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Post by stevek192 on Aug 8, 2015 19:41:57 GMT
Thankfully a season is not won or lost on the first day and surely this is not a sign of things to come. Yet again a big crowd were provided with a very poor performance as a powerful and well organised and professional Northampton side were deserving winners although we could have got an undeserved win had Taylor and Harrison taken the only gilt edged chances created. Our midfield looked totally lost with Lines playing surprisingly deep when I thought the whole reason Lockyer was selected was to allow Lines to play more forward. Montano was starved of the ball and Sinclair is not a winger so we found ourselves with very little attacking intentions and even less accurate passing. In fact it was a total mess and often looked like Men v Boys.
Mildenhall 5 Looked very slow moving to me and maybe the years have caught up with him. One very good save but a couple of misunderstandings with his defence and kicking was awful.
Leadbitter 5 Average game,tried to provide an outlet down the right but caught out a few times.
Clarke 6.5 My man of the match. Looks a very good signing and had to cover for a very shaky Parkes on a few occasions and distribution was generally good.
Parkes 4 For some reason starts a season looking very rusty. Kept needing an extra touch and then hoofed it anyway. rarely found a team mate with his passing and looked very pedestrian. You wouldn't have thought that him and Mildy had met each other before
Brown 4 For me didn't look fit and was well below par. Apart from one move in the first half where he linked with Montana this was a poor performance particularly coming forward.
Lockyer 3 Not a midfield player in a million years but made to look worse by the fact that Lines seemed to start off behind him most of the time which meant we had no central attacking midfielder. Has not played there in any of the pre season matches therefore to me it was just a DC finding a place for him in the team.
Lines 4 Not a bad first half but played far too deep and got deeper and deeper leaving us with no presence in the midfield. His dead balls were the worse I have ever seen him deliver. Better to come I am sure.
Sinclair 5 Can't fault his effort but i am sorry to disappoint people but he is not and will never be a winger and his workrate was just lost in the wide position. Stupid early booking and for me became more and more lost and just drifted away as the game passed him by.
Montano 3 Could we actually have found a worse winger than Balanta? I hope not but not much to write home about on his performance today. I think he was not at all helped by the Managers tactics today. If the Manager has not sent players out to hoof the ball forward then why do they do it.
Easter 4.5 Started very well but really needs to get a decent service and it is very hard to do anything when your marker towers above you and so does most of the balls.
Taylor 3 Lost us the game by failing to take an easy opportunity-again. Didn't really do much with the general play so when a forward isn't contributing generally then has to take a chance when it comes along. for me he should have been taken off at half time.
DC 3 Selection, tactics and substitutions IMO totally wrong today. He is entitled to a bad one but was not helped by the players performance but sorry cannot accept that the players continually hoofing aimlessly is beyond his control and Taylor and Lockyer seem to have to be selected no matter what. Playing Lockyer in midfield set out as a defensive intention and a draw looked the best we were likely to achieve after the first 15 minutes. Substitutions for me are to change a game whereas the three made today just seemed to be like for like. Harrison for Easter, Monakana for Montano, and Bodin for Taylor did nothing to change either the formation or the way we were playing and although I very much back DC to be a success lets hope he got all the mistakes out of the way today. We played totally into the hands of Cresswell who was the outstanding player on the pitch.
Referee 5 Pretty poor but not to blame for the defeat.
Northampton 6.5 Professional,well organised but we played just as they hoped we would but I would expect them to be in the top 10..
The truth is we can only get better and i am sure we will.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2015 19:52:42 GMT
Thanks for that Steve, we definately watched the same game and your scores and comments very similar to mine on the ratings thread.
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Post by Centenary Gas on Aug 8, 2015 19:58:08 GMT
Thankfully, DC talked about there being too many long balls in the interview after, saying that players need to pick up the ball and be better on it.
For me though, when Lockyer plays in centre mid AND Sinclair out wide we are never going to be getting a passing game. We need midfielders to make space, pick the ball up off the back four and start something. Instead they trot off up the pitch and Brown or whoever just lump it.
I understand why Tom is 'undroppable' to DC, but for the dynamic of the team, sometimes I wish he would. Square pegs was our problem two years ago.
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Post by oddsongas on Aug 8, 2015 19:59:15 GMT
Same as me. Only little difference is I feel sorry for both new wingers as they got zero service and 4 players around them all the time. Also thought Sinclair wasn't as bad as you say, and actually got passed his man a few times until he got moved to the left.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2015 20:00:00 GMT
Agree steve he should of changed it at half time. Our midfield today was the worst i have seen it in years.
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Post by Staffordshire Gas on Aug 8, 2015 20:11:23 GMT
Conference players who need an injection of a lot more quality.
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Post by Centenary Gas on Aug 8, 2015 20:27:44 GMT
Conference players who need an injection of a lot more quality. Bit unfair. Half of the team were with us in league two before (and the ones that actually performed), Easter/Lines/Montano have come in from higher leagues, and James Clarke looks like a good addition. The finishing was Conference standard. If Easter had either of those chances we would of scored. Today was crap, but I remember how quickly last seasons team was written off. Our crap start was the wake up call needed. Northampton will be up there this season, and the experience and street wise of their team was probably what we could of done without on todays occasion. I know DC will take us up again, whether this season or the next, and I have no fear we will could get relegated. So I'm just going to enjoy the ride with a little less stress and over reaction, without the worry that we have yet another managerial dud. |
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Post by Topper Gas on Aug 8, 2015 20:55:09 GMT
Conference players who need an injection of a lot more quality. That's odd when two of our best players were Sinclair & Clarke, perhaps it's the other way around? What we really need is Mansel to get fit PDQ or Sinclair played in his correct role. I'd also like DC to stop worrying about our opponents and let them worry about us. |
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Post by gasoline on Aug 8, 2015 23:37:14 GMT
Why do we always start the season so badly?!
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Post by stevek192 on Aug 9, 2015 8:13:22 GMT
Gasoline, its the first game and its win,draw or lose with a 3-1 chance. The first game is usually always a tight affair and I think ,in a way it was best to start off by playing a streetwise team because hopefully it will give the Manager and the players a wake up call.
Some of the mistakes made yesterday can be corrected
1) Don't play players unnecessarily out of position (ie Sinclair) when you have other options ie Monakana or Gosling or even Bodin who are supposed to be widemen.
2) Don't just fit a player in because you want to play him somewhere ie Lockyer
3) It was clear to anyone that Cresswell and Diamond are a formidable partnership at this level therefore if you are going to just boot the ball out which was evident early then play a big man ie Blissett who would at least have dragged them out of position or better still tried to play through them by ensuring your midfield is a compact unit that play together and have the ability to keep the ball ie Lines and Sinclair or Gosling.
4) If it is going wrong then substitutions need to CHANGE the game not just like for like.
5) We are the home team and therefore the emphasis should be on a team to attack the opposition.
6) Too much concentration on what the other side possesses is going to result in a lot more defeats this season as most teams possess quite a bit of experience in this division and 90% of the games are going to be like a very small percentage of the games last season ie Eastleigh,Grimsby,Barnet.
7) Set the team up to let the opposition worry about us rather than the other way round.
I hope we will learn from yesterday and be much better next saturday. Already just listening to DC's comments on Birmingham I think we will see little of the ball on Tuesday as I am very concerned about his ability to organise to play against the better opposition and puts too much thought and concentration on stopping the opposition rather than setting out to cause the opposition problems.
We all know that this division is all about strength and power rather than skill. Have we signed enough streetwise ,physically strong players? only time will tell.
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Post by ashperry83 on Aug 9, 2015 9:12:38 GMT
Central midfield were our problems yesterday. The Lines/Lockyer combination was awful. Agree 100% on the use of the subs yesterday. Said at the time DC may aswell have not bothered, he just made like for like changes.
How could Montano make any impact when he was never given the ball?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 9:25:22 GMT
Although obviously dissapointed, I glad we lost yesterday. Had we won, DC might have justified his atrocious tactics and team selection. As it stands he would have had an uneasy night and hopefully got plenty of food for thought.
I do trust him to act upon yesterday's performance and improve us. Often fans have varied opinions but most people were groaning the same things yesterday wrt our set up and approach.
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Post by stapletongas on Aug 9, 2015 9:56:13 GMT
I've read a lot of crap on here last night and today, over reaction, exaggeration etc
0-1 isn't being out fought, shocking, poor, embarrassing, ad nasseum...
We could and should have won that yesterday, Taylor and Harrison should both have scored and I hope the big lesson those learn from yesterday is that when chances come a division higher, they must be clinical.
Frustration for we is that it's not that I think we were bad, I just think we could have been better and missed opportunity.
We were reasonably solid, Lockyer is taking an unreasonable bashing here, he didn't have a bad game and it wasn't Sinclair's place he was taking, it was Mansell's who I thought we missed yesterday. I wouldn't have played Sinclair from the start, the mistake was not starting Monakana on the right and stretching Northampton with width, and Montano on the left.
If you're going to play against big lads and catch match them for size and power you use the width and go round them.
DC does seem to have an issue with two out and out wingers, perhaps he feels it leaves the two in the middle vulnerable? But we are at home and should be taking it to the opposition.
So we did ok, not great but also not poor, embarrassing, out fought etc etc
It will get better, it's only one game
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Post by BishopstonBRFC on Aug 9, 2015 10:37:57 GMT
I've read a lot of crap on here last night and today, over reaction, exaggeration etc 0-1 isn't being out fought, shocking, poor, embarrassing, ad nasseum... We could and should have won that yesterday, Taylor and Harrison should both have scored and I hope the big lesson those learn from yesterday is that when chances come a division higher, they must be clinical. Frustration for we is that it's not that I think we were bad, I just think we could have been better and missed opportunity. We were reasonably solid, Lockyer is taking an unreasonable bashing here, he didn't have a bad game and it wasn't Sinclair's place he was taking, it was Mansell's who I thought we missed yesterday. I wouldn't have played Sinclair from the start, the mistake was not starting Monakana on the right and stretching Northampton with width, and Montano on the left. If you're going to play against big lads and catch match them for size and power you use the width and go round them. DC does seem to have an issue with two out and out wingers, perhaps he feels it leaves the two in the middle vulnerable? But we are at home and should be taking it to the opposition. So we did ok, not great but also not poor, embarrassing, out fought etc etc It will get better, it's only one game We didn't even have a shot on target until late in the second half, despite having a one on one. We played into their hands yesterday with the constant long ball. When Mildy was trying to get the game moving quickly he'd have no one to aim at as they all had their backs to him and no one was looking for the ball. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 10:38:32 GMT
We never should have won that yesterday! If we'd have scored those 2 goals ot would have been very harsh on by far the better side. We deserved to lose and did.
But yes it will get better.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 10:48:36 GMT
I've read a lot of crap on here last night and today, over reaction, exaggeration etc 0-1 isn't being out fought, shocking, poor, embarrassing, ad nasseum... We could and should have won that yesterday, Taylor and Harrison should both have scored and I hope the big lesson those learn from yesterday is that when chances come a division higher, they must be clinical. Frustration for we is that it's not that I think we were bad, I just think we could have been better and missed opportunity. We were reasonably solid, Lockyer is taking an unreasonable bashing here, he didn't have a bad game and it wasn't Sinclair's place he was taking, it was Mansell's who I thought we missed yesterday. I wouldn't have played Sinclair from the start, the mistake was not starting Monakana on the right and stretching Northampton with width, and Montano on the left. If you're going to play against big lads and catch match them for size and power you use the width and go round them. DC does seem to have an issue with two out and out wingers, perhaps he feels it leaves the two in the middle vulnerable? But we are at home and should be taking it to the opposition. So we did ok, not great but also not poor, embarrassing, out fought etc etc It will get better, it's only one game Have to disagree with your first comments mate, we were awful, so no harm in being critical. We had 1 corner and 2 shots! They had 9 corners. No point dressing it up, the performance was unacceptable. |
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Post by dragonfly on Aug 9, 2015 10:49:52 GMT
It was paramount that on the return to the FL a bold statement of intent was made by DC and the Team. The Supporters turned up but the Team didn't and on that evidence, clearly not up to the task ahead. Because of that performance the matches ahead look much more daunting. DC, please have a word with yourself as that was an idiotic way to go about winning a football match.
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Post by Gas Go Marching In on Aug 9, 2015 10:50:29 GMT
I actually think a draw would have been a fair result but that is only because both teams were poor.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2015 10:55:28 GMT
Good write up Steve but I think leadbitter was better than average yesterday. Provided the only bit of pace in the team towards the end.
You say Montano was starved of the ball then go on to say he's potentially a worse winger than balanta? Don't get it.
Agree with the rest, what's most disappointing for me is we weren't playing Pompey or any of the other teams expected to be up there, it was a very average Northampton side who won because they were better drilled.
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Post by baggins on Aug 9, 2015 11:09:37 GMT
Thankfully a season is not won or lost on the first day and surely this is not a sign of things to come. Yet again a big crowd were provided with a very poor performance as a powerful and well organised and professional Northampton side were deserving winners although we could have got an undeserved win had Taylor and Harrison taken the only gilt edged chances created. Our midfield looked totally lost with Lines playing surprisingly deep when I thought the whole reason Lockyer was selected was to allow Lines to play more forward. Montano was starved of the ball and Sinclair is not a winger so we found ourselves with very little attacking intentions and even less accurate passing. In fact it was a total mess and often looked like Men v Boys. Mildenhall 5 Looked very slow moving to me and maybe the years have caught up with him. One very good save but a couple of misunderstandings with his defence and kicking was awful. Leadbitter 5 Average game,tried to provide an outlet down the right but caught out a few times. Clarke 6.5 My man of the match. Looks a very good signing and had to cover for a very shaky Parkes on a few occasions and distribution was generally good. Parkes 4 For some reason starts a season looking very rusty. Kept needing an extra touch and then hoofed it anyway. rarely found a team mate with his passing and looked very pedestrian. You wouldn't have thought that him and Mildy had met each other before Brown 4 For me didn't look fit and was well below par. Apart from one move in the first half where he linked with Montana this was a poor performance particularly coming forward. Lockyer 3 Not a midfield player in a million years but made to look worse by the fact that Lines seemed to start off behind him most of the time which meant we had no central attacking midfielder. Has not played there in any of the pre season matches therefore to me it was just a DC finding a place for him in the team. Lines 4 Not a bad first half but played far too deep and got deeper and deeper leaving us with no presence in the midfield. His dead balls were the worse I have ever seen him deliver. Better to come I am sure. Sinclair 5 Can't fault his effort but i am sorry to disappoint people but he is not and will never be a winger and his workrate was just lost in the wide position. Stupid early booking and for me became more and more lost and just drifted away as the game passed him by. Montano 3 Could we actually have found a worse winger than Balanta? I hope not but not much to write home about on his performance today. I think he was not at all helped by the Managers tactics today. If the Manager has not sent players out to hoof the ball forward then why do they do it. Easter 4.5 Started very well but really needs to get a decent service and it is very hard to do anything when your marker towers above you and so does most of the balls. Taylor 3 Lost us the game by failing to take an easy opportunity-again. Didn't really do much with the general play so when a forward isn't contributing generally then has to take a chance when it comes along. for me he should have been taken off at half time. DC 3 Selection, tactics and substitutions IMO totally wrong today. He is entitled to a bad one but was not helped by the players performance but sorry cannot accept that the players continually hoofing aimlessly is beyond his control and Taylor and Lockyer seem to have to be selected no matter what. Playing Lockyer in midfield set out as a defensive intention and a draw looked the best we were likely to achieve after the first 15 minutes. Substitutions for me are to change a game whereas the three made today just seemed to be like for like. Harrison for Easter, Monakana for Montano, and Bodin for Taylor did nothing to change either the formation or the way we were playing and although I very much back DC to be a success lets hope he got all the mistakes out of the way today. We played totally into the hands of Cresswell who was the outstanding player on the pitch. Referee 5 Pretty poor but not to blame for the defeat. Northampton 6.5 Professional,well organised but we played just as they hoped we would but I would expect them to be in the top 10.. The truth is we can only get better and i am sure we will. Pretty much how I saw it. |
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