Class showed! We were totally outplayed/outclassed for the first 70 minutes, our defence who were so good in league 2 struggled against a higher class attack, our front line chased the long balls lobbed up by the talentless midfield. I hope the gap between league one and the Championship is large because on this form we could be in trouble. Just to finish on a brighter note, the last twenty minutes were a lot better (once all the young lads came on) suddenly our skill level increased along with the desire to challenge and win the ball, we started passing the ball a lot better and it was this that led to Bayo scoring.
I think it was the likes of Haysman, Hessenthaler and Bayo who changed the game. Hessenthaler looks very good and I think we need to see more of him, the same goes for Haysman. Bayo was better than he was against Ipswich and it was good to see him get a goal, however I think part of the reason why Millwall were so good was Danny ****tu, we did not seem to have a chance with him in defence and also we seemed to sit back too much which is not good, however I am not too worried as I know we can play better than this and we have seen them play better so I know that there is nothing to worry about as we can play better. I would say that Legge and Fish did have an off day, Legge did make a few mistakes as well as Fish who kept hitting long balls. Also as well as them Linganzi did make a few errors, however he did play a few good balls and looks a decent player. I don't think Gregory had a bad game even though a few people will still blame him for the goals as they seem to like to moan about him. I don't think there is any point worrying about the team as I am sure that we are good enough and that this is just an off day, there are too many people who are acting like this was first game of the season. This game has no meaning, it would have been nice to get a draw or win but we didn't, there were not too many positives however I don't feel that we need to make changes to the team even though the team that we started I believe it the strongest team.
I think that Allen got the tactics completely wrong in the first half, the midfield caught too deep and we were continually trying to hit long balls up to Cody, who was ineffectual against Danny ****tu. I wasn't impressed at all in the first half with the midfield, we really needed a midfield general to take the game by the scruff on the neck and impose some control (didn't we use to have someone like that *cough* Payne *cough* Second half was better with the entrance of Bayo, who was infinitely better than Cody as the primary target man.
I don't see why there are so many people worrying so much, now it wasn't a good performance and we were poor in the first half, however we know that the team is good and we also know that the defence is very good. Now why base an opinion on one performance, I just don't see the point. I had been reading a lot of people really being critical of the midfield, well this annoys me as the season has not even started and people are moaning. This is a team that won the league now how can they be that bad, 1 bad performance and they are moaning and this is not even a league performance. I give a review of the team and I may say they were not good but I am not going to say 'this player isn't good enough' and 'I think that we need to sign more midfielders'.
What? Please...did we play Cody without Bayo in the first half Jeez I'm starting to feel the need to write another thread or shall I just find my old one hehe.
Hoadie, I think your missing the point, yes our defence were very good in league 2 against league 2 strikers, today against strikers of a higher quality they were found wanting. The midfield and strikers were the same, up against quality defenders they didn't have the skill to pass the man with the ball at their feet, our passing and movement was only tricking us, the long ball over the top failed every time. It's not all doom and gloom as other league 1 teams might be at the same level as us, if that is the case it shows how wide the gap between the leagues is.
Yeah but I think the problem was that we tried to play long ball which did not work, we done that a few times last season and we found ourselves being opened up at times when we did this. I think generally our problem was that we played route 1 as we did not keep the ball by doing this. Against Ipswich we played the ball on the ground and we did much better against them so I am not worried, yeah we were opened up easily however I doubt that we will see a performance like that again as I think that Martin Allen will change things as I am sure he noticed that tactics were wrong.
It was Cody and Keds first half, but Keds was too deep to be an effective foil for Cody. Second half Bayo and German were much better
I think the main problem was that Millwall had ****tu who just didn't let us through at all. Now I doubt we will play against a defender who is better than him strength wise next season so I don't think we need to worry about how ineffective we were attacking wise. I think as soon as he went off we looked better as he holds their team together at the back so this showed how important he is to them. However I would say for this game that Bayo and German from the start may have been a better choice but I cannot be 100% as we did not see them against ****tu so I don't know how they would have done. Anyway I think we can move on from this game. I don't think we should worry as I feel that we are good enough for League 1. I like to focus on the positives as I feel that some people are overreacting as we just had a bad game and we were punished as we played a good side who can pass the ball very well. I think that the likes of Haysman and Hessenthaler have a good future and that Charlie Allen also done well when he come on. I think that we will play better against Crystal Palace, even though they are a better team and it will be hard I doubt we will see the defence playing like they did today as they will work on this over the next few days.
We tried playing the ball on the ground but lacked the skill to pass or tackle our way past a player, we tried the long ball and failed to get past ****tu, it was only when the young players came on that things changed as they had the skill to play the ball.
Yeah but ****tu had gone off by then so it is still hard to judge how we would have done with him on even with the changes. But one thing that this did show is how good Hessenthaler and Haysman are as I think that they were really good. The way that they pass the ball is really good and they look very good. I think we need to play them in the league as I think that they look like decent prospects. I still feel that if ****tu had not played from the start that it would have been 3-1. I think Millwall may still have won but I think we may have had more chances but it would have been closer and the score may have been 3-2 or maybe 3-3 but then again it is hard to say. I just think some people do take Pre-Season too seriously, to me it is about fitness and making sure that you are sharp by the start of the season. I think that come the 3rd August we will be ready for League One and that there will be nothing to worry about as the players are good enough. Some are worrying about how the defence played but that is one place that I am sure that we don't need to change as this is one of the best defences that we have had in a long time.
****tu might have been the one stopping the long ball game but he wasn't the one who kept stopping us from playing down the wings, we were just second class, like I say hopefully league 1 teams won't have the same all-round quality that we saw today but don't expect us to find this league easy.
I don't think it will be easy next season, however I don't expect us to storm the league. I think that we will finish around 12th or 13th and I don't see why many can moan about that as I feel that we are good enough to finish around that level and I don't see why we should expect more than that as I think that would be a good finish for the first season back in League 1. I would say to anyone worrying just think back to the game against Fleetwood Town at home, we were shocking in the first half, then we picked up and earnt a draw, now I think that we were similar that day compared to today, we let them run the game and we were punished however we got back into the game, now although we lost 3-1 today this was against a much more superior team so we still couldn't get back into the game. I am sure that the team that we put out there today could have done better against Millwall if we gave them another chance in a few weeks time, it was just an off day so I don't think there is much else to say. All I can say is bring on Colchester.
Your also missing the point that we made 7 changes in the second half which disrupted our 3-0 first half lead ,so it could have been much worse for you
Men v boys today - it really did look like Championship v League 2, but against our reserves in the last 20, you were the better team
Everybody just take a deep breath............ relax.... It was a friendly and would of showed MA more thing's than if we gone out there and held our own. Now not just on here, but twitter as well people are panicking already. There is no need,we will be fine,once we get the passing game sorted,making triangles to buy pass the opposition we will be OK,just need to not panic. The long ball is a no go,there is no end result in this,as we use it to release pressure,but it just adds pressure to our defence. Now if we need to play differently,play a more direct,but will need to use bayo rather than kedwell. Now there will be a gap in quality between us and the championship/prem teams we are playing in pre-season and it is good to see where we are at, but just all realize pre-season is just to get the players playing how he wants and to gain match fitness.
Latest discovery at Priestfield ! - and the season hasn't yet started http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...MXrZ3ObjaLXqJlAqQ&sig2=Gz3YgJqhOMClVYJO-Uqpdw nb - If I was being honest, I still worry about our lack of creativity.