Seeing quite a few people say we were quite good or unlucky today. I just did not see that. Huffing and puffing with the ball a bit on the outside fringes of their box wasn't good play for me. We didn't even try to dominate midfield. Their goalkeeper's heart rate was always low. Couple shots in target straight into his hands. On the other side, we had a number of nervy moments with trying to play the ball around in our own defensive fifth of the pitch. When they went down to 10 men, we didn't get a sniff of the ball. I'm not sure where we were particularly good today. Thoroughly deserved win by a team who had a good game plan and acted it out very well.
I thought we looked good - a million miles from Ainsworth and genuinely believe it’s a matter of time before we move out of the bottom 3 and stay out. Survive this season and let Marti get a team ready to compete next season.
Manning did a number on us. He was getting stick while running down the line as a sub and seemed to enjoy being the pantomime villain, mouthing the words to ‘Manning Manning you’re a c**t’ and laughing. Then he came on and produced the one moment that turned the game in their favour. Shame. Chair was great but not enough players in the box to connect with his second half crosses.
Think a draw would’ve been fair but then there was always a chance they’d have stepped it up a gear had they had to. Much like the game at theirs. Hard to complain too much when they’re bringing on experienced Prem players and we’re bringing on Sunday league players but thought we ran out of puff fairly early. Not seen the goal back to comment on the defending but it looked dreadful from Ellerslie. The foul Dozzell gave away was so dopey and fairly indicative of the match- a sub-standard player against a wiser, stronger, better footballer. The injury to their full-back was a blessing for them. Chair had Bree on toast and they had a much better balance once he went off. Armstrong up top by himself has never worked and the game was basically lost when Dykes went off. Not that Dykes was up to much either. They’ll go close to automatics and one of them/Leeds will probably catch Ipswich which is a sad indictment on this league we’re struggling to finish 21st in.
Just woke up to see the result. No presents in Santa’s sack then. Looks like l’m getting squat for Xmas. Bah humbug!
Some game to watch was that. Gave Southampton a real good go and a point would have been more than fair.
Read match reports saying we were the best team 1st half. I thought we just about shaded it and against a very good Southampton side, but thought they were better 2nd. Their goal came at a bad time, but then don't they always.
On the whole we were good. A pretty even match against a team who hadn't lost in 13. A well worked kick gave them goal, we were in control for large parts of match, but what we couldn't do was score. Like against Plymouth... we did enough to draw or even win...but we didn't, because we can't score. We shoot from outside the area because we can't get a decent cross in, The crosses never are good enough. Dykes works his socks of...can't fault a bit of that, but he is not a poacher, he is very predictable. We have enough skill in the team to be out of trouble...I think we will get out of it....but
I have seen some improvements, but... Why the need to start every attack from our 6-yard box. After 10 minutes we had the ball close to their third, we then played 12 consecutive passes backwards, including the keeper playing it further back to Clarke-Salter. From their half! I am not sure Dunne passed the ball forwards once today. The constant return to Base Camp not only slows everything down but costs us so much energy trying to get it back even to half way (which we often don't do). Since Warbs second season we seem to have been incapable of collecting the ball, looking up and playing it forward. We will not score goals if our Number 10 has to stand behind our left back to collect the ball.
I tend to think our crosses have improved, we just don't have players making the right moves in the box.
That's how I saw it too. We offer little in attack and the opposition grow in confidence because of it
Playing 1 upfront means opposition defenders have no fear, can push up and outnumber our already fragile midfield. As a result our defenders see no outlet, turn and pass backwards.
On three (at least) occasions Dunne sent perfect cross pitch crosses to the attacker on the other wing. Clark-Salter did similar......the distribution from the back I would not fault. Begovic also sent a couple of Ainsworth inspired hoofs down to Dykes, that he basically won and played on... The play out from the back is not our main problem IMHO, it is our inability in the last 3rd to provide decent chances
