I'm going to continue to keep this part short and sweet. Another 6 pointer and chance for 'Argyle to blow the good work in mid week. Will they though. We know we can win this but.................. COYG
Hazard, Mumba, Houghton, Szucs, Hardie, Wright, Bundu, Puchacz, Gyabi, Katic, Talovierov. Subs Grimshaw, Ogbeta, Edwards, Obafemi, Boateng, Al Hajj. Roberts, Issaka, Palsson. No Baidoo in the squad....Issaka and Roberts amongst the subs.
.....................................................Hazard ..............Talovierov.........................Katic.......................Szucs ........Mumba..............Gyabi......................Houghton...........Puchacz ....................Hardie...............................................Wright ....................................................Bundu
2-3...F/T Bundu (38).....Phillips...(46 og) Harness...(11mins...88mins).....Armstrong...(26mins) Argyle make come back....but in the end still lose. Cardiff win....Argyle now 6pts adrift plus an inferior goal difference.... Just about point...set....and match.....we're going down.
If you were being honest, you’d probably say what we’re playing is not much short of hoof-ball and the trouble with that is that you’ve got a at best as 50:50 chance of keeping the ball every time you go upfield. An awful performance really especially in the first half. I shouldn’t pick on individuals but Gyabi was awful. Then Bundu stood to take a free kick half way out to the left corner flag and you thought “why”, which he answered by slashing it across goal and in at the far post. 1-2 and game on. Derby should have had a man sent off when Bundu was brought down when clear through at the edge of the “D”. The ref gives a free kick but only a yellow. How is that not a clear goal scorning opportunity and if a card, it has to be a red. On things like that, games turn and we lost it. We’ve taken 3 points from 2 games when we’d probably have settled for 3 before a ball was kicked. But we’re doomed.
Let’s say what’s positive. It isn’t much. The much maligned Mustapha Bundu has scored two - and I use this phrase advisedly - world class goals in two games. The bad news is - Katic limped off at the end in the company of two physios. I’m told by my PSIL that he got his foot stamped on the first half, which would mean he’s played for an hour with a limp. Bravery we aren’t short of.
Two things to say before the sumary. First is Bundu brought down with at least another 3 players in close proximity. Not really a clear cut goal scoring opportunity hence yellow and not red. Second is playing hoofball is ok but the golden secret of it is you have to win the second ball. We rarely do hence the struggle. Sumary is we are probably down now and when it is confirmed for mathmatical sureness it will be a sort of relief. We don't deserve to stay up. As for Derby we will probably play them again next season because they are as woeful as we are. I think all 3 of the current botom clubs will be relegated.
I’ve been waiting for you Sensible. I know (roughly) where you sit. We couldn’t get prestige seats like yours so we’re a much Demport End as Lyndhurst. You’re looking along the line through a thicket of players. I’m more in the LB position. Looking as much up the pitch as across, he’s through with a clear sight on goal. Yards either side of him, nobody in a position to get to him. The way he’s striking the ball at the moment, he ain’t going to miss. It’s a red card, nailed on.
You are right though. We were poor today. With the hoof ball, it’s a lottery. Sometimes e win, sometimes we don’t. What I would say is that we looked better when we went to a back 4, which we’re able to do with Edwards available. Back 4 and Boateng for Gyabi if we can.8
And PS, don’t forget that poor Sorinola got a red last time out for: Throwing the ball to out long-throw specialist at a throw-in, and A minor pull on the shirt. I’m just frustrated.. but it was a red
How can we let the second poorest away team score three goals our reasonable home record is now being shredded. Even England's rugby massacre of Wales hasn't been enough to soften the blow. I think our new manager is slowly loosing his shine. There needs to be some serious sorting out of this squad.....the comments I have read about Gyabi....the thought seems to be that Leeds have got him signed in to playing for us every week. We have been weak in midfield for the last two seasons.....Randell just about comes out on top...although he is wanting at times as well I can only assume that Edwards hasn't recovered enough to start matches.....his leadership was needed against Derby who have now won three games on the trot....something that we couldn't even dream about. It is time to start playing our youngsters now..... so that they gain some first team experience....they couldn't do any worse than some of our loanees. If only last summer we had chosen a manager to do the job instead of dreaming that Rooney could turn around his previous managing disasters.... things might have been better. PS......We where the only bottom side to lose.....you have to go up to Portsmouth before a defeat.
Muslic inherited an unbalanced squad. You don’t have to be a genius to see we lack No 9’s and that hasn’t been helped by injuries to Hardie and Tijani. We’ve lacked full backs (as opposed to wing backs) and it remains to be seen whether Muslic would play a back 4 or a 3 given good options. This has been particularly notable during Joe Edwards’ long absence. Personally, I think we’d be better with a 4. We’ve had 3 managers in a calendar year and we have to give this one a chance with an input into summer recruitment. We no longer have a director of football so that influence will presumably be greater. He also will get a full pre-season. With a crazy fixture list and the time lost to travelling, he’s had precious few days on the training pitch. He’s theoretically got a free fortnight coming up but several regulars will be away on international duty. As I said previously, the biggest issue is in the boardroom not the locker room as Muslic calls it. How do we stand with the new investor if we get relegated?
I've read elsewhere that we have conceded the first goal 30 times out of 38 league games played....wow that is an uphill battle we didn't need. In the new year we brought in Nikola Katic on loan and purchased Maksym Talovierov.....and they revolutionised our defence.....with the reliable Brendan Galloway out for the season...we relied on Julio Pleguezuelo to help strengthen our back line.......Tymoteusz Puchacz, Kornel Szucs, Victor Palsson and especially Matthew Sorinola have stepped more up to the plate to help our cause. Pleguezuelo joined the injury list...Sorinola didn't help by getting a red card....also not helping the cause Adam Randell gets a three match ban.....Captain Joe Edwards has missed a substantial chunk of the season....on loan Darko Gyabi has not been so reliable but is strangely on the team sheet every week. Ryan Hardie who we worked into the ground last season has suffered this season with injuries and is trying to soldier on through the pain barrier. Michael Obafemi, Michael Baidoo, Rami Al Hajj, Malachi Boateng, Nathanael Ogbeta have been on the fringes of the team. On loan Muhamed Tijani has been unavailable literally all season....it would of been better if he had gone back to his parent club. Bali Mumba has spent the season as a wing back and has been a liability at times defending....he should be further up field where his speed and ability to beat players would be of use. Although Katic and Talovierov have been a revelation..they can't do it all the time without relable players around them.....and injuries have made their support harder.....and now we have Katic seemingly with a foot injury......why are we soaking up injuries for fun....is it bad luck or something else. Mustapha Bundu has recently come good....so one little bright patch to cling on to. This is just the ramblings of an old man trying to make sense of it all.....how do we play three Premier clubs in the Cup and beat two of them one away from home...and fail miserably trying to beat Championship relegation candidates....why is that so ?
