It honestly took me 30 mins to realise and that was mainly because Gooch and Cirkin were our only width and Embleton and Pritchard were both trying to play number 10. Dunno if it switched from 4 to 5 at some point first half but for the real bad 20 mins up to half time that's how we're set up.
Might be way off the mark here but was it deliberately the same team played and that was their little protest at LJ being sacked?
I am just finding it hard to be so bad against an utterly naff team who had already lost 10 away games.
The kid is 20 years old and in his first full season as a professional. he's played 36 games by the start of February. It's no surprise he's having a dip. He needs a couple of weeks out the team
I doubt it, to be honest. They either picked that team because those were the players that most up to speed. Or they said "you were crap last week, go and put it right today".
Fair comment but when I saw the team sheet my heart sank not featuring at least a couple of the new lads.
Same here mate, I’m still shell shocked by yesterday. I got over last week when the rumours of Defoe started the Keane. I thought it would lift the players like it did the supporters, not a fûckin chance.
Yeah I completely agree. Dunno if he's been worked out or if he's out of form or had his head turned slightly. Whatever it is I would agree give him 2 or 3 weeks out of it and bring him back in. While he is a good technician one thing he definitely needs is more physicality as he's weak as piss.
No idea what happened there. Incomprehensibly bad. If there are players in that team coasting or playing by numbers, turning up and assuming a win is there for the taking, they might be in for a rude shock to the system if Mr Keane is not so put off by that debacle that he decides to turn the job here down.
After a decent sleep I'm still frustrated by yesterday. The way we lined up was bizarre, looked like 3 at the back but possibly was a 4 depending on where Winchester was (who looked confused as to where to be) Our midfield was non existent and Neil was dropping deeper and deeper to get the ball when he's better forward looking for through balls etc. Evans might as well have not been on the pitch for most of the game. Gooch had his usual, can you play in 3 positions game, I'd be fully pissed off if I was him as its an impossible job for him, spends all week training in a role, then gets moved at least once Our keeper either can't or won't kick the ball long even when we can't pass out from the back for love nor money I could go on but I'm just hoping a new manager is in place Monday and at least can fire the players up
Me too mate. The club is crying out for strong leadership and a proper football professional who is streetwise in a footballing sense. At the minute Speakman seems like he is all talk and thinks he is so clever which worries me, while the remaining coaches are like frightened rabbits at 1st team level.
I doubt it mate. Dodds is 100% a Speakman man, having brought him from Birmingham. I doubt he would hang Speakman out to dry like that. More a case, in my opinion, of not being close enough to the first team to know how best to change. Sometimes coaches also want to give players a chance to put things right. Not defending anyone, just dont think it was a conspiracy.
Just incompetence then? Obviously didn’t bother rewatching the previous game - I mean what would be the point in that?
Neil has to be played further up the pitch, he can't do the job being asked of him. Yes it's fine when we are on the front foot but when we are not he isn't the type of CM that's needed. It's the same for Embleton unfortunately. For me team should be: Hoffman Wright Barth Doyle Evans winchester Matete Dajaku Pritchard Clark Stewart
Amazing how a player who has absolute undoubted quality on the ball in Dan Neil, a 20 year old local lad who has been massively over played this season, suddenly becomes a target for some on here due to a dip in form after playing 36 games in his first full season. Loves the club. When in form, there isn’t be a better passer of the ball in this division. So let’s slag him off and sicken him. Some of our fans make me sick. Get a ****ing grip man
Said as much myself about Doyle, young lads. Henderson used to get similar ****e because he wasn't Zidane at 19.
