Got to the Valley with 15 minutes to spare. All the players giving their best, but we only have 8 seniors and 3 kids in the starting XI, and 2 seniors & 3 youngsters on the bench. In the circumstances 1-1 is great at HT, we are under pressure, but attacking when we can. COME ON YOU REDS... LEE BOWYERS RED ARMY!
Doughty's assist for our goal was very good, flicked the ball down the line then ran round the defender (the long way) then picked out Bonne in a sea of Blue shirts... well done lad
The only bright spot today was Alfie’s accomplished performance. Lockyer is suspended for next week, and Oztumer went off injured. Of the rest, Leko was poor and Sarr simply isn’t good enough. The first goal was down to him failing to even jump for a challenge, again. Whether we stay up really depends on a. The dire injury list and b. The new owner spending. We are in trouble.
Naby is back to being sh1te again. Lockyer was excellent, but if Pearce can't play twice in a week a CB will be on Bowyer's shopping list. Alfie looks the pick of the next bunch of youngsters, whatever position he settles into. Despite our injuries we could have got something out of this game, but for Naby's non-existent challenge, and a needless penalty conceded.
I can’t even really complain considering the scale of injuries, thought Doughty was great and should keep his place, offers more going forward from left back, which is needed in Bowyer’s diamond formation. Sarr had a shocker, Leko had a decent 20min spell in the second half but ended the game sh1t, we forget that Foresteri missed an open goal and Phillips made some superb saves. I still think we’ll stay up comfortably as the injuries ease and we work on jan transfers.
Sarr has been found out at this level. Opposition strikers are too fast & clever for him. Jumping for the ball & challenging for headers is schoolboy stuff, and he can’t do it. Get rid next summer and don’t risk him in the meantime.
"Then once we got here and put the team sheet in, Albie Morgan was being sick just before the game. We couldn't do anything about that. "We just had to see how he went. Then again at half-time he was sick. That's why we took him off. He couldn't move in the end. "I hate losing. I think that's quite obvious to see but I've just said to the players: 'Hold your heads up high. You should be proud of putting on a great team performance.' "They can't give any more that what they are giving out there. We were in the game right up until the 80th minute." Bowyer is boosted, however, by the club's proposed takeover by Abu Dhabi-based corporation East Street Investments. He added: "I've spoken to the potential new owners and it was a positive conversation. If they do get the green light from the EFL, it's going to be good news for the football club. "They have said that there is money to spend in January and that me and the staff are going to get proper contracts. "It sounds good, so we need to start planning for January. It'll be nice to be able to strengthen the squad if we can."
30 points has got to be the benchmark for Xmas, and then we strengthen to stay up. 9 points from the last 13 games is dire. Injuries aren’t entirely to blame. We can’t keep a clean sheet. I’d get rid of the Brighton pair, Sarr, Aneke & possibly Oztumer if there is cash to do spend. Free up extra money. Lewis Page is a waste of rations as well.
I think injuries are to blame, but so is a budget that would make Ebeneezer Scrooge Blush (thanks Roland). I couldn't see any drop in effort or commitment today, just lack of communication sometimes - 2 players going for the same ball - and lack of ability. A lot of these players are not among our strongest XI, and we know the squad has little depth. The lads did what they could today, but we only have half a team. The new owners will get the opportunity to help LB in January, and that combined with players returning from injury will keep us up this season.
Trouble is, come January will our ship have already sailed; will we be too far behind to catch those above? The only bright spot today was Doughty; the rest were absolute garbage, think someone mentioned that after last weeks game, and he was spot on. January signings (if any) will not solve our problem. The current management team are too inexperienced to handle this situation, and it will only get worse. The new owners need to be ruthless, and quickly so before it is too late.
I think the management team are doing a fine job tbh I think our predicament is down to injuries - roll on January and having some money in the pot
