Last half hour was a shocker mate. I bet Neil touched the ball less than 10 times in that time. It is perhaps where he needs to be more dominant and demand the ball. I agree with Howey in that he was in good positions to receive the ball, but it rarely came to him. That is when I think the whole team stopped playing properly, so I wouldnt just pick out Neil personally. T But that is where he needs to let the players around him know what he thinks. Hoping that comes with more games and responsibility. If I was him I would have been right into Roberts for not rolling him in, but he isnt that type of lad yet. Some of Evans passing today was woeful, which really isnt like him, but again he wasnt alone in having an off day. The list is quite a long one...
Not sure I can agree with this coicky. Pre season is find out about the side and get minutes in the legs. Never thought of pre season results as anything more than meaningless. Get some fitness. Get yourself in a good place. Go an play in the league. Just an opinion mind. Might be in the minority but I’ve been the same in everything. Man Utd hammered Liverpool 4-0. Means nothing.
Hume Batth Ballard and Cirkin would be my back four, if Evans and Neil are going to be our central mid-field, then 45 mins each for Pritch and Embo should have been tried today, behind the Clarke Stewart Roberts combo, this game was a wasted oppo, in fact the last three games have been wasted tactically imo. and for the first time, I am really disappointed in Alex Neil, not Dan Neil or Jack Diamond tbh.
I think he is deliberately limiting his subs mate. It might be about fitness levels and making them keep pressing for the full 90, mind you there wasnt a lot of that today. It will be very different from him come next week, guaranteed. I think his use of subs will be one of the things that has us pushing on this season - he is a master at it.
Fair post mate, and I can agree with it. If Alex does make changes today after 55 mins we probably can still win the game. Embleton I hope will start seeing more game time. In my opinion Pritchard was poor today, so Embleton for him would have made sense like you say. I just think Alex has mapped out how many minutes he wants each player to have before the league and he is sticking to it. He will get is on track mate.
With you there Marcus think the choice of team to play in a friendly this close to the season was madness. Pritchard was targeted by their #6 with niggles, Clarke nearly wiped out, onein shoulder nearly gone again and when the subs came on I think they had been fed raw meat. My opinion is the last 20 minutes was self preservation. On top of that a league 3 referee and no protection. Nothing gained from this.
cheers again RTB... well another 90 minutes kick about for the lads, first half you could see passages of play were starting to come together with plenty of movement and some good passing, should have been heading in at least 3-0 up and another day we would easily have had two in the net. second half, once onien made his first pass across his own box to one of their players we seemed to lose it completely, mind he was not alone and i think we made half a seasons worth of mistakes and bad finishes so hope that gets them out of the way ready for the 'real' stuff. overall so far, signs that AN is starting to get his work onto the pitch but sadly, signs we can still shoot ourselves in our collective feet at times.
https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/20...ton-stanley-sloppy-defending-costs-us-the-win Anthony Patterson: 6/10 No chance with either goal, was comfortable in possession and made one really good save down low to his left to stop Stanley making it three. Lynden Gooch: 6/10 Steady at right back, provided support to Roberts going forward without being able to make much happen. Bailey Wright: 5/10 Looked pretty comfortable until he was caught on the ball in the second half, and then ran back and gave away a penalty trying to make amends. Dan Ballard: 7/10 Won everything that came near him and burst forward in style in the first half, played a one-two with Roberts and fired just wide. Dennis Cirkin: 6/10 Battled defensively against a physical home side, got forward and could have scored a couple but for one shot just wide and then another deflected wide. Corry Evans: 6/10 Typical display from Evans, showed his experience in the middle of the park and get the ball ticking. Dan Neil: 6/10 Was integral in our good period where we should have put the game to bed but then faded in the second half and struggled to get involved as the minutes ticked down. Patrick Roberts: 7/10 Lively display on the right, played a great through ball for Stewart, had one curling effort tipped just over and missed a sitter after Stewart and Clarke went close. Alex Pritchard: 7/10 Busy display from Pritchard, was all over the pitch as usual, leading the press and set up Cirkin for one chance and then hit a free kick from distance which the ‘keeper just got to. Jack Clarke: 7/10 Was much better in the first half but had some very good chances to score, which he really should have done better with. Was a good outlet on the counter all game. Ross Stewart: 7/10 Got on the scoresheet with a penalty but really should have scored more than one. His all-round game was good but just not quite sharp enough yet. Substitutes Luke O’Nien: 5/10 Had a lazy flick at the ball in the six yard box shortly after coming on and the home side scored the winner immediately after, then got on the wrong side of his man which led to another chance but for the striker to hook his ball wide. Looked like he had gone down with another shoulder injury, but thankfully shrugged it off. Elliot Embleton: 6/10 Replaced Clarke late on and other than a scuffed shot on goal could not get into the game after Sunderland had lost their rhythm. Man of the Match: Dan Ballard We were up against a very competitive, physical Accrington Stanley today and it looked like a game Ballard relished. Won everything that came near him, was comfortable in possession and almost scored with a burst upfield. Looks a very good signing. please log in to view this image
Not saying we should not have played it just saying a better choice of opposition was needed. Not a team with a grudge that's all mate
He looks fantastic mate. Great defender and one who is happy with the ball at his feet. Great signing.
sure someone on this site mentioned wright as always likely to have a mistake in him, considering how solid he was last season especially in the closing stages i was quite surprised when, after almost being caught with the ball once, tried exactly the same thing but this time did not get away with it...hopefully that is his mistake out of him, ballard i think is better than doyle and i thought (still think) he was damn good. stanley were no great surprise to be honest and shows why getting out of that league is a blessing in itself, i honestly thought that with this being a friendly and they were not doing the usual 'cup final game of the season' they would actually play football...i was wrong.
As expected...all about 90 mins for some players and as he says bears jack **** to Jimmy Hill FC next Sunday.
