Some desperately worrying points to take from tonight's game. BWP and Kermo haven't had any service for 3 games now. Jacko as much as I love him is desperately out of form and I just don't know if he has what it takes for the Championship. Pritchard can no longer continue on the wing either. I don't know if CP has been trying a wingbacks system out but it's not working we need to get back to the shape we had last season and for me we need to replace Jackson and Pritchard with Green and <LM loan signing here>. There's still a place for Jackson and Pritchard in the squad but CP needs to get tough now and make some difficult decisions.
I've just eaten three packets of Strawberry Sour Laces, and the sugar hasn't picked me up. Great atmosphere from our fans, until the Palace score, and it just seemed to go all, well like two seasons ago, when we just kept losing game after game. Think we got to start Green. This 4-4-2 (diamond) is not working, and we're being a bit exposed on the wings, which showed tonight. Wagstaff back would be a good thing too.
I thought that we were outplayed this evening. Palace were generally stronger, were better out wide, had more controlled possesion in the final third and looked a better balanced team. Zaha and Solly were a class apart. On the basis of the last 3 matches we've got a lot of work to do to stay up. Too early to panic I know but the squad looks thin and Sir Chris' inexperience is showing. On a more positive note at least we had a go in the final 20 minutes.
Maybe we're not used to having a winger. Fuller and Wilson both blazed over from poor positions when Green was screaming for the ball in yards of space. Let's hope Wiggins' injury is not serious, because losing him was a big blow- he was just getting back to being the marauding player he was last season. The writing seems to be on the wall for Jacko- he was substituted very early by CP's standards, although we don't have a natural replacement. One thing for sure, we won't get away with playing badly and grinding out results like we did in L1.
They sit far too deep and invite pressure. Every time morro and cort cleared the ball it dropped to a palace body in the middle because both CM's were right in front of the centre backs. They are good players, no doubt. But there has to be a serious question mark over the partnership as they were even being over run in the second half of the league one season. If they want to sit that deep, then we are better having two out and out wingers.
I agree with this. Our midfield has no goal threat at all this season. The experiment of playing Pritchard on the right has failed and Jacko has started to look a bit lost, as though he doesn't know where he should be playing. Solly and Wiggins before his injury were more threratening than any of our midfield until Green came on.
But that could be Powell's tactics, he may think the defence need a bit of help what in my opinion is bull. Stephens needs to be given a free role and do what he does best, Hollands is a better defensive midfielder then Semedo was in my books was suprised no one looked at him over the summer. If we played a more 4-1-2-1-2 role with hollands infront of back 4, then 2 wide men then stephens basically where ever he wants I think our threat from midfield will look at lot better
I'm a huge Stephens fan, he's my favourite player in fact, but he and Hollands don't get about the pitch quick enough. I think CP has asked DS to sit more than he should be doing, but when in possession he doesn't look to drive forward enough. It's frustrating because he can do it - we've all seen it. When he picks the ball up, rather than look to release it with a 20-30 yard diagonal ball, look to relieve the pressure and run 10-15 yards with it. In turn it allows your back line to push up, so if possession is retrieved by the opposition and pumped back, we are now in the middle of our own half, rather than the danger area of our box.
This is OK if he's good enough to make space for himself when he's being marked, in the way Parker could. If not he's got to get rid of it, and if there is no-one obvious you end up with the long ball. At least Green is always available, even when he's not playing well, and surely last night he earned a start against Derby?
Just off back to Tewkes - posting later when I've had a proper think about this - bit flat at the moment.
Agree, and this is why I struggle to understand why between the 2 of them they aren't finding space when relieving pressure. If you watch them closely they are either right next to each other or the other is completely out of position and not where he is meant to be. It's where I see the partnership failing. We look as if we are playing on a half size pitch at times because we are so deep. BWP and Kermo are constantly having to come back in to our own half to even get a look in the game.
Maybe the whole balance of the team is affected by having two wide players who aren't wide players. Something needs to be sorted out in midfield, because in the present set-up our full-backs are our best attacking threat.
Bring in Ricardo Gardner to play on the left (sorry but Jacko to the bench) put Green on right wing and Pritchard to the bench as an all energy impact sub like the start of last season. Last night reminded me of some of Parkinson's teams which is obviously not good! Could somebody please tell me when and why Stephens was booked?? the card went up on the big screen early and I totally missed why. Could somebody with a twitter account please tell the website team that it is an embarrassment to the club to have a poll saying what was the best performance in JANUARY...Brum...Foxes...Ull ? Have they not turned over their desk calendars over? PS.. Did anybody else notice that if we won a header in midfield it ALWAYS went to a Palarse player? Surely that can be put right on the training ground.
...this MUST have been suggested before as it seems so obvious. But why isn't Wiggins played LM instead of LB?
when the second half kicked off i saw the two palace wingers hugging the wings. jacko and pritchard were on the edge of the center circle. they had so much space it was unbelievable. their tactics were picked aimed at our flaws. when people work us out we're easy to beat and look sh1t. our biggest problem is no plan b. four center midfielders on the pitch is no good. waggy would have run riot last night. he'd have put more effort in than the rest of the team (minus hamer and solly) put together. 442 for me next game. waggy and green on the wings. ceddy at left back. we need to not be scared of conceeding - our defence is strong
Did you notice the palace player who gave away a free kick near the end had already been booked and put his head in his hands thinking he was off the ref bottled it Once again we suffered at the hands of awful officials the goal and various other decisions corners that were given as free kicks persistent palace fouls unpunished I am really pissed off though have been on you tube to see the we sent the palace down match and the Dennis in the last minute classic at selhurst....happy days
That was Bolasie MT, had been booked for kicking the ball away 2mins before so the ref bottled it. Officials were poor, almost as poor as Pritchard and Jackson.
why wouldnt waggy be the answer? he has pace, would actually tackle and appreciates what a derby means to the fans. his cross is poor, but i can live with that if he maintains his constant closing down and workrate
Pace aside you have just described Pritchard. They're both too amateur for this level. Waggy was pretty amateur for League 1. Scott Wagstaff is like a competition winner.
