It's been obvious for a long time that at set pieces we're weak because we offer no aerial threat in the team, and I don't really remember us defending many particularly well either. Today the lack of aerial ability has cost us (why the **** was Chester marking Iwelumo all game while Hobbs had the shorter striker?). But watching Evans' disallowed goal got me thinking. Obviously the reason it was disallowed is because McLean was seen to be fouling the keeper in the build up. Now we all know that unless it's some fat lump jumping at Basso and injuring him keepers are given a lot of protection these days, but it's also got to make it much easier for the referee to give it if it's a short arse like McLean challenging them rather than someone like Adebola or Iwelumo who could feasibly win the ball cleanly. Now going back to the outfield players, are we conceeding free kicks on a similar basis and are we more vulnerable to players going down easily? Putting yourself in the position of a referee, if you see a player go down in a tussle with someone the size of Doyley or Ashbee the chances are you're going to think "he's a big lad he's out muscled him" even if it's been a foul. Now if you see the same players going down under challenges from players the size of Evans and McKenna there's much more of a "he's only little, that must be either a foul" feeling about it even if it's clean. Obviously I'm not talking about in slide tackles, but all the shoulder to shoulder things, particularly in midfield is this an issue that we've not considered yet?
I think we have three problems 1. No HARD MAN in the team 2. No Aerial Threat 3. We are a very small side and struggle to defend set pieces & corners and struggle to look dangerous when we have corners or set pieces at the opositions end.
Cant really say he did too much wrong when he came on, no world beater though. Gave us another dimension.
He also did'nt do anything wrong. He won a few headers/flick downs, looked awkward and gangly for their defense to deal with the odd time. I've been his biggest critic in the past but purely based on the time he spent on the pitch yesterday he was ok.
I was reduced to following it on the HDM live thing, but it sounded like we had them more rattled when he came on. This was probably more related to having 3 strikers on the pitch and 'end of game nerves' on their part, but I think that late impact player role is his the only way he can be useful to us.
I thought the impact he had was that for the first time in the game we had a player who was within a stone and a foot of the Watfords back four (midfield, strikers, physio, kitman etc) Initially it looked like we were giving Hull FC a run out. I am glad I don't have to cover that lots food bill. Does anyone else remember seeing a team so physically huge in every position?
I thought Adebola did ok when he came on and he's definitely the type of player we need for Plan B - not sure if he's passed his sell by date though. No hard man in midfield to fire us up is our major weakness though IMO.
I reckon McKenna was supposed to be that hard man. He hasn't got the Ash "je ne sais quoi" element though.. although he's a neat player is he that much better than Harper? Adebola I really don't get.. he's a distraction really to bother their defence and create space for other more nifty players to pop in.. the new Colin Alcide?
I don't think Adebola did anything of note yesterday. Or any other day. The highlight of his Hull City career to date is quite a nice goal at North Ferriby in a pre-season. We would have been much better off signing Iwelumo.
I do think Watford were the first team to really analyse us and nullify our play. From an opposition point of view i would tell my left back to get right up Brady and niggle him, which they did. Why did Chester pick up Iwelumo, cos they deliberately played Iwelumo inbetween Rosy and Chester all game. Late second half we didnt even challenge him, he took to chesting it down. They are pygmies as you say but what shocked me is the lack of pace in our team. Mariappa gave Fryatt 2 yards start and beat him by 2 over about 20 yards.
Why take off our best crosser in Brady when you bring the big man on. Should have got to the byline to feed dela
Our shape was wrong in the first half with no width on the left tom was to much on the inside. Then when we went 433 tom was again left as a spare part floating near evens and koren
My point was more why didn't we switch Hobbs and Chester so our defence was Rosenior, Hobbs, Chester, Dudgeon instead, or just tell the centre backs individually who was their responsibility to mark. Under normal conditions it's not an issue and you leave them marking "on their side", but when it's all in the air and there's someone the size of Iwelumo you don't just say the bigger centre half can't mark him because he's on the wrong side of the pitch so just let him win everything and then try to pick up the pieces.
No question McKenna is far better than Harper but as you say, still no Ashbee. We are still crying out for a Hard Man. I think we fall short in all 3 areas, Defender & Striker with aerial capabilities, and Hard Man midfielder.
My worry is, we will always struggle to deal with big gangly forwards like Iwelumo. We have no height and Hobbs is pretty crap in the air. I thought defensively we looked scared of Iwelumo at times too.
