Great start but then derailed bullied.and more the same
Nov 4, 2017 11:19:27 GMT
Russgas, Antonio Fargas, and 3 more like this
Post by stevek192 on Nov 4, 2017 11:19:27 GMT
In truth I didn't really hold out for much from this game due mainly to an absolutely appalling record under DC in both the FA Cup and away matches in general. I am finding there is almost a case of Deja vu about watching the team away from the Mem but must admit that for the first twenty minutes we were bloody good and well worth the two goal lead however that was not to last as our defensive wows started to show and we looked in danger everytime County hit the long ball in. In many ways the game took me back to that black night in Northampton in the play off in the late nineties when we were put under an aerial assault and failed miserably to compete.
Last nights team selection was the usual case of surprises with the rotation of right back, no start for Ellis and a mix up in midfield that questioned whether our full backs would be attacking or defensive. The away results we have been providing cries out for us to be defensively strong but the lack of width almost forces the full backs to move forward and leave holes at the back that enable the opposition to get in far too many crosses that we struggle to deal with.
Even when we went two nil up there were signs that County could still get back in it as they created a number of half chances that questioned our defensive toughness or lack of. Anyway on to the individual performances in what really turned out to be another nightmare away performance.
Smith 6
Made one fantastic save from a point blank header and several other good saves but questionable on both the first two goals. He's a big bloke but doesn't look it when the crosses come in but there again
he is playing behind a defence that is at sixes and sevens. Would Lumley have done any better? Well for me the signs were there at Peterborough last season that we hadn't sorted the defensive problems out but merely delayed
them for another day or days. My overall opinion is that we have two reasonable keepers for this division and the problems are deeper.
Partington 4 Outstanding cross for the first goal but looks flat footed and unable to jump for high balls and like many of DC's signings - a little slow both in pace and reacting to situations but little protection in front of him.
Lockyer 2
Form has totally deserted him and it is laughable that we will be losing him to International next week or is it a blessing in disguise that it saves DC having to make a decision he looks unwilling to make? Sadly
I feel in my own mind that he should be dropped and removed of the Captaincy but and this is a big but I am not convinced that there is a suitable replacement in the camp and that is worrying si on some ways I can see
why Darrell is reluctant to drop him.
Broadbent 5
How good he is or can be is difficult to judge because those around him are so bad and despite his inexperience at this level he actually looks more the part than any of the others. My only reservation is that he can be bullied and turned too easily but he also has more signs of being a Championship player than the rest in the way he rarely gives a bad pass and is pretty confident on the ball. Time will tell how far he can go.
Brown 4
Pale shadow of past times but has the look of someone who is struggling to work out whether he is now a first choice or a player under pressure. IMO still has enough about him to do a good job but needs to concentrate on marking his man first and foremost.
Sercombe 5 Great header for the first goal and some nice touches at times but after the first 20 minutes was bypassed and looked lost as to what part he was supposed to be playing. Very similar to Lines in that he lacks the physical side of the game.
O. Clarke 3
Another poor performance and I question his selection as I can't really remember him doing anything either good or bad and came away thinking Was he out there? Was he substituted? I did see him arguing with the official near the end so he was out there but oh dear he is struggling like too many others. if he is the defensive midfielder then what the hell is Lines doing playing behind him? I am at loss to understand just what our midfield set up is.
Lines 3
Wants to spread 40 yard passes here there and everywhere or get in a head tennis competition. He was out there and regularly involved but did he really get anywhere as I rarely saw him over the half way line other than set pieces. Actually witnessed a good corner from him for the Sinclair goal. Kicking the ball out in the second half to allow a not badly injured County player to get attention when he could have taken the ball out and ran with it summed up his performance for me and he rightly took an ear bashing from Smith. Would County have done that in a similar situation and that really sums up that we need to man up and cut out the nicey nicey
Sinclair 3
Took his goal well and tried but in all honesty looked like a fish out of water and was rightly substituted eventually. The midfield at the moment has the look of a no go area which wasn't helped by Notts County's no interest in putting the ball there or our ability to pass the ball there. To be fair to County when the ball did come down in there they did, like other areas of the pitch appear to have the physical and numerical advantage.
Nichols 3
Couple of good runs including beating three players in the penalty area with a reasonable case for a penalty but struggled again to really get into the game and there were no real signs of him getting in the right positions to score a goal and yet I do see something there that needs to be ignited.
Gaffney 7 MOM Looked lively throughout and was very unlucky on three or four occasions not to have scored. over the ninety minutes for me he was the only player to come through with his reputation unscathed in that he looked a quality player who kept going despite getting no protection from the referee despite most of the fouls being right in front of the referee.
Subs: Harrison 5
As usual tried hard to get us going and apart from one inexplicable poor pass he held the ball well and took players on and beat them but unfortunately it just wasn't in the area where we want to see him doing it. In jest I say perhaps he can be converted to a centre half because his late defensive clearance was the only time I can remember us actually cleanly winning a high cross!!
Leadbitter 5
Did OK but the problem was that when he came on we needed a goal but also didn't want to concede one but by that time I was past caring and not really sure where he was playing or what formation we were playing.
Telford 5
Looked Ok and a couple of good touches and movement but also looks like a player who is at loss to know why he doesn't get a start and in truth I just don't see any signs of a partnership in our strikers and they are just playing as individuals feeding off scraps.
Crowd 5
Good following for a Friday night but yet again let down by the team. Home crowd were silenced early on but once they scored the first goal they really got behind their team and seemed to convince the referee to give them all the decisions.
Ref 4
Allowed Notts Countys bullying tactics to rule the roost. Was it a penalty at two nil? I am not sure but could see no reason for Nicholls to go down and the hush in the Notts County. In the first half on several occasions I felt the linemen were swayed by the home crowd and failed to spot obvious offsides.
end makes me feel it was probably another shocking decision. His decisions like a lot of other refs we get north of Birmingham bordered on the bias. What's good for the goose is good for the Gander
and how he allowed Gaffney to be mauled all night without reward was ridiculous.
Notts County 6 Play a certain way and stick to it thick or thin and this is my criticism of DC. County are not a good side as was seen in the opening twenty minutes when we really tore them apart but
as the game went on they realised just how poor defensively and in midfield we are and aided by a perfect referee for the occasion created mayhem with their direct football. Its not pretty but effective
and obviously it works so when it works why change? There's your lesson Darren.
DC His after match interviews seem to be getting more and more desperate and this is hardly surprising as at the moment there are question marks over far too many positions. Form wise I would say that Lockyer, Sweeney, Brown, Ollie Clarke, Nicholls and Lines are all performing below the level of which they are capable and Sercombe and Sinclair just seem to be struggling to work out exactly where their role is. It seems to me that the changes DC makes are now catching up with him and are as much causing the problems as solving them. Can Darrell sort this mess out? Well I hope so because his record with us deserves him to be given the time especially based on the fact that in every season he has improved us in the second half of the season. After last night he is talking of big changes and I hope very much that he is given the finances to put this into operation irrespective of results between now and the transfer opening. If he has not got the finances to put his plan into action (as some are suggesting) then he is a very foolish man to come out with these words but he is not a foolish man and therefore perhaps it is supporters who are foolish in saying that the funds are not available.
Based on the season so far I would say that there needs to be some wheeling and dealing. Centre of defence needs an experienced commanding figure, two wingers need to come in to provide both a regular spot and cover, a central midfielder and a strong striker look to be minimum requirements. I fully understand that there will have to be players going out with far too many average defenders and I would be looking for both Broom and Moore to be loaned out. I can't honestly see Stoke being willing to allow Sweeney and Telford to stay if they are not being used.
Resting so many for the West Han game did not seem to do any good so personally I would be trying the team against Swindon who I want to play against Scunthorpe. will that happen? Very unlikely as you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Thankfully at the moment the League position is not desperate and as long as we can get a win one ,lose one we will still be in touch after Christmas. On present form I think we will just be below that standard but time will tell.
There will be no Match report from me at Scunthorpe next week as I miss my first game for quite a few years so I wish all gasheads going a safe and rewarding journey. I very much hope that the short break will enable me to recharge my batteries because in truth it is both painful to watch and report on at the moment! UTG
Last nights team selection was the usual case of surprises with the rotation of right back, no start for Ellis and a mix up in midfield that questioned whether our full backs would be attacking or defensive. The away results we have been providing cries out for us to be defensively strong but the lack of width almost forces the full backs to move forward and leave holes at the back that enable the opposition to get in far too many crosses that we struggle to deal with.
Even when we went two nil up there were signs that County could still get back in it as they created a number of half chances that questioned our defensive toughness or lack of. Anyway on to the individual performances in what really turned out to be another nightmare away performance.
Smith 6
Made one fantastic save from a point blank header and several other good saves but questionable on both the first two goals. He's a big bloke but doesn't look it when the crosses come in but there again
he is playing behind a defence that is at sixes and sevens. Would Lumley have done any better? Well for me the signs were there at Peterborough last season that we hadn't sorted the defensive problems out but merely delayed
them for another day or days. My overall opinion is that we have two reasonable keepers for this division and the problems are deeper.
Partington 4 Outstanding cross for the first goal but looks flat footed and unable to jump for high balls and like many of DC's signings - a little slow both in pace and reacting to situations but little protection in front of him.
Lockyer 2
Form has totally deserted him and it is laughable that we will be losing him to International next week or is it a blessing in disguise that it saves DC having to make a decision he looks unwilling to make? Sadly
I feel in my own mind that he should be dropped and removed of the Captaincy but and this is a big but I am not convinced that there is a suitable replacement in the camp and that is worrying si on some ways I can see
why Darrell is reluctant to drop him.
Broadbent 5
How good he is or can be is difficult to judge because those around him are so bad and despite his inexperience at this level he actually looks more the part than any of the others. My only reservation is that he can be bullied and turned too easily but he also has more signs of being a Championship player than the rest in the way he rarely gives a bad pass and is pretty confident on the ball. Time will tell how far he can go.
Brown 4
Pale shadow of past times but has the look of someone who is struggling to work out whether he is now a first choice or a player under pressure. IMO still has enough about him to do a good job but needs to concentrate on marking his man first and foremost.
Sercombe 5 Great header for the first goal and some nice touches at times but after the first 20 minutes was bypassed and looked lost as to what part he was supposed to be playing. Very similar to Lines in that he lacks the physical side of the game.
O. Clarke 3
Another poor performance and I question his selection as I can't really remember him doing anything either good or bad and came away thinking Was he out there? Was he substituted? I did see him arguing with the official near the end so he was out there but oh dear he is struggling like too many others. if he is the defensive midfielder then what the hell is Lines doing playing behind him? I am at loss to understand just what our midfield set up is.
Lines 3
Wants to spread 40 yard passes here there and everywhere or get in a head tennis competition. He was out there and regularly involved but did he really get anywhere as I rarely saw him over the half way line other than set pieces. Actually witnessed a good corner from him for the Sinclair goal. Kicking the ball out in the second half to allow a not badly injured County player to get attention when he could have taken the ball out and ran with it summed up his performance for me and he rightly took an ear bashing from Smith. Would County have done that in a similar situation and that really sums up that we need to man up and cut out the nicey nicey
Sinclair 3
Took his goal well and tried but in all honesty looked like a fish out of water and was rightly substituted eventually. The midfield at the moment has the look of a no go area which wasn't helped by Notts County's no interest in putting the ball there or our ability to pass the ball there. To be fair to County when the ball did come down in there they did, like other areas of the pitch appear to have the physical and numerical advantage.
Nichols 3
Couple of good runs including beating three players in the penalty area with a reasonable case for a penalty but struggled again to really get into the game and there were no real signs of him getting in the right positions to score a goal and yet I do see something there that needs to be ignited.
Gaffney 7 MOM Looked lively throughout and was very unlucky on three or four occasions not to have scored. over the ninety minutes for me he was the only player to come through with his reputation unscathed in that he looked a quality player who kept going despite getting no protection from the referee despite most of the fouls being right in front of the referee.
Subs: Harrison 5
As usual tried hard to get us going and apart from one inexplicable poor pass he held the ball well and took players on and beat them but unfortunately it just wasn't in the area where we want to see him doing it. In jest I say perhaps he can be converted to a centre half because his late defensive clearance was the only time I can remember us actually cleanly winning a high cross!!
Leadbitter 5
Did OK but the problem was that when he came on we needed a goal but also didn't want to concede one but by that time I was past caring and not really sure where he was playing or what formation we were playing.
Telford 5
Looked Ok and a couple of good touches and movement but also looks like a player who is at loss to know why he doesn't get a start and in truth I just don't see any signs of a partnership in our strikers and they are just playing as individuals feeding off scraps.
Crowd 5
Good following for a Friday night but yet again let down by the team. Home crowd were silenced early on but once they scored the first goal they really got behind their team and seemed to convince the referee to give them all the decisions.
Ref 4
Allowed Notts Countys bullying tactics to rule the roost. Was it a penalty at two nil? I am not sure but could see no reason for Nicholls to go down and the hush in the Notts County. In the first half on several occasions I felt the linemen were swayed by the home crowd and failed to spot obvious offsides.
end makes me feel it was probably another shocking decision. His decisions like a lot of other refs we get north of Birmingham bordered on the bias. What's good for the goose is good for the Gander
and how he allowed Gaffney to be mauled all night without reward was ridiculous.
Notts County 6 Play a certain way and stick to it thick or thin and this is my criticism of DC. County are not a good side as was seen in the opening twenty minutes when we really tore them apart but
as the game went on they realised just how poor defensively and in midfield we are and aided by a perfect referee for the occasion created mayhem with their direct football. Its not pretty but effective
and obviously it works so when it works why change? There's your lesson Darren.
DC His after match interviews seem to be getting more and more desperate and this is hardly surprising as at the moment there are question marks over far too many positions. Form wise I would say that Lockyer, Sweeney, Brown, Ollie Clarke, Nicholls and Lines are all performing below the level of which they are capable and Sercombe and Sinclair just seem to be struggling to work out exactly where their role is. It seems to me that the changes DC makes are now catching up with him and are as much causing the problems as solving them. Can Darrell sort this mess out? Well I hope so because his record with us deserves him to be given the time especially based on the fact that in every season he has improved us in the second half of the season. After last night he is talking of big changes and I hope very much that he is given the finances to put this into operation irrespective of results between now and the transfer opening. If he has not got the finances to put his plan into action (as some are suggesting) then he is a very foolish man to come out with these words but he is not a foolish man and therefore perhaps it is supporters who are foolish in saying that the funds are not available.
Based on the season so far I would say that there needs to be some wheeling and dealing. Centre of defence needs an experienced commanding figure, two wingers need to come in to provide both a regular spot and cover, a central midfielder and a strong striker look to be minimum requirements. I fully understand that there will have to be players going out with far too many average defenders and I would be looking for both Broom and Moore to be loaned out. I can't honestly see Stoke being willing to allow Sweeney and Telford to stay if they are not being used.
Resting so many for the West Han game did not seem to do any good so personally I would be trying the team against Swindon who I want to play against Scunthorpe. will that happen? Very unlikely as you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Thankfully at the moment the League position is not desperate and as long as we can get a win one ,lose one we will still be in touch after Christmas. On present form I think we will just be below that standard but time will tell.
There will be no Match report from me at Scunthorpe next week as I miss my first game for quite a few years so I wish all gasheads going a safe and rewarding journey. I very much hope that the short break will enable me to recharge my batteries because in truth it is both painful to watch and report on at the moment! UTG
