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Reply | Nardi's shot stopping
at 20:54 29 Sep 2024
Second goal was his ball though. A great shot stopper but I think he's a liability from crosses and it forces our defence to be ever deeper |
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Reply | Never a straight Red Card
at 20:52 29 Sep 2024
30 yards further up the pitch with the attacker driving at the defence its a yellow. We've had refs this year who would not have shown a card at all. But to Clives point its needless and Varane needs to be coached out of going to ground as much as he does |
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Reply | What we know so far....
at 21:32 28 Sep 2024
Because I dont agree with that Madsen has had more goal contribution in terms of goal / assist / pass leading to assist than Dozzell in a whole season, where he is struggling is with the physicality / pace but he's had five appearances, and been here less than a month. It's going to take time Really reminds me of Richard Langley at the moment and some people are never going to like that type of player. What I have seen from him, is crisp passes , a few defence splitters and a couple of crosses and in my view he is most definitely a playmaker 8 (not a box to box 8) and a massive upgrade on Dozzell needs to be given time to adjust and needs to work on finding the space. 2nd goal was 100% on Nardi for me keepers ball every time. |
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Reply | What we know so far....
at 20:44 28 Sep 2024
Its 7 league games, a lot of new players who have never played in the league we've played 3 of the top 6 and a relegated team (our only win) and lost twice to the teams currently top and 3rd. We've played 3 12:30's one Friday 7:30
Let's try and keep a bit of perspective, no we've not dominated a team, we are a bit leaky at the back at the moment. But it's not surprising we have not hit a rhythm, We've had some injury issues too. Its going to take time for the signings to adjust, People thought Frey was a terrible signing in January and its taken 6 months to show he's not.
Celar is the oldest outfield player we have signed this summer at 25, Madsen is 24, Varane 23, Santos 23, Saito 23, Ashby 22, Dembele 21 Morrison 21, Bennie 18
It's not about the first few weeks of the season. Turning on the players or the manager. There is plenty of growth in this team. Saito had a good first half today and should have another assist if Smyth could finish. Santos looks fine at this level, and I thought Varane was playing ok until the card.
Dembele has gone of the ball the last couple of games as teams have closely marked him, Chair returning will help there.
Yes Cantwell is a good player with 90 games in the championship 40+ in the premier league and Scottish league and some Europe experience as well but well used to the pace of the league. Comparing with Madsen who has 354 minutes of Championship experience is a tad unfair. Madsen himself knows he has to adapt and has not shown his best self. But they also need to learn. to play together and where each other is going to be and where they are supposed to be without having to think about it (which slows them down)
Celar is really struggling I think we can all see that, I dont think he is suited to our system but when you are paying 1-2m for striker you aint signing a cert 20 goals a year striker |
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Reply | Anderson
at 20:40 22 Sep 2024
Probably worth pointing out it was his pass that got Dembele free to drive and slide in Frey for the goal |
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Reply | The midfield hole
at 11:06 22 Sep 2024
No an 8 can be different things you've described the Box to box midfielder role which is one form of the 8 e.g Luke Amos, another form is the Playmaker they can sit deep, or be further forward or roam around but they are always looking for the killer pass to create etc. That is what Madsen is. Whether he is doing it well is another thing, but the stats suggest he is doing better than the eye test
4-2-3-1 you typically have a shield or anchor 6 and an 8 that dictates play think of Derry / Faurlin as a perfectly balanced midfield 2. Faurlin was never box to box. Bannon at Wednesday another playmaker not B2B, Wilkins back in the day etc. |
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Reply | The midfield hole
at 19:51 21 Sep 2024
Actually I disagree, re Madsen, we've been crying out for an 8 for some time, Marti has him in a hybrid role and its going to take time to get up to the physicality of the league. If you check his sofa score or equivalent ratings he has been one of the highest rated in the games he's played so far because for all the current flaws he does play some key passes the cross for Smyth against Palace being a really good example |
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Reply | Any trouble ?
at 18:12 21 Sep 2024
Passive and tepid like the game even the old bill could not be bothered with the usual roadblocks and enforcing people to walk the long way round. In truth there was probably more police than Millwall fans |
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Reply | The midfield hole
at 18:09 21 Sep 2024
It looked like the plan was for Anderson to push to the right and try to overload with Dembele and Madsen to do the opposite on the left with Saito and Paal stepping into midfield, however because we always went short and never over the top to stretch them and because these four all want to cut inside Millwall just crowded us out then hit a direct ball at turnover and we were constantly getting outnumbered.
Its worth pointing out the subs and the switch to be more orthodox 4--2-3-1 with Smyth and Lloyd wide and Varane on actually made us less effective.
What we are not very good at at them moment is making the unselfish run to create space for someone else. far far too often we had 5 or 6 with back to goal |
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Reply | Anderson
at 17:59 21 Sep 2024
looks low in confidence and crowd started getting on his back but you also had 4 players on the field all wanting to operate in the same space. Never hides though. Goal goes in first half might have been a different story |
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Reply | The spine is there, the rest is not working
at 17:53 21 Sep 2024
I thought today was a classic 12:30 on Saturday performance. We lacked intensity, the crowd lack intensity. We can't high press against a team that goes long all the time either.
I thought the inversion of Paal into Centre Midfield 1st half to give us an extra attacker worked against us, the ball stuck in the middle of the park going between the defence and the defensive midfield with 5 fairly static players in front of them with no space to work made it difficult Millwall on the other hand whilst direct were pulling our defence all over the place (especially on transition) and ultimately our goal came from the one time we broke from deep with space for Dembele to run into.
I would also say with Madsen, Anderson, Dembele and Saito you had 4 quite passive players all technicians in a game where we need to win the right to play, and none of those really looking to get in behind always coming deep so we became predictable.
2nd half the subs actually made us worse, neither Smyth or Lloyd got into the game at all. Neither managed to stretch them and both Varane and Field were then too deep.
tbh we did well to come away with a draw at half time I thought this was a game we would lose.
We need to play to our strengths and that has to be working out ways to get Dembele and Saito/Chair/Smyth into space to run ahead of them. We are at our best as well when we mix it up a bit more, far too predictable today.
Having said all that Anderson, Dunne and Smyth had particularly poor performances.
Frey MOTM by a country mile, great goal well taken |
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Reply | Dixon-Bonner
at 10:45 20 Sep 2024
He looks heavier and slower to me this season and by that I dont mean fat. But agree with others he has to kick on now or he never will do |
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Reply | Sheffield Wednesday Reflection
at 22:57 14 Sep 2024
Did not see the game as driving child 1 to uni but heard bits when the audio feed was working. I love Marti but what on earth was he thinking with Madsen and Anderson as 10s and Dembele wide. Absolutely no shock the performance with the set up. Team can only have 1 of those two and they need pace around them. |
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Reply | Palace game
at 19:34 6 Sep 2024
As an FYI the season tickets are still reserved as Just managed to book mine and it was not on general sale |
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Reply | We have one hell of a manager (n/t)
at 13:46 3 Sep 2024
I think we need to pray that Southampton get some points on the board because I can very much see them picking up the phone when Martin gets the push |
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Reply | Madsen
at 13:44 3 Sep 2024
I thought of Richard Langley and he'll get exactly the same lazy accusations shown at him. I also think the physicality of Luton and this league might be a shock to him initially but I think that is why he has come here, that is where he can grow as a player. Has shown some real touches of class already that pass for Dembele against Plymouth when Dembele hit the bar was top level class |
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Reply | Defending crosses
at 10:53 1 Sep 2024
I think it's the Keeper to be honest. Nardi rarely comes for anything and is very much an on the line shop stopper, which means more coverage is needed deeper in the 6 yard box so no surprise they are being pulled narrow. If the team are confident that the keeper has a certain area and height covered they will position differently. We looked more secure from crosses on Tuesday with Walsh as he will come catch and punch more.
Nardi is cleary an excellent shop stopper and fantastic in one on ones, Walsh seems to be better in terms of handling and crosses |
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Reply | Madsen
at 11:30 31 Aug 2024
I think I said on another match thread that was probably the most physical and direct team he would have come against in his career, and his positioning and anticipation was all over the place. That's the eyeball test, interestingly on the analytics sites that rate players he had the second highest score after Frey 8.2 or something like that, because for all of those issues he scored and had a key contribution in the goal and other chances created.
He will need to work on the physical side of his game that is for sure, and anticipation will come with game time. Marti could easily have hooked him ahead of Lloyd at half time and there would be no complaints, but another example I think of what a great manager Marti is that he decided to leave him on and move him to the left |
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Reply | Nardi
at 11:23 31 Aug 2024
Shop stopping was exceptional last night and you can see this is his strength along with one on ones. I'm not wholly convinced with his handling and command of the box especially with crosses where he can be very rooted to his line, and that impacts the defence. Who have to be a couple of yards deeper |
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