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Post by OohMac on Nov 23, 2021 21:54:09 GMT
Great win at the cost of Isgrove injury and Dapo booking which means we'll miss them for the next game which leaves us threadbare. Not sure who if any are close to a return. Oh well can enjoy the win and worry later.
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Post by chip on Nov 23, 2021 22:01:16 GMT
That’s it 3-0 a win is a win I’ll take winning ugly and a clean sheet onwards and upwards stay safe one and all COYWM
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Post by realtrottersforever on Nov 23, 2021 22:21:03 GMT
Boring, boring, boring and Doncaster should have been at least 2 up before we scored our first, which was completely against the run of play.
Some bright points, bearing in mind the quality of the opposition was Gordon at right back, Thomasson had quite a good performance too. The sending off finished the game off really, but we didn't make the most of our one man advantage, continuing to play the ball endlessly back and forth across the back.
This style of football does not inspire me or entertain me, and if we hadn't scored before half time I think I might have come home.
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Post by whitesince63 on Nov 23, 2021 22:26:18 GMT
Pluses and minuses aplenty tonight. How lucky were we that they fluffed their big chance, we don’t normally get let off like that. Equally I’m not sure the sending off was altogether necessary, I think Dapo made a meal of it but fortunately we woke up and once we’d scored there was really only one team in it, in fact second half they just seemed to completely give up and really we should have scored a bagful. A big plus we’re the performances of Thomason and Gordon. Gordon in particular looked a different player down the right and our first goal was largely down to his pace, strength and skill. If he continues like that there should be no need for Izzy to go back there. I do think without Dapo and potentially Isgrove against Cheltenham on Saturday we’ll find it much harder to get a result. That certainly should have restored confidence and with Doyle back now and Amaechi recovering fitness, we may just be able to scrape together enough points to stay in the top half until the January window. One more negative tonight was his use of Delfouneso again instead of giving one of the young players a chance. Poor management for me when everybody knows Fonz will be gone at the next opportunity but I’ll let IE off as we got the 3 points.
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Post by andyl on Nov 23, 2021 22:57:05 GMT
A classic game of a third and two thirds! Sometimes when you think the gods are against and it can't get any worse all of a sudden it gets better and encouragingly so.
For the first third we we were outplayed, as ever overrun in midfield, content to pass backwards and very vulnerable on turnovers. In truth they should have been two up, one was a horrendous miss. We had seen Santos' aerial weakness and John beaten to crosses...But we had also seen Gordon make a quietly impressive start and Dixon caught a corner.
Then Dapo was strangely booked ruling both him andvthe hamstring clutching Isgrove out of Saturday. But Dapo was stung into action and viciously chopped down by one of their better players who rightly took his early bath.
The plus points were Gordon throughout - he always had the control and nip to cut inside; Johnston also did really well and his covering play got Thomasson more forward where he excels with a variety of passing unrivalled. His goal was lucky but Doncaster also got in some lucky blocks to fuustrate.
We also found an attacking ploy cutting in and firing hard low crosses, two of which were converted luckily by Doyle and neatly by Kachunga whose goal deflated Doncaster.
We saw some exciting glimpses of Amaechi and almost a delfouneso goal late on- his only manifestation
Dixon 6 Gordon 8 Santos 5 Aimson 5 John 6 Isgrove 4 Johnston 7 Thomasson 8 Lee 7 Kachunga 7 Dapo 7 Doyle 5 Amaechi 7 Delfouneso 1
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Post by kenglowhite on Nov 23, 2021 23:00:57 GMT
It didn't surprise me to see Gordon at right back, the only surprise being how long Evatt took to make the move in place of Jones. All last season I railed about his left foot only being useful to stand on, and tonight he showed not only the strength of his right, but also that he is learning to use his left. Agree the red seemed harsh, but just seen a Brum player v Coventry sent off for a very similar foul, so maybe it's now in the referees' textbook. Thought we should have done better in the second half, but overall some improved performances by some players, notably John and Kachunga, and further encouragement from Thomason.
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Post by davidm on Nov 24, 2021 9:20:20 GMT
A strange game.
An awful first 30 minutes, then an excellent remaining 60 minutes.
We were dreadful early on. Slow, ponderous passing. We could have been playing walking football. Doncaster meanwhile were busy and getting numerous shots in. Afolayan got caught in possession and we were wide open. Joe Dodoo (remember him?) broke through and could have got a shot in but unselfishly passed across the goal to an unmarked player who amazingly shot over an empty goal from 10 yards out. The miss of the season so far.
We eventually woke up and scored a lovely goal. Dixon caught the ball and immediately threw the ball out to the sprinting Gordon who just burnt off the defender and left him standing. He played the ball in for Kachunga who turned and, I think, was shooting. Kachunga’s shooting is awful and the ball went across the goal to a proper goal poacher Doyle to tap in.
And the game was changed in that moment.
The Doncaster centre half was sent off for chopping down Afolayan. A bit harsh but it was a wild tackle and then Afolayan took revenge when he dribbled into the box and centred for Kachunga to score.
Everything wasn’t rosy in though – Isgrove was injured and Afolayan was harshly booked so we will be struggling for a team on Saturday.
Second half, Doncaster had one break where Dixon dived at a player’s feet but then they just totally gave up. In fact, they were wasting time with 15 minutes to go – trying to keep the score down.
We actually played well against 10 men. We got loads of space on the wings and Doncaster just packed their area to keep us out.
Thomason who was amazingly busy scored with a deflected shot, Kachunga headed over when he should have scored, John had 2 shots saved and put in endless crosses, Santos shot just wide and Delfouneso shot over in the last minute when it looked easier to score. We really should have scored many more in the 2nd half.
After the first 30 minutes, it was a good performance. It will be harder on Saturday. We have just played and beaten 2 very poor sides in Crewe and Doncaster so let’s get another win on Saturday.
Marks:-
Dixon - 7 A good one on one save early in 2nd half. Also a good catch from a corner. Really good roll out to Gordon for the 1st goal.
Gordon - 9 Very good. Made the 1st goal with an electric burst up the wing
John - 7 Some decent hard crosses which possibly deserved more plus 2 on target shots
Santos - 6 Not really pushed. He did what he had to do.
Aimson - 6 As with Santos, did what was needed
Isgrove - 6 Injured
Lee - 6 Busy but let Thomason do the main work
Thomason - 8 Very good. Lucky but deserved goal
Afolayan - 7 Very unlucky to be booked. Made the 2nd goal
Kachunga - 8 His best performance to date
Doyle - 7 Welcome back – a goal poacher
Johnston - 7 Not bad – playing out of position
Amaechi - 6 Very busy
Delfouneso
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Post by davidm on Nov 24, 2021 9:22:16 GMT
It didn't surprise me to see Gordon at right back, the only surprise being how long Evatt took to make the move in place of Jones. All last season I railed about his left foot only being useful to stand on, and tonight he showed not only the strength of his right, but also that he is learning to use his left. I don't understand this. Gordon is blatantly left footed.Even with first goal, he had to turn in onto his left before passing to Kachunga.
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Post by riochforthereebok on Nov 24, 2021 11:01:23 GMT
If we lose tonight we really are in the shit Cannot see beyond a 0-0 or a 1-1 Then again, County put 5 past our best 11 Ameichi, Bakayyoko and Kachunga put no fear in any opposition and for me are rank bad signings. God I’m so deflated😞 I’m not even sure I need to take meds after my ‘less than enthusiastic’ predictions We won and a win is a win It’s a game we should have won 3-0 even before kickoff as Rovers are a terrible side Had that shot not hit the diamond shaped floodlight structure on 23 mins and gone in, as per our usual, let’s give the opposition a goal before the half hour mark, we could quite easily have collapsed and passed our way around our own 25 with 80% possession to another defeat Glad that we didn’t of course and we now move on to Cheltenham at home next before we face Fleetwood twice and they’ve just sacked Grayson so they’ll be looking for a new manager, which usually brings about an upturn in fortunes. Let’s hope it’s not at our expense
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Post by realtrottersforever on Nov 24, 2021 11:03:36 GMT
What I can't understand, is all these glowing reports.
Yes we played quite well (in the 2nd half) against very poor opposition who had to play with 10 men for 50 mins and who up to us scoring our first goal made us look very ordinary and should probably have been 2 up.
I know we can only play the team that was in front of us, but do you think our performance would have reaped any rewards against a team even just a little bit better than Doncaster.
I don't know what position Isgrove was supposed to be playing but up to his injury had been anonymous, and he injured himself stretching for a tackle.
Yes Santos did what he had to do, but was caught in possession mid way through the first half that could easily have led to a goal.
Yes Doyle scored a goal, woohoo, but the rest of the time he ran around like a fish flapping about when out of the water.
What is the point/benefit at goal kicks having the 2 central defenders standing either side of the goal keeper. It ties up 2 of our outfield players and leaves 2 of the opposition outfield players free to press up the minute the kick is taken, especially if it is played to either one of them?
Why do our central defenders go forward for corners, when half the time we play it short and even if we play it long neither offer any threat at all?
DavidM says Doncaster were wasting time in the last 15 mins, and they were but we were hardly much better with our players passing the ball about across the back 4 even though we were camped in the Doncaster's half, why not try to improve our goal difference?
I'm not advocating a return to hoof the ball up field on every attack, but could we not mix it up a bit. I am being bored to death, which is what I think Evatt is trying to do to the opposition. In fact we were so poor up to us scoring our first goal, that the thought in my head was if we don't score before half time I might've considered going home.
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Post by whitesince63 on Nov 24, 2021 11:31:05 GMT
A slightly over pessimistic view Rftr, though I do agree with some of it. Like you, as for the Crewe game where after Baps ridiculous error, we should have been one down in minutes, we could easily and in fact should have been behind early doors. That we only scored one rather lucky second half goal against by far the poorest side we’ve played highlights our problem and my fears that a decent Cheltenham will make things much harder on Saturday. Like you I couldn’t work out where Isgrove was playing, he certainly wasn’t involved. I suppose we just have to accept with our injuries, Evatt having to try and fit square pegs in round holes. Lastly I was just really disappointed that yet again Evatt brings the constantly useless Fonz on instead of giving one of our kids a run.
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Post by riochforthereebok on Nov 24, 2021 11:40:44 GMT
RTF
“ What is the point/benefit at goal kicks having the 2 central defenders standing either side of the goal keeper. It ties up 2 of our outfield players and leaves 2 of the opposition outfield players free to press up the minute the kick is taken, especially if it is played to either one of them”
I think this is Evatt’s infatuation with Pep and Jurgen’s play out from the back system and it clearly only serves to give one purpose - MAXIMUM possession percentages. If Bruce Rioch or BSA we’re Director of Football here, they’d have nipped that kind of system right in the bud.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d hate to see Parkhoofson’s return of playing with the ball in the sky, but now and again, let Dixon punt the ball down field (just as Stockport did) and hope for a mass scrum and panic in the opposition penalty box. Who knows, it might add to Doyle’s many poaches.
Well I can’t be any worse than the system IE is trying and failing with
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Post by kenglowhite on Nov 24, 2021 13:57:50 GMT
I fully respect davidm' usual comments, and regret he disagrees with me about Gordon's strongest natural foot for kicking. My view is based on his performances last season when he was hailed as a wonderful overlapping left wing back. In fact he would be good at racing up the wing, but when it came to crossing with his left foot he never made a telling pass. Equally in defence he was often easily passed on his left side. Last night I noticed him bringing the ball up with his right. I think he needed to use his left to pass inside the defender to Kachunga to make the cross for goal. Whatev, he certainly made a claim to the right back spot pending the return of Jones, but meantime it would be interesting to discover which is his strongest foot.
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Post by whitesince63 on Nov 24, 2021 16:00:37 GMT
Like you Kenglo, I did find it odd that last night on his “wrong” side Gordon seemed prepared to run at and past defenders, albeit he had to come back on his left foot to distribute, whereas when in the left back position on his “natural” foot, he rarely passed the defender and crossed. This for me was the weakness in his game, hence no end product yet last night he was superb and seemed to have much more confidence in himself. Since IE doesn’t really want high crosses into the box, principally because we don’t currently have anyone to take advantage of them, maybe it’s better for Liam to play down the right and come inside on his left foot to both potentially shoot, or fire low crosses/passes 8th the box where we do have players to take advantage of them. At least it bodes well for Saturday, or until Jones is fit again because he certainly didn’t look out of place there at all.
On our rolling out to Centre Backs, I completely agree with rftr that it just invites unnecessary pressure on us. In fairness Donny didn’t press as high as most who’ve played us but the once or twice Dixon did throw the ball out it created movement and surely with attackers so high, we should do more of that to our wide players? Also, some of the cross field balls by Santos and Aimson were excellent and again created attacking moves. It’s the slowly slowly, constant sideways passes that grate and also cause us the most problems. All it seems to do is drop the pace when what we need is quick pass and move instead of allowing all the defenders to get back. I think with a few tweaks and a bit of confidence back, we’ll still manage enough points to be in the mix in January when hopefully we can both strengthen and welcome back some of the walking wounded?
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Post by andyl on Nov 24, 2021 20:23:30 GMT
As a general rule I favour left footed players on the left and right right. Just look at what Dapo did for Kachunga's goal. I also like the strategies of getting to the bye line and hitting low, hard crosses- it suits our players.
But Gordon, who for me is as left footed as they come, it really suited him to cut in on his left and yes shots were definitely in the offing. It is the modern way to have wingers who cut in and defences who pack themselves centrally. I don't myself much like it but most way and most of our recent managers have favoured wingers with the capacity to cut inside, so in Gordon we seem to have found a left footer who can operate on the right. That's a real plus from last night. On the left he's had little opportunity because he's had Dapo ahead of him
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