Right it is clear that no matter how much we try and use them, Barrett and Legge as a partnership for this level just don't work. The pair are too slow, they both have their qualities and are good defenders but their weaknesses are more apparent in League One. I believe this is one of the reasons as to why we can't close games out. Now Daniels and Barrett as a partnership doesn't appear to be any more effective than Legge/Barrett. For me Callum Davies should be starting every game and the leaky defence at the moment should justify it. Barrett and Davies work well together, we've yet to see Legge/Davies together or Daniels/Davies together. Any of those combinations should surely do better than the current pairing? I would give Daniels and Davies a try for the next game but in either situation Barrett should be dropped. At the moment he is too inconsistent and the fact that he knows he's going to play every game may be making him complacent. Just because he's the captain, it doesn't mean he can't be dropped.
I would play Davies and Legge together and give the armband to Captain Keds or Nelson if Kedwell is injured...dare i even suggest the armband be given to Lee...I would but my whole team might get sent off...lol Legge is good in the air and i just don't know anyone that we have got that is has good as him. On the ground he makes me nervous but get the young blood alongside him and we can have a mix of both, supporting one another. No disrespect to Barrett or Legge but i don't like seeing two experienced similar style players together in the same role. I choose Legge over Barrett purely on his ability in the air. The young changes worked with Dack and Hessy, surely we don't need another injury to kick start another young lads start.
I don't think PT rates Davies and I also think he thinks he made a mistake in signing Daniels. I reckon Taylor will bring in another central defender next week and Daniels will be sent back.
I have seen enough of Donervon Daniels against Stevenage, Rotherham and Notts County to know that Donervon Daniels isn't a centre back because Danials is in-capable of headering the ball, and as a centre back the one thing you expect to be doing for the vast majority of the game is headering the ball away from your own goal. I agree with Vinney because I do think Donervon Daniels will go back to West Brom and we will look to sign another centre back either on loan or on a permanent basis, for some reason Peter Taylor does not seem to rate Callum Davies despite the fact that Callum Davies played against Crewe Alexandra and MK Dons - and our wins against MK Dons and Crewe is the only time this season that Gillingham have won two games back to back.
As Walsall have a strong defence and play on the counter, we will see just how good our defence is tomorrow, they need to avoid being drawn out to far and getting caught on the break. Our centre backs have often looked shaky this season but Nelson isn't helping, whether he is having eye problems I don't know because he seems to be misjudging far to many long balls, close range shots (reflex saves) he seems fine, shots from outside the box or crosses into the box and he seems to be flapping.
Well how was the defence today then? Another 2 goals conceded and once again they conceded late so surely they can't be the right options?
The wonder was that we didn't concede in the first half - as we let Walsall have so much possession - although to be fair we handled their efforts reasonably well. Martin made an error of judgement -not clearing his lines - thus allowing the ball to remain live & lead up to the equaliser. The second goal was as much to do with the wrong tactics that Taylor employed in the change of subs - weakening our midfield & attack at the same time. This allowed Walsall to resume having the lions share of possession. If you allow the opposition to have so much of the ball - and at the same time retreat further & further back - eventually the other team will score ( and more than once if you repeat the mistake )... so what I'm saying is that it's not necessarily the defence that is the problem - rather the tactics by the manager.
Is the problem not so much our 4 individual defenders, but more our lack of a dominating midfield and maybe our own inability to keep possession. Just asking the question. We seem to always allow the opposition to have much more of the ball than ourselves. Possession statistics always show us well behind. I'd say it's a wonder we don't concede more than we actually do. I was brought up on the old saying "if you've got the ball, they can't score". <edit> alwaysright, only just read your post and seems like I've just agreed with all you said.
I think a key part of why we concede a lot of goals is where we are so narrow, if you look at how we play we like to play through the middle which I think is a big problem as this means that when teams get the ball back they know to play it out wide which we can't cope with as we don't play wide midfielders. I think that is something we need to sort out in the January transfer window as I don't think ***an is the answer as I don't think he done very well out wide. I think we need someone who has a lot more pace than him and also someone else on the other side of midfield as it is no good sorting one side of midfield and leaving the other side as that will solve only half of the problem. Then we can play Dack and Hessenthaler centrally or put Gregory in there as I think he is good for us and offers a lot to the team defensively.
SirKeefy Hoadie has elaborated on one of our obvious problems ( too narrow ) If we can see when tactics aren't working - or are wrong, why can't Taylor ? Against Walsall, after their second goal, it was Cody who made gestures to Taylor - suggesting that he should return up front ( thankfully) - when it was quite clear that dropping him into midfield was a complete waste of time. Twice in the 3 minutes of added time Akinfenwa linked up with McDonald (just like of old) ( one goal to save our skins & a good save by their keeper ) - we nearly pulled off an unlikely win ( despite all the wasted time Cody was forced to spend in wide midfield. Taylor - DO YOU NOT WATCH A RERUN OF THE GAME AND SEE WHERE YOU KEEP GETTING THE TACTICS WRONG ?
Apart from Weston, we don't really have an out and out winger and he's not the most reliable of wide players. I've always like Whelpdale wide Right but for whatever reason this season he's not been the player of past seasons. Charlie Allen could do a job there but it doesn't seem he will be here for much longer and the only option we would have is either Ashley Miller or Harry Grant. Its a position we really need to improve on.
You do his job..... I just think it's too easy for everyone to blame Taylor. That's all people want to do. I don't think he has much to work with tbh. We scored a freak one-in-million goal and then a hoof up the field, a blatant foul by Bayo and league two style knock on saved our skins. That wasn't tactical genius by Cody to push himself back up. It was a hell of a lot of luck and great perseverance after a blatant foul. Gutsy football granted, but lucky. Everyone thinks it's so easy. Especially people who spend so much time playing football manager that they think they know what they're on about. If it was as easy as football manager, we'd all be managing pro football teams. This team isn't that good. It's got elements but I think there'll be a fair few changes. We need it. He's trying to get us to play how we need to at this level. Martin Allen would have gotten us nowhere. We are at least trying to play proper football under Taylor. Whether we are capable or not is another matter.
Damo666 Thank you for your thoughts - it is the type of input that these forums need ( I'm being sincere ) That's not to say that I won't argue with you ( and agree ) where necessary. I wouldn't do PT's job for several reasons. PT hasn't got a lot with which to work. Cody's first goal was 'unusual' - but his intention of the style of execution was obvious as the cross came over to him - he has the ability to perform such a feat and deserves applaud. I also agree that we reverted to hoofball in added on time. Whilst I have made it clear that I dislike this style of play - it is a tactic that is understandably used ( even in the Premier ), when chasing the game in the last moments of a match. I also agree that Akinfenwa looked like he committed a foul when he pushed the defender to flick on a header to Cody.... I don't like to subscribe to the theory that two wrongs don't make a right - but Akinfenwa got no protection from the referee everytime the defenders fouled him - including ( for the 2nd game running ) nearly having his shirt removed. Perhaps there was a sense of justice that the referee failed to see the Bayo's shove. I also agree that it wasn't rocket science to get McDonald back up front when we went 1-2 but my original point was that Taylor got the tactics wrong with putting McDonald in midfield. I said that it weakened this position, allowing Walsall to push onto us with greater ease - especially after Bayo was removed as a threat . When Taylor changed the personnel & tactics we began to struggle - whereas we had been in a position where we looked like we were reasonably comfortable and IMHO looking more likely to score. If it's not broken why try to fix it ? You may answer that PT was looking to secure what we've got. This is a reasonable point - but - 1. Not with McDonald in midfield 2. ( more importantly ) How many times has Taylor used extreme negative tactics in games - even when we have been losing. I do not envy the life of a football manager - it is not an easy job - especially with the constant threat of being sacked. Taylor's general style of football is better than Martin Allen's - and maybe with a couple of additions this month we might avoid relegation - but, having agreed that PT has a difficult task, my main gripe is that he deploys the wrong tactics with wrong personnel for too long, when it is plain for all to see. IF Plan A was working better than Plan B, why would you not want the best chance to win your game - when we are capable ? Damo666 I do not 'waste' my time playing computor games.
Debate is healthy! No point in having hard feelings when someone doesn't agree...life would be so dull, as would this forum! I wasn't aiming the computer game comment directly at yourself either so apologies if it came across that way! I know of a few people who like to think they no more than they do because of a few good season on football manager haha!
As long as you remember that I'm alwaysright. I didn't take the computor game'accusation' personally - anyway I'm far too busy with my neighbour and research & compiling rubbish for the 'camel' threads.
