In x4

 

Have we ever won here ? Has it ever not be shit ? 

Good enjoyable game to watch that in the second half. Lot of chances and great attacking play so I've come away from that pretty positive in terms of it being a good day out.

In terms of getting promotion, some major things that need ironing out:

-complete lack of midfield bite in that first half. Dempsey was head and shoulders the best player on the pitch for us and started making them uncomfortable on the ball. We need him playing

-Gale was infuriating for not doing a simple cross or pull back, always going for the cut back and shoot. Kenny got 2 assists simply by playing a ball across the 6 yard box and nearly had another in injury time. I'd rather play him on the left wing than Gale

-if we switch to a back 3 I think you have to leave Conway and Tutu as the wing backs. Understand we were going for it but similar to above point I think Conway would have put simple crosses in that Gale wasn't (Apter was already on so no choice there)

-Defending corners is terrible from us. I've always disliked not leaving a man up but we're now also not watching for the short corner. First half Rodriguez was the closest to the taker and shouting across whether he should go even closer to stop the short corner. Lo and behold it's played short, we only half clear it because there's no pressure on the crosser and noone up field to act as an outlet, and we're penned in for the next minute or so until we concede the opener. I'm astounded watching it

-Rodrigues is quite a way off the pace, impact sub role for him for now

Hopefully get this all sorted out before the play offs.

17 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Or a keeper blindness in our current & previous manager ?

I don’t think so.

For me a keeper blindness in a manager is when he would, regardlessly, stick with a keeper who is clearly not right.

SS gave both of Evatt’s plenty of chances. He brought in TSL from a premier club who was great in L2. It didn’t work. He gave Miller a chance then he wanted to go home.

He’s brought in a keeper he’d worked with before in the hope he’d be reliable, he’s shown why on occasions, but also shown vulnerabilities. And he’s got a young lad with potential in waiting.

Hardly the signs of someone who’s blind and not trying to find the best keeper for us in L1.

I think we forget we can’t just go out there and spend whatever we like, on who we like. It’s not a magic formula to find the keeper you want, who will perform consistently in L1.

Edited March 14Mar 14 by desperado

9 minutes ago, Lostock Whites said:

Yeah which is fair but my point is that we haven't done that enough this season, hence why we are 10 or so points behind the top 2 and have been pretty much all season.

We're a good team, with good players and we show spirit which hopefully will put us in good stead for the play offs.

If( I don't want to think about it) we don't go up and it's League 1 again next season, then I think it's pretty obvious to the fans and definitely to the manager what we need more of.

To be top 2 you have to be ruthless in both boxes, defending and attacking and we are definitely not that right now.

I don’t disagree with any of that. 👍

With CBT injured and Apter seemingly out of favour I'd be tempted to switch to the back 3 from here on out. Having to score 3 goals to win a game routinely isn't good

27 minutes ago, gonzo said:

We rarely give a goal away that isn't a calamity. Been the same all season.

 

That second Rotherham goal is one we'd be raving about if it was for us in fairness. Pass intercepted in their own third, broke with real pace, striker finished low and hard.

2 minutes ago, jmjhb said:

With CBT injured and Apter seemingly out of favour I'd be tempted to switch to the back 3 from here on out. Having to score 3 goals to win a game routinely isn't good

Or bring in Cissoko.  He didn't a lot wrong in his last few cameos. 

12 minutes ago, jmjhb said:

With CBT injured and Apter seemingly out of favour I'd be tempted to switch to the back 3 from here on out. Having to score 3 goals to win a game routinely isn't good

We didn’t look great today when we went 3 at the back (albeit you’d expect Toal to start in a back 3). 

9 minutes ago, Stig said:

That second Rotherham goal is one we'd be raving about if it was for us in fairness. Pass intercepted in their own third, broke with real pace, striker finished low and hard.

Agree, Nombe is quality and didn’t arrive in that position by accident, he was left completely unmarked just like Marriott was at Reading. You have to give some credit to the opposition who defended for their lives today.

1 hour ago, Kane57 said:

Whatever Celtic want for Kenny is too much 

He assisted both goals and made a real impact. What more would you want from someone coming on as a second half sub? 

12 minutes ago, desperado said:

He assisted both goals and made a real impact. What more would you want from someone coming on as a second half sub? 

Kenny was very good today

Just seen one of their goals. Our keeper is a bit shit isn’t he?

1 hour ago, gonzo said:

We rarely give a goal away that isn't a calamity. Been the same all season.

 

Aye, and the number we get given back are far fewer. The majority of our goals are usually from us doing good things up top. 

46 minutes ago, desperado said:

I don’t think so.

For me a keeper blindness in a manager is when he would, regardlessly, stick with a keeper who is clearly not right.

SS gave both of Evatt’s plenty of chances. He brought in TSL from a premier club who was great in L2. It didn’t work. He gave Miller a chance then he wanted to go home.

He’s brought in a keeper he’d worked with before in the hope he’d be reliable, he’s shown why on occasions, but also shown vulnerabilities. And he’s got a young lad with potential in waiting.

Hardly the signs of someone who’s blind and not trying to find the best keeper for us in L1.

I think we forget we can’t just go out there and spend whatever we like, on who we like. It’s not a magic formula to find the keeper you want, who will perform consistently in L1.

Agree. I'm not seeing the issue with Bonham others are. First goal was from 4 yards out after Tutu messed up. Second goal he got fingers to but the shot was decent.

He also made 2 excellent saves second half that without which we lose the game. I didn't notice any panicky moments with him all game - cleared the ball well. 

He's had a couple of shaky moments in other games but I didn't see any today and he earned us a point really.

Big disappointment today to not put a small bit of scoreboard pressure on Cardiff with an early kick off win. 

They now seem to be cruising. Looks like another dogging out in the playoffs. 

7 minutes ago, mickbrown said:

Just seen one of their goals. Our keeper is a bit shit isn’t he?

I think he is low on confidence after some clear mistakes but I prefer him over TSL by a long way.

I just wish we played quicker, when we do we cause any team problems, we just don't do it anywhere near often enough.

 

2 minutes ago, Stig said:

Agree. I'm not seeing the issue with Bonham others are. First goal was from 4 yards out after Tutu messed up. Second goal he got fingers to but the shot was decent.

He also made 2 excellent saves second half that without which we lose the game. I didn't notice any panicky moments with him all game - cleared the ball well. 

He's had a couple of shaky moments in other games but I didn't see any today and he earned us a point really.

I do think he could have done better (ie save!) that second. And he’s made a couple of other errors too. But, like you say, he’s made some great saves and kept us in games. So I’m just about in plus territory with him.

But I also think it might be good timing, now that second is finally beyond reach, to give Harrington a try and see what he’s like. 

Bonham has made some good saves but is also dodgy as fuck. He’s better than TSL but it doesn’t really mean a great deal. That ridiculous parry at Exeter leading to the goal for example, he did something similar last weekend too. Baxter and southwood both way better for me. I’d be looking to give Harrington a go, can’t be any worse.

1 minute ago, desperado said:

I do think he could have done better (ie save!) that second. And he’s made a couple of other errors too. But, like you say, he’s made some great saves and kept us in games. So I’m just about in plus territory with him.

But I also think it might be good timing, now that second is finally beyond reach, to give Harrington a try and see what he’s like. 

I see the logic but I'd be more worried about disrupting rhythm of a goalkeeper and defence that hasn't lost a game in 12 by doing that. Give him another 3-4 games for me.

It's a shame we've had no cup games to give Harrington a chance to impress

Just now, Stig said:

I see the logic but I'd be more worried about disrupting rhythm of a goalkeeper and defence that hasn't lost a game in 12 by doing that. Give him another 3-4 games for me.

It's a shame we've had no cup games to give Harrington a chance to impress

Yeh, I also see how that works too. I can see the value in both approaches. It will be interesting to see what SS does. 

Apter had 3 touches, all corners taken. When's Duberry back??

Just got back. Building an entire season based on getting points from losing positions probably isn’t really a sound plan, but it’s enjoyable all the same. Completely hapless first half, completely dominate in the second half. Had enough chances to win 6-3 in the last 10 minutes alone, but that’s the end of our faint hopes of top two. 

24 minutes ago, Stig said:

Agree. I'm not seeing the issue with Bonham others are. First goal was from 4 yards out after Tutu messed up. Second goal he got fingers to but the shot was decent.

He also made 2 excellent saves second half that without which we lose the game. I didn't notice any panicky moments with him all game - cleared the ball well. 

He's had a couple of shaky moments in other games but I didn't see any today and he earned us a point really.

Gonna give Tutu a little slack as he was expecting the player infront of him to get his head to it. His reaction time was not great but defenders up and down the land have that happen to the regularly.

1 hour ago, desperado said:

You can ask it, he can ask it, anyone can ask it.

I suspect Conway would turn around and tell you he’s doing everything he can to focus and concentrate and he’s giving his all in a white shirt. You think he’s not do you?

Im more inclined to think he’s a young lad still learning his trade and  susceptible to mistakes, hence why Johnston has been playing there and considered a more solid option recently.

 

He is being played out of position. He is not a left back in a 4 and Johnston looks less sure of himself when he's there. Tutu is also not a right back. 

Sheehan and Erhahon are not an effective two in games against more robust sides who dont stand off in a low block.

Burstow isnt a foil for Dalby, nor is he a right winger. 

None of those covered themselves in glory today, and its easy to say its poor application or concentration, but some of it is on SS and his belief they can do things they aren't cut out to do. 

We got away with it again to a degree today but it can't keep happening. 

Still on the way back only at Leeds . Thoughts just compoundes why we’re not getting autos defence needs clearing out just need centre half’s who can defend its league one   and a  keeper in the summer .
 

 but we showed fight yet again

Rotherham are heading for the trap door so a point there is still poor probably the worst side we have faced with also a home crowd that didn’t even turn up 

Edited March 14Mar 14 by Farnywhite