Having watched Smithies for most home games, and the way he likes to play sweeper keeper, it was only a question of time before a howler. There have been times at LR when he's arrived at the ball a small fraction of a second before the opposition player. This is the first major howler and it is set against some magnificent saves and sweeps so we just move on and see if Ollie can get the home form going to keep us up reasonably comfortably. Played 18 and 23 points so projected points as of today's average is 58. Can't hide the disappointment though.
Despite the goal, which seemed to trickle in at walking speed, the first half was very enjoyable - lots of play in their half, picking up most loose balls and playing with purpose. Even Henry ended up forward several times. Washington was very good - always playing on the shoulder of the CB and had one good chance well saved at close range and another was lost when he was barged by Berra. We could have got Polter more involved and didn't look to cross as much and as early as we could. Perhaps this is a consequence of wingbacks compared to wingers. Perch could have been sent off for several hefty tackles (bizarrely twice sliding recklessly in at balls he wouldn't win on their byline and I'm sure Ollie was glad for the chance to sub him for that reason. Chery too got involved in a needless and recurring spat with Tom Lawrence and I thought he was losing it. Smithies didn't look wrong to come out but his header sort of spun sideways as he tried to retain possession and just gave Varney a tap in. He recovered well and it was nice to see both Hall and Ned show him some support. His string of fine saves came mostly after their fortuitous third (albeit clinically finished) including one worldy - a ferocious shot from McGoldrick that seemed to swerve late and would have gone just inside the post but for his outstretched fingertip save). At 3-0 there was no way that it was a game of that dominance although we were nowhere near as effective in the second half. After the third, we kept trying but got caught on the break. Very disappointing but not as devastatingly bad as the scoreline suggested. Comments about Ipswich not having played as well in ages do little to console (especially since they only got more confidence with each goal).
Tx for that. Good to know we were not as bad as 3 nil suggests. I dare say there will be others with a different view.
I didn't realize Odemwingie ended up at Rotherham, who look nailed on for relegation. Unsurprisingly 2-0 Leeds now. RED CARD (Odemwingie) Rotherham 0-1 Leeds please log in to view this image That is completely bonkers from Rotherham striker Peter Odemwingie. The former West Brom man absolutely smashes Leeds defender Liam Cooper in the face with his elbow and is shown a straight red card. It is an absolute shocker. Cooper looks okay, but it could have been so much worse. please log in to view this image So, two injuries, including your goalkeeper, and a red card. How are Rotherham going to get back into this game? And that second Leeds goal is the last action of a dramatic first half in south Yorkshire. When I say drama - how about a red card for a shocking elbow from Rotherham's Peter Odemwingie, painful looking injuries to Millers pair Lee Camp and Greg Halford and two sucker-punch goals from the visitors. It could be a very long second half for the Championship's rock bottom Answers on a postcard please to #bbcefl. http://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/37764080
This is a crazy league and Holloway will earn his money for our next match Sounds from the reports that yet again score lines mean nothing but now at -7 it could cost us Time to console and relax and really get into the Wolves next Thursday Then secure three points against a team that will be relegated Rotherham
Having just seen the highlights, the frustrating thing about their second goal is that Smithies didn't need to be that far out...he could have waited until the ball came down and kicked it, or potentially even waited until it was in the box. Just seemed like a sudden rush of blood and then he found himself in a goalkeepers 'no mans land'. For those who haven't seen the highlights:
I think what is worrying is that in both of Ollie's matches the 2nd half has been much worse in each game, we need to respond to the opposition tactical changes better, that is where we need proper on-field leadership...
All 3 goals had an element of good fortune to them. We have to had any genuine on field leadership since Clint and Derry. Barton liked to think he was a leader and maybe he was in fits and starts. Someone mentioned whether Ollie might use his Blackpool link and go for Charlie Adam in January, might not be a bad idea.
I thought Bidwell was meant to provide that. Wolves at home and Rotherham away we really should be targeting six points though I'd take four.
Charlie Adam is a very good footballer and a nasty piece of work when he wants to be. He would be great in this league if we want to play intelligent football, but I think he's still getting the odd run out on PL wages at Stoke.
For my tuppunce worth...before yesterdays game I said to a 606 friend that I thought one of the problems with Holloway is that you will always get inconsistency and no two halves will ever be the same. Back in the day he would always find it hard to win a game. I used Luton as an example (against 9 men) and Wolves at home (winning 1-0 and not adapting to them and drawing 1-1 in the last few minutes). Even Norwich last week when we were 2-0 up against 10 men we let them get back into the game. Yesterday really should have been a win for us as Ipswich are one of the worst teams in the division. they have not scored in 7 games. Ward hadn't scored since August ffs. These are the games that you win, even ugly. What you don't do is lose 3-0. This was always my worry about Holloway in that he is great for soundbites, jokes, togetherness but lacks in the department which is essential, winning games. I think he is tactically inept (but that is my veiw). He needs to adress the problem of losing 3-0 to Ipswich with the QPR players (and himself). He doesn't need to say "right let's move on to next game" because you don't move forward until you know why you went wrong in the first place or you make the same mistakes again. We have Wolves and Rotherham in our next two games and I expect 6 points. Both teams are in freefall and a decent manager would take full advantage.
God yeah he's probably the dirtiest player I've seen, could definitely pull the strings though. I imagine we won't checking around superstar wages in Jan so he'll likely stick with his PL wages.
That game at Luton was hilariously bad. However it wasn't Holloway's fault that Callum Willock (who?) missed an open goal or two. We had some great games there around that time. The 3-3 in the cup was no place for a nine-year-old. Tony Thorpe's debut with Furlong equalising at the end was great too. Losing 1-0 in the cup in a game they didn't have a shot in wasn't so good.
Watford I am just saying that we shouldn't be going to places like Ipswich (in their current state) and losing 3-0. I can accept a defeat but I will always ask why? Ipswich have been shocking of late and 3-0 shouldn't be brushed aside as an "oh well, we move on".
It sounds like the result was a bit of a fluke given two of the goals were quite lucky and one uncharacteristic howler. Ipswich are bang average and we are bang average. At the end of the season we'll both be nowhere near the top or bottom IMO. You couldn't ask for a better next game than Wolves at home.
People were saying we were a bit unlucky, but even when you look at the highlights you can see some very inept defending. Ollie needs to sort that out - this has been a disappointing part of our game for some time now. It's hard enough for us to score goals, it would seem, but we'll always give away points if we allow poor sides to score like we did yesterday. Nedum sounded particularly poor; but I don't think hardly anybody came out of the game with anything particularly to shout about. The general view seemed to be that Ipswich were a very poor side yesterday, and we were a very poor second best behind them!! Long way to go, I feel.
Ian holloway has managed nearly 900 games, won three promotions and got to two other play off finals. He is not unqualified for this job, some people just can't look past a West Country accent methinks. He wasn't laughing and joking and spouting soundbites after yesterday's game.
