It would have been interesting to see what he would have done if we didn't have the problems with Solly/Wiggins, forcing Wilson back into the back four. Without those problems I would have kept the same team. The problems made CP's decision for him.
Poor performance and it was strange that we seemed to be settling for a point. It was an odd choice to put Stephens on the right when he's never played there before and will never in a million years work there. Jackson was ineffective, although the middle of the pitch was the hardest part to play on. Cousins was as good as we've come to expect. Wood does make the odd mistake such as trying to control the ball under pressure and losing out to the forward. Evina was poor as well, and it was him and someone else who were beaten in the air, leaving our left completely exposed for their goal. Wilson wasn't as good either, and as a result our right created little (aside from the goal when Wednesday were asleep from the throw-in). The problem is more pronounced up front and in the build-up, when we always seem to make the wrong decisions. Every player (including Yann) was guilty of over/underhitting a pass, passing when it was the wrong option, or dallying on the ball too long at some point today. OK, the pitch didn't help, but far too many promising situations petered out into nothing; apart from the goal we created very few actual chances, Church's late effort - which came from a defensive mistake anyway - being the only one of note. Bringing Green on was the right change to make, even if he couldn't do anything. Given Wednesday had brought on the giant Nuhiu Powell was probably justified in bringing on Dervite as well. I'll wait until after the Ipswich game (I'll be there for that one too) before passing judgement on our Christmas period. Btw, did you see the ad in the back of the programme for a pitch makeover?
When I saw the line-up I assumed Stewart would be on the right, Jacko on the left and Stephens in the middle. Seemed more natural, especially Stewart on the right, where he is a very good player.
Exactly, though I would replace "very good" with "marginally better". One of the few good things about the team in recent months has been the Cousins/Stephens centre-midfield, so why disrupt that? The whole thing seemed designed not to expose Jackson's limitations. We have needed a left-midfielder now since winter 2011/12. Jackson was great in the first half of that season, especially his double act with Wiggins, but has barely pulled his weight since. It has always mystified me that with all the midfielders we have signed, including loans, none of them were for that position. I understand Evina was very poor. Feel a bit sorry for him really. He hardly ever gets a game for the u21s so he must be very rusty. He should cut his losses and try to rebuild his career in Div One or Two. He will wither away completely if he never plays matches.
On reflection, the most disappointing aspect of yesterday's game was that Wednesday were the latest team to come to the Valley this season and play better, more attacking football than us. Their passing and interplay were miles better than ours. And this from a team in the Bottom 3. Tiredness can hardly be used as an excuse when Wednesday played away at Blackburn on Boxing Day & had to travel over Xmas. The tactical changes were just inexplicable. One of the main reasons that fans got after Pardew and then Parky was their propensity for playing "square pegs in round holes".....Powell is the worst yet! The one bright spot this season has been Cousins blossoming alongside Stephens in central midfield. Powell breaks up the strongest part of our team just to accomodate a 32 year old returning from a three game ban on a muddy pitch who's legs have palpably gone this season. And there are other examples. Everyone in the ground can see Stewart has no left foot. Powell plays him on the left. And if Powell used to be a top class full back, what one to one coaching is he giving Evina, who went missing out of position so often yesterday? I am going to Ipswich on Wednesday & just praying that on a better pitch, Powell puts Solly back in. Church also needs a prolonged spell on the bench (although he would probably miss it when he sat down).
I felt sorry for Evina as whenever I've seen him in Defence I dont think he can play there and feared the worst when I saw both Wiggins and Solly missing... From his brief cameo against Brighton (and one brief run against Sheffield Wednesday) I reckon he could play Left-Mid and do a job there
Stewart has no left foot? Though he is a number of left wingers who favour cutting in to shoot on the right, his cross for Jackson at Yeovil shows he does have a left foot. Not sure why he is becoming a scapegoat... Maybe because he is only on loan?
Not sure why he is becoming a scapegoat... Maybe because he is only on loan?[/QUOTE] Because he shirks tackles with alarming regularity.
Not many modern day wingers don't. If he busts a gut to cut down space and hassle oppositions and help track back then thats the standard. I'm not going out of my way as I think he's a fantastic footballer, but he is an unsung hero in my eyes - Wiggins looks much more comfortable with him in front than the Harriotts or JJ.
Not that it matters, but Massive's goal was offside. I know the ball broke off a defender, but he was offside before the ball hit the defender.
It does matter cos if the goal wasn't allowed we win 1 0 and get 7 points from last 3 games and move 7 points clear of Wednesday. The linesman should be flogged and hung by his knackers one major decision and he failed I'm disgusted.
There is no way we deserved to get anything out of that match. Save your anguish for when we are really robbed.
Deserve or not fact is linesman got it completely wrong ... They may of dominated but couldn't score....until the idiot with the flag intervened ... Or didn't. It's not about who deserves it last year v them we dominated completely were 1 0 up they scored 2 right at the end and won they got 3 points we got 0 you don't get points for deserving to win. We were robbed simple as that.
