28-01-2015, 17:24
The Same Old Song
I am a Professional Gambler and part of my job is trying to visualise how a match will go. Sadly, it is easy to predict how Wednesday home matches will go. The opposition will play three in CM to nullify us so there will be a low number of opportunities. Those that we get, we will probably miss & we have to hope the opposition don't sting us on the break.
The good news is my big bet on Under 2.5 Goal won, as did my small bet on 0-0.
The bad news is that the same story is being told in just about every home match. Odd bits of good passing, the occasional chance being created & squandered, the pitch was terrible, the ref was worse & lots of fans saying that we are playing well and should be happy we are mid table.
It wasn't a disaster. It was just so depressing. One point from home matches against Bolton & Birmingham isn't good enough. Some will say that they are form teams. Not away! Bolton's last other seven away boasts one win (at Millwall) and two draws (at Reading & Blackpool). Defeats at Charlton, Norwich, Huddersfield & Rotherham show they are a poor side.
Birmingham are little better. Wins at Forest & Huddersfield are more than counterbalanced by a draw at Leeds & a defeat at Blackpool.
Brum set their stall out to frustrate & they were largely successful. Our "new style" that SG promised turned out to be the same rigid 442 but hitting more long balls to Nuhui. We had our moments. Baker nearly put Keane through but was thwarted by a last ditch tackle. Maghoma cleverly worked an opening but the keeper tipped it round the post. Sadly that was to be our only effort on target all night.
Nuhui had one good chance and three decent chances but he didn't hit the target with any. I think that is the problem with Nuhui. Not that he doesn't score many, more that he misses the target so often.
Birmingham had one real chance when Mattock appeared from nowhere to rob Donaldson as he was about to tap in after Semedo had given the ball away on the edge of our box.
Westwood - 6 - one save of minor note
Palmer - 6 - kept £3.5m Gray pretty quiet
Lees - 6 - easy evening
Loovens - 6 - commanding but little threat
Mattock - 6 - one crucial tackle saved goal
Maguire - 4 - one decent shot but otherwise poor
Semedo - 7 - most effective player
Baker - 5 - one good pass then disappeared
Maghoma - 6 - only shot on target all night, created two chances for Nuhui
Keane - 6 - showed promise
Nuhui - 5 - tough night, worked hard, missed several chance
........................................................
Helan - 6
May - 6
So it's over six hours without a goal that wasn't by a penalty in matches against four pretty poor sides at S6. We have failed to score a goal in open play in EIGHT of the last nine home matches. At what point does SG realise that a rigid 442 with two wingers isn't working? Gary Rowett out thought him last night (as did Neil Lennon) by playing three in CM. Without some pace up front, teams can play a high line and our threat is limited to half chances, which we rarely take.
Only Stevie May has scored a goal from open play for us at S6 since September & he spent most of last night sitting on the bench. Fans want goals, they want excitement and we are providing little of either for the home faithful.
I am a Professional Gambler and part of my job is trying to visualise how a match will go. Sadly, it is easy to predict how Wednesday home matches will go. The opposition will play three in CM to nullify us so there will be a low number of opportunities. Those that we get, we will probably miss & we have to hope the opposition don't sting us on the break.
The good news is my big bet on Under 2.5 Goal won, as did my small bet on 0-0.
The bad news is that the same story is being told in just about every home match. Odd bits of good passing, the occasional chance being created & squandered, the pitch was terrible, the ref was worse & lots of fans saying that we are playing well and should be happy we are mid table.
It wasn't a disaster. It was just so depressing. One point from home matches against Bolton & Birmingham isn't good enough. Some will say that they are form teams. Not away! Bolton's last other seven away boasts one win (at Millwall) and two draws (at Reading & Blackpool). Defeats at Charlton, Norwich, Huddersfield & Rotherham show they are a poor side.
Birmingham are little better. Wins at Forest & Huddersfield are more than counterbalanced by a draw at Leeds & a defeat at Blackpool.
Brum set their stall out to frustrate & they were largely successful. Our "new style" that SG promised turned out to be the same rigid 442 but hitting more long balls to Nuhui. We had our moments. Baker nearly put Keane through but was thwarted by a last ditch tackle. Maghoma cleverly worked an opening but the keeper tipped it round the post. Sadly that was to be our only effort on target all night.
Nuhui had one good chance and three decent chances but he didn't hit the target with any. I think that is the problem with Nuhui. Not that he doesn't score many, more that he misses the target so often.
Birmingham had one real chance when Mattock appeared from nowhere to rob Donaldson as he was about to tap in after Semedo had given the ball away on the edge of our box.
Westwood - 6 - one save of minor note
Palmer - 6 - kept £3.5m Gray pretty quiet
Lees - 6 - easy evening
Loovens - 6 - commanding but little threat
Mattock - 6 - one crucial tackle saved goal
Maguire - 4 - one decent shot but otherwise poor
Semedo - 7 - most effective player
Baker - 5 - one good pass then disappeared
Maghoma - 6 - only shot on target all night, created two chances for Nuhui
Keane - 6 - showed promise
Nuhui - 5 - tough night, worked hard, missed several chance
........................................................
Helan - 6
May - 6
So it's over six hours without a goal that wasn't by a penalty in matches against four pretty poor sides at S6. We have failed to score a goal in open play in EIGHT of the last nine home matches. At what point does SG realise that a rigid 442 with two wingers isn't working? Gary Rowett out thought him last night (as did Neil Lennon) by playing three in CM. Without some pace up front, teams can play a high line and our threat is limited to half chances, which we rarely take.
Only Stevie May has scored a goal from open play for us at S6 since September & he spent most of last night sitting on the bench. Fans want goals, they want excitement and we are providing little of either for the home faithful.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.