Agree with all of this, but I wish O'Brien was just a bit better on the ball when he gets it. Maybe fixing the problem was a simple as dropping Flanagan. We weren't great defensively yesterday but we were better. We seemed to get closer in the box and O'Nien cut out more. But the best thing about yesterday were the players competed - or at least tried to - so what ever possible fallout there had been may have been put to bed. Plus of course that we won. I'd agreed with several posters that said yesterday was pivotal. Winning stops the all the noise around Johnson and allow us to get on with it without increasing the pressure.
Another thing I noticed was of’nien always covered when Doyle moved up. The defensive unit seemed more coherent. Still not the best but much better than in the last 5 weeks or so
O'Nien being a right footer on the left meant he had tendancy to drift inside too much and defend really narrow. The build up to the Jimmy MonHoffmann save started with their right winger being an acres of space
All true but he did put some left footed crosses in. Although I don't think he is as two footed as Embleton.
Their right winger was left footed. Disappeared completely after the first 30 minutes once we started showing him down the line. Onien took every free kick with his left. His favoured foot is his right but, much like embleton, he is just as comfortable on either. every left back this season has had to deal with things alone imo. No support from on front when outnumbered. This will take a toll undoubtedly. When we had cattermole, he’d be there to help as he read it. Evans was a liability on Saturday imo. If he’s what we should play instead of onien then I despair!
This is true but at least O'Nien got a block sometimes rather than than just a guaranteed ball in each time. Like I say, I'm not trying to pretend we were good . I think we need still need three players - CD, CM, and CF to cover Stewart....I hope Johnson and Speakman don't think the players we've got are good enough. They can't, right? We might get top two behind Rotherham as is but I'd rather not chance that without some extra help.
The shape (442) for the first 20-30 mins was a mess. Too many players out of position and overrun in midfield. As soon as he changed it to 4-2-3-1 we were far more comfortable. We won, but it was an ugly win. Hopefully it breeds some confidence and get on another run. Be good to see Stewart get back amongst the goals - 1 in 5 for as it stands.
Haven't been impressed with Evans after his first game, I know he got injured, but not seen anything to write home about. If he's captain he certainly not showing it
This this, and this again. And to a slightly lesser extent, the rb too. Imo, the main cause of the slump, well, that and LJs total inability to deal with it. Many thanks to ipswich for playing different tactics.
I said it during the match and watching the highlights confirmed it - he offers very little (if anything) on the pitch. His passing is woeful, there is no physical presence, he's not mobile enough to press and when he does attempt to press he tends to just dangle a leg or "do a rodwell" and be in the position to press without actually doing anything. Early days I'm sure but currently he's not worth the shirt and I'd be looking to upgrade in January. Dan Neil needs some protection - imagine if we had a Bally or a Catts in there alongside him?
I particularly watched this in the 2nd half as I was on that side that Ipswich attacked. Every time they went forward we were so narrow that both wings were wide open to them. Everyone seemed to defend zonally and didn't seem to pick players up until later in the move
Agree we need a Kevin Ball and a Steve Bold (or John McPhail as has been mentioned before - but I doubt he's still available.)
