| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... 23:23 - Jan 17 with 2617 views | fLaMeBoY |
1/ Lets start with the positives I guess. We won, a clean sheet, it didn’t go to extra time (I would cried), Ferdinand and scoring from a corner for the first time in five years. I suppose it was all on show for Hughes tonight exactly what bad state our squad is in. If Hughes keeps us up it will be a miracle.
2/ Ok the bad stuff. 9 out of the 11 players that started tonight will be starting on Saturday. I really hope that Derry/Hill/Mackie are either dropped or moved on asap. The sad thing is these three players will shortly not be remember for the wonderful season they had least year, but for them being utterly of our their depths this season. Derry’s legs have gone completely, Clint Hill bless him is just sh1t and Mackie a cracking Championship player.
3/ Next up is Bothroyd. Who wasn’t that bad tonight, he tried more than usual (I know) but jeeez for the kids sake lets loan him out or cut our losses for his sake. He has had 20 odd games for the club now and just doesn’t have it in him. Not his fault but like with Hulse, it’s time to say ‘that one just didn’t work out’ and move on. I mean when Bothroyd is being shown up by the brilliant Helguson when he came one….a 34-year-old Championship journeyman to be fair to him, who has been magnificent it must be said.
4/ I take it Hughes, like Warnock really doesn’t like/rate Campbell. Two full games sitting on his arse. Perhaps there is an attitude issue or something, but to not even get a look it and to have players like Bothroyd and Smith ahead of you, then you just wonder.
5/ We were on the ropes for a good 20 minutes in that second half, with the main problem being Hills lack of pace/positioning. Unfortunately watching that tonight we really need 8-10 players in this window we have problems all over the pitch that I just don’t think is a confidence thing, more so a lack of ability.
6/ If you thought Warncok made bizarre subs, then Hughes will take some getting use to. SWP must have played in five positions tonight for example and we ended the game with arguable our three worse players Hill/Mackie/Derry still on the pitch.
7/ Macheda is just another DiCarmine.
8/ I know we shouldn’t get too downbeat but I honestly fear from us watching that tonight. I think a number of players are beyond help/coaching and just lack ability as well as confidence. As said daily on this forum, but unless we bring in 5-6 quality signings who can hit the ground running I think we’re fcuked.
[Post edited 1 Jan 1970 1:00]
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| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 23:35 - Jan 17 with 2565 views | Fearless |
Isn't Bothroyd 30 - not a kid
Agree with your points in the main - buzz was knackered but had just taken a great free kick and was preparing to take the corner - but think the substitution was already planned. We then scored from SWPs corner - genius sub by MH.
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| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 23:38 - Jan 17 with 2548 views | Lewes_r |
I actually think a fair amount of it is confidence.. That team really did tear a few teams to shreds this season and they were probably knackered too..
I have hope |  |
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| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 23:49 - Jan 17 with 2495 views | bosh67 |
It's all about confidence. Winning breeds it. We were a bit lucky tonight but a win gets the players up. Derry is having to break up everything without Barton there. Hill did have an off game. Mackie will always be useful because he works his socks off and plays wide when he's a forward. My concern is Luke Young. Great going forward, walks about at the back and loses concentration. Great in the attacking half, but Orr is far better at actually defending.
SWP should play off a striker, it's his natural position and we should build a fast aggressive team that hunts down opposition in packs.
It can be done. |  |
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| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 23:51 - Jan 17 with 2475 views | ted_hendrix |
I thought we suffered from tiredness tbh, a game two day's after a tough game up North is a big ask.
Confidence is/was low etc.
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| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 23:52 - Jan 17 with 2461 views | daveB |
swp moved to central midfield two games in a row was scary.
was impressed by buzsaky, feel derry may need to go, love the bloke but he's not good enough.
so much work to do, you could quite happily get rid of 25 players of out 37 man squad, a long few months ahead |  | | |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 00:23 - Jan 18 with 2401 views | stansleftfoot |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 23:52 - Jan 17 by daveB |
swp moved to central midfield two games in a row was scary.
was impressed by buzsaky, feel derry may need to go, love the bloke but he's not good enough.
so much work to do, you could quite happily get rid of 25 players of out 37 man squad, a long few months ahead |
Buy Adam Smith.....from Tottenham now before he gets any better, bit more experience defending but like Kyle a cracking attacking full back.
Otherwise nothing new, Derry and Hill are legendary Championship Players out of their depth, Akos Buzsaky has been unlucky with fitness and is a Premiership class footballer who would benefit from Grahame Souness to give him the ball, Mackie and SWP are mediocre footballers with a huge willingness to run around but no real talent for the game, HH is a great centre forward, Tommy Smith is a great six a side footballer with no pace, Anton and Danny are approaching the ends of their careers but could have been world class but something happened.
Three days rest and no injuries we might beat Wigan....but i'd be unsure how we would score a goal.....very lucky not to have faced a loss after extra time is my honest thought.....full back left his post but didn't go back in time for Gabbi's goal,
We have to play all the clubs up to 13th place, 7 Games, win those and stay up...simple....can't see us scoring a goal, that's my thought! Buy us some goals Mark or put your boats on.... | | | |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 00:24 - Jan 18 with 2392 views | Neil_SI |
You can see confidence and morale is low, so tonight was always about getting a result at all costs, and we got that. It's a real positive, even if the performance wasn't great, but a lot of it had to do with playing 48 hours after Sunday.
It was a risk on Mark Hughes' part to do that, especially with MK Dons' match having been called off, so they were fresh and ready for us and they played really well and can be pleased with their performances.
I quite liked the idea in practice of keeping the team as similar as possible, but it didn't really work and we had heavy legs all over the pitch and small patches where we loosened up and were able to play.
Saturday will be interesting now though, because it's a big ask for your players to play three times in six days, so I really hope that decision doesn't back fire on us and at the moment, we've not got a lot of options. Joey Barton's return will be welcome, even if he's not been in the greatest of form either, but it'll be like a new signing considering the other absentees. |  | | |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 00:27 - Jan 18 with 2383 views | HollowayRanger |
watching i kept thinking if that was wigan they would have scored that and that and that 
why are we still being caught out by counter attacks from our own corners!!!!!!!
we are trying to buy 2-3 centrebacks and yet! ferdinand and gabby were our best two players!! we need flair and goals!
apart from buzasky ball to swp and a great freekick our midfield created NOTHING!
bothyrod spent most of the time in midfield and is main reason we are so slow attacking he cant play a quick ball
but why oh why didnt hughes take off bothroyd ht play macheda with helgerson for 20-25 mins see how they work together then take of macheda and play dj with helgerson that way he could have seen all his strikers in action
oh and why DID I FORGET MY CAPS!
STILL ITS A WIN AGAINST A IN FORM TEAM AND A CLEAN SHEET ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!  |  |
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| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 00:33 - Jan 18 with 2367 views | Neil_SI |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 00:27 - Jan 18 by HollowayRanger |
watching i kept thinking if that was wigan they would have scored that and that and that
why are we still being caught out by counter attacks from our own corners!!!!!!!
we are trying to buy 2-3 centrebacks and yet! ferdinand and gabby were our best two players!! we need flair and goals!
apart from buzasky ball to swp and a great freekick our midfield created NOTHING!
bothyrod spent most of the time in midfield and is main reason we are so slow attacking he cant play a quick ball
but why oh why didnt hughes take off bothroyd ht play macheda with helgerson for 20-25 mins see how they work together then take of macheda and play dj with helgerson that way he could have seen all his strikers in action
oh and why DID I FORGET MY CAPS!
STILL ITS A WIN AGAINST A IN FORM TEAM AND A CLEAN SHEET ONWARDS AND UPWARDS! |
It never works out that way. Each match is different, and players react differently to the mentality and tempo of every match differently and within its own context.
I actually thought the centre halves had poor games overall, they're capable of so much better, but Gabbidon particularly was pretty poor in possession and use of the ball and was so leggy that he almost ran us into serious danger on more than one occasion. I was delighted for him that he got the goal though.
My concern with them at the moment, is that they've known each other a long time from their West Ham days, but there's a lack of understanding and concentration between them when they are marking players. The one constant we've seen a lot this season is a striker just ghosting in and around the six yard box completely free and unmarked. How we manage to afford the main strikers so much time and space is alarming and shouldn't happen at the level we're playing at. This needs to be rectified, but it may mean better players at the answer this time around.
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| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 00:37 - Jan 18 with 2358 views | daveB |
the worry for me was at the back, the space between ferdinand and gabbidon was laughable at times, so much space but they never drove anyone into that area, even the worst prem team would take advantage of that, So much work to do | | | |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 00:45 - Jan 18 with 2346 views | MelakaRanger |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 00:27 - Jan 18 by HollowayRanger |
watching i kept thinking if that was wigan they would have scored that and that and that
why are we still being caught out by counter attacks from our own corners!!!!!!!
we are trying to buy 2-3 centrebacks and yet! ferdinand and gabby were our best two players!! we need flair and goals!
apart from buzasky ball to swp and a great freekick our midfield created NOTHING!
bothyrod spent most of the time in midfield and is main reason we are so slow attacking he cant play a quick ball
but why oh why didnt hughes take off bothroyd ht play macheda with helgerson for 20-25 mins see how they work together then take of macheda and play dj with helgerson that way he could have seen all his strikers in action
oh and why DID I FORGET MY CAPS!
STILL ITS A WIN AGAINST A IN FORM TEAM AND A CLEAN SHEET ONWARDS AND UPWARDS! |
It was a win. To be honest we can play badly the next 6 games as long as we win!
But yes its the lack of goals that needs addressing and big time. We just need 1 extar goal a game.
Why?
Since 1 st Nov if we had scored 1 goal in the game (or just 1 more goal) we would have earned 7 draws and 2 wins. 13 points lost due to our woeful inability to score. 13 extar points would have us 8th just 1 place behind Liverpool
Thats how important it is to get strikers who can score!! |  | | |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 00:55 - Jan 18 with 2329 views | adhoc_qpr |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 00:45 - Jan 18 by MelakaRanger |
It was a win. To be honest we can play badly the next 6 games as long as we win!
But yes its the lack of goals that needs addressing and big time. We just need 1 extar goal a game.
Why?
Since 1 st Nov if we had scored 1 goal in the game (or just 1 more goal) we would have earned 7 draws and 2 wins. 13 points lost due to our woeful inability to score. 13 extar points would have us 8th just 1 place behind Liverpool
Thats how important it is to get strikers who can score!! |
If we play that badly over the next 6 games i doubt we will pick up a single point.
Reinforcements badly needed in key positions! | | | |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 01:06 - Jan 18 with 2306 views | E17hoop |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 00:37 - Jan 18 by daveB |
the worry for me was at the back, the space between ferdinand and gabbidon was laughable at times, so much space but they never drove anyone into that area, even the worst prem team would take advantage of that, So much work to do |
<<<This.
Hill plays too wide at times - Strachan called it spot on. I think Young is taken by the fact that SWP puts a good shift in defensively and with SWP's pace, he can get Young out of trouble.
Buzz is lacking match fitness - I can see how he and Barton could both play central in a straight 4.
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| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 01:20 - Jan 18 with 2290 views | eastside_r |
Very mixed performance by the team tonight but a win is a win.
Thinking about tonight and Sunday I would surmise that MH is asking the side to play very differently to NW. They are trying to get used to it and also we are missing players who have been lynch-pins this season; Ali and Joseph.
Hopefully tonight is just a starting point on a steep learning curve and can be considered a 'training session' in front of the cameras.
Can't believe I am being this positive after watching that shambles.  |  | | |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 01:40 - Jan 18 with 2272 views | themodfather |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 01:20 - Jan 18 by eastside_r |
Very mixed performance by the team tonight but a win is a win.
Thinking about tonight and Sunday I would surmise that MH is asking the side to play very differently to NW. They are trying to get used to it and also we are missing players who have been lynch-pins this season; Ali and Joseph.
Hopefully tonight is just a starting point on a steep learning curve and can be considered a 'training session' in front of the cameras.
Can't believe I am being this positive after watching that shambles. |
a win whoppee
BUT WE HAD A TEAM OUT THERE, FULL OF EX-INTERNATIONALS AND GUYS STILL GETTING CALL UPS.....
WE STRUGGLED TO STRING PASSES TOGETHER, retain possession and create pressure on them.
if they had taken the lead (mk) i reckon we'd have seen a huge exodus. | | | |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 01:42 - Jan 18 with 2268 views | CanadaRanger |
Tactical masterstroke...
Take off the guy who's about to take a corner (who's done well enough to stay on) and bring on HH...
It really messes up the opposition's organization for the "set piece"... Why?
1. The guy that was marking the person who now takes the corner has to adjust.
2. If someone else was targetted with marking HH if/when he's brought on, they have to adjust.
3. HH is big enough and has a strong enough reputation with his head that he probably pulls two players to mark him.
4. The opposition expects the corner to go to HH, otherwise why would Hughes take Buz off...
All this may have been designed to leave more room for the other forwards.
Anyway, it worked! |  | | |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 09:37 - Jan 18 with 1958 views | Neil_SI |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 01:42 - Jan 18 by CanadaRanger |
Tactical masterstroke...
Take off the guy who's about to take a corner (who's done well enough to stay on) and bring on HH...
It really messes up the opposition's organization for the "set piece"... Why?
1. The guy that was marking the person who now takes the corner has to adjust.
2. If someone else was targetted with marking HH if/when he's brought on, they have to adjust.
3. HH is big enough and has a strong enough reputation with his head that he probably pulls two players to mark him.
4. The opposition expects the corner to go to HH, otherwise why would Hughes take Buz off...
All this may have been designed to leave more room for the other forwards.
Anyway, it worked! |
You wish it was that well thought out, but it wasn't. It was simply a mistake and a timing issue. I'm pretty sure the original announcement was that Anton Ferdinand was being replaced as well, which was also a mistake. | | | |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 09:44 - Jan 18 with 1937 views | DanVanDyke |
Wow, it truly is a game of opinions isn't it!
1. I agree entirely, although I think it's a bit early to write off our chances of staying up just yet.
2. Derry was poor, but never shirked and wanted the ball, and I actually think improved when Tommy came on, which changed the game our way again after a ropey 20 mins. Hill put in 2 fantastic crosses but did a lot wrong too. If Mackie is a cracking Championship player, he should have had a stormer last night as we were playing a League 1 team. He didn't!
3. Bothroyd had a very good game, again never hid and I like the fact that he goes out to wings. It's not his fault that nobody busts a gut to get into the box for his crosses.
4. Thought Tommy was awesome when he came on, really helped Dezza out and we took control of the game.
6. The substitutions changed the game back in our favour! We have no central midfielders to replace derry and no left back to replace Hill so they were always going to stay on the pitch. Buzz comes off, SWP takes the corner straight after - we score! Great piece of management if you ask me, he did them at the right times as well.
8. As soon as we scored, the confidence improved. The passing could sharper and crisper and we killed the game off which is something that we're not really good at usually. There was no squeaky bum time in injury time, we coasted the last 10 minutes.
We weren't great, but we hung in there, were professional and coped well. I actually feel a lot better about things. We ain't gonna tank anyone, but I can see a few 1-0 scraped wins as we look much more organised and can only get better. |  | | |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 09:47 - Jan 18 with 1924 views | boobishabang |
We looked tired and leggy after playing Sunday, for MK it was their first game since the home leg 10 days ago, so they were full of energy and running at us in numbers whereas we looked off the pace |  | | |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 10:04 - Jan 18 with 1891 views | loftus77 |
As someone said earlier, I dreaded Franchise scoring. If they had, you just knew that would have been it. | | | |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 10:31 - Jan 18 with 1849 views | jonno |
| Just got back, a few thoughts/observations.... on 09:44 - Jan 18 by DanVanDyke |
Wow, it truly is a game of opinions isn't it!
1. I agree entirely, although I think it's a bit early to write off our chances of staying up just yet.
2. Derry was poor, but never shirked and wanted the ball, and I actually think improved when Tommy came on, which changed the game our way again after a ropey 20 mins. Hill put in 2 fantastic crosses but did a lot wrong too. If Mackie is a cracking Championship player, he should have had a stormer last night as we were playing a League 1 team. He didn't!
3. Bothroyd had a very good game, again never hid and I like the fact that he goes out to wings. It's not his fault that nobody busts a gut to get into the box for his crosses.
4. Thought Tommy was awesome when he came on, really helped Dezza out and we took control of the game.
6. The substitutions changed the game back in our favour! We have no central midfielders to replace derry and no left back to replace Hill so they were always going to stay on the pitch. Buzz comes off, SWP takes the corner straight after - we score! Great piece of management if you ask me, he did them at the right times as well.
8. As soon as we scored, the confidence improved. The passing could sharper and crisper and we killed the game off which is something that we're not really good at usually. There was no squeaky bum time in injury time, we coasted the last 10 minutes.
We weren't great, but we hung in there, were professional and coped well. I actually feel a lot better about things. We ain't gonna tank anyone, but I can see a few 1-0 scraped wins as we look much more organised and can only get better. |
Agree about the Smith substitution. Derry and Buzz were out on their feet and for about 15 mins MK were running the show by dominating midfield. Bringing on Smith there changed it round and I'm not sure Warnock would have done that. |  | | |
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