After we conceded the first goal, we played well for about 20 minutes. Solly and Wiggins were marauding forward and making up for the lack of effort from Green and Jackson. They should have swapped positions! We managed to get in to some great positions because we were playing round them and not over their defence. But frustration got the better of us and we just lumped it up to Kermit, but he was so well shackled by Eastman that he really did not win much in the air. The second half was absolute dross. No invention, no poise, no cohesive passing: it was basically crap. Green and Jackson should have come off at half-time - but who goes to the left? The bench was weak and lacked options: Waggy and Evina need to be inserted for Saturday. Some credit must go to ColU; they defended well and did a job on our front two. They outfought us, and threw their bodies at everything. But I'm sure they will be surprised at how rubbish we were for the most part. The side needs a freshen up as we are looking jaded. It is not the end of the world, but I feel that last night could have been avoided with a hint of squad rotation. COYR!
It was all so ponderous and predictable - not one of our best days - and, as Ponders says, credit to ColU - they had a plan and stuck to it - helped , of course, by their early goal. They probably came for a draw, but got lucky. It was crying out for a huge Centre Forward and an out-and-out winger to get around the back - which Green didnt do all night (certainly not the bit i saw !) - but we dont seem to have those in the squad, but then again, in doing that we might have been playing into their hands.But def ColU did the better of the tactics - CP doesnt seem to have a Plan B (has PArky surreptiotiously rejoined the club ?) I dont think you can really criticise Hamer - he had nothing to do all game - got beat by a cracker of a shot that if he had saved we would have been purring with, and also a charge-down that happens maybe once a season - noway can he be criticised.
Nothing Hamer could do about the first goal, it was an absolute screamer curling away from him. I was dead behind it. Just happens occasionally. On the flip side, he was totally at fault for the 2nd. The defence were very solid and never looked like being beaten (yes, I know they were... twice), BWP had one of his anonymous games and Kermit was usual dependable self, although the two CB's played him pretty well. The real issue, as mentioned, was midfield. Stephens had a decent game, but Hollands was anonymous and no idea how he lasted 90 minutes, Green was poor and Jackson played like his player of the year nomination had gone to his head. Our best attacking threat first half was Solly and Kermit linking up... seriously to Premier league standard. They didn't keep the faith 2nd half and stopped playing their football, particularly when the subs came on. 2-0 seriously harsh on us, but it happens. Play that game again and we'd win 9 times from 10.
Stu - like I said earlier, Hamer leaves his kicks until the last second every game on numerous occasions without fail. He only has himself to blame for that goal and it wasn't just a fluke, two or three times after the goal he did the same thing and nearly got caught out by Odejayi. He needs to learn to have more control over the ball when its at his feet. As for Wordsworth I was curious about his celebrations, he seemed to point to one specific part of the ground - right near the tunnel. The seats there are generally where players who are injured/suspended sit, so are we sure he wasn't pointing to one of his fellow players sitting there?
I've just been listening to CP's post-match press interview, and he doesn't agree with you (and me) that some players are tired, and I got the impression that he intends to put out the same team on Saturday. I can understand why this is his strongest 11 and therefore the team most likely to win each game, you only have to look at the table to see his point. So let's hope he's right and last night's display was a one-off.
To be honest, though, the performance at Bournemouth wasn't particularly great either, which we seem to have forgotten amid the euphoria of the last minute winner. I know we played terrifically against Stevenage and Chesterfield, but it would be only natural for some players to be tired having played almost every game this season. I would introduce Russell for one of the midfielders, I just can't decide who. Hollands needs the break more, but Stephens has been patchy of late.
I must say I didn't think we were that bad on Tuesday. It was just one of those nights. There were bad elements for sure. Green who I like a lot had a poor game and the Stephens Hollands gig in the middle just isn't working. They are too deep. We got away with it early in the season because of Hayes's capacity to link up with BWP to feet but Yann, although terrific, is getting stuck in no mans land between the lone forward and the deep midfield.
Hayes liked to ball to his feet rather than head, I think we have become lazy with Kermit and just lump it up to him.
Yep. He is so good at winning headers but that only works when they go to one of our guys! BWP is not on Yanns wavelength in the way that he was with Hayes and no one else is far enough forward. When we did play to feet in Tuesday we we're good even if wiggins tended to over complicate things a bit.
I just watched the highlights on the BBC - I can't believe: 1) How relaxed Hamer was under pressure; such a bad mistake 2) How that wasn't a Pen on Yann near the end?
