22-02-2015, 12:11
I was indifferent, tbh snoots. We looked solid enough defensively, and it was the best I've seen Wallace play. Smithies was excellent - seems to be developing his ability to command his box with his ever-growing experience.
However, going forward we were lacking in direction and bite. Frankly, it was all too narrow. Playing 3 central midfielders and two strikers, leaving SS as our only option wide, left us scrabbling around for through balls that never quite came off. However, seeing as we god rid of two wingers in the window and Powell seems reluctant to take Lolley out of bubble wrap, it looks like it's disjointed attacking play from here on in for the season.
On a positive, there were again signs that Vaughan and Wells have developed intricate understanding of each other's runs and movement and towards the end of the first half a couple of those balls nearly came off.
Hogg was as Hogg is, Butterfield huffed and puffed but it didn't quite click, Coady was largely anonymous going forward - it was just one of those days. aside from his diagonal run in the second half (which probably looked a bit better than it was), Scannz was ineffective too.
Miller needs to do more if he gets 20 minutes than he did - spent too much time trying to win free kicks instead of using his obvious physical strength to bully opposing defenders.
All in all, I think we'll be fine, but there is scant consolation for those of us who want to see us express ourselves with the ball - bringing two young exciting strikers on for less than 5 minutes is, frankly, a bit of a joke.
Powell's post match interview summed it up - would rather take a point safely than risk 1 point going for 3 - we have become risk averse, which is probably due to those results we've seen where we went for a win and got beaten It's a sensible philosophy, but sensible wins you little in the way of prizes or admiration, so my hope is that we'll continue to consolidate this season and then seriously invest in 3 or 4 key players next season. The alternative is to actually let our young prospects off the leash a little - to be fair to the likes of Lolley why not give him a start at home on Tuesday? Anyone who saw the Reading cup game would welcome his direct running game and Scannz looks like he needs a rest...
anyway, onwards and (hopefully) upwards
However, going forward we were lacking in direction and bite. Frankly, it was all too narrow. Playing 3 central midfielders and two strikers, leaving SS as our only option wide, left us scrabbling around for through balls that never quite came off. However, seeing as we god rid of two wingers in the window and Powell seems reluctant to take Lolley out of bubble wrap, it looks like it's disjointed attacking play from here on in for the season.
On a positive, there were again signs that Vaughan and Wells have developed intricate understanding of each other's runs and movement and towards the end of the first half a couple of those balls nearly came off.
Hogg was as Hogg is, Butterfield huffed and puffed but it didn't quite click, Coady was largely anonymous going forward - it was just one of those days. aside from his diagonal run in the second half (which probably looked a bit better than it was), Scannz was ineffective too.
Miller needs to do more if he gets 20 minutes than he did - spent too much time trying to win free kicks instead of using his obvious physical strength to bully opposing defenders.
All in all, I think we'll be fine, but there is scant consolation for those of us who want to see us express ourselves with the ball - bringing two young exciting strikers on for less than 5 minutes is, frankly, a bit of a joke.
Powell's post match interview summed it up - would rather take a point safely than risk 1 point going for 3 - we have become risk averse, which is probably due to those results we've seen where we went for a win and got beaten It's a sensible philosophy, but sensible wins you little in the way of prizes or admiration, so my hope is that we'll continue to consolidate this season and then seriously invest in 3 or 4 key players next season. The alternative is to actually let our young prospects off the leash a little - to be fair to the likes of Lolley why not give him a start at home on Tuesday? Anyone who saw the Reading cup game would welcome his direct running game and Scannz looks like he needs a rest...
anyway, onwards and (hopefully) upwards
Did your mother never tell you not to drink on an empty head?
Billy Connolly
Billy Connolly