Chesterfield 0 Tigers 2

With just six days to go until the start of the season, today saw the Tigers travel to Chesterfield for our final warm up. There’ll be some debate as to whether friendlies count as ground ticks but they do in my book so a tick it was. Not only that but Chesterfield became the first club (other than Hull City) that I’ve visited at more than one ground. I have fond memories of my trip to Saltergate, it came in the glorious summer of 2008 when everything related to Hull City was fried gold. I recall being wowed by Peter Halmosi and Bernard Mendy.

Today it was the B2net Stadium. The name is hideous, as with most modern stadiums, but the ground is very nice. It’s not the most beautiful but it’s perfectly functional, it has good access, great views and a terrific playing surface. The attendance was just over two and a half thousand in a ground that holds around ten and a half so we rattled around a little. It’s a pretty sobering thought that throughout the nineties, we would have struggled to fill two thirds of this ground more often than not. It took me back to a time when I looked at the plans for a 25,400 seat stadium and wondered what the hell we’d do with it.

We took to the field with a 4-4-2 that looked very much like the team that will take on Blackpool in the season opener on Friday. The only deviation I can imagine is up front where Dele Adebola partnered Matty Fryatt almost by default as Aaron McLean and Jay Simpson at out injured. City lined up: Gulasci; Rosenior, Dudgeon, Chester, Hobbs; Koren, Brady, Evans, McKenna; Fryatt, Adebola.

City’s performance overall was sharp, even taking into account the numerous changes, and the start was particularly bright. Paul McKenna was flattened straight from the kick off and, in a feature of our play, took the kick quickly. The ball found Brady who forced a corner. Koren’s delivery was poor but with Adebola giving their defenders a hard time, Fryatt picked up the loose ball, turned quickly and thrashed a shot onto the bar. Koren and Brady were involved often in the first 20 minutes, turning up on either side, making terrific runs off the ball and giving Evans and McKenna an option time and again. Both central midfielders showed a nice array of passing and City moved the ball around nicely. We always looked to build from the back and when that wasn’t possible, we used Adebola well and he showed his ability to hold the ball up or move it on quickly. He’s got a phenomenal ability to lay off the ball with his chest/shoulder. His feet are less reliable.

Defensively we look absolutely fine or at least, we do if the first choice back five stays fit. Everyone knows what Liam Rosenior brings to the team but Joe Dudgeon has impressed in pre-season. He’s tenacious, brave, quick and energetic. He doesn’t shirk responsibility and he looks to have a good sense of where he should be and what he should be doing. Chester and Hobbs are still magnificent. Chester’s positioning is excellent and Hobbs would stand in the way of a Panzer if it threatened to shoot at our goal. In a very rare lapse, Chesterfield trialist Rohan Ricketts played a ball over the top which Chester couldn’t cut out and Gulasci had to race off his line to deny Jack Lester. Lester is still an excellent footballer with incredible movement. I’ve no idea what he’s been doing in League Two for the last few years.

City threatened to open the scoring, Adebola bludgeoned his way through their defence and passed to Fryatt who, with the goal near empty, shot weakly and saw it kicked off the line. Fryatt wouldn’t be denied a third time though. Citymoved the ball from right to left through Koren, Adebola, McKenna and Evans. Fryatt picked up deep, skinned a defender and slid in Koren. Koren’s shot was half blocked but Fryatt had continued his run, controlled the ricochet and volleyed neatly past Lee.

A response never really came from Chesterfield and we remained in control through to half time. Robbie Brady burst past the full back and hit a superb shot that Tommy Lee turned around the post. Robert Koren had numerous shots blocked by brave defenders in blue, marshalled by the excellent Aaron Downes. Half time rolled around and with a decent 45 minutes work done, Nigel Pearson looked to protect his players for the big one on Friday.

City started the second half: Basso; Rosenior, Dawson, Chester, Hobbs; Devitt, Pusic, Harper, Cairney; Fryatt, Adebola. We made another bright start and with Adebola and Fryatt linking up nicely, made a couple of chances. Pusic rattled a shot towards the top right hand corner that Lee saved well but our Austrian temp had given Downes’ shirt a tug. Then Adebola crafted a chance for Fryatt with another super knockdown, Lee saved well at Fryatt’s feet but Cairney pounced on the loose ball and squared for Adebola who volleyed over with the goal gaping. He was on the stretch but should still have scored.

Barmby, East and Atkinson replaced Fryatt, Rosenior and Adebola. Pusic moved up front with Saint Nick and immediately disappeared from the game completely. He’d been OK on the left, he’s technically very good, looks quick and moves inside nicely. On one viewing, he doesn’t look much better than Tijani Belaid was but he’s got a little bit about him. He’s no striker though. The best player on the pitch was Nick Barmby who plonked himself in the middle of the pitch, accepted simple passes and put the youthful legs of Devitt and Atkinson to good use, in behind their defence with defenders chasing them like fat coppers chasing stubbly robbers in old cartoon strips.

Atkinson was the first beneficiary but he turned down a superb shooting opportunity and the chance disappeared. Later Jamie Devitt raced onto a super Barmby pass and as he went to pull the trigger, Downes pinched the ball off his toe. Great defending. In between, Barmby was involved again as we won a corner. Devitt delivered deep to Chester, a tactic we’d used a few times, with Chester heading back into the danger area. This time though, perhaps fortunately, Chester’s powerful header looped over Tommy Lee and into the net. The game died out a little after that, thought Tom Cairney did force a good stop from substitute ‘keeper Fleming after Barmby, Pusic and Atkinson had worked the ball brilliantly across the box and laid it off for Cairney to shoot. Sonny Bradley gave Jack Hobbs a breather for the last 10 or so and City ran out comfortable winners.

Nigel Pearson won’t get carried away with 5 wins from 5 in pre-season but I’m sure he’ll be pleased that the new boys have settled quickly, we’re defending stubbornly and we’re playing attractive, attacking football. Our central midfielders work hard to keep us on the front foot and the front two and wingers are flexible, quick and direct. It’s a nice formula and it will be interesting to see it put to the test for real on Friday.

There were a few disappointing performances today. Andy Dawson looked leaden footed replacing Joe Dudgeon and was beaten by Jack Lester on one occasion with frightening ease. James Harper takes up great positions and provides a good voice but his passing is literally hit and miss. Tom Cairney didn’t really push for a midfield place after some good performances recently. He didn’t give us what McKenna and Evans had before the break. He looks useful around the box but there’s no argument for him instead of the four who started the first half. Basso looks like a mistake is a “when”, not an “if”. Otherwise, we look a well knit unit and have more pace, energy and presence than we did last season.

Time will tell all.


http://boothferrytowembley.blogspot.com/2011/07/chesterfield-0-hull-city-2.html

 

Really good summary till the last paragraph. How you can say Cairney didnt do as much as Evans or Mckenna is beyond me. Not sure about Harpers "great" positions either.

 

You don't get the pressure from Tom. You don't get the same level of pressure on their midfield and you don't get the energy and urgency on the ball. Tom is a lovely footballer but he's too casual for me. Don't get me wrong, he'd be next in my pecking order but he's not done enough to be a first half player instead of second.

Harper's positioning is there for all to see, he's always in a good position to help out whoever needs helping. He understands the job perfectly. Paul McKenna understands it and plays it too so it's easy to see why he's going to have the job.

 

Good stuff Theo as always, you've clearly got a gift for this as you're able to add detail when someone like myself would be looking at the bigger picture..

Evans ahead of Cairney in you opinion then? I'd have gone for Cairney but there again you were at the games.

And before numpties which will remain un-named whinge that Barmby was the best player on the field, there's no shame in that as he's an international, no disrespect to Koren who is a fine player but Barmby played in a team containing Sherringham, Shearer & Pearce at Euro '96 and then the 5-1 in Munich.

 

Great report. However thought Cairney did well. Maybe Cairney might be used more in home games when we should have more of the ball and he'll have to do less defensive work and in away games when we need a steady head in midfield play McKenna. Quite similar to what Peter Taylor used to do with Stuart green and Dean Keates, and that was reasonably successful.

 

Another Awesome summary Theo. Keep up the good work!

 

Great article again Theo! Interesting analysis of Pusic, will have to see if they offer him a deal.

 

Cheers for this, great write up!

 

Puzzled are Theo and Rick Skelton the same person, because this is the same write up as Rick had put on his Twitter site????

 

Another cracking review Theo, helps when you can't make the games! Any plans to continue match write ups throughout the season?

 

Thanks as always for the interesting write up, Theo. Your Twitter updates kept me going while out in town yesterday too (I was not on Oxford Street!).

 

This is the sort of article that should be appearing in the local press - great read - many thanks

 

spot on article thanks for taking the time to do this Theo and also the positive banter from other folk regarding their opinions cheers.

 

Same person. I love Theo!

Yeah, definitely Evans for me. He's tougher, he's quicker and he's got bags and bags of energy. He played some excellent balls out to Brady yesterday too. He's got a knack for getting into the box. He's a genuine box to box midfielder.

I've been impressed with Cairney too but he went into the game yesterday clearly behind Evans and McKenna and, to quote Duffen, probably needed to blow Nigel's socks off and he didn't really. Adam Pearson said recently that Tom could go out on loan to get some football and he possibly needs to play at this stage in his career but I'd like to see him stay. It's clear from his recent performances that he wants to knuckle down and improve. I'd have him on my bench every week.

Subs bench is going to be interesting this season if you can only pick 5. Obviously there's Basso, then a defender, probably McShane for his versatility. I'd always have Cairney and Barmby on the bench. That would leave Adebola, McLean and Simpson fighting over one place in the team and one on the bench.

Interesting dilemma.

 

you werent at the game if you thought evans and mckenna are a good pairing and had a good game. evans often gave the ball away and mckenna was even more guilty of this. they both got hidden and didnt show for the cd''s and we often ended up long balling it to adebola. which was nice to watch.

cairney lost posession a few times but he is so much more composed on the ball and the footwork he showed in the box puts him head and shoulders above evans or mckenna. he gives us something the other two cant give.

ive seen all but one of the pre season games, my son has seen all of them but it was refreshing to hear my pals comments who hasnt seen any until yesterday and he said mckenna and evans dont work. he didnt rate mckenna at all. first half we looked dull and lifeless.
on s seperate issue rosenior looks really unfit. lost half a yard against one of their players over 5 yrds.

im not alone in my thinking. ive just read this

http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/70464-Todays-match

admit it you just dont like cairney and then we will all know the score in future match reports.

 

For me their are two things we need in midfield, someone with energy who breaks up play, gets the tackles in. And someone who can unlock a defence so many times last year we didn't have someone who could do that, hence all of the calls for Bullard to be in the team. However Evans and Mckenna won't do that, they get the ball wide, Cairney can do that, they can get into the box Cairney can do that, but what they can't do is the defence splitting passes, that end product, Cairney has that. Take into account he is a good set piece taker and he has to start.

I used to defend Harper to the hills, but yesterday he was god damn awful, i am glad you talk about positioning as Harpers was decent last year, but yesterday his was awful, he was chasing lost causes, and even though it looked like he was doing a lot of running that created so much space in the midfield that his partner at the time made to look to not be doing anything when really he had to cover Harper's area aswell as his. Harper should be nowhere near the first team, nowhere near it.

 

Good write up mate, So do you think Pusic is worth a deal then?

 

Just read your report Theo. Great writing!

 

Interesting debate, I think. This is just bollocks though "admit it you just dont like cairney and then we will all know the score in future match reports."

If we line up with either of OLM's suggestions on Friday, I won't be disappointed. I'd go Evans/McKenna though, I've explained why. They weren't poor yesterday, we were completely in control of the game and they did what needed doing, they got the ball, gave it to Koren and Brady and then backed them up. If you are going to play a proper 4-4-2, I don't think you play a "luxury" central midfielder.