Left-back or centre-half? I think we'll go 4-4-2 at Hillsborough given our injuries, and I think Dudge has done well, so no. Rosey, McShane, Faye and Dudge will be the most likely back 4 at Wednesday, unless we manage to bring in a centre-half before then.
I can't see him changing the system tbh. I think he'll prob start with Rosie, Faye and Macca. Where's Cooper, surely he should be around the squad by now if we've got this many injuries. I know Macca was alright tonight, but surely he should be ahead of him in the pecking order.
Left back, the problem lies with tracking back and plugging the gaps when we lose the ball, how longs Hobbs out for? Seemed his commandment around the box is missed
You wont see Hobbs back until the end of November at the earliest from whats been said so far ? O/T. but interesting to note. Michael Turner has played 2 PL games for Norwich City and in both they have conceeded 5 goals. 5 @ Fulham and 5 @ home to Liverpool last saturday. Does he really want to be there OR has his game totally gone now ?
Personally, I dont think its the back 3/4/5 that are the problem. They are getting no support from midfield, which is putting more pressure on them, which in-turn is creating these silly mistakes. Moreso when we went 442 last night. I dont think the defense (other than Amos) did anything wrong last night. Oli is great at intercepting the ball, but very rarely puts his foot in, or makes a killer tackle. Koren was flapping around last night near any sort of tackle (arms up, pokes his toe aimlessly toward the ball - from what I saw in E3 anyway). Does Bruce have a plan B or C? Yesterday we were crying out for a tough, physical ball winner in the middle of the pitch to support Oli and Koren. McKenna was on the bench and didnt get a look in! We've never replaced Ashbee.
Think coopers still on the naughty step since he turned down the Pompey loan . Shame as I thought he was really coming on after the run in the side last year . Regarding Dawson ,can't bring him in for dudgeon unless it's through injury .dudge been one of our best performers this season.
You've saved me starting a thread. I am getting frustrated with Dudgeon on the left side - he is an exciting prospect but I am fed up with him being fed with good balls to have a run with and get the ball into the area and then to see him check back and the ball being sent back into deep midfield and then defence. On the right hand side it is a different story. Elmo runs at the defence and can come inside onto his left foot if he needs to. Dudgeon is as singularly left footed as Dawson is and will not com inside to continue a run hence the checking back. Everytime the ball is fed to Dudge he will check and send the ball backwards - not on as we become a one sided team, do not stretch the opposition line and become very predictable in our attacks. I would like to see Dawson back as he does all of the above but is a least a safe pair of hands defensively - Dudge is not yet and is caught out of position too many times and just doesn't have the experience or guile that Daws has to frustrate their wingers. McShane did have a good one last night but is ALWAYS just one pass away from a ***k up. Oli had a good game and started to show some strength on the ball. Koren I though had a great game and looked like a team captain - he was well marshalled though by the Blackpool line. Dissapointed with last night, thought we would push on to get a 3rd at 2-1, we cannot keep playing as deep as we did to try and defend - it puts pressure on an already weakened and fragile part of our game. When we attack with pace there is no need to worry about defending like that - I though we handled the breaks well when they came so it was already better that Peterborough. We'll end our losing run on Saturday at Hillsborough. UTT
Dudgeon has been one of our better performers this season and should only be dropped through injury. Admittedly I think he has more to offer offensively than he is showing at the minute but Bruce will get that out of him. I think we will play 4-4-2 at Hillsborough with the same team that finished last nights game (obviously Dudgeon will start instead of McLean!)
Thoroughly agree. How anyone can think of dropping Dudgeon is beyond me and must be absolutely delusional! The lad is one of if not our best player this season; Dawson's had it, a good squad player. Dudgeon is our LB/LWB this year; and so he damn should be.
Great post that I agree with. My only complaint from last night other than the defending was SB lack of subs use. Olifinjana was a spent force by the 65min mark and should have been replaced with McKenna who must have a point to prove. But that is another story. Lol. Sadly that maybe true but SB should be ashamed of himself if it is. Also it appears that Mckenna and Bruce have had words after the Doncaster game. The naughty step was a Phil Brown tool. Time for Bruce to wake up and use what he has to better effect. imo.
At the minute I would rather have all the other centre halfs we have been playing to play than Cooper. I like Mckenna, however getting sent off and costing us the game at Doncaster wasn't a smart thing to do, and you can see why it annoyed Bruce, you're new to a club and you lose 3-2 away at Donny after being 2-0 up, causing him to get stick as well as the rest of his team.
I agree with Golden, Dudgeon always slows the game down by checking back and the attack breaks down. He was also massively out of position for their winning goal, that's why Amos made his stupid run out of goal towards the left back position.
