Did they cost us 2 points last night? Terrific first half and we go 2-0 up on the hour and coasting. OK, Sunderland were always going to have a go in that last half hour, but why did we have to invite them on? I know they may have been a bit tired, but off comes two creative players Noone and Kimbo to be relaced by Cowie and Gunnar to "hold the fort". Then off comes Campbell, the most worrying player for Sunderland, and on comes (I'm sorry) but a useless lump who seems totally out of his depth at the moment. FCK ME, I could see it coming. Mackay lives on through Kerslake with those decisions, and it's easy to be wise after the event, but the sooner a different mindset is installed at the club the better. Sunderland were all over the place up to our second goal and we could have killed them stone dead with a third. Instead, we went for the apparent safe (negative?) route and those two points gifted away could really hurt us in May. To say I was pleased with our performance for the first hour is the understatement of the century, but after that we fell back into the old routine of dropping far too deep. We looked a shabby and scared set of players praying hard for the final whistle as much as us in the stands.
I said to my Mrs the changes would cost us and they did. We'd have been better putting Don in the middle instead of Gunnar, moving FC to the wing and putting Maynard up top. Maynard would have continued to give their two CBs a hard time. As you say, 20 - 20 hindsight is wonderful. Mutch is improving with every game though.
Its not hindsight though Remote we basically make the same subs at about the same time every game. Felt for Kerslake he knows he will be leaving as soon as a new manager arrives. Positive spin, Isaw more attack minded play in the first half than i have all season
I agree. Kim was struggling 2nd half. So was Noone. Gunnersson should be nowhere near the pitch. Cowie should have gone in the middle we could have done with his energy there. I can understand both coming off though as they were both totally ineffective 2nd half. Taking Campbell off unless he had a injury was crazy. Even then he should have brought on Maynard. Summary our energy was too much for them 1st half and they deserved the lead. We couldnt keep it up 2nd half and even though they are bottom they have players who are more comfortable on the ball. Seems they were playing with 10 men 1st half as Borini was useless and it seems he was ill. Draw was a fair result. I think 2 of the relegated teams were playing. Entertaining game but both not good enough and will go down. We need to change the squad around. OUT - Gunnersson - sell if we can (or useful next season if relegated) IN Joe Ralls - Declan showed what a young player can do. Ralls has got to be a better option than Gunner - OUT - Cornelius - IN Joe Mason. Smith isnt going to play so Conway should come into the 25.
Conway on the left would have been a good replacement yesterday. Limited in what he does, but would have kept their full back busy with his energy and would have given John some cover to stop us dropping so deep in the last 15 mins.
That last 30 minutes was a repeat of the Barnsley game last season. We didn't just drop further back, we ran back to our goal as fast as we could. Exactly the same outcome. Will we ever learn.
Why we can all see that tactic does not work but it keeps being used I have no idea but the fear of losing a lead tends to make all teams to drop back towards the end of a game. Still what a great sight it was to see us start in such an attacking way and score two great goals. My main concern is Whitts who had two good chances and was much too slow to react. It is hard for Cornelious who is coming back from injury and had hardly any time to play in the team. I also prefer Gunarrson to Cowie but everyone will have their opinion on certain fringe players. It was hard to watch the last 15 minutes but we cannot say they did not put bodies on the line. I take heart from what I saw that was positive. jck
The best thing is, any new manager coming in can see we have ability, it just needs utilising a bit better, new blood can be the answer in certain quarters. I can only hope that Malky gets a job soon and buys Corny off us, can't afford to wait for him to come good, he needs to be in someone elses future. Loved the first hour or so, was uplifting to see us having a go again, can't tell you how gutted I felt when the equaliser came, but it seemed destined when the changes were made.
Macnaughton is back from loan and with luck Mason will return not to mention Earnshaw is still out on loan. The two players who worried me were Whitts and Turner. It was a great performance by the team with a lot of quality on show and effort all round that is all we can ask because late goals happen whether you keep attacking or fall back. jck
As soon as I saw gunnar coming on I thought we were going to struggle to hold on. But saying that can someone explain where the 5 minutes came from?
i didnt think it was 5 mins either and thought he was rather dodgy old Chris Foy but to answer the question yes the subs lost us the points took all of the pace and creativity out of the game which was threatening sund'land bring on ole. EDIT:wrong bleeding ref
I wasn't surprised by the 5 minutes, we had a lot of this rubbish before, mysterious added time from nowhere, thing is we play to the final whistle, not when the players have had enough. I thought Malky had slipped back into the dugout during the last 20 minutes.
Anyone can smile when things go well but the secret is to find something to smile about when things go badly like that last gasp goal. Hell we played some great football. jck
Subs come on and we lost shape, the ability to retain the ball and any creativity. I would have left all 3 players who were subbed on. They might have been tired but always doubled up on Noone, continually tried to rough up Kim and Campbell gave their cb's hell. With those 3 off they pushed up from the back and we backed right off. All our subs were poor. I hope Bellers can get fit as we have a strong first 11 but if any of those are out our replacements are not good enough. I fear for our Prem future unless the new manager can get in the 3 of 4 quality players Malky wanted.
Everyone i have talked to has said the same thing, The subs cost us dearly, the temps went into panic mode when we were 2 - 0 up, and it wasnt as if Sunderland were really going for it either, personally i would have left Mutch and Campbell on as the Sunderland defence were scared of both of them. However that was the first game i really enjoyed for ages. We may as well have a go at the next 3 away games, as they are all nothing to lose all to gain type of games. Feeling positive now that MM has gone.
I didn't notice Mutch coming off isaw. Hilts said that a draw was a fair result. I can't see how anyone can believe that unless you're going on possession in that last half hour. The fact is that the draw was handed to them by inept management, and to that extent, I suppose perversely it was fair. I accept as I said in the OP that both Noone and Kimbo looked tired, but as professionals, they would be able to contribute their skills for longer than an hour. It was all about keeping the pressure on Sunderland to make them think about conceding rather than to drop back and invite the buggers to score like we did. Campbell coming off was a crap decision. Unforgivable for me, and something we've moaned about on here for a while now. The conventional safety first route will only work if you have the players who can operate the system 100%. For all his flair going forward, Theo is a worry at the back sometimes and both goals came from his side when he was pressed back with the rest of the defence, and Turner lost his man for the Fletcher goal. Their second was a farce of pingpong in our own box that we could have been lucky with - but weren't Trying to hold an overdeep line has been our undoing several times this year. We can't expect to contain Prem quality players buzzing around our box indefintely.
If we had started with the team that finished I would have felt sick before we kicked a ball so if it is not good enough to start how can it be good enough to finish? It is fine for the top clubs with the players they have on the bench. The pressure got to everyone to hold on to the win and that led to the substitutions and the team falling back into our own third. We can all see this and as soon as those in charge realise it perhaps things will change in future. jck
