Post by davidm on Apr 11, 2023 9:19:01 GMT
Well, what a dismal performance that was.
It started in the 1st minute when Trafford, Johnston and Mbete messed around at the back and set the standard for a slow awful “walking football” performance.
A massive amount of criticism for the manager who at times is too clever for his own good. We slaughtered Plymouth and yesterday only 5 of that team started. I accept we are unlucky with the Santos and Toal injuries but why wipe out the midfield and the attack for this game?
We had a midfield that was dominating games. I can somewhat understand the Dempsey omission but why weren’t Morley and, more importantly, Lee in the starting line up.
Then to totally wipe out the attack and play 2 non-scoring strikers – it all stinks of manager knows best.
It was an awful 1st half. Cambridge hit the post when our terrible inability to defend high balls into the area now we don’t have Santos and Toal was shown up time and time again.
We should have scored when our only positive move in the half came when John got clear down the left. Thomason was totally unmarked in the middle but John chose to shoot and it was an easy save.
And that was it – the whole 1st half in 30 seconds.
We didn’t really improve in the 2nd until the manager more or less admitted his mistake and brought 3 subs on. We were much better and eventually scored when John shot home from a scramble.
We immediately brought on 2 more subs before the kick off. That was a big mistake! Presumably, he had it planned at 0-0 but once we scored the manager should have stopped the 2 subs. Bringing Kachunga on in midfield was a massive mistake when MJ Williams was the obvious choice.
From the moment we scored, we hardly touched the ball. Cambridge won every ball in midfield and any high balls that went forward were won easily by them.
We then had a break and Morley set up Charles who hit the post and that was it from our attacking front.
Cambridge had all the possession and Mbete eventually stupidly conceded a free kick on the edge of the box from which they scored. Any high ball into the box caused us trouble and so it proved.
A really dreadful performance throughout. The manager needs to pick our best 11 and stick with it. Stop this rubbish about being tired. Did he not know that Cambridge had also played on Friday as well?
Two away games now which will probably define our play off chances.
Marks:-
Trafford - 6 Not a great deal to do but he was culpable in our dreadfully slow playing out from the back.
Bradley - 6 Couldn’t really get the space to drive forward
Jones - 5 One of a group of 3 central defenders who cannot win headers when the ball comes into the box
Johnston - 5 Defended OK on the floor. Was hopeless in the air and his play out form the back was dreadful. Being one-footed didn’t help
Mbete - 3 Just not very good. Obviously he is inexperienced but his passing and decision making was awful
John - 6 Wasted our only opportunity in the 1st half when he should have passed the ball across the goal. At least he provided some attacking ideas in the 2nd half and scored
Sheehan - 5 Poor. His usual decent passing was gone and he laboured throughout
Thomason - 4 Another who is dreadfully one-footed. I am not really in the Thomason camp. He works hard and can be good to tie up a game as at Exeter but as a creative midfielder, he is not for me
Shoretire - 3 Dreadful. As I said a few weeks ago, he is a fast tricky youngster which is not good enough when playing against men. He lost the ball endlessly and also fouled too much
Jerome - 4 Just nothing from him. I concede that the service to him and Adeboyejo was abysmal but he caused no danger
Adeboyejo - 4 Looks nothing like a top striker at all.
Charles - 6 Made us look dangerous immediately he came on. Unlucky to hit the post
Lee - 6 Along with Morley and Charles, he made us so much more positive. Why has not been starting?
Morley - 6 Improved the midfield considerably when he came on. Made an absolute cock up defensively in the last few minutes
Kachunga - 5 No real impact
Nlundulu - 6 A few lung busting runs late on but a bit of the headless chicken about him
It started in the 1st minute when Trafford, Johnston and Mbete messed around at the back and set the standard for a slow awful “walking football” performance.
A massive amount of criticism for the manager who at times is too clever for his own good. We slaughtered Plymouth and yesterday only 5 of that team started. I accept we are unlucky with the Santos and Toal injuries but why wipe out the midfield and the attack for this game?
We had a midfield that was dominating games. I can somewhat understand the Dempsey omission but why weren’t Morley and, more importantly, Lee in the starting line up.
Then to totally wipe out the attack and play 2 non-scoring strikers – it all stinks of manager knows best.
It was an awful 1st half. Cambridge hit the post when our terrible inability to defend high balls into the area now we don’t have Santos and Toal was shown up time and time again.
We should have scored when our only positive move in the half came when John got clear down the left. Thomason was totally unmarked in the middle but John chose to shoot and it was an easy save.
And that was it – the whole 1st half in 30 seconds.
We didn’t really improve in the 2nd until the manager more or less admitted his mistake and brought 3 subs on. We were much better and eventually scored when John shot home from a scramble.
We immediately brought on 2 more subs before the kick off. That was a big mistake! Presumably, he had it planned at 0-0 but once we scored the manager should have stopped the 2 subs. Bringing Kachunga on in midfield was a massive mistake when MJ Williams was the obvious choice.
From the moment we scored, we hardly touched the ball. Cambridge won every ball in midfield and any high balls that went forward were won easily by them.
We then had a break and Morley set up Charles who hit the post and that was it from our attacking front.
Cambridge had all the possession and Mbete eventually stupidly conceded a free kick on the edge of the box from which they scored. Any high ball into the box caused us trouble and so it proved.
A really dreadful performance throughout. The manager needs to pick our best 11 and stick with it. Stop this rubbish about being tired. Did he not know that Cambridge had also played on Friday as well?
Two away games now which will probably define our play off chances.
Marks:-
Trafford - 6 Not a great deal to do but he was culpable in our dreadfully slow playing out from the back.
Bradley - 6 Couldn’t really get the space to drive forward
Jones - 5 One of a group of 3 central defenders who cannot win headers when the ball comes into the box
Johnston - 5 Defended OK on the floor. Was hopeless in the air and his play out form the back was dreadful. Being one-footed didn’t help
Mbete - 3 Just not very good. Obviously he is inexperienced but his passing and decision making was awful
John - 6 Wasted our only opportunity in the 1st half when he should have passed the ball across the goal. At least he provided some attacking ideas in the 2nd half and scored
Sheehan - 5 Poor. His usual decent passing was gone and he laboured throughout
Thomason - 4 Another who is dreadfully one-footed. I am not really in the Thomason camp. He works hard and can be good to tie up a game as at Exeter but as a creative midfielder, he is not for me
Shoretire - 3 Dreadful. As I said a few weeks ago, he is a fast tricky youngster which is not good enough when playing against men. He lost the ball endlessly and also fouled too much
Jerome - 4 Just nothing from him. I concede that the service to him and Adeboyejo was abysmal but he caused no danger
Adeboyejo - 4 Looks nothing like a top striker at all.
Charles - 6 Made us look dangerous immediately he came on. Unlucky to hit the post
Lee - 6 Along with Morley and Charles, he made us so much more positive. Why has not been starting?
Morley - 6 Improved the midfield considerably when he came on. Made an absolute cock up defensively in the last few minutes
Kachunga - 5 No real impact
Nlundulu - 6 A few lung busting runs late on but a bit of the headless chicken about him