100% agree with you on both parts in bold. Losing Mariappa is going to be a huge blow. Firstly he will be very, very hard to replace and secondly, not only is he our best CB, he is also our only true footballing centre half that is comfortable on the ball and has composure as well as pace. I think Martin Taylor broke a new world record today for most amount of long balls by a defender in a game of football. I mean seriously, every time he had the ball I knew he was going to chip it or boot it, he never goes for the short simple pass. As for Hogg, I'll probably get shot down for this, but for all his endeavour, robustness and work ethic, his touch is poor and his passing is sloppy (and Im not just on about today's game either) He never looks like he actually wants to have the ball either which baffles me.
Yup I agree... We are seriously lacking players who can take players on....heck we are lacking players who can run forwards. Most are content to receive the ball and get rid of it as soon as possible....whether it be hoofing or sideways passing. We need some creative and flair players.... the kind of players we had last season..Graham, Cowie, Buckley, Sordell... Yeates does it, but he isn't really quick or tricky enough. Murray needs more experience, he has potential but is lacking sometimes. When he had 15 yards of space infront of him and he hopelessly hoofed it up in the general direction in front of Deeney...I cringed. Could be picking up some bad habbits from our other players.... Hopefully our good finish in the table will help to attract a few players.
We just need a set system and an actual proper game plan. Hoofing it to Iwelumo is not a game plan and 90% of the time doesn't work. Not only that but how is a player like Murray supposed to make a positive contribution when he keeps seeing the ball in the air??? Hopefully today is just a one off, coz otherwise players like Murray will be eager to leave a club that play this way. Play to your best players strengths, simple as that, and Iwelumo is nowhere near our best player, so why does everything have to revolve around him in terms of how we play??? As soon as he got booked he became a pedestrian and was no longer in the game, yet we kept on hoofing it to him??? If Im honest though Im not surprised, look at the back 4 we had out today and it was always going to be long ball after long ball no matter who we had up-front. The good thing though, is that we have a manager who is not afraid to change the team around after an inept performance, so hopefully Mapps, Hodson, Bauben and Maybe Forsyth and Garner start on Monday night, because our boys did look lethargic today. Actually as I was walking past the East Stand I saw Mapps in a suit so I knew he wouldn't be playing, which meant that I knew it would be M.Taylor and Nosworthy up against an energetic, quick, tricky/skilful Blackpool attack The way I see it, Everything should go through the midfield. As soon as a defender has the ball the first thought that should enter their mind is to be passing a short ball to a midfield player. We dont have much pace, so every time a yellow shirt chips it or hits it long there isn't much chance of a yellow shirt getting on the end of it due to lack of pace, plus that tactic just tires players out quickly anyway. This is why I feel more confident and comfortable when Bauben is playing as he will face the defenders when they have the ball ready to receive a pass, then take a few quick touches and away we go. IMO our best performances this season have been during the times we had Kightly and Alex K on loan. When we have a quality player on the left we look a totally different side. I know Murray is talented but he just doesn't seem himself on the left, he's much better on the right IMO (I dont see why Yeates cant be moved to the left instead)
Hello all, Just got back from a short time on the coast. Shame to see this result. Still we still might squeak the play offs. Sounds like we didn't fully turn up today. Let's hope SD gives everyone a kick up the backside for Monday. Enjoy the long weekend ladies and gents.
The good news is that we shouldn't need to bother with a team talk on Monday. Maybe in the context of the recent run we were due an off day, and yesterday certainly qualifies. But anyone who can't raise their level off the back of that performance, not to mention against the club's previous manager, shouldn't be in professional football. Fair play to Dyche for not blaming the ref. He was atrocious and had a part in at least one goal, but he's not the reason that we were unable to score in open play.
WE have said for some time that we need creative flair in the midfield/attack! I still don't think the Eustace and Hogg are the best pairing, one of them plus Buaben IMHO. Buaben likes getting forward whilst JE and JH are more defensive minded, but we have to remember that we have Mcginn to come back in and he is left sided and he is creative We need at least one other centre forward, a runner, someone who hassles all the defense all the time and creates space for the supporting striker to use and the attacking midfielders! Like someone has said previously perhaps our great late run will attract some new players in the close season!
We seemed to be quite phyiscal today but that didn't really work as the ref was often against us and Blackpool just passed it around us.
Having said that I'm glad Dyche didn't blame the referee, I do want to pay tribute to Angel for his bravery in the first half. Early on he had one of his legs amputated. But that didn't phase him, he grew another leg and soldiered on. Later he was quite clearly shot in the face by one of our players. It takes a very special character to come back and finish a match under those circumstances.
I still think Bennett could do a job alongside Nozzer or Tiny ,He has the pace that mapps has , and only game time under Noz or T guiding him can only make him improve! Where we are still lacking is the creativity angle , without Alex K or Kites we have struggled , Britt maybe able to fill the role, however that isnt his preferred position and Sean for whatever reason is only giving him 15-20 mins to make a mark! One to watch for next season I am sure Ideally if you have a good attacking fullback and a good tricky winger (preferably on both sides) you will always make a lot of chances ! So on another season of overachievement with a limited squad(ability wise) Hats off to SD for keeping us in the championship Hopefully the building towards a team that is easier on the eye will continue over the summer and the installation of a new pitch!
Ok I admit it. I was the sniper in the crowd. Couldn't believe he got up from that! As for the game it was just a bit flat. We have to face up to the fact that at the moment we lack quality in midfield and it'd be suicide to pass it about on that pitch without being able to trap the ball quickly. Once again the opposition closed us down well. Can't complain too much. Team has been immense this season.
Maybe Whichelow....Mingoia? We do have some players who could do a job for us. I hope that the new pitch next season encourages some nicer football. I think what you should remember Mitch, is that we've been on a good run and not played too differently to yesterday. So...I think it can work for us...it really has worked for us...but maybe in the long term it's not so good.
I am afraid the officials were influenced by the antics of Holloway and that spread to their players - Holloway was a disgrace and his performance clearly learnt from the Premshite. Screaming & shouting at the ref and fourth official, having a go at our bench, kicking his water bottle all over the place - yes, well done the ref fell for it hook & line. I used to quite like the little Imp, now he has joined my collection of voodoo dolls, albeit a small nasty one, but it will getting a few pins stuff in it for the rest of the season... But a poor display and day at the office - for me Deeney is injured and playing on pain killers, he needs a rest.
At this time Watford are in eleventh seat. Today Derby County visit Ipswich Town so we will lose one place. If the game is drawn two places. Also Leicester City are to play Doncaster Rovers, If Leicester do not lose we will fall another place and also if Crystal Palace win. The worst outcome will be falling to 15. seat, the best to 12..
For anyone who was charmed by the recent love-in: http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/135484-Disgrace?p=2587641&viewfull=1#post2587641
100% agree. You can get away with having one ' scruffy ' type of central midfield player, but not two. At any level and against any team, you need at least 1 of the central midfield players to be tidy, composed and comfortable on the ball with accurate, well placed passing. Mariappa & Bauben in the team = Football No Mapps and no Bauben with Iwelumo upfront = 2 million hooofs and poor possession.
Bristol City and Leeds both played the long ball game against us. Taylor and Nosworthy won everything in the air in those games meaning the opposition had no outlet to hurt us. It's when we come up against sides who like to play football (Saints, Blackpool, Palace, Hull) that we struggle and look poor. When refs dont allow you to get stuck in, or if the long balls are not working then we need a plan B. Ideally our plan A would be to always try and play passing football and our plan B would be to go direct but it seems to be the other way around.
I agree, but the ref was giving free kicks to them for every little thing and in the first half, cards were flying. In that situation, the team are bound to hold back and be more cautious, trying not to get themselves sent off! As it was, it seems Hogg was given two yellows! The fact that we should have had a penalty in the first half, and theirs should have been a free kick, and their goal came from what should have been our ball, and the fact that Iwelumo became scared to jump for anything, we had no chance. Crap it was, but not because we were off the boil, i put it down to being over cautious. First time in ages i've left the Vic steaming!
I know he was, and it was frustrating me a lot as Blackpool are a bunch of fairy's, but at the end of the day we didn't turn up in the second half so we deserved what we got - nothing. I dont think we deserved a penalty, the guy was so close to Deeney that he had no time to even think about moving his arm. You rarely get pens for that. Steaming as in mad or steaming as in drunk???
steaming as in mad...very very frustrated! He seemed to stick his hand out to me...and i still maintain that we felt we couldn't challenge much for fear of getting booked. I agree, we were the second best team, but it's hard to tell what it would have been like if the ref and the linesman hadn't been so awful, and the Blackpool players hadn't been so pathetic and managed to stay on their feet...
