Another home team own goal followed by a smash and grab winner from an erratic Idah. Every time Wagner looks for the chop, the team does something to save him.
I get it SC. Bristol only have themselves to blame, being unable to beat a pathetically below-par Norwich side. Even to be drawing with a minute to go, leaving the back door open, is poor
I thought McLean had a pretty decent game at CB to be honest, Sara and Nunez provided decent work rate and they can pick a pass. It was the wide areas and up front that we seemed lacking most of the game. Understandable with Rowe just back from injury
True, and home games against Preston and Sheffield Wednesday coming up. Three wins in our last four games should surely bring the confidence back in the players and more especially Idah with that game winning goal.
We were a lot better in the second half, but still not good enough to dominate the game, so to win is a bonus. But team selection was bizarre to say the least. McLean as cb with Batth on the bench. But we won, so technically the selection was right. Not convinced.
Not surprisingly, Rowe looked rusty. He played ok but that special spark wasn't there, though he did lay on the pass for Hernandez when he hit the post.
McLean at LCB makes good sense IMO. He is left-footed and can distribute the ball; he's also one of the better one's with his head. If he is considered undroppable, I'm all for playing him at LCB or LB, which limit his opportunities for getting in everyone else's way further forward. I wonder if Knapper had anything to do with it.
I doubt it, as it would be unprofessional for a SD to be involved with the choice of starting lineup. I think it had more to do with our passing and possession problems in midfield at Watford, whereas Sara and Núñez teamed up well today and Sara and McLean improved our playing out from the back, though there were still some problems.
Three points from the last 4 games makes all of the difference really. Now we need to make it count against Preston and Wednesday at home.
There are other ways of Knapper having "something to do with it", other than interfering directly in team selection. Wagner quite openly offered the information that BK had attended every training session since starting in the job; also that their offices are side by side, and they talk to one another every day (as with Webber before him). On the other hand, we know from the fact that Gibson plays whenever he's fit, that Wagner attaches high value to having a left-footed player with decent ball progression skills at LCB, so it might just be that McLean's fitting that profile was enough for DW to give it a go. Like Suffolk, I thought Kenny rose to the task well, no doubt helped by having the experienced Duffy alongside him.
Well we are a million miles away from how Arsenal play so he must be cutting his cloth accordingly. Hopefully he uses his contacts in N7 to bolster the defence, perhaps a DM on loan for Christmas
