The adage that football is a game of two halves is often trotted out in such days and we tried our best to prove it 100% correct today? So dominant in that first half were we, that at one point I thought we would get a poll tax rebate as no-one was occupying our half at all for 45 mins.
However once they scored with their FIRST and ONLY attempt on goal we were in all honesty quite poor. Where we dominated in the opening 45, we simply had little invention or idea how to break down a team that had parked the bus on 52 minutes?
That said there were many positives from today. We looked a far better team in possession and going forward and pressed the opposition from the first second. The defence was rock solid and comfortable on the ball considering it was the first time they had ever played together? Johnson and Giacherinni were full of menace and Cabral looks like a monster. Larsson did okay but he simply isn't the answer to unlock defenses through the middle.
Altidore had a massive game and won ball after ball in the air and held up/linked up play brilliantly. Westwood had nothing to do all game.
Now for my gripes.
At what point did Paolo think bringing Ji on was going to work? He isn't very good at all and missed the easiest chance of the game? He shouldn't have even been on the bench let alone the team. I'd have much preferred seeing Karlsson on through the middle or the flanks for 20 mins or Wickham on earlier.
Now for my biggest gripe. Sessegnon.
How awful was he today AGAIN. I know I am not his biggest fan but I do concede that on his day he is a terrific little player but as I so often add, those days are very few and far between. Much of the time we see the Sess today. Trying to beat the whole opposition isn't very clever or indeed productive. He has no vision and little physical threat; he lost the ball time and time again and gave Altidore absolutely no support up front at all and it was a blessing when he went off.
The pre match rumours he was off to Qatar were stemmed when he was spotted getting of the coach but personally, I'd be delighted if he was peddled this week and we replace him with a player that really does have attacking ability and some goals in them. As a team today, there were precious little goal threat and for all our possession we did **** all with it.
Now, its not all Sessegnons fault obviously but because he takes up one of the striking berths, it does effect our potential for goals as a team and if it were up to me he'd have been off at half time. Once he has gone, the team selection will be 2 goal threatening strikers not a target-man and a floating nothing behind him.
However, many positives to look forward too once the team gels and we will learn a lot from this defeat for next week. I'm certainly not doom and gloom at all and the turn out and atmosphere was brilliant although I thought the boos from some pretty poor tbh.
On a separate note, it was nice to put some faces on here to the names at the Colliery Tavern today and we should all meet up again before a home game sometime this season.
Anyway, upwards and onwards. FTM and KTF.
However once they scored with their FIRST and ONLY attempt on goal we were in all honesty quite poor. Where we dominated in the opening 45, we simply had little invention or idea how to break down a team that had parked the bus on 52 minutes?
That said there were many positives from today. We looked a far better team in possession and going forward and pressed the opposition from the first second. The defence was rock solid and comfortable on the ball considering it was the first time they had ever played together? Johnson and Giacherinni were full of menace and Cabral looks like a monster. Larsson did okay but he simply isn't the answer to unlock defenses through the middle.
Altidore had a massive game and won ball after ball in the air and held up/linked up play brilliantly. Westwood had nothing to do all game.
Now for my gripes.
At what point did Paolo think bringing Ji on was going to work? He isn't very good at all and missed the easiest chance of the game? He shouldn't have even been on the bench let alone the team. I'd have much preferred seeing Karlsson on through the middle or the flanks for 20 mins or Wickham on earlier.
Now for my biggest gripe. Sessegnon.
How awful was he today AGAIN. I know I am not his biggest fan but I do concede that on his day he is a terrific little player but as I so often add, those days are very few and far between. Much of the time we see the Sess today. Trying to beat the whole opposition isn't very clever or indeed productive. He has no vision and little physical threat; he lost the ball time and time again and gave Altidore absolutely no support up front at all and it was a blessing when he went off.
The pre match rumours he was off to Qatar were stemmed when he was spotted getting of the coach but personally, I'd be delighted if he was peddled this week and we replace him with a player that really does have attacking ability and some goals in them. As a team today, there were precious little goal threat and for all our possession we did **** all with it.
Now, its not all Sessegnons fault obviously but because he takes up one of the striking berths, it does effect our potential for goals as a team and if it were up to me he'd have been off at half time. Once he has gone, the team selection will be 2 goal threatening strikers not a target-man and a floating nothing behind him.
However, many positives to look forward too once the team gels and we will learn a lot from this defeat for next week. I'm certainly not doom and gloom at all and the turn out and atmosphere was brilliant although I thought the boos from some pretty poor tbh.
On a separate note, it was nice to put some faces on here to the names at the Colliery Tavern today and we should all meet up again before a home game sometime this season.
Anyway, upwards and onwards. FTM and KTF.
