Deadbat
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- Aug 6, 2009
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...My service of providing reports has been poor this season. Missed a few or been very late. Work commitments has meant for Tues night matches I have had to get up early and thus staying up to write a report is problematic as I would be knackered.
I really cant think of much to say on last night; certainly would rather spend my evening with family etc than writing passages about how boring / average / poor it was last night.
I will summarise in my briefest report to date; as I am sure most on here have covered things.
We were really poor. Nothing happened of note first half. We had a few half hearted efforts that keeper saved comfortably. They had a few in the side netting. In between that nothing happened at all. It was dull. Two poor sides who could not penetrate, barely control or even make simple passes.
Second half was not much better save for the fact we capitalised on an awful mistake and Done scored smartly. A really clever goal as first chance was saved well but he used good composure to nod home. After this game settled down to more mediocrity. However it looked like we had done enough to win a poor game and just go home with the three points but we sat back and then bizarrely Clough took off both strikers. We ended up with Flynn then injured and hobbling around no one up top at all. It was incredibly negative and invited pressure on. They hit the post after we gave the ball away.
We did not learn and Reed (was not only one but he gave it away three times in succession) and they scored with a daisy cutter. Turner who had looked shaky all night to me (6+ footer but lets crosses routinely come right into 6 yard box) was poor and should have got to it. It was hardly hit with pace. Then incredibly poor defending from Basham and Harris (who up to this point had been two of our better players of a poor bunch) let in Washington and it was 2-1. An awful game but one we should have won. We did not deserve to win really. A 0-0 would have been about right so 1-1 was not too far off but then the last winner summed up United's performance.
Peterborough were fortunate to win (they were a poor side that should have been for the taking - they may say the same about us)but United did not do enough to win. We barely had any attacks on goal (neither did they and the game was drab beyond. the standard was very poor overall.
United look miles off a promotion side to me. Seems odd to say that and due to the poor standard of the rest of the division, we are still in with a chance of at least the playoffs (automatic has gone now I feel) but I cant see us coming out of this dreaded end of season lottery anymore than in previous seasons the side lacks pace, power, height and guile. We are bang average at best. We have won a few on the bounce and been unbeaten but not convinced in the games I have seen (granted not seen the away games - won 3 and had good results). I don't think we have been much better in the wins than the defeats and most games could have gone either way.
I keep waiting for the performances to improve and us to step it up but not seeing it really despite upturn in some of results. The performances continue to be disjointed and we still look like a side unaware of what its style or strength are. Hope we can somehow hit form at the right time and break the playoff hoodoo but not convinced it will happen.
As for player ratings - none was above a 6 or 7. Mistakes were made throughout the side. Done worked hard and Murphy showed flashes but outside of those two cant think of many who did ok. Harris and Basham were ok up to daft mistakes but we lacked attacking threat again and the lack of pace and height continues to restrict chances we can create both from set plays and in general play.
I really cant think of much to say on last night; certainly would rather spend my evening with family etc than writing passages about how boring / average / poor it was last night.
I will summarise in my briefest report to date; as I am sure most on here have covered things.
We were really poor. Nothing happened of note first half. We had a few half hearted efforts that keeper saved comfortably. They had a few in the side netting. In between that nothing happened at all. It was dull. Two poor sides who could not penetrate, barely control or even make simple passes.
Second half was not much better save for the fact we capitalised on an awful mistake and Done scored smartly. A really clever goal as first chance was saved well but he used good composure to nod home. After this game settled down to more mediocrity. However it looked like we had done enough to win a poor game and just go home with the three points but we sat back and then bizarrely Clough took off both strikers. We ended up with Flynn then injured and hobbling around no one up top at all. It was incredibly negative and invited pressure on. They hit the post after we gave the ball away.
We did not learn and Reed (was not only one but he gave it away three times in succession) and they scored with a daisy cutter. Turner who had looked shaky all night to me (6+ footer but lets crosses routinely come right into 6 yard box) was poor and should have got to it. It was hardly hit with pace. Then incredibly poor defending from Basham and Harris (who up to this point had been two of our better players of a poor bunch) let in Washington and it was 2-1. An awful game but one we should have won. We did not deserve to win really. A 0-0 would have been about right so 1-1 was not too far off but then the last winner summed up United's performance.
Peterborough were fortunate to win (they were a poor side that should have been for the taking - they may say the same about us)but United did not do enough to win. We barely had any attacks on goal (neither did they and the game was drab beyond. the standard was very poor overall.
United look miles off a promotion side to me. Seems odd to say that and due to the poor standard of the rest of the division, we are still in with a chance of at least the playoffs (automatic has gone now I feel) but I cant see us coming out of this dreaded end of season lottery anymore than in previous seasons the side lacks pace, power, height and guile. We are bang average at best. We have won a few on the bounce and been unbeaten but not convinced in the games I have seen (granted not seen the away games - won 3 and had good results). I don't think we have been much better in the wins than the defeats and most games could have gone either way.
I keep waiting for the performances to improve and us to step it up but not seeing it really despite upturn in some of results. The performances continue to be disjointed and we still look like a side unaware of what its style or strength are. Hope we can somehow hit form at the right time and break the playoff hoodoo but not convinced it will happen.
As for player ratings - none was above a 6 or 7. Mistakes were made throughout the side. Done worked hard and Murphy showed flashes but outside of those two cant think of many who did ok. Harris and Basham were ok up to daft mistakes but we lacked attacking threat again and the lack of pace and height continues to restrict chances we can create both from set plays and in general play.
