Games like this happen. Infinitely better than last season hardly creating a thing against them in similar circumstances. Hit the woodwork twice, keeper MOTM, really close with another 2/3. 95 times out of 100 something drops in the right place and we win. 43 games to go.
I like the look of our squad and there is potential in most positions, it's just going to take a little time to get the flow right. I wouldn't write off our forwards yet Celar will a couple of months and a couple of goals to get going.
If Frey is our best number 9 we have a real problem. He did a few good things today but he's basically a comedy act.
Also dare I say not having the mighty Dykes hurt us today. Frey was done and we were worse for it slinging balls in to Kolli. Encouraging from Madsen. Cook not fully fit and JCS all good. Dunne getting better. Paal marginally less **** than usual but still ****. Field meh. Frey handy. Smyth one of his better games. Karaoke will be class. Bruce Lee not his day. Celar did one touch and turn that was Austin-esque in his prime and I can see what he’s about even if he’s slower than Kiwi.
So we started brilliantly. Frey header brilliant, and we dominated for about 15 minutes but Plymouth got back into it Their goal was unfortunate. Yes a bad touch from Field, but mostly those slight bad touches go unnoticed, but this one teed the ball up for Whittaker to put a pile driver of a shot through Nardi, who was not expecting it. After a good start Saito was fading and looking lost....but the ref was good booking Forshaw eventually by pulling Dembele (who excellent all match) back by the neck. Forshaw soon after hacked down Dunne(?) and got sent off. At HT, Marti did the only sensible thing took off Saito put on Celar and went to 4-4-2 And we dominated the whole half ....without looking like we definitely had to score. Goalie made a couple of good saves and one outstanding save. Dunne hit the post with goalie beaten. Celar skimmed the top of bar. Frey had his shorts nearly ripped off, which really looked like a penalty to me (at the other end JCS is said to have got away with a penalty call but I did not see that one. Plymouth got another player sent off in injury time. They had been lunging at our players all day, but too late to capitalise. Absolutely 2 points lost...but a few good things Dembele...absolute baller Madsen...so far a nice player, will be OK Saito...faded...impact sub at the moment for me (not as effective as Smyth, who as we all know...is not very effective). Frey is actually improving, much better hold up play, and he (with a turning circle of a small tank ) went passed players today, impressive. He works very hard Celar a different player, much nippier than Frey, and with no preseason, was sharp...I am sure a goal will help him a lot. Dunne did not enjoy Cissoko running at him at all...that will be our weak point for the rest of season. Now...anyone know what is happening with Dykes, what did Marti say at the end? Dixon Bonner, will go on loan that is now obvious. This team is so much better than last seasons team, but oh it would be nice to win a game
So Dykes is going and we will be left with Frey, who traps it further than a lot of players can kick it, and Celar who is slower than Austin in his benefit season and doesn't seem to fancy a challenge. We have a problem here.
We could have been 3 up in 3 mins. Great start. Too early to start doing a Karl Henry on Celar. Give him some slack, we’ve had years of Dykes, Celar has played less than half a dozen games. We need to be quicker getting our shots away and less predictable in the box. Overall, another improved performance which should have been a deserved win but for a single great strike and a goalie playing out of his skin. A season or two ago, we’d have lost that from a goal on the break in the dying minutes.
That match was a proper curate's egg, a great start but Plymouth were in the ascendency when they equalised and even after the sending off were better in possession. Marti's change to 4-4-2 put us on the front foot and we dominated but just couldn't get the clear cut chance to score. Several half chances peppered their goal and Hazard had one of those games we curse. The number of times we got down the right and put in crosses but not one scored a direct hit for one of our players to connect. Frustrating in the extreme but we are a work in progress. If Dykes is going will we bring in another striker? One more week of the window and we're still a bit short of ideal, perhaps we're asking too much too soon...
Wouldn’t say any of them were great saves. Just a lot of them. The one from Smyth at the start looked good but was down the other end and not seen it back. Got lucky with the one that hit the post second half he was very slow to. Just that kind of day for him and us.
Just to avoid being the complete wet blanket, some positives from today... Dembele - really exciting Madsen - looks like a proper player Field - very good defensively and unlucky for their goal Paal - much improved Guinness in the Middlesex Arms - delicious
