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Post by whitesince63 on Sept 20, 2021 11:08:48 GMT
I agree with kenglowhite re Doyle. At the game I thought he brought great energy, quite a few skilful touches and all but had two goals. He has had a lot of worse games. That said Rotherham weren't great defensively, so he needed to show up and he did. If he hit a post, so too did Matt Smith of Rotherham who is perhaps the division's model of the sort of partner for Doyle some of us seek. I haven't seen the replay but I'm not keen on Doyle's dozy offsides which recently cost us a win, however harshly and I'm not sure how he got to be offside for the header yesterday. It is though worth noting that Grigg was largely anonymous in the Rotherham support role. There is no guarantee a target man would bring more out of Doyle. I just wish Doyle wouldn't keep coming so deep-- it's a bit the Harry Kane syndrome. We want Doyle where it counts. But of course we need a better bench. We know Delfouneso and Kachunga has yet to impress. Maybe at the end of the season Doyle will sometimes be a sub. It might be a good role for him if not this year then next. More generally, a bit like Spurs today, I thought we did well in the first half and the neatness of our play was at times very good indeed. Yes the goals came from set pieces but all four chances including the two goals resulted from counter attacks and lost possession. We are just too open. From what I've seen Lee and Thomasson are two of our best players. We need to think of them not as competing with Sheehan and Sarcevic but of how we can get them all involved more regularly and how we can stabilise the defence and shore up what protects them. At present we end up with any two on the bench because of a rigid formation and Lee is asked to contribute further up the pitch than ideal. So our formation obliges the slection of weaker players over stronger. In this I wsih Evatt would show Tuchel like decisiveness. If it's not working, change it. One obvious path as offered above could be to find a way to have a three/five at the back as Rotherham did which was the reason they flooded out on counter attacks and had the men to press us out of our pretty back play. If we could do that we might be able to add Bakayoko in and keep a midfield of say Williams, Lee and Sheehan. Alternatively if we thought that was all a bit lightweight I still wonder if Santos has it in him to move into defensive midfield. He is so good moving forward and so strong. That said his dodgy positional play might be even more exposed there. Could Aimson play a role at the back. We need to find out. I think Johnston is playing well enough but he could do with competition other than Baptiste. At least though Johnston has some idea in the other box which is a major weakness of Santos. A third option is to ask if we need the two wingers. Dapo had a torrid time yesterday but he kept going and is our best attacking asset. As someone remarked above I wondered yesterday why he didn't move in centrally especially when Sarcevic went off. Isgrove did well yesterday if fading and he had the one good shot on target. Just maybe he could do wing back in a five. Jones offers quite a lot but his final ball is very variable and he loses the ball upfield too much for one in a back four. He is though a better ball carrier than some- one excellent run yesterday but from which he took an age to recover and was baled out by Gordon covering right back with a smart tackle Finally, I do think we miss the good long ball switch. Thomason is very good at that as is Brockbank and to some extent Santos. We really need that yesterday when they shored up their defence two up. All of this said my wife came with me yesterday for the first time in two years and although frustrated in the second half she readily observed that the play in general was light years better to watch than the endless long kicks which had characterised the Parky years, especially the championship ones. Every home game this year has been good to watch and thrilling - even the Burton game which epitomised frustration and illustrated all our weaknesses but in which we played very well I just think that yesterday we need something different not like for like. I take issue with whoever above criticised Sarcevic and Doyle for fitness in this game. I think both are far fitter and leaner than last year. Sarcevic does lots of good things and made runs enough to threaten. He was good enough yesterday. The problem is that strong as he is he's just too slow and he thinks too much--better if he just instinctively hit first time shots. You can see his brain ticking when he does something good and while he thinks, they recover or worse he plays some silly square ball and launches a counter attack. It was a great run to the bye line and Doyle was a bity too slow to convert his wicked cross. I think both are assets but not necessarily for all of every game. Somehow for me we have to get more threat on to the bench and to have a viable Plan B and C when the gods or the opposition or our own off days fail to convert our chances into goals or when oppositions don't engage with us. We also need to find some pace. O for Nathan Blake or his like in that attack. Rotherham showed enough to make it obvious that they were dodgy in defence but we just couldn't adapt and expose it. Well Andy they say football is a game of opinions and your post certainly proves that to me, even down to the weight of Doyle and Sarce. Hopefully when Baka and Xav are fit it might answer both the bench problems and the physical one. Where I do fully agree with you is in midfield. I think IE may be just a bit too set in his ways with either Lee or Sheehan partnering MJ and Sarce always picked up front. Personally I’d switch Sarce with Sheehan further up and as you say, try and find a way to get Thomason in for his passing ability. Similarly with two wingers when maybe just one with an extra midfielder might make us stronger. We do though certainly lack pace. Other than Dapo, we have no real pace moving forward. Possibly Baka might help that but for me both Foyle and Sarcevic are much too slow to take advantage of the chances we could make. I also agree about Doyle regularly being off side. Is it slow to move or slow to think? Generally the football is unarguably considerably better and we have to remember we’re still a work in progress but hopefully IE also sees the weaknesses and will work on them in January?
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Post by riochforthereebok on Sept 21, 2021 10:43:04 GMT
Having watched Wolves v Brentford earlier before our kick off, reading AndyL’s above post, you could almost cut, copy and paste, albeit substituting the names of Santos, Sarce and Doyle for Coady, Neves and Jiminez. Wolves looked the part and probably played the more attacking football, had more possession etc, but like us, but Brentford did just what was required to get the 2 goals and then snuff Wolves out, quite similar to our game with the Millers.
Just thought I’d do a quick, early season comparison as to what we might be up against. Love them or hate them (hate Trashmere and Blackburn more) Wigan might be up there come end of season, so it’s perhaps worthy of comparison to BWFC
Ok, 8 games in and we are in 8th position in the league and we’ve so far Won 3 Drawn 3 Lost 2 Scored 14 Conceded 12 On 12 points 7 different goal scorers with Dapo on 4, Sheehan and Doyle with 3 apiece Only twice have we kept a clean sheet Burton and Lincoln
Wigan Pathetic, who are joint top with Sunderland, have Won 5 Drawn 1 Lost 1 Scored 12 Conceded 5 On 16 points 8 different goal scorers with Will Keane scoring 4, Lang and White 2 apiece They have kept 3 clean sheets Rotherham Charlton and Pompey
Still, I suppose you cannot read too much into these comparisons just yet but if we did, had we got the penalty or given the goal v Burton and had we held our nerve at 3-1 and gone on to beat Wimbledon, we’d be sitting where they are
Big game tonight Pompey v Plymouth, I tip Plymouth to actually win this league as I rate Ryan Lowe who likes to play a 3-1-4-2 and he’s got a very good going keeper with a fairly decent defence
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Post by whitesince63 on Sept 21, 2021 13:27:45 GMT
Not sure Plymouth have the squad or the resources to win L1 rftr when compared to the likes of Sunderland, Wednesday and even Wigan to be fair. Pompey have wildly underperformed so far, as have Ipswich and Charlton who will also probably end up there or thereabouts. Throw in the likes of Rotherham and ourselves and as Warne says, this is probably the toughest L1 has been for many years and certainly tougher than when we were last here fighting off the likes of Scunny and Peterborough! There will be lots of six pointers as the season deepens and we lost one of them on Saturday. It may still be early in the season yet but we have to be taking advantage of those we face now who we suspect will be around the top at the end of the season whilst they’re not at their best. Similarly, we need to be pegging back the likes of Sunderland and Wednesday to prevent them getting too far ahead.
As for your “what ifs” I suspect every club could play that card. We didn’t and it’s cost us but we just have to try and make sure we don’t keep giving points away by missing perfectly good chances, as we did again against Rotherham. The only consolation for me is that Doyle still hasn’t stepped up yet but hopefully if he scores a few it will lift his confidence and he’ll go on a run. To add to your misery at Wigan, Charlie Wyke finally got off the mark with two last Saturday, which probably means he will go on a run now? We need someone physical like that so let’s hope when Baka is fit that he can create those opportunities we aren’t getting at the moment. The big problem for me is that with IE, it’ll be either or with Baka and Doyle, instead of both. I think I’ve seen enough of Kachunga now to consider that like Fonz, he contributes little or nothing when coming on, so hopefully IE has his shopping list ready for January or else we’ll be stuck here another year at least.
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Post by riochforthereebok on Sept 21, 2021 15:11:43 GMT
It is a slight worry that we keep throwing in the name Baka as though we cannot wait another minute for him to be back on the pitch. I’m only saying slight worry as in all fairness, Coventry didn’t want him last season when they were shit and his record isn't all that. I don’t want to be too unfair to the lad but when his record reads played 222 scored 37, that’s a goal every 6 games and at L1 level, we need more than that I do hope he rams my comments down my throat as too with that Ameichi kid and as we don’t have anyone else to threaten the striker position, but I’ll always give them my full backing as I would for any player that don’s the White jersey
Imagine how we would be doing had we signed a goal scorer in August Pressure should be off now from that huge home gate of 21000, now it’s our turn to do over Sunderland on their turf to prove that the Rotherham game was a hiccup 😬😬😬 Game management is key as I do believe we have enough quality to get a result there, just wish we had another striker to worry their defence
COYWM ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
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Post by whitesince63 on Sept 22, 2021 10:00:32 GMT
I agree on Baka rftr, his scoring record doesn’t instill confidence and there’s nothing to suggest it will be any better here. I think much of it is clutching at straws because we have nobody else to hang our hopes on. Neither Fonz or Kachunga seem to provide a solution and with Doyle underperforming we have to rely on goals from occasional scorers. I can’t believe that IE can’t see how weak we are up top and I’m still amazed that he didn’t do something about it in August but I suppose he expected more from those named earlier but it hasn’t happened. Given that we are currently one of the higher scorers up to now, it seems churlish to be discussing our lack of success up top, yet most of those goals (11) have come in just 3 of our games. With all our major competitors strengthening their attack, I fear that for all our possession domination, we will fail to turn that into goals as we have against Cambridge, Burton and Rotherham. Personally I can’t see a solution at the moment and can only hope that we can hold on to the top six until January when IE might be able to bring in someone to improve us. Also, unless we start winning games those big crowds we’ve had so far will quickly fall away as people get frustrated with the same old, same old each week.
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Post by riochforthereebok on Sept 22, 2021 10:26:10 GMT
Happen Ian should go to Sharon and ask for Daniel Sturridge!!
Darren Moore did that at Sheff Wed and they got Saido Berahino Say what you like about Berahino, he can score and is a threat when opposing teams see his name on the team sheet, they have to adjust to contain him, as would other teams if we got Sturridge
Just a thought
COYWM ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
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Post by whitesince63 on Sept 22, 2021 16:01:27 GMT
There must be a reason nobody’s picked him up rftr. Players stay unemployed for a reason and when a player of his undoubted ability can’t get fixed up, you have to wonder why. We’ve already been bitten signing somebody like that who turned out a dud so maybe IE doesn’t want to risk failing a second time?
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Post by whiteofthesouth on Sept 22, 2021 20:26:02 GMT
I just can’t credit how depressive everyone is being about our ability to score goals! We’ve already scored plenty this season, and they’ve been spread around a lot of different team members. We won’t necessarily score every match, but it was less than two weeks ago when we scored five! I thought we were quite unlucky against Rotherham. Doyle’s shot that hit the post could have easily gone in and on another day Jones might have hit his shot properly rather than powder-puffed it. That’s discounting the marginal (but correct) offside decision for Johnston’s headed effort. Remember, Rotherham are a well-drilled team only just down from the Championship with a canny and experienced manager. Not ever team will be that resilient. As for who might score, I admit ED had not yet been at his best, but Dapo is now scoring, albeit Rotherham neutered him and we didn’t take advantage of him tying up two or three defenders - hopefully we’ll be smarter next time. Kachunga hasn’t started firing yet, but it’s early days. I’m not sure he’s quite match-fit and certainly needs more time to fit into our structure. He had scored plenty before (although not in the past two seasons when he was in teams that didn’t help him). Obviously, we have both Amaechi and Bakayoko to return. Bakayoko scored in one of the early games and looked likely after that until he was injured. I acknowledge that Burton was a frustrating match, but they never came to win, just to block us. It was a problem Cambridge scoring early as, after that, they went into block mode. Clearly we need to be able to break that sort of block down. Let’s see how we do when everyone is fit again. I for one am very optimistic we will have the fire power then.
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Post by whitesince63 on Sept 23, 2021 8:28:16 GMT
I don’t think we’re being depressive so much as acknowledging a problem. It’s great that the goals are being shared about and that’s how it should be but our only key striker is Doyle and he isn’t doing it at the moment. On Saturday when he hit the post it wasn’t bad luck it was a bad miss, no good hiding the fact. When Smith hit the post later, that was unlucky, his angle was much tighter and our keeper much closer. There were so many times when he was slow to react, got his feet mixed up and the ball stuck under his feet. At his peak I think he wouldn’t have done that and I just wonder at nearly 34 whether his best times have gone? Hopefully not but he doesn’t look sharp or fully fit to me and I worry that we’re relying too much on him. As for Kacha, I’m still not sure what he is and where IE has bought him to play. He was signed after Ameche was injured so I assumed as a wide man and whilst he potted a few at Huddersfield, he’s done nothing elsewhere and I’m not sure the fitness line can continue to be used for him. Other than Dapo, we really don’t have a cutting edge which is a great shame because we’re creating so many good chances now that we just need someone to finish them off. I don’t believe Baka will do that so for me it’s essential if we are to seriously challenge, that IE does everything he can to recruit a striker in January, or even before if one becomes available. When Xav is fit we will have a surplus of wide players so maybe IE could try playing Dapo more centrally where running at defenders in the box may win us a few pens and free licks we could take advantage of?
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Post by riochforthereebok on Sept 23, 2021 10:07:19 GMT
Whiteofthesouth
I have to state that I’ve been completely opposite to my usual negativity of previous seasons and been nothing but positive, I just don’t think we have enough firepower where it matters.
Rioch had goals from all over the park but he also had more of a threat in the front 2 positions than any other team he faced whilst he was manager of our wonderful club.
We are 2 nil down and Branagan saves that penalty. Rioch knew that penalty save was a lifeline and so had to mix things up as Reading had it oh so easy Fabian comes in at the start of the second half Quote Brian Moore to David Pleat “what will DeFreitas bring” Pleat “He’s got legs, he can run, he can score goals”
Had Ian Evatt done similar at the start of the second half v Rotherham (with a goal scorer - if he had one that is) it just might have changed the dynamics of the game and put Rotherham even more on the back foot
That’s where the August transfer window should have been the moment we signed a front man and if someone like Sturridge was doing a DeFreitas and starting the 2nd half, The Millers would have lost that game in my view
COYWM ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
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Post by OohMac on Sept 23, 2021 12:17:41 GMT
Happen Ian should go to Sharon and ask for Daniel Sturridge!! Darren Moore did that at Sheff Wed and they got Saido Berahino Say what you like about Berahino, he can score and is a threat when opposing teams see his name on the team sheet, they have to adjust to contain him, as would other teams if we got Sturridge Just a thought COYWM ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️ Not for me. Heard Glen Johnson say he was the worst trainer he ever played with and ruined the dressing room. Peter Crouch also said they went from best team spirit to worst which caused the demise. Like Ravel Morrison they get new clubs and get a fresh start and all is good then when it does wrong true colours come out. As for Sturridge would love to see him back but cannot see it.
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Post by whitesince63 on Sept 23, 2021 15:19:25 GMT
We’ll we certainly don’t want anyone who acts like a Billy Big Socks so maybe that’s why Sturridge is still without a club? Personally I’d prefer a young loaner with all to play for and who doesn’t consider himself better than he is. I struggle to believe that there aren’t players out there who would like the chance to show what they can do and now that all the restrictions are off we can maybe recruit one in January. I suppose it depends on how Baka turns out but certainly I don’t see either Fonz or Kacha changing much so like rftr says, we need to be getting several replacements who can switch and play like Bruce had. Maybe that won’t happen until next summer when contracts run out so we may have to just settle for what we have for now and hope it’s good enough.
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Post by riochforthereebok on Sept 24, 2021 8:19:38 GMT
We’ll we certainly don’t want anyone who acts like a Billy Big Socks so maybe that’s why Sturridge is still without a club? Personally I’d prefer a young loaner with all to play for and who doesn’t consider himself better than he is. I struggle to believe that there aren’t players out there who would like the chance to show what they can do and now that all the restrictions are off we can maybe recruit one in January. I suppose it depends on how Baka turns out but certainly I don’t see either Fonz or Kacha changing much so like rftr says, we need to be getting several replacements who can switch and play like Bruce had. Maybe that won’t happen until next summer when contracts run out so we may have to just settle for what we have for now and hope it’s good enough. Unless I’m wrong W63, I think Oom is saying no thanks. in reference to Saido Berahino as he goes on to say that he’d take Sturridge if he was on offer!! I may be wrong🤔 It’ll be a gut wrencher f that kid from Urinals Elanga ends up somewhere like Ipswich in January when it would be more beneficial for him to stay local where they can keep an eye on him Ian Evatt is going on about Pep and his second string B Teams playing in the EFL, that would surely spell the end of sending their kids like Elanga to the likes of us to get match experience
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