30-05-2016, 10:16
So Wigan, Burton & Rotherham it is next season then.
Travelled by train to the match & couldn't help commenting that the last time I went by train, we were playing Dagenham & Redbridge. Quite a step up.
Arrived in good time and bumped into Chris Waddle and had a photo taken with the maestro while trying to down a bratwurst sausage.
CC picked the expected team & went 442. We started brightly or at least Hull started nervously but we soon faded with Bannan isolated on the left & Wallace on the right while Lee & Hutchinson were outnumbered in CM. This left FF & Hooper isolated up front.
We had plenty of possession in our own half but it invariably broke down without us creating a meaningful chance. Bannan, Wallace & FF all played well below par & gave the ball away too easily & too often. In fact Bannan hasn't played well since his suspension. He played much better when he was playing twice per week but two matches in four weeks seems to have left him under cooked. The same could be said of a few other players as well.
In truth, we were clearly second best on the day, partly down to CC's tactics and partly down to the fact that our potential match winners didn't turn up.
Westwood - 9 - saved us from a heavy beating
Hunt - 5 - just not quite good enough
Lees - 6 - solid but lacked protection
Loovens - 6 - solid but lacked protection
Pudil - 5 - had little positive influence
Wallace - 4 - poor quality & faded badly
Lee - 5 - not up to usual standard
Hutchinson - 6 - steady if unspectacular
Bannan - 5 - not helped by 442 tactics, showed signs when it was too late
FF - 5 - the odd spark but not played in his best position
Hooper - 5 - not helped by 442
....................................................
Helan - 5 - added little
Nuhiu - 5 - added even less
Joao - on too late
CC adopted the tactics that had worked so many times by starting 442 & going to keep it tight until half time. That part of the tactics worked but we were already getting over run in the second half when he brought on Helan, presumably to give us some pace. It never worked and surely Joao would have been a better option. Hard to be too critical because this tactic has worked several times but I feel we need to be more positive from the start if we are to move forward again next season.
Stat Attack:
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
Touches: 73 - Loovens, 70 - Lees, 67 - Bannan, 48 - FF, 45 - Westwood, 43 - Hutchinson, 41 - Hunt, Pudil, 38 - Lee, 32 - Wallace, 30 - Hooper, 13 - Helan, 5 - Nuhiu, 3 - Joao
Tackles: 3 – Pudil, Bannan, 2 – Hunt, Loovens, Hutchinson, Lee, FF, 1 - Wallace
Interceptions: 6 – Loovens, 4 – Hutchinson, 2 – Lees, Bannan, FF
Clearances: 9 – Loovens, 7 – Lees, 2 – Hunt, Pudil, 1 – Wallace, Hutchinson, Helan
Attempts: 4 – FF, 2 – Wallace, Bannan, 1 – Lees, Hutchinson, Helan, Joao
Attempts On Target: 1 – Lees, Wallace, FF
Key Passes: 2 – Hooper, 1 – Lees, Wallace, Hutchinson, Lee, FF, Helan
Dribbles: 3 – Hooper, 2 – Hunt, 1 – Hutchinson, Lee, Bannan, FF
Dispossessed: 5 – FF, 2 – Joao, 1 – Lees, Hooper
Bad Control: 3 – Hooper, 2 – Hunt, 1 – Westwood, Loovens
Crosses (Accurate in brackets): 7 – Wallace (1), 4 – FF (2), 2 – Hunt (0), Helan (0), 1 – Pudil (0), Lee (0), Bannan (0),
Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):
94% - Hutchinson (34), 90% - Lees (59), 89% - Helan (9), 87% - Loovens (53), 84% - Lee (31), 79% - Bannan (58), 79% - Hooper (19), 70% - Pudil (33), 68% - FF (28), 67% - Hunt (30), 57% - Wallace (21), 45% - Westwood (29), 40% - Nuhiu (5)
Playoffs are all about winning. There is £170m for the winners and just a few scraps for the losers. We start level with Burton, Rotherham & Barnsley next August and we need to get out of the blocks quickly in every match to make sure that we make the automatic places next season. We were clearly one of the best six sides in the division (and three of them have now gone) so we should achieve at least that again next season as we still have upward momentum. We need to make it next season while we still have that momentum.
A year ago, I was close to quitting after Stuart Gray’s dire brand of football. This season has been a revelation and there is every reason to expect a good challenge for the PL next season. Just hope I get to see some of it.
Travelled by train to the match & couldn't help commenting that the last time I went by train, we were playing Dagenham & Redbridge. Quite a step up.
Arrived in good time and bumped into Chris Waddle and had a photo taken with the maestro while trying to down a bratwurst sausage.
CC picked the expected team & went 442. We started brightly or at least Hull started nervously but we soon faded with Bannan isolated on the left & Wallace on the right while Lee & Hutchinson were outnumbered in CM. This left FF & Hooper isolated up front.
We had plenty of possession in our own half but it invariably broke down without us creating a meaningful chance. Bannan, Wallace & FF all played well below par & gave the ball away too easily & too often. In fact Bannan hasn't played well since his suspension. He played much better when he was playing twice per week but two matches in four weeks seems to have left him under cooked. The same could be said of a few other players as well.
In truth, we were clearly second best on the day, partly down to CC's tactics and partly down to the fact that our potential match winners didn't turn up.
Westwood - 9 - saved us from a heavy beating
Hunt - 5 - just not quite good enough
Lees - 6 - solid but lacked protection
Loovens - 6 - solid but lacked protection
Pudil - 5 - had little positive influence
Wallace - 4 - poor quality & faded badly
Lee - 5 - not up to usual standard
Hutchinson - 6 - steady if unspectacular
Bannan - 5 - not helped by 442 tactics, showed signs when it was too late
FF - 5 - the odd spark but not played in his best position
Hooper - 5 - not helped by 442
....................................................
Helan - 5 - added little
Nuhiu - 5 - added even less
Joao - on too late
CC adopted the tactics that had worked so many times by starting 442 & going to keep it tight until half time. That part of the tactics worked but we were already getting over run in the second half when he brought on Helan, presumably to give us some pace. It never worked and surely Joao would have been a better option. Hard to be too critical because this tactic has worked several times but I feel we need to be more positive from the start if we are to move forward again next season.
Stat Attack:
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
Touches: 73 - Loovens, 70 - Lees, 67 - Bannan, 48 - FF, 45 - Westwood, 43 - Hutchinson, 41 - Hunt, Pudil, 38 - Lee, 32 - Wallace, 30 - Hooper, 13 - Helan, 5 - Nuhiu, 3 - Joao
Tackles: 3 – Pudil, Bannan, 2 – Hunt, Loovens, Hutchinson, Lee, FF, 1 - Wallace
Interceptions: 6 – Loovens, 4 – Hutchinson, 2 – Lees, Bannan, FF
Clearances: 9 – Loovens, 7 – Lees, 2 – Hunt, Pudil, 1 – Wallace, Hutchinson, Helan
Attempts: 4 – FF, 2 – Wallace, Bannan, 1 – Lees, Hutchinson, Helan, Joao
Attempts On Target: 1 – Lees, Wallace, FF
Key Passes: 2 – Hooper, 1 – Lees, Wallace, Hutchinson, Lee, FF, Helan
Dribbles: 3 – Hooper, 2 – Hunt, 1 – Hutchinson, Lee, Bannan, FF
Dispossessed: 5 – FF, 2 – Joao, 1 – Lees, Hooper
Bad Control: 3 – Hooper, 2 – Hunt, 1 – Westwood, Loovens
Crosses (Accurate in brackets): 7 – Wallace (1), 4 – FF (2), 2 – Hunt (0), Helan (0), 1 – Pudil (0), Lee (0), Bannan (0),
Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):
94% - Hutchinson (34), 90% - Lees (59), 89% - Helan (9), 87% - Loovens (53), 84% - Lee (31), 79% - Bannan (58), 79% - Hooper (19), 70% - Pudil (33), 68% - FF (28), 67% - Hunt (30), 57% - Wallace (21), 45% - Westwood (29), 40% - Nuhiu (5)
Playoffs are all about winning. There is £170m for the winners and just a few scraps for the losers. We start level with Burton, Rotherham & Barnsley next August and we need to get out of the blocks quickly in every match to make sure that we make the automatic places next season. We were clearly one of the best six sides in the division (and three of them have now gone) so we should achieve at least that again next season as we still have upward momentum. We need to make it next season while we still have that momentum.
A year ago, I was close to quitting after Stuart Gray’s dire brand of football. This season has been a revelation and there is every reason to expect a good challenge for the PL next season. Just hope I get to see some of it.
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.