Man of the match -Luton (H)

[DobbinTheDonkey]

Went for Fletch because without him the whole gameplan falls apart.

[HOOTIE AND THE SHIT TU]

38 minutes ago, Lord Snooty said:

 

Teams aren't going to come here and leave themselves wide open. They were a pretty solid unit in there. Kept it very compact. Probably why Hutch and Bannan kept trying that long diagonal to Murphy after little spells of possession to open it up.

I don't think it's that we allowed them particularly to have possession. We tried to press at times with Hutch and Bannan haring forward but we seemed to get picked off.  I think that's why we saw a marked difference when Reach joined Fletcher , Harris and Murphy in the first line press in the second half 4-v-4. It's only a tiny thing but it made a big difference. 

 

It could be argued we should have done that from the start to impose ourselves on them but...no matter how many videos you watch of the opposition you never know 100% how they are going to play on the day or what little changes they might have made to their own game plan. You only know that when the game starts and they set out their stall. If they have done things slightly different to what you expected that's when you have to tinker. I think he's done that. 

 

I'm not saying I want Bullen. If a top drawer manager becomes available I think we should get them.

But equally I think if an experienced manager that spots whats wrong like Bullen did last night and subtly changes things to get a better performance they would get a lot more credit.

 

 

Personally, I think a manager would have more impact than Bullen

 

First half we didn't press high up the pitch like we did against Barnsley, in fact we started really slow

 

To Bullens credit, we did change second half, it was noticeable that we pushed Odubajo further up the park for a spell, leaving a back three of Lees, Borner and Fox

 

I just thought we took too long to work the opposition out

 

We can't be letting teams like Barnsley and Luton come to Hillsborough and have all the possession

 

We were fortunate against Barnsley in that our goals came from two mistakes

 

And again tonight, if their keeper had held on to the ball instead of rushing, we wouldn't have scored

 

Our 3 wins have come against teams in the bottom 8, and I know you can only beat what's in front of you, but Luton deserved a point last night, they were better than us for large periods, and yet we have the better players, so it only follows that we aren't getting the best out of our players

 

I think we will be a far better team with a proper manager

 

 

[Lord Snooty]

1 minute ago, HOOTIE AND THE poo TU said:

Personally, I think a manager would have more impact than Bullen

 

First half we didn't press high up the pitch like we did against Barnsley, in fact we started really slow

 

To Bullens credit, we did change second half, it was noticeable that we pushed Odubajo further up the park for a spell, leaving a back three of Lees, Borner and Fox

 

I just thought we took too long to work the opposition out

 

We can't be letting teams like Barnsley and Luton come to Hillsborough and have all the possession

 

We were fortunate against Barnsley in that our goals came from two mistakes

 

And again tonight, if their keeper had held on to the ball instead of rushing, we wouldn't have scored

 

Our 3 wins have come against teams in the bottom 8, and I know you can only beat what's in front of you, but Luton deserved a point last night, they were better than us for large periods, and yet we have the better players, so it only follows that we aren't getting the best out of our players

 

I think we will be a far better team with a proper manager

 

 

 

That's fair enough Hoots. Might well be the case that someone else can get more out of them.  At the moment I'm just not sure who mind! 

 

It's a funny one with the possession.  In a way we can look more dangerous when we don't have it because of the absolute rapidness we've added to the squad. (Mind there was one break second half where Harris was so rapid that everyone was 20 yards behind him!) .   Sometimes with the Lions share I think we can look a bit lethargic. Sometimes I prefer it when the opposition have it!

Think this is where Kieran Lee is going to be so vital. Just so clever at that little round the corner balls and passes and his own little give and goes.

[pazowl55]

2 hours ago, Lord Snooty said:

 

Teams aren't going to come here and leave themselves wide open. They were a pretty solid unit in there. Kept it very compact. Probably why Hutch and Bannan kept trying that long diagonal to Murphy after little spells of possession to open it up.

I don't think it's that we allowed them particularly to have possession. We tried to press at times with Hutch and Bannan haring forward but we seemed to get picked off.  I think that's why we saw a marked difference when Reach joined Fletcher , Harris and Murphy in the first line press in the second half 4-v-4. It's only a tiny thing but it made a big difference. 

 

It could be argued we should have done that from the start to impose ourselves on them but...no matter how many videos you watch of the opposition you never know 100% how they are going to play on the day or what little changes they might have made to their own game plan. You only know that when the game starts and they set out their stall. If they have done things slightly different to what you expected that's when you have to tinker. I think he's done that. 

 

I'm not saying I want Bullen. If a top drawer manager becomes available I think we should get them.

But equally I think if an experienced manager that spots whats wrong like Bullen did last night and subtly changes things to get a better performance they would get a lot more credit.

 

 

Exactly what I said yesterday had Bruce done that. ( before all the Newcastle stuff, when we loved him )  we would all have been saying how brilliant it was.  Bullen needs to be commended on the results so far, that's all he can be judged on. And who is to say he will get turned over by a West Brom or something. Didn't last time he played them.

[DuncOwl]

15 hours ago, sweetsheri said:

Time for massimo to replace Hutch me thinks

edited for you

[Ante's Bubbly]

Westwood - 6

Odubajo - 5

Lees - 7

Börner - 9

Fox - 8

Murphy - 6

Reach - 7

Hutchinson - 6

Bannan - 6

Harris - 8

Fletcher - 8

 

It was so close that I actually voted for Fox, in a weak attempt to cancel out the negativity of the anti-Owl boo boys. What has Fox ever done to get booed before the match has even kicked off? Set of drunken know nothing idiots and their sheep!

[sweetsheri]

1 hour ago, DuncOwl said:

edited for you

Maybe but not against PNE

[HOOTIE AND THE SHIT TU]

3 hours ago, Lord Snooty said:

 

That's fair enough Hoots. Might well be the case that someone else can get more out of them.  At the moment I'm just not sure who mind! 

 

It's a funny one with the possession.  In a way we can look more dangerous when we don't have it because of the absolute rapidness we've added to the squad. (Mind there was one break second half where Harris was so rapid that everyone was 20 yards behind him!) .   Sometimes with the Lions share I think we can look a bit lethargic. Sometimes I prefer it when the opposition have it!

Think this is where Kieran Lee is going to be so vital. Just so clever at that little round the corner balls and passes and his own little give and goes.

The thing that winds me up most is, Bannan and Hutchinson dropping deep and taking the ball off the centre halves, it's no wonder we get overrun in midfield when our two central midfielders are holding hands with our centre halves, Bannan especially should be further up the pitch collecting lay offs from Fletcher

 

There was an instance in the first half, we had a free kick inside our half towards the Cantilever, Hutchinson decided to take it, Odubajo was in touching distance of him, Lees and Borner within spitting distance, and Bannan close by too, if you add our keeper, that's 6 players Hutchinson has taken out of the game. 

 

A manager worth his salt would be insisting Hutchinson leaves the ball for Lees to take, he would also ask Odubajo to offer an option on the touchline taking a defender with him, Bannan would be facing the opposition looking for the second ball again taking a defender with him, Hutchinson would pull another defender away, all of a sudden we have options, and Luton have more of our players to watch

 

We are so easy to defend against

 

And I don't know what it is with Forestieri, he is the one player in our squad with that bit of magic, but it seems he's behind Winnall now.

 

For me, we can't find a manager quick enough

 

Oh for a Big Ron

[Lawrie Madden]

16 hours ago, 2roland2 said:

If any other player played like fox tonight they would have got mom. 

 

He has has no chance with our fans though  

 

borner had had a good game too as did Harris so at least it’s partly fair. 

I went for Harris because he got me off my seat several times 2nd half but it was a close run thing between him and Fox because of that goal saving block near the end 

[Lord Snooty]

6 minutes ago, HOOTIE AND THE poo TU said:

 

And I don't know what it is with Forestieri, he is the one player in our squad with that bit of magic, but it seems he's behind Winnall now.

 

 

This is a really interesting point. I was convinced the little fella would get on in this game.  Was a little bit surprised to see Winnall come on,  but when we went back to 4-3-3 five minutes later when Fletch went off I could sort of see the reasoning as he'd played thst central role for the Dingles.   Thing is he looked well off it.  Have to wonder if he and Rhodes will be persevered with and when Fernando will get a chance. 

[Mr Mercury]

Harris defo

[Guest LittleG]

6 hours ago, Buxtongent said:

Anyone noticed something odd about the League Table? Yes, we are top, but several of the clubs immediately below have played 1 game less. Were they all to win, we could very quickly end up mid-table.The League Tables at thois time of year are not to be trusted. 

Nothing odd about the league table; the remaining clubs who have not played 4 matches all play tonight.

[The Night-Owl]

Between Börner, Fox or Harris for me. Voted for Fox, even despite the boos and unfair criticisms, he was one of the best players on the pitch. For that reason he deserves it and gets my vote.

[frastheowl]

10 hours ago, HOOTIE AND THE poo TU said:

 

We can't be letting teams like Barnsley and Luton come to Hillsborough and have all the possession

 

 

 

Four games played so far, in three of those games we've ceded possession by a significant margin. 

 

In one of those games, we dominated possession by a significant margin. 

 

Have a guess which games we won?

 

Possession means absolutely nothing. In fact, at this level, teams become far more vulnerable when they have possession...especially teams who try and play out from the back. 

 

I actually think our problem this season will be when teams come to Hillsborough, and allow us to have possession. Our strengths at present is our pace and directness in our wide players. What we seem to be lacking somewhat is a craft and guile to break teams down. The 2nd half at The Den was a worrying sign...we dominated possession, played OK...but not once, did we carve Millwall open and create a clear cut chance. 

 

The fact is, we're going to have to be able to do both at certain times and in certain games. But I don't see the fact that we cede possession to the opposition at Hillsborough a problem. As long as we're ceding possession with an intent to win it back in dangerous areas. Of course, under Luhukay, we ceded possession and retreated like sitting ducks, which is a different kettle of fish. 

[ash60s]

Possession means nowt - it's what you do with it that counts.

My view on players 

Westwood/Olabaju/Lee/Winnall = 6

Lees/Fox/Reach/Bannon/Hutchinson/Luango= 7

Murphy/Fletcher = 8

Harris = 8.5

Borner = 9

 

Team 1st half = 6.5 Team 2nd half = 8

Bullen 7 

[The Night-Owl]

[HOOTIE AND THE SHIT TU]

13 hours ago, frastheowl said:

 

Four games played so far, in three of those games we've ceded possession by a significant margin. 

 

In one of those games, we dominated possession by a significant margin. 

 

Have a guess which games we won?

 

Possession means absolutely nothing. In fact, at this level, teams become far more vulnerable when they have possession...especially teams who try and play out from the back. 

 

I actually think our problem this season will be when teams come to Hillsborough, and allow us to have possession. Our strengths at present is our pace and directness in our wide players. What we seem to be lacking somewhat is a craft and guile to break teams down. The 2nd half at The Den was a worrying sign...we dominated possession, played OK...but not once, did we carve Millwall open and create a clear cut chance. 

 

The fact is, we're going to have to be able to do both at certain times and in certain games. But I don't see the fact that we cede possession to the opposition at Hillsborough a problem. As long as we're ceding possession with an intent to win it back in dangerous areas. Of course, under Luhukay, we ceded possession and retreated like sitting ducks, which is a different kettle of fish. 

I get all that

 

But Barnsley and Luton at home, come on, we're admitting we aren't good enough to have a right go at Barnsley and Luton at home

 

I want a manager who has no fear of playing teams like Barnsley and Luton at home

 

I'm old enough to remember the days of Howard Wilkinson when we tore teams a new one

 

Oh for a Howard Wilkinson

 

 

[SwellOwl]

Borner all day long.

[A E Neuman NYowl]

I think Bullen is getting a lot of unnecessary flak.

 

I remember crap performances under Very good managers like big Jack, Wilko and it wasn't great at first for Ron Atkinson. I don't even want to think of some of the performances under the likes Carlos, Jos, Jones etc etc.

 

Bullen was handed the reigns a week before the season started and my guess he didn't have a great input into team formations and tactics when we had the 3 Steves.

He has stepped in when we have lost our coaching staff and we have had to bed in a new central defence partnership and a totally differnent offensive unit with new wide boys. We have 9 points out of 12 which in any bodies book is a very good start.

 

Many are saying get the Cowleys or such in, that's just what Stoke did with Nathan Jones and look where they are.

 

Lets make sure we get the right man in and give Bullen some credit while he is doing a good job. If time shows that he is not up to the task then we may need to act more hastily but at the moment that is not the case.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cognacbarnowl]

41 minutes ago, SwellOwl said:

Borner all day long.

 

 

Cut back on the Viagra dude. FFS