Looking at the table, and the leagues remaining fixtures, I think it will be Plymouth who finish 7th. Cambridge is a must win though....win, and the table will look a whole lot better.
It's weird at the minute with this back 3. As said I'd prefer 3 CBs there. Think it may have been Wycombe away when Cirkin looked really dangerous down the left. With O'Nien and Clarke we had nothing. Wasting 2 positions. Saying that he's been playing it and we're 10 games unbeaten. Who'd be a manager.
Very nervy 0 - 0 today and I think that was down t both sides. Both could have won it at times but it didn't really look like either was going to and so it turned out. I think if this game had been scheduled for halfway through the season then it would have been different due to attitude of the squads. As it is it is end of term and neither could afford to lose. As for any contentious decisions by the Ref, well he was as good or as bad for both sides. I think it is now between either Argyle or Wycombe who dips out of the play offs and that is only based on the run in games left. If you don't qualify now then you don't deserve to be there. Hope everyone gets home safely. It's a long ole poke from down here.
Exactly mate, it's not easy. Neil picked Broadhead and Stewart then asked for balls dropped behind their back line. So we do that and both forwards fluff their lines ... people then say the tactic failed. Then we ask Clarke and O'Nien to get beyond their full backs but they don't ... same accusation. Neil could rightly claim he should expect more from the players within those tactics. A little more application would've won that game but, these are the players we have.
Still think we had square pegs in round holes... 09 isn't a WB Clarke looks like he has to play on the left. As mentioned above I was not to sure what was going on with a LB and a RB playing CB and Evans imitating a CB. Stewart needs crosses from near the byline The long ball over the top, which we persisted with all game..did not work Still a point away from home against a rival... passes muster... I just think we could have done better... we and they were poor...
That’s a good description of it. We look absolutely wide open down the flanks when teams counter attack but can’t really complain when we have not lost in 10. The issue is we don’t have any actual wing backs in the squad.
Today gave us 77 points and our best possible total is therefore 86. We can only get either 84, with two wins and a draw, or 86 with three wins. If Wycombe and Sheff Wed draw we'd need 82 points at worst ... ... that could be done with two wins. If Sheff Wed beat Wycombe then we'd only need a win and a draw. We could also get 82 with a win and two draws but would probably need a big win to make up the GD.
Agreed about the ref, technically you could have had a pen, technically we could have...I wouldn't have given any them. All the smaller decisions were correct, I thought your player who threw O'Nien to the ground (Sessegnon?) early on should have had a yellow until I saw the replay where Luke was mashing his hand into his face just before, fair enough.
Wigan vs Plymouth, Wycombe vs Sheff W, Plymouth vs M K Dons 4 points for us and that should be the play offs.
It's no coincidence that 2 of the players who look the most jaded have by far the highest number of appearances Stewart - 45 starts + 2 sub appearances Winchester - 41 starts + 3 sub appearances The nest highest is Neil with 35 starts, which considering he hasn't been in the team the last 6 weeks shows just how much we were flogging him too I'd take Stewart out the team on Sat and give Broadheaad the central striking role. Play a 4-2-3-1 with Embleton/Roberts/Pritchard buzzing around, Evans and Matete holding
I like the idea of matete and Evans in the middle, I've not been Evans' biggest fan, but he played well Friday and yesterday and with this back 3 we need someone to just sit. If Pritchard isn't fit for Saturday I'd be tempted to put Neil in his place to try and encourage some passes on the floor for Broadhead to run onto
Its towards the end of the season so yes some players are getting knackered and need a rest... but with only a few games left, is that really necessary? Middle of the season yep I agree, now at the sharp end, not long to go, one final push.. Perhaps Stewart would not look so jaded if he was receiving better crosses to score headers. Its amazing the restorative power of scoring goals. Yesterday I can recall one short over the top ball (Embo?) that he got, 1st touch let him down, but I cannot remember one decent from the byline cross for him to head towards goal. Ffs, Plymouth gave at least one chance of a headed cross for their short arsed striker.
Steward dropping deep is doing my head into mind. Not sure if it's managerial instruction or the player is knackered or bored so wants to drop deep instead of getting behind or down the sides
We have to trust Alex Neil he has made the right calls for the most part , he has changed formations to suit the opposition , and is not afraid to make substitutions . A.N appears to be a shrewd manager who knows what he is doing - let him get on with it .
Flogging players to death has been a huge problem , O/9, McGeady, Willis, Sanderson, Bailey Wright to name 5 all played carrying injuries that worsened and young players Neil, Doyle, Embleton, Cirkin and Stewart all played when a rest would have been of more benefit, especially so in secondary cup games , it was almost a policy under the last manager which seems thankfully to have been rectified, maybe too late, but better late than never imo.
Not so sure he got it right yesterday... But I agree at least he is giving each game/opposition some serious thought on how to counter their strengths and exploit their weaknesses. Then sends the team out with a game plan.
Yes it’s quite a novelty for us SAFC fans having a manager who has a plan and will see if it isn’t working having a plan B !
I have a feeling Stewart has 'found himself out' if that makes sense to you. He's a great lad and has scored a lot of goals which is all good for him and us. The concern, for me, is that he's realised he's not actually a very good footballer and that's knocked his confidence. His first touch isn't great and his passes during attacks are often a little wayward. He works hard but doesn't bully defenders or draw many fouls, he isn't an 'off the shoulder' striker either. He often doesn't strike the ball well and has lost his nerve with one to one's. He heads the ball well but Clarke, Embleton, etc, don't seem to be finding him or even trying to. I accept he's probably tired but so are the opposition defenders and his spark seems to have gone. I think he's very much a confidence player and that seems to be low.
All part of the learning process, and the next line up, all things being equal, will tell us more of what he thought about yesterday than his after match interview, which was a very good one by the way, but actions speak louder than words. and so far his actions have worked wonders. My only worry has been the form of Gooch and O/9 who for different reasons AN has not been able to utilise them to much affect, I would still like to see O/9 and Matete in more defensive mode with Pritch, Embo or Niel in the 10 role.
