Defence looks weaker than last season

[Holmowl]

How did Ihiekwe do at LCB? 
 

I was hoping we would start the season with Famewo on his natural side. It’s much easier for a leftie to close down the RW quickly. Also helps start our attacks with balance.

[Pastor Kidneys]

43 minutes ago, mcmigo said:

Hutchinson is , inevitably, injured at Reading - he is ‘ two or three weeks away’ according to Paul Ince  and did not play in their defeat at Blackpool yesterday.

 

that I suspect is why your man was released.  

 

He's not my man pal ... just an observation that as the season progresses it'll become apparent that he'd have been useful to have around. If I'm honest I wasn't too disappointed when he left as it was probably time to do so but I don't think the defence is better than last season.

 

2 of the back 3 that played yesterday will be found out as the season continues.

 

Iorfa & Heneghan aren't good enough to play in a 3 IMO.

 

Iorfa is all over the place and is poor with the ball at his feet & Heneghan, whilst decent in the air, is painfully slow.

 

 

[Lord Snooty]

Ihekwe has just been part of the best defence in the division playing in a back three.

Over 100 championship games under his belt.

 

I don't think he's the issue. 

More the implementation of the system on the group as a whole. 

 

The miller's played this system to keep things tight. We're playing it, seemingly, to make it expansive and open. 

 

Well, it's certainly open...

[Mike Hunt]

9 minutes ago, Pastor Kidneys said:

 

He's not my man pal ... just an observation that as the season progresses it'll become apparent that he'd have been useful to have around. If I'm honest I wasn't too disappointed when he left as it was probably time to do so but I don't think the defence is better than last season.

 

2 of the back 3 that played yesterday will be found out as the season continues.

 

Iorfa & Heneghan aren't good enough to play in a 3 IMO.

 

Iorfa is all over the place and is poor with the ball at his feet & Heneghan, whilst decent in the air, is painfully slow.

 

 

Spot on 

Also Henegan gets dragged all over the shop he did the same yesterday as he did against Wigan when they scored 

[0114]

9 hours ago, Pastor Kidneys said:

 

This ^^^

 

Heneghan will look quite commanding when heading and can also ping the odd ball out wide but I fear when he comes up against any striker with speed he won't cope. He'll get run ragged.

 

Iorfa constantly gets under the ball and it sails over his head ... with how tall he is it's infuriating. Needs to sort his positioning.

 

Ihiekwe will be OK when he settles but it's baffling we couldn't persuade Hutch to give us one more year - he's easily as good as what we have now.

Ihiekwe was a key part of the best defence in this division last season so I’m pretty sure he will be a good signing and understand his credentials. 

Heneghan looked the low end L1 player I thought we signed. Easy to see why Wilder & Critchley weren’t fussed. Reminiscent of the John Smith’s “Ave it” advert I can see why his statistics for clearances are high because I’ve never seen a CB just want to get rid of the ball as fast as humanly possible as Heneghan. 
 

I’ve been banging the Iorfa isn’t a very good CB for a long time. His pace papers over cracks.

What’s strange is how none seen comfortable with the ball, which is something out entire game was built around. Although we scored 3 we did struggle to build attacks from defence.

[debram]

9 hours ago, Beauchief Owl said:

Very disappointing that an ex CB has not sorted out the defensive frailties that were so apparent last season and indeed might even be worse now.

Darren was concerned last week and he should be even more concerned this week after another week's training hasn't made much difference.

Agreed

[Tewkesbury]

To be fair, Heneghan, Ihekwe and to an extent Johnson did nothing wrong for the goals.

 

First, stupid freekick, gets recycled. Heneghan, Ihekwe, Iorfa and Byers all man marking. Gregory or Hunt spare, don't pick him up, Johnson covering the ball back.

 

Second. Johnson waiting for the pass on the wing, FDB stumbles and loses it. Heneghan comes across, Ihekwe covering the cut inside. Iorfa loses the header.

 

Third. Johnson stops the runner, ball back, defence is set up in a line, with Iorfa and Hunt with the one loose player. They mix up who should be marking.

However, just as the ball is played, Iorfa looks back and Hunt has his hand on the striker's shoulder. I'd take that as it's his man.

 

 

 

[0114]

1 minute ago, Tewkesbury said:

To be fair, Heneghan, Ihekwe and to an extent Johnson did nothing wrong for the goals.

 

First, stupid freekick, gets recycled. Heneghan, Ihekwe, Iorfa and Byers all man marking. Gregory or Hunt spare, don't pick him up, Johnson covering the ball back.

 

Second. Johnson waiting for the pass on the wing, FDB stumbles and loses it. Heneghan comes across, Ihekwe covering the cut inside. Iorfa loses the header.

 

Third. Johnson stops the runner, ball back, defence is set up in a line, with Iorfa and Hunt with the one loose player. They mix up who should be marking.

However, just as the ball is played, Iorfa looks back and Hunt has his hand on the striker's shoulder. I'd take that as it's his man.

 

 

 

The 1st goal Windass gets beaten too easily to allow Pack to put the cross in. 
 

The 2nd came from FDB you are right, so the defence becomes very reactive which why so many are all over the place when the cross is placed in. But Iorfa HAS to get tighter to his man, look how far away he is when the ball is crossed….

 

 

Iorfa for me is massively at fault for the 3rd goal. Why would Hunt be marking the only striker in the box? Iorfa should be tight to him and Hunt has to watch the back post runner. When the cross comes in it’s Iorfa marking Bishop but Bishop finds the space between himself and Hunt. 

[Bouncing Owl]

It’s only first game, but that back 3 is not a patch on storey, Dean and hutch. 
 

I wonder whether switching to a back 4 with those clunky defenders would be a better option? 

[Tewkesbury]

13 minutes ago, 0114 said:

The 1st goal Windass gets beaten too easily to allow Pack to put the cross in. 
 

The 2nd came from FDB you are right, so the defence becomes very reactive which why so many are all over the place when the cross is placed in. But Iorfa HAS to get tighter to his man, look how far away he is when the ball is crossed….

 

 

Iorfa for me is massively at fault for the 3rd goal. Why would Hunt be marking the only striker in the box? Iorfa should be tight to him and Hunt has to watch the back post runner. When the cross comes in it’s Iorfa marking Bishop but Bishop finds the space between himself and Hunt. 

 

Iorfa needs to be better for the second.

 

They know there isn't a runner for the third.

Just before the ball comes in, Iorfa looks round, there's nobody else and Jack has his hand on the man's shoulder.

He's Hunt's man every day of the week.

[0114]

Just now, Tewkesbury said:

 

Iorfa needs to be better for the second.

 

They know there isn't a runner for the third.

Just before the ball comes in, Iorfa looks round, there's nobody else and Jack has his hand on the man's shoulder.

He's Hunt's man every day of the week.

Why would Hunt mark their striker? Even more so when Iorfa is the one marking him when they enter the box?

 

When the cross comes in there is someone moving to the back post.

[Tewkesbury]

10 minutes ago, 0114 said:

Why would Hunt mark their striker? Even more so when Iorfa is the one marking him when they enter the box?

 

When the cross comes in there is someone moving to the back post.

The difference is that the last thing Iorfa sees is Hunt with the man, then he's looking at the cross.

 

Hunt still follows the man, behind Iorfa, so as far as he's concerned, he's Hunt's.

[0114]

4 minutes ago, Tewkesbury said:

 

Iorfa needs to be better for the second.

 

They know there isn't a runner for the third.

Just before the ball comes in, Iorfa looks round, there's nobody else and Jack has his hand on the man's shoulder.

He's Hunt's man every day of the week.

“Hunt’s man everyday of the week”

 

This is Iorfa marking their big striker as they come back. At what point does 6ft 4 Iorfa pass on their aerial threat to 5ft 9 RWB Hunt. 
 

For me it’s without doubt, Iorfa’s man. 

[BingleyOwl]

I just don’t get the hype around Iorfa. He’s always had a massive error in him. He was awful yesterday. 

[Tewkesbury]

8 minutes ago, 0114 said:

“Hunt’s man everyday of the week”

 

This is Iorfa marking their big striker as they come back. At what point does 6ft 4 Iorfa pass on their aerial threat to 5ft 9 RWB Hunt. 
 

For me it’s without doubt, Iorfa’s man. 

Things change, that was a few seconds before.

 

Iorfa should have done better, but Hunt needs to take some of it.

[0114]

1 minute ago, Tewkesbury said:

Things change, that was a few seconds before.

 

Iorfa should have done better, but Hunt needs to take some of it.

He’s Iorfa’s man. No one covers themselves in glory, however Iorfa shouldn’t lose him from that position. But he does, typically. 

Edited July 31, 2022 by 0114

[Dutch McLovin]

15 hours ago, Emerson Thome said:

Sign one of the best defenders in the league and play him out of position on the left. Absolutely madness, especially as it was to shoehorn Iorfa into the side. That is why we should have been re-signing Hutch and looking to move Iorfa on instead.

 

Stick Ihiekwe RCB, Heneghan in the middle and either Famewo or Palmer at LCB and we'll look a lot more solid and be a hell of a lot better on the ball too (no more chipped crosses to the goalie or passes straight out of play from Iorfa).

Spot on.

 

Im not convinced by Heneghan but I think Ihekwe will be fine as a RCB. Really need to push and try and get Dean back to play central and to be honest could do with trying to get Gibson back aswell. If not time

to give Galvin a go, will offer better protection to Johnson 

[ZicoSterland2]

15 hours ago, CircleSeven said:

I did think the defence would be a bit shaky at the start of the season but not as shaky as that! 
 

Iorfa can be better than that. If he doesn’t get better though soon he’ll be dropped. Id even be more confident in Paterson in the role at the moment!

Iorfa hasn't looked the same player since his injury. Could be he will never be that player again, sadly if that is the case we can't carry him in the team.

[Tewkesbury]

16 minutes ago, 0114 said:

He’s Iorfa’s man. No one covers themselves in glory, however Iorfa shouldn’t lose him from that position. But he does, typically. 

Normally I'd agree, but as soon as he put's his hands on him, I'v always taken that as taking over.

 

Either way, I don't think that Iorfa and Hunt's going to work. It didn't last season. 

[SiJ]

I don't get the back three tbh.

 

So, you want to play out from the back but then have three blokes who appear to be uncomfortable on the ball? 

 

Even better, the three CBs - who are all 6ft plus - concede three headers!

 

The defending in that second half was embarrassing, proper Sunday league stuff.