It'd be great to get some ratings and opinions on how our team and SG (and Naylor for that matter!) performed. Anyone stand out? If the team we played on Sunday is our current "First XI", does anyone else deserve a shot in there? Cheers!
First half hour we were dross, absolutely awful. We should have been losing by at least two at half time, no doubt. After first half hour we settled and it became a really entertaining game. Those who stood out for me, apart from Nunez with the goals were: Keogh - ran tirelessly and selflessly all match, great stand in for Becchio, perfect attitude. Rachubka - we have got a pearler of a second keeper in him,made some great saves and looked very safe all round. I like O'Dea as well, good solid old school centre half. Poor old Obrien looked like a rabbit in headlights at first, his confidence is shot. Got better but still way short of what we need. Naylor did ok for them but we didnt put him under much pressure with running at him to be honest, where we know he is weak. Player that impressed for them was Giles Barnes, at least for first hour or so then he ran out of steam. He dominated midfield in the first half, was all over the place with quality thrown in as well. Their right winger had White all over the place as well until he settled.
amazing how far Barnes has fallen off the radar a few years back he was the next big thing. I would have loved us to take a punt on him but we should be sorted for wingers at the mo anyways
He played centrally and did a very good job. Didn`t realise he was such a size, thought he was a little lithe type. Defo got the quality, if he gets his fitness right then he will be a serious player for Donny, as is their right winger and Bennett. Think they will be more than fine once they get their players back, they will soon start climbing the table.
Nice one, Phil - good analysis. So get O'B out of there and White still has some way to go when up against quality. Glad he has the pace to compensate for any mishaps he may make.
Not when they whip the cross in immediately. O'Brien was woeful as a second line of defence, though. You can't rely on the fullbacks making the challenge every time and you need a big ****er like Naylor/Kisnorbo/Sodje to sweep up the crosses. We weren't playing with anyone like that last night (till Paddy came on of course) but O'Dea didn't do bad in that regard. We never really got any lasting passing moves going, which is understandable with the six changes we made and youngsters like Zak Thompson, but we continued to play football like winners. Good spirit, never accepted defeat, attacked at the right moments just when Donny were looking weak. I still think that could be made stronger with two more signings who have some real grit and experience to make sure that when we're looking defeated against better teams than Donny, we manage to bounce back.
Both pretty nondescript; Thompson worked hard and closed down everything he could without making that many interceptions (a kind of undeveloped Andy Hughes) and Taylor looked like he had a good delivery on him and probably played as well as White (who was overall average). Neither of them look ready yet and could do with a loan spell. I was surprised we stuck Thompson in midfield as I thought he was a centre-back. Shows how stretched we are in that position.
Thompson was weak, out of position quite a lot and I think he found the pace of the game hard to deal with, although he is a right back so not going to criticise home too much, and this will have been worthwhile experience for him. Taylor looked quite good when he came on, and I`d never really rated him from seeing him in the reserves so that was a bonus. Def not ready for big step up yet though. As mentioned above, a loan spell would do him, and us, the world of good. White kept giving his man so much room it was unbelievable, he dealt a lot better when he got tight on him. Overall though a great run out for the lads who need to build their confidence and also the youngsters, good decision by SG to play it that way and we got the win as well, so got to be happy. We are like Arsenal etc now, resting our players in the CC against the smaller clubs
Shows really that we are lacking in depth big time and that we are probably at our limit for injuries to a starting 15
Does Kissa look like he will be able to get back to his pre-injury levels of fitness and performance? Didn't hear much about him getting short run-outs or whatever.
He came on last night for final 20 mins or so. I dont think he is as fast as he was but still as committed which is half the battle in that position and he is def better than Bruce etc.
rachubka was brilliant- good saves and that strange drop kick technique he has was very accurate connolly- appalling, out of position alot and way too slow odea and obrien- got ran ragged at 1st but were more solid after that white- gave his man way too much space, goal came from his side. pace is a bonus/ taylor- good left foot on him, joins in attacks, out of position a few times needing odea to cover. nunez- superb goals but was dreadful in 1st half when on the left, looked a different player in a central role howson- without brown in the team he has to play deeper, has less impact in that position but did the hard work and pressing fairly well thompson- looked fairly composed on the ball, pressed well, a little light weight maybe, didnt really do much other than keep the passing simple sam- makes some crazy decisions like hacking down their CB when he was in the process of knocking the ball out for a leeds corner, not as direct as gradel so always less of a threat mccormack- worked hard last night, just lacking that little something, cant put my finger on what./ gradel- always caused the full back problems but missed a 1 on 1 last night when it looked easier to score keogh- ran alot but his finishing was awful, leaps well to win headers tho which helps our otherwise short team overall- dreadful 1st 30 mins but grew into the game, many players to come back into that team too which is promising
Do you think O Brien at the back makes the others nervous and become dragged out of position as they are wary of having to cover for him, or at least try and mop up his mistakes?
I think Thompson's a RB/LB/CM. White can afford to stick close to his man, he has the pace to recover if he gets turned, as he showed against West Ham.
Thompson was brought in as a right back or at a push CB. RB is where he played for reserves in his games last season. White can afford to get tight, wish he had done so more often last night. Saying that, the lad he was against did him for pace a couple of times.
Late post from me as ive been away but Philhleeds is very accurate in what he says. The first 30 minutes we spent about 2 in their half. It was very similar to the playoff final when Donny dominated. We were truly awful. I agree that Giles Barnes (albeit now much bigger!) was really really good and bossed the game. He is obviously a bit overweight at present but if they can get him fit they will have a great player for nothing. The other notable Donny player was Mustapha Dumbuyu who was up and down the right flank all night. A superb engine, strong, quick and gave White a torrid time. The game changed after the break when Nunez was pushed more centrally. I dont think White will have thanked him for his contribution to defensive duties on the left flank. This gave us much better shape and we looked more solid. Overall we got out of jail with two great Nunez goals. However, there were plenty of negatives - Connolly was awful - where has the Mr Consistent of last season gone. O'Brien still looks totally unfit - not wining any headers. White struggled. Positives - Rachubka looks decent. O'Dea is looking a decent signing, Sam continues to look like he will contribute this season, Nunez goals, Keogh will run the channels well until Becchio is back.
