Remind me who put 2 of our most dangerous crosses in? Yep. No help to the forwards at all. Or is it his fault there’s nobody busting a gut to get on the end of them?
He got a draw out of players he inherited and stopped a good team going top whilst maintaining an unbeaten run. We weren't the best a lot of the game but dug in and came back.
Agree. Mostly men and boys tonight, and those men are likely to be in the bottom six of the championship next season, a withering thought. Agree about a back four in the second half, and an extra man in midfield. We couldn't beat them with skyball, we had to try and get it down and play a bit, but the best we have at that we're on tbe bench. But they are a good side anyway and might have handled anything we had. Highway robbery, but it's happened to us plenty.
They were gutted mate. One of their players thumping the pitch. But fair do's to ours. Stuck it out. We can build on that game. Was pivotal imo.
I like him too but I would have thought playing Embleton in CM and Gooch on the right were certainties after Saturday. He seems a canny manager though, plenty of common sense and he's done a good job. Just a shame we didn't get him in a few games earlier.
thought we were poor tonight didn’t really look like scoring thankfully we got the own goal still in our own hands all we can ask for Morecombe will be no easy game as fighting for life still need to turn up on Saturday
Yeah I know. Was he resting them ? I'm giving him the benefit of doubt mate. Automatic was a long shot. Let's see how things pan out.
What we have now that we didn't have under Johnson is that we're really resilient and ultimately hard to beat, which is obviously a class trait when you're going for promotion and even better to avoid defeat when you've been as poor as we were tonight. The two that go up aren't going up because they're lightyears better than anyone, its because they find a way more often than not to avoid being beaten or find a winner when games are tight. We've done a lot of both under Alex Neil.
I think he was looking at the opposition and planning accordingly, not a bad idea in theory. Personally I'd have found a way to play Embo in the middle and Gooch on the right.
I think Neil tried to negate there strengths by playing the team he did, rather than play to ours. Couldn't really get a foot hold in the game. All they had to do to get up the pitch was put it in the air for Smith to beat Doyle ( didn't win a header all game and will hopefully learn a lot from tonight) No one could really get it down, and as soon as Matete was booked, that was his physical input done
Thought we were lucky tonight to get a draw. A poor performance, outplayed, outfought, no real threat. Maybe there is progress that we got a point and we should be happy. Not me, I believe that skill and tactics must be complemented by an appropriate measure of physicality. We lack lack that and are naive against strong, physical sides. We need someone to instil the physical skills (professional brutality) that turns us into winners and a team that are feared.
The footballing Gods were certainly on our side tonight. We could have had no complaints if we left without a point, but what a f*ckin header, . Did look like men against boys at times and I agree that AN got it wrong tonight, but I'm delighted with what he's done overall. Hume was outmuscled, outpaced and looked like a little boy lost at times. The lad is still learning, but doesn't look any better than Younger, who we let go. Personally, if Neil wanted to go with that system, I would have put 09 in Humes position and kept Embo in the middle. The ball looked like a hot potato all night and our ball control, particularly in midfield and up front was poor. Rotherham carried out their game plan to the letter and although we had the lions share of possession, most of it was passing across our back line. When we did get the ball down and play we looked a threat, but too often we were sucked into hoofball. I wish Rotherham well and hope they go up automatically next week, as I don't want to face them again. I think we're more than a match for any of the others though, so we just need to get the job done on Saturday, then we're 2 games from Wembley.
I think we have to remember two things. First, the squad Neil took over were totally demoralised. Second, Rotherham will probably go up automatically. They were very good but couldn't beat us ... ... I'll settle for that and look forward to Saturday.
All the ****e Gooch gets for working his socks off and being played out of position then he gets put on the left wing after excelling on the right. Totally baffling as was dropping Embleton, I still have faith in Neil though and hope he learns from this, Matate should have come off at half time anawl.
Exactly. He's changed the teams mindset in little time. We were folding too easily in the past but now battle till the end. I wasn't a fan of long balls, losing possession, players out of position again etc. But he sees more than me and as said has us on a good unbeaten run. Whatever happens this season I'm hopeful he can build for next .
Whilst I’m not disagreeing the “men against boys” part, can anyone remembering Patterson making a save of note? I can’t! So for all this “Rotherham we’re awesome “ they seemed somewhat lacking in front of goal. Mkt as much as us mind, but neither keeper made a save really
another awful home finish to the season what is it with these players ? lucky own goal rescues us, well 5th place now away the 2nd leg Sheff W ?
Very true. Anyone got any idea what their defender was complaining to the linesman about after his bullet header? Did he think he was in an offside position??
