Post by stevek192 on Nov 26, 2017 11:46:18 GMT
After missing the Scunthorpe game and wishing I had missed the Wimbledon game I didn't really hold out much hope for a game against the in form Blackburn who are one of the best sides in the division. I thought the very best we could get would be a one goal defeat. In fact that is what it turned out to be but I came away proud of the lads and feeling totally robbed by events that occurred. They say that when you are near the bottom and on a bad run that you don't get the rub of the green- well that summed up yesterday.
The goal disallowed at least 45 seconds after it was scored was an astonishing piece of refereeing and for that alone the referee and more importantly the linesman should be confined to a week spent between the opticians, a refereeing Course and a stretch on the Downs. It is difficult to see if the ball did in fact hit Harrison but if you can't be played onside by a deflection then surely you can't be offside by a deflection and it should be the time it was played forward by the attacker. it looks very much that Ollie Clarke was the only player who touched the ball other than the defender but whatever happened if there was an offside then surely the linesman's flag should have gone up straight away and not well into the celebrations and when the ball was back at the centre circle! Add to that a dubious penalty decision made worse by the fact that numerous assaults went on by Blackburn defenders under the referees nose with no sign of free kicks being given and particularly a foul on Leadbitter right on the edge of the penalty area in the last 5 minutes together with the woodwork hit twice, a couple of great saves by their keeper and a terrible miss by Nicholls with an open goal header at the end and you have just how unlucky we were to take nothing from the game.
That really is yesterdays game summed up
Smith 6
I really must question our goalkeeping coaches because my description of Smith would be 6ft 5 but plays like 5ft 9. There is nothing commanding about him and for me that has been clear in every game he has played. I would nickname him Dracula and if he is toi stay as first choice then we need to sign a very experienced centre half who is totally dominant in the air to compensate.
Leadbitter 7
Good performance going forward and defensively he gave a solid display but again for me was caught out on the second goal and other occasions. He is the best bet at right back but he has to learn to "stay at home" more often especially if he has Bodin in front of him.
Lockyer 8
Much improved performance and generally played very well reading the game exceptionally well most of the time and much nearer his best but the problem is that on both goals conceded Tom should have done better in the air and lacks the aerial strength to compete at the moment against physical players.
Sweeney 7
Looked to be back to near his best until his unfortunate injury ended his participation. If he is fit for next week then he should definitely start and be given every game until January to prove himself again.
Brown 7 Much better than recently but; like the rest of the defence at the moment; every mistake (however small) is being seized upon and that really is our problem. He put in a couple of great crosses particularly the one that Nicholls should have headed in near the end instead of heading inches wide.
Partington 9 MOM Great performance, worked hard from start to finish, got stuck in ,looked calm and efficient with the ball and inspired others when he didn't have the ball. In fact everything that Tom Lockyer is not and the first thing I would do on Monday morning is make him Captain and build the team around him- he was that good yesterday and I don't care if you have to play differently in home games but you still need that defensive minded player to allow your attacking players to play and IMO Partington is that player rather than Ollie Clarke or Sinclair. Whether DC will stick with him is questionable!
O. Clarke 6.5
Partington seemed to inspire Ollie into his best performance of the season. Very unlucky to have his goal ruled out from a superb finish. Good to see him at least looking more confident and was very unlucky to concede the penalty.
Sinclair 7 A hard working performance , retaining possession well and giving his best performance overall for weeks.
Bodin 7
Not 100% but good to have him back because when he plays opponents know they have to mark him and saometimes double up on him which is one or two players less to worry about!! IMO he can't defend therefore keep him up and keep Leadbitter concentrating on his defensive positioning.
Harrison 8
Brilliant goal and fantastic energy to put himself about the pitch chasing everything for 90 minutes. I still think we need a centre forward and still think Ellis could be the answer on one wing or played off a big man but he is our most improved player this season and I wouldn't be at all surprised if an offer came in for him from Blackburn based on his performance yesterday- those defenders hated the sight of him!!
Sercombe 7
Cracking volley near the end brought a great save from the keeper but in many ways the strike was too perfect. Much better when central and always looks capable of scoring but I'm not convinced that him and Lines can play in the same team and for me Sercs would be ahead of Lines as an attacking force..oh and we certainly didn't miss Lines defensive qualities!!
Subs: Broadbent 7
Like the other defenders worked hard but the problem is there are mistakes in him and for a big man he does seem to get himself flat footed and unable to jump at important times such as the second goal where with the keeper glued to his line it was vital that he challenged for the cross. I have given all the defenders decent marks but there are times where all of them are 4/10 and when the going gets tough every mistake is magnified and at the moment is ending in a goal conceded.
Nichols 4
Dreadful. Terrible miss but at least he got into the position. we all know that the header at the end would have been buried if a certain Mr Taylor had been there. We haven't replaced him in any shape or form and it is going to be difficult to do. For me Telford should have been the man coming on yesterday.
Gaffney 7 very unlucky to be left out and for me needs to be told " You are my centre forward and I want you in the centre of the pitch" because he can be a real handful and yesterday handful was appropriate as he was manhandled as soon as he came on and yet the referee chose to totally ignore and we had players booked for less!!
Crowd 8
Taking into account our dismal away record and overall recent results 1300 fans on a freezing day up north is bloody amazing. Not the loudest I have known us but didn't need to be to out sing the home fans.
Ref minus 1 Worst refereeing and linesman decision of the season to disallow the goal,got all main decisions wrong ,visit to Specsavers on Monday and a refereeing course on Tuesday, Absolute prick.
Blackburn 6 I thought for the first thirty minutes their passing game was a joy to watch but we grew on the game and to be honest for 60 minutes we looked more up for it and the better team but they always had that extra bit of quality and I will be surprised if they don't occupy one of the top three places at the death.
DC Got the starting line up perfect yesterday and really was only let down by our inability defensively to concentrate 100% of the time. The test now is to pick the good points and build on them rather than individual projects which in truth IMO has been found out . Joe Partington gave the most outstanding display by a defensive midfielder this season so PLAY HIM THERE for the rest of this year and make him Captain because he has that drive that inspires others. Only a settled side will see us through this bleak spell. I feel we have to stick with DC despite the results but hopefully he will be given the funding to bring in four experienced players and of course keep BB.
Next weeks game will be tough and a lot will depend on how we marshall the Rotherham attackers.
Barring injuries I would go with
Slocombe
Leadbitter Lockyer Sweeney Brown
Bodin Sercombe Partington (Capt) Harrison
Gaffney Telford
The goal disallowed at least 45 seconds after it was scored was an astonishing piece of refereeing and for that alone the referee and more importantly the linesman should be confined to a week spent between the opticians, a refereeing Course and a stretch on the Downs. It is difficult to see if the ball did in fact hit Harrison but if you can't be played onside by a deflection then surely you can't be offside by a deflection and it should be the time it was played forward by the attacker. it looks very much that Ollie Clarke was the only player who touched the ball other than the defender but whatever happened if there was an offside then surely the linesman's flag should have gone up straight away and not well into the celebrations and when the ball was back at the centre circle! Add to that a dubious penalty decision made worse by the fact that numerous assaults went on by Blackburn defenders under the referees nose with no sign of free kicks being given and particularly a foul on Leadbitter right on the edge of the penalty area in the last 5 minutes together with the woodwork hit twice, a couple of great saves by their keeper and a terrible miss by Nicholls with an open goal header at the end and you have just how unlucky we were to take nothing from the game.
That really is yesterdays game summed up
Smith 6
I really must question our goalkeeping coaches because my description of Smith would be 6ft 5 but plays like 5ft 9. There is nothing commanding about him and for me that has been clear in every game he has played. I would nickname him Dracula and if he is toi stay as first choice then we need to sign a very experienced centre half who is totally dominant in the air to compensate.
Leadbitter 7
Good performance going forward and defensively he gave a solid display but again for me was caught out on the second goal and other occasions. He is the best bet at right back but he has to learn to "stay at home" more often especially if he has Bodin in front of him.
Lockyer 8
Much improved performance and generally played very well reading the game exceptionally well most of the time and much nearer his best but the problem is that on both goals conceded Tom should have done better in the air and lacks the aerial strength to compete at the moment against physical players.
Sweeney 7
Looked to be back to near his best until his unfortunate injury ended his participation. If he is fit for next week then he should definitely start and be given every game until January to prove himself again.
Brown 7 Much better than recently but; like the rest of the defence at the moment; every mistake (however small) is being seized upon and that really is our problem. He put in a couple of great crosses particularly the one that Nicholls should have headed in near the end instead of heading inches wide.
Partington 9 MOM Great performance, worked hard from start to finish, got stuck in ,looked calm and efficient with the ball and inspired others when he didn't have the ball. In fact everything that Tom Lockyer is not and the first thing I would do on Monday morning is make him Captain and build the team around him- he was that good yesterday and I don't care if you have to play differently in home games but you still need that defensive minded player to allow your attacking players to play and IMO Partington is that player rather than Ollie Clarke or Sinclair. Whether DC will stick with him is questionable!
O. Clarke 6.5
Partington seemed to inspire Ollie into his best performance of the season. Very unlucky to have his goal ruled out from a superb finish. Good to see him at least looking more confident and was very unlucky to concede the penalty.
Sinclair 7 A hard working performance , retaining possession well and giving his best performance overall for weeks.
Bodin 7
Not 100% but good to have him back because when he plays opponents know they have to mark him and saometimes double up on him which is one or two players less to worry about!! IMO he can't defend therefore keep him up and keep Leadbitter concentrating on his defensive positioning.
Harrison 8
Brilliant goal and fantastic energy to put himself about the pitch chasing everything for 90 minutes. I still think we need a centre forward and still think Ellis could be the answer on one wing or played off a big man but he is our most improved player this season and I wouldn't be at all surprised if an offer came in for him from Blackburn based on his performance yesterday- those defenders hated the sight of him!!
Sercombe 7
Cracking volley near the end brought a great save from the keeper but in many ways the strike was too perfect. Much better when central and always looks capable of scoring but I'm not convinced that him and Lines can play in the same team and for me Sercs would be ahead of Lines as an attacking force..oh and we certainly didn't miss Lines defensive qualities!!
Subs: Broadbent 7
Like the other defenders worked hard but the problem is there are mistakes in him and for a big man he does seem to get himself flat footed and unable to jump at important times such as the second goal where with the keeper glued to his line it was vital that he challenged for the cross. I have given all the defenders decent marks but there are times where all of them are 4/10 and when the going gets tough every mistake is magnified and at the moment is ending in a goal conceded.
Nichols 4
Dreadful. Terrible miss but at least he got into the position. we all know that the header at the end would have been buried if a certain Mr Taylor had been there. We haven't replaced him in any shape or form and it is going to be difficult to do. For me Telford should have been the man coming on yesterday.
Gaffney 7 very unlucky to be left out and for me needs to be told " You are my centre forward and I want you in the centre of the pitch" because he can be a real handful and yesterday handful was appropriate as he was manhandled as soon as he came on and yet the referee chose to totally ignore and we had players booked for less!!
Crowd 8
Taking into account our dismal away record and overall recent results 1300 fans on a freezing day up north is bloody amazing. Not the loudest I have known us but didn't need to be to out sing the home fans.
Ref minus 1 Worst refereeing and linesman decision of the season to disallow the goal,got all main decisions wrong ,visit to Specsavers on Monday and a refereeing course on Tuesday, Absolute prick.
Blackburn 6 I thought for the first thirty minutes their passing game was a joy to watch but we grew on the game and to be honest for 60 minutes we looked more up for it and the better team but they always had that extra bit of quality and I will be surprised if they don't occupy one of the top three places at the death.
DC Got the starting line up perfect yesterday and really was only let down by our inability defensively to concentrate 100% of the time. The test now is to pick the good points and build on them rather than individual projects which in truth IMO has been found out . Joe Partington gave the most outstanding display by a defensive midfielder this season so PLAY HIM THERE for the rest of this year and make him Captain because he has that drive that inspires others. Only a settled side will see us through this bleak spell. I feel we have to stick with DC despite the results but hopefully he will be given the funding to bring in four experienced players and of course keep BB.
Next weeks game will be tough and a lot will depend on how we marshall the Rotherham attackers.
Barring injuries I would go with
Slocombe
Leadbitter Lockyer Sweeney Brown
Bodin Sercombe Partington (Capt) Harrison
Gaffney Telford
