t get on the ball just ran around like Billy Whizz.

Because we depend on him so much our passing suffered and we struggled to retain possession.

 

The problem with Joao wide is that he ain’t going to be effective playing like a winger so needs to be making runs into the box, arriving at the right time.

However that is not his game. He doesn’t move off the ball , only when he has it. 

Can’t remember him getting into the box to support Fletcher at all.

The plus side is that he will get hold of the ball and get it down and should do this better against a full back.

 

Presumably the two half time changes are the positions more up for grabs next week. Thought Iorfa did ok at centre half