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Post by davidm on Aug 9, 2017 14:53:10 GMT
It’s hard to work out our approach to this match.
Do we try to get our main side (excluding Wheater, Vela, Ameobi) into a winning vein or, more likely, do we blood a lot of the ones just outside the first 11 and not care if we are knocked out?
I think that the majority of Sunday’s bench will start plus Morais, hopefully.
I went to Blackpool last season to see us cave in with the “reserves” playing but, as always, I am confident that we should win tonight.
I’ve seen us win a few times at Crewe and also lose too. Plus an amazing 4-4 once.
Hoping for a good match and progression into the next round.
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Post by OohMac on Aug 9, 2017 16:17:58 GMT
Personally cup games are a free hit for us. We lose and its concentrate on the league, we win and get our first one out of the way.
Successful promotion teams and cup runs seemed to go hand in hand with Rioch and even Allardyce. Parky too from his Bradford days.
Would stick Howard back in there for either more confidence or as a second keeper because Alnwick for me has to play at Millwall.
Are we allowed to play youth players in this one? Or is it from the main squad like EFL Johnson paint farce?
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Post by Alptrotter on Aug 9, 2017 18:34:41 GMT
Hi everyone, first contribution from me tonight , as I live in Switzerland and can now watch all games via i-follow ( in theory) rather than listening to the appalling Wanderers World commentary. Hoping for a win to get the season properly up and running.
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Post by greydad on Aug 9, 2017 20:42:40 GMT
Hope you were able to enjoy the match Paulm....A win, goals from Derik and Armstrong, the former converting a Morais free-kick...good to see he is still able to deliver! Look forward to hearing more about the performance but am happy that the team got a result and made progress in the competition....well done Whites.
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Post by riochforthereebok on Aug 9, 2017 20:44:54 GMT
Hi everyone, first contribution from me tonight , as I live in Switzerland and can now watch all games via i-follow ( in theory) rather than listening to the appalling Wanderers World commentary. Hoping for a win to get the season properly up and running. Hello paulm and welcome to the best forum for the Wanderers Hoping your our new lucky charm seein as you've posted and we've won👍🏼 |
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Post by davidm on Aug 10, 2017 8:05:46 GMT
A dreadful performance by a group of players who should have been desperate to put on a good performance and get a place in the first 11.
The young lads (Burke, Earing & Robinson) get some praise for effort /desire and the subs looked liked first teamers but overall it was awful.
The manager stuck with 5-3-2 with Darby, the only one retained from Sunday, switched into the back 3.
We started with a bit of flair and determination but it only lasted about 10 minutes. The possession we had at this time was wasted by some of the poorest passing and crossing that I have seen in a long time. Pratley and Little both got clear on the right and wasted opportunities by totally mishitting crosses. Buckley’s passing was dreadful.
Once Crewe got some form of foothold, they simply out-passed us. They actually played well, found their men with accurate passes and completely embarrassed us.
In the last 10 mins of the first half, Crewe missed 2 wonderful headed chances when our defence was all at sea, firstly heading wide from a sitter and then heading straight at Alnwick from 10 yards out.
It looked like we had escaped until Derik was easily turned on the right of the box and a cross came over for Darby, yet again, to be outjumped for a headed goal.
The second half continued poorly. The whole game degenerated into slow motion football. Crewe made the mistake of slowing the game down – the goalie taking nearly a minute for every goal kick – but still they almost scored. Their striker hooked a shot against the bar and Alnwick made his one positive contribution of the night when a long centre went straight through the defence and he excellently pushed the bouncing ball round the post. We could, probably should, have been out of it by then.
It was just a slow turgid performance.
The manager then made a brave and game changing decision to bring 3 subs on at once and the game changed totally.
Madine held the ball up well and Morais and Karacan attacked.
Remarkably it was the left side of the pitch that brought the equaliser with a rare flowing move, on the floor, between Robinson and Buckley which set up the disappointing Armstrong for a tap in. A really excellent goal, totally out of context with previous 70 minutes.
We were suddenly on top and got the winner when the goalie missed Morais’ free kick and Derik glanced the ball in.
We played timeout OK until the final minute when Alnwick got in a terrible flap on a cross. The ball bounced all over the 6 yard box before a Crewe foot somehow put it wide. It could easily have been an equaliser.
We did not deserve to win this match because we were dreadful. Crewe outpassed us and we somehow survived.
Not many players come out of this with credit and apart form Morais returning, I see little change from the Leeds team for the Millwall match.
Alnwick - 4 Other than one outstanding save which probably kept us in the game, this was a really poor display. He flapped at high balls and his distribution was dire – often kicking the ball straight through to the opposing keeper.
Little - 4 Looked good for the first few minutes and got forward much more than Darby did on Sunday but poor final ball let him down.
Robinson - 6 Very promising. Got forward a lot. He obviously is a talented player. He got caught a few times defensively and needs experience.
Darby - 4 Oh dear, I already have him on my poor-player list. He was really average again. Not very good distribution and out-jumped again for a goal.
Burke - 7 Very good. Dominant. If Wheater is injured for a while, I am comfortable with him playing alongside Beevers.
Derik - 5 Scored but defensively got caught out of position a few times. Poor defending for Crewe’s goal.
Earing - 6 Very steady. Promise for the future. Sat in front of the back 3 and was steady. A decent performance.
Pratley - 3 Started well with a few good runs but wasted everything with awful passing/crossing. This includes one shot that was so bad it went out for a throw in. Booked as usual with his clumsy tackling.
Buckley - 3 Really bad passing. He got into some positions where a decent pass would open up the opposition and fluffed nearly every one. The one exception being the equaliser when he and Robinson sliced Crewe open.
Armstrong - 4 Scored but contributed nothing else. He was static and handled well by Crewe. I suppose if you play poorly but still score it is OK but disappointing.
Wilbraham - 3 Just anonymous. He was out muscled and had no link up play with his colleagues which may be understandable but he was poor.
Morais - 6 Needs to start on Saturday as he livened up the whole mood when he came on.
Karacan - 6 Same as Morais, he added some quality to a rag bag of a team.
Madine - 6 Didn’t have to do much to improve the team. He held the ball up well and brought other players into the game.
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Post by OohMac on Aug 10, 2017 9:19:26 GMT
described this as a free hit before the game but think it was the opposite. No one cared about winning the bout but losing was unthinkable.
In fairness in the cups we were beaten by Blackpool, Everton U21s last season so I'll still give this the attention it deserves glorified pre-season.
After Sunday I would say places were up for grabs. Howard, Darby, Dervite, Taylor(first half) Karacan all disappointing with Vela and Wheater injured(and poor too)
So 7 places for Millwall all up for grabs. Alnwick, Little, Burke, Robinson, Derick, Earing and Pratley ready to pounce for them? Sounds like some made stronger cases than others.
Fully expect Chris Talyor to be farmed out now and I'm Hoping we have something in line of a proper midfielder. Comfortable on the ball with an engine and eye for a pass. How much would one of them costs though?
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