Maybe came across differently on the stream but I thought that first half and in particular the first half an hour was some of the best football we've played this season. We passed the ball through them at ease at times and even when under pressure we were able to create some great counter attacks.
I thought there were about half a dozen times where we broke through the press and played some lovely one touch stuff but it generally broke down once we reached the attacking third. The rest of the time we just seemed to be giving it away cheaply or building play very laboriously.
That’s more what I meant really. It’s all good passing nicely in your own half but at the end of the day that’s pointless.
There were a few times we outnumbered them in attack 4 attackers against 3 defenders as a result of our play through them, particularly with Delap on the ball. Really should have capitalised on a few of those instances to put the game to bed.
A draw was probably a fair result. We started well and got the goal. Nigel Pearson then changed it up by not pressing our defence and our defenders kept on passing to each other but going nowhere playing walking football. I'm not against playing it around at the back but sometimes needs to be faster and they passed it all the way back from forward positions on autopilot instead of looking and seeing better options. We look far better when we speed it up. Fair play to Bristol they never stopped playing forwards. We still haven't got the balance of the team right and seem not to change it up a little when it's not working. Not a bad performance but hopefully more to come.
its been said but i agree with kalman we need a defensive midfielder if we want to finish top 6 otherwise we will have good results but not consistent enough and finish 10th or so
He should be able to beat is man right? At least its easier to beat one and cross then beating 3 in the inside.
I enjoyed it tonight. Two decent sides trying to beat each other. Not a lot of time wasting and some good passages of play with both. This team is crying out for pace out wide. It was the same last season when we played Slater on the wing. Hopefully the next week will see that problem sorted. The team needs more options when it comes to attacking. Sometimes we might pass through, sometimes we might flick the switch and go at pace. Connolly helps with that when he comes on, but a pacey winger from the start would also help improve I also think it’d make Rosey ultimately decide what he’s doing with his midfield. The 4/5 of Traore, Twine, Tufan, Slater and Seri doesn’t quite feel balanced and he’s going to have to make some tough decisions. Personally whilst I thought he did ok today, I think Christie coming in for Coyle would also improve matters out wide, especially if we are persisting with Greaves at LB. Still lots of positives, some of the passing was top notch and the work rate was high. Looking forward to seeing it develop further.
I don't think Traore even considered taking it past anyone on the wing, seemed like a total fish out of water. He should be playing through the middle.
We are recruiting wingers to play a very different way to how we set up tonight. Twine and Traore are both much more ineffective playing out wide. We were easy to play through and had to depend on last ditch defending to safe us on numerous occasions (insert defensive midfielder debate here). Thought Macca was poor and Rosie must be tempted to drop Greavesy in there and bring in Vinagre.
Did they? I only recall them scoring 1 goal from their flashes and us scoring 1 goal from our chances, I'd call that even
3rd Law of Rosieball. - When taking a throw in ten yards from corner flag in opposition half, pass ball backwards to keeper.
What’s happened to Christie by the way - I know he was only on 5 minutes but he looked lost. He also gave up when we lost the ball. An absolute shadow of the player we saw last season.
i thought that christie looked a shadow of himself last season like hes lost half a yard.. has the injury cocked him? he couldnt even manage 10 minutes
also this season so far. i think macca has been well out of his depth.. i want greaves back in the middle jones meanwhile has really come on and looks a player
You could see they also targeted Greaves - particularly in the first half. Quick, tricky wingers fancy him one on one.
