Sum of the parts

[Blade56]

Jeeez, last night was embarrassing and if club could afford it they should refund supporters.

Yes, it’s where we are and we seem to be picking up some decent players and a few work in progress players. Take the new individuals in Sousa, Slimane, Archer, Hamer and Trusty then add in solid players in Wes, Egan, Anel, Robinson, Norwood, Baldock, Bogle, McB and Davies and that’s the core, just 14 players. Rest are fringe, championship, developing, aging or crocked.

Its not a moan but what I’m seeing is a lot of individuals and not the sum of the parts, I’m not seeing is a team emerging or a leader/focus player like we’ve had past few seasons like MGW or back stabbing Ndiaye. Admittedly Hecky hasn’t had chance to play all this core 14 together yet and probably won’t for some time to come.

Hopefully in the next 40 hours we might get that leader on the pitch that is the missing link but it will be tough given the start we’ve had. We might have that icon/leader already, my gut feeling is Hamer, Sousa, Slimane and/or Archer will be the sprinkling of magic dust that will gel us together as a “team” but only time will tell.

Some good development players particularly in the younger players but that’s fine if you can dot one in here and there but not be playing them at this level in numbers. It’s going to be a tough season, we’re used to see us winning and chasing promotion. This time it’s surviving and enjoying one match at a time for me. Ownership is the overriding factor and until that’s sorted we will be heavily disadvantaged as a “team”.

We need a playmaker general (McAtee?) and a big target we woefully lacked tonight. Oh, and no one injured for the rest of the season.

There, it’s out of my head, maybe I can sleep now.

 

[Weasel]

It was just a minutes in legs exercise last night and a chance to see some youngsters. We had a real hotch potch side out so whilst I can appreciate people being pissed off if they paid good money to go and they were served up that, it wasn't totally unexpected. It was a nothing game to all intents. Other than an opportunity for the manager to get some fitness into the fringe players, I see no benefit of this competition for us this season and come the weekend a lot of us will be glad we are out. I'd happily have United not take part in the League Cup most seasons. Maybe if we were a solid mid table PL club I'd think differently about it then and want us to take it seriously. Good luck to Lincoln but they can have that. The FA Cup meanwhile, is a totally different beast.

 

[Champagneblade]

It's a poor effort. No dressing it up.

Being drawn at home should have been the leveller.

I suppose the club are caught in terms of who you actually risk, and what is a pity is that there was no creation for McBurnie or Archer to get up and running.

I've been quite patient and I'm not saying he's out of it totally but Coulibaly is one that needs to realise thst his chance to break into the team isn't going to come that often. A strong showing last night, with Norwood alongside him would have been a good platform.

As it is, he's probably now further away than he was before the game, if that makes any sense.

It's also a bit of a reality check on squad depth. Do we have a good crop of youngsters? Or are they basically flat track bullies performing well in an easy league? Not their fault but here lies the rub.

I don't see Brooks as ready at all. He seems far too nonchalant in the games I've seen him. I think a huge raft of the U21s need to head off and test themselves. I know the coaching is arguably more suited in house for their development but they would benefit I feel in playing games in a professional arena against grown men to see if they sink or swim. I hope a few can gain this, do well and then potentially give us confidence to save money next summer.

 

[CPB]

Lack of creativity basically.
Coulibaly isn't a creator and Brooks didn't really grasp his chance. Wingbacks didn't do enough and Norwood relies on players moving into space to dictate games.

If wed have had Hamer on or to bring on that probably would have made a difference. But I get resting him. Surprised Slimane didn't get on but then hasn't he.got fitness issues.

Think it also highlights a lack of depth up top. Although an attacking mid like macattee makes a difference regardless who is the strikers. (Don't think we are getting him if Palmer's off to Chelsea)

 

[Yogi]

It's a poor effort. No dressing it up.

Being drawn at home should have been the leveller.

I suppose the club are caught in terms of who you actually risk, and what is a pity is that there was no creation for McBurnie or Archer to get up and running.

I've been quite patient and I'm not saying he's out of it totally but Coulibaly is one that needs to realise thst his chance to break into the team isn't going to come that often. A strong showing last night, with Norwood alongside him would have been a good platform.

As it is, he's probably now further away than he was before the game, if that makes any sense.

It's also a bit of a reality check on squad depth. Do we have a good crop of youngsters? Or are they basically flat track bullies performing well in an easy league? Not their fault but here lies the rub.

I don't see Brooks as ready at all. He seems far too nonchalant in the games I've seen him. I think a huge raft of the U21s need to head off and test themselves. I know the coaching is arguably more suited in house for their development but they would benefit I feel in playing games in a professional arena against grown men to see if they sink or swim. I hope a few can gain this, do well and then potentially give us confidence to save money next summer.

We have a good crop of youngsters but in reality if two make careers at the level we’re now at it’ll be more than a good group it would be exceptional if we get more than two it might be unprecedented for us in the modern era. The last time we got two prem players out of the same crop of players was Naughton and Walker and Naughton is debatable.

They do need time there’s very few under 21’s making an impact in the prem and the ones that do are normally bought in by clubs rather than produced in house even by teams which invest huge amounts of money into their academy set ups.

 

[Dan Emery]

Lack of creativity basically.
Coulibaly isn't a creator and Brooks didn't really grasp his chance. Wingbacks didn't do enough and Norwood relies on players moving into space to dictate games.

If wed have had Hamer on or to bring on that probably would have made a difference. But I get resting him. Surprised Slimane didn't get on but then hasn't he.got fitness issues.

Think it also highlights a lack of depth up top. Although an attacking mid like macattee makes a difference regardless who is the strikers. (Don't think we are getting him if Palmer's off to Chelsea)

I think Hamer a actually cup tied

 

[Old Programme seller]

Perhaps it goes to show how much we relied on Illy