10-08-2016, 14:32
Just got back from Shrewsbury after staying in a premier inn last night so apologies if this match report repeats what others have said, this thread has gotten very long and I don't have too much time to go through it. First of all, I hope this is a wake-up call to Wagner and the rest of these players. At the start of the game I literally said 'Let's not concede 30 seconds in like Bournemouth'...Should have kept my mouth shut. Then the second half right at the start we almost conceded again. Shambles. First half if Payne had taken those two big chances the game would have been over. But we didn't and we were too soft all over the pitch. No fight at all. Only when Hef came on at the end did we start getting stuck in. The atmosphere before the game felt like a pre-season friendly and I think the players thought they could just turn up and win. I hope this gives a lot of them a rude awakening. Our final ball most of the game was also dreadful, Scanz was probably our best source of crosses. Salisbury me and my Dad have both known was a shit ref for years so we knew what we were guna get. Books Hogg for first foul and then lets their keeper time waste from minute 1 with no bookings. Hef clear shove in the back in the penalty area late on and his booking was one of the most ludicrous I've ever seen. I also have no idea if we were playing 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2 but if we played the latter we should not do it again. My main concern is goals. Keeping Wells now is imperative if we are to really beat teams this season. I made some player ratings below:
Ward - 8. Assured, made some great saves at the end to keep it to 2-1 and did everything right.
Crainie - 4. Poor. Looked like a centre-back playing right-back. Poor crossing and poor position-ally. Never thought I'd say it but we missed Tommy Smith badly.
Stankovic - 5. Looked composed on the ball but did nothing special. Him and Schindler far too pedestrian in possession. They must have passed it between themselves about 60 times during the match. Underwhelmed by the hype and needs to bulk up a lot but one average game does not a player make.
Schindler - 7. Assured and made very little mistakes. Needs someone big and a communicator alongside him. If he was captain at 1860 Munich he probably was a captain that led by example rather than barked orders. Need the Hef to organise our defence and bring some aggression.
Lowe - 6. Has good pace and grew into the game but given very little cover by VLP at times. Definitely needs time to adjust to the CL. Will get better. Keep the faith. Good cross on him.
Hogg - 6. Good energy and ran about but why is he the player picking up the ball from defence when he can't pass more than 5 yards? Surely a player like Dempsey in here is required or even Whitehead would be better.
Mooy - 9 MOTM. Bossed the midfield, picked passes and tried to make things happen. Faded towards the end of the second half but magnificent. What a find.
Scannell - 6. Got some unfair stick from the fans but wasn't given a lot of the ball. Put in a shift and some decent crosses in but he was playing far too narrow as was VLP to affect the game.
Payne - 8. Before he came off he was my MOTM. Missed two sitters but he is an absolute pocket rocket. Was always asking questions, taking the ball forward and looking for gaps to exploit. An arm around him this week and set him loose on Saturday.
VLP - 5. He will inevitably this season either win us games on his own or be a complete passenger. This will be what we get. Consistency for him is the key otherwise he will get dropped.
Kachunga - 7. Has good pace, led the line well but needed more support. Got a goal and it's now 2 in 2. Can't ask for much more.
Subs:
Paurevic - 4. Was not impressed. Slow and cumbersome and was at fault for the second goal. Don't think Hogg or Whitehead will be sweating.
Palmer - 8. This kid even from the short time I saw him looks a star in the making. Wanted to do something everytime he got the ball. Would try and get him and Payne in the same team together. Gets you off your seat.
Hef - 7. Didn't get time to affect the game but gave us impetus, aggression and got on the end of long balls. Put him at the back and we could get a brick wall.
Anyway, a lot to think on but I'm not doom and gloom. Just bloody frustrated we've gone out the cup to a pretty joke team AGAIN at the first time of asking.
Ward - 8. Assured, made some great saves at the end to keep it to 2-1 and did everything right.
Crainie - 4. Poor. Looked like a centre-back playing right-back. Poor crossing and poor position-ally. Never thought I'd say it but we missed Tommy Smith badly.
Stankovic - 5. Looked composed on the ball but did nothing special. Him and Schindler far too pedestrian in possession. They must have passed it between themselves about 60 times during the match. Underwhelmed by the hype and needs to bulk up a lot but one average game does not a player make.
Schindler - 7. Assured and made very little mistakes. Needs someone big and a communicator alongside him. If he was captain at 1860 Munich he probably was a captain that led by example rather than barked orders. Need the Hef to organise our defence and bring some aggression.
Lowe - 6. Has good pace and grew into the game but given very little cover by VLP at times. Definitely needs time to adjust to the CL. Will get better. Keep the faith. Good cross on him.
Hogg - 6. Good energy and ran about but why is he the player picking up the ball from defence when he can't pass more than 5 yards? Surely a player like Dempsey in here is required or even Whitehead would be better.
Mooy - 9 MOTM. Bossed the midfield, picked passes and tried to make things happen. Faded towards the end of the second half but magnificent. What a find.
Scannell - 6. Got some unfair stick from the fans but wasn't given a lot of the ball. Put in a shift and some decent crosses in but he was playing far too narrow as was VLP to affect the game.
Payne - 8. Before he came off he was my MOTM. Missed two sitters but he is an absolute pocket rocket. Was always asking questions, taking the ball forward and looking for gaps to exploit. An arm around him this week and set him loose on Saturday.
VLP - 5. He will inevitably this season either win us games on his own or be a complete passenger. This will be what we get. Consistency for him is the key otherwise he will get dropped.
Kachunga - 7. Has good pace, led the line well but needed more support. Got a goal and it's now 2 in 2. Can't ask for much more.
Subs:
Paurevic - 4. Was not impressed. Slow and cumbersome and was at fault for the second goal. Don't think Hogg or Whitehead will be sweating.
Palmer - 8. This kid even from the short time I saw him looks a star in the making. Wanted to do something everytime he got the ball. Would try and get him and Payne in the same team together. Gets you off your seat.
Hef - 7. Didn't get time to affect the game but gave us impetus, aggression and got on the end of long balls. Put him at the back and we could get a brick wall.
Anyway, a lot to think on but I'm not doom and gloom. Just bloody frustrated we've gone out the cup to a pretty joke team AGAIN at the first time of asking.