Bramble and Killgallon were all at sea last night imo (how much do we miss JOS though when he isn’t playing); Bardsley is just not right at all and seems to have gone backwards at an alarming rate (a player I really love to see normally as well). I appreciate he is returning from injury but basics like trapping the ball, passing the ball to your own player and looking where you are kicking it are prerequisites for being a footballer?; Vaughan, despite a great show at the weekend just cant do it 2 games in a row and was awful and Gardener failed to show his value in the centre of midfield at all? We were slow and cumbersome and Bolton exposed us in the middle time after time. If they had a decent striker they would have beaten us by even more. Biggest disappointment of the whole night though was Connor Wickham. Handed his chance to shine alongside Sessegnon, in the Fletcher role, he failed terribly imo. Just didn’t do anything to suggest he warrants his place? Granted I don’t think he was assisted by Sess in that 'second' striker’s position and surely its time to ditch that failed tactic now? Against West Ham at the weekend, coming in from wide positions, Sess was unplayable and unstoppable. The WHU players **** themselves every time he ran at them but when he is central, I could mark him out of the game (and I'm 48 and 2 stone too heavy for my own good). McClean was a headless chicken again running around like a madman with his arse on fire but doing **** all of note; Johnson was poor and so was the bloke sweeping up at half time......... it was a bad night for everyone except the captain. Catts was my MotM for his 10 min cameo and showed more fight and will to win than anyone else did all night. He has been a huge miss imo. We need a pacy central midfielder; a new striker, a right back and a central defender. Minimum of another 3 in Marty please. I think Martin looked pissed off last night and whatever the calls for tactical changes, the fact remains this formation has beaten Man City and West Ham in the last 2 weeks, so 1 or 2 strikers isn’t the problem, the personnel employed to carry it out most certainly are. I think Martin has given some players enough rope to hang themselves with and most of them have duly obliged. I expect that by the time the 2013/14 season kicks off in August, a fairly big slice of this team/squad will be well gone.
So what's the problem Cest mate, hope you are in no way blaming Sess, you know it is frowned upon... As for Wickham, the clammer for him, has been staggering...based on what?
Sess cant play the second strikers role mate. End of. He is devastating coming in from wide areas (especially the left) and that is the ONLY place he warrants a place. We have all witnessed his ****e shooting ability of late and to persisit with him as the other striker is foolhardy and costly. Through the middle he is easily marked and offers nothing at all. He needs to replace the headless chicken on the left wing and a new face brought in to assist Fletcher. I have been calling for Wickham to be given a chance but when he was given it, albeit in a ****e team performance, he just didnt shine out at all. Massive disappointment that for me. Regardless of the teams failure, individual performances would have done him the power of good but he just looked as feckless as the rest. I still think hen ahs potential but on last nights evidence, 15 min spells from the bench are thebest he can offer right now and thats not good enough. Hopefully Ellis and Marrtin see it that way too and dig deep this month.
Let's not go too hard on Connor just because of one bad cup showing. He was far from the only culprit. He will continue to grow and be a lot better before we know it. Agree that he's only good for 15 off the bench right now - the problem I have is that he hasn't even been getting that enough this season.
Most of us have wanted Wickham to get a chance, but in a 4-4-2 formation. To put a raw 19 year old kid upfront on his own (he got no service either) against a 6'7" experienced defender was imo MON sticking his stubborn 2 fingers up at us and saying "see i was right". You need a run of games and develop understandings on the pitch before any judgement should be made on him.
There last night and all I can say is that was 90 minutes of my life I will never see again. The game itself was dire although I thought their keeper played a blinder. Whole team needs a rocket after that no show but, it could be a blessing in disguise i.e. get the ****e game out of the way maybe? Anyway that's two cups and two chances to get close to Europe gone for another season looks like the passport can go back in the safe (again). As for Whickham he had no support but, didn't adjust to it in the same way Fletcher has had to so looked worse than he was. Defence was none existent and to be honest I was surprised it was only 2 zip and if Sordell had his boots on his correct feet in the first half we could have been looking at a hammering. Poor game freezing ****ing cold and not a hint of alcohol not the best advert for football lads.
