Deadbat
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2009
- Messages
- 6,547
- Reaction score
- 38,682
....Sorry too tired, its late, I simply cant be arsed to do my usual match report/summary.
I have an early start for work tomorrow and quite simply after watching that shambles I do not have the time nor inclination to pen more than a few paragraphs. It will more of a rant as I go to full Alan Bennett mode
Sadly this was worse than a cream cracker under the settee.
In short, it was as bad if not worse than anything under Weir, Wilson, Clough. We looked a disorganised mess.
I await those who come on and say but we could have scored 5 or 6 goals...maybe more. Yes you are right. Sharp missed a penalty. He missed two sitters and McNulty could have scored. We had a few other near misses. All of those were after we could have been 5--0 down. 5-0 down to Colchester and it would have been a fair reflection. An awful side at the bottom of the league and they tore us apart...in fact they did not even have to.
Teams have scouted us now and the secret is out. Press us high up, harry us and watch the Blades give it away. It happened on Saturday and happened tonight. All that crap about we have to be patient and teams will defend versus us; is garbage. Bury and Colchester have had a go and scored goals and could have had more.
Our slow ponderous side was picked off time after time and they ghosted through. Baxter at fault for the first, second not sure, but another giveaway. It happened 3 or 4 more times. A lot will point to the centre of the defence and other areas but iin truth the biggest weakness tonight was our awful central midfield. Those two were embarrassing. They were walked past, out fought, out run and generally out played. Soares and Mellis did the same Saturday. Those two are not good enough but they are the best we have. Slow, unathletic, lacking creativity, bite or steel. We are soft as shit in the middle and easy to play against. Sorry all those who laud Basham, the guy is not good enough. Slow and pathetically weak for a big man. With him and Sammon we seem to have the weakest, neshest 6 foot 2 players I have seen since Tony Philliskirk. Baxter was as bad with his stupid overplaying and daft sideways balls intercepted. I would have Doyle back tomorrow in some ways. At least he gave us bite.
I can cope with crap football and lack of idea (plenty of that tonight as they all passed the buck as they treated the ball like a hot potato and could not wait till play it back or got rid) but the total absolution of responsibility was appalling. Noone cared about taking initiative. This coupled with the lack of passion and effort much of the game added up to a mixture of dreadful play individually and collectively.
I thought Adkins would come ina nd give us some organisation, some steel and some shape. Tonight we looked like a kids side, running all over, no one in positions, no one keeping discipline. All the bollocks will come out to say we were chasing the game so had to take risks is garbage. We were all over the place at 0-0, 0-1, 0-2. If they had been more clinical it would have been over long before Sharp missed those two.
We had a go for 15 mins and got level. Interesting for all this talk over Adkins will get us playing properly etc and passing football, away from Dinosaur Dave and Warnock; our best spell came when we played balls behind the defence (long balls) that got the defenders turnings. Sharp and McNulty chasing stuff and Campbell Ryce down the win onto long balls was out best tactic. That may depress some but compare that with the nonsensical passing out from the back when they tried to play it around stupidly and it nearly led to more goals being conceded. the players are not good enough to play this stuff. I admire Adkins to wanting to play the right way but this will not work with these players. Like under Weir they will make mistakes and lead to chances.
Players - No ratings
Played well - Campbell Ryce - Got a few crosses in, continued to try and go forward and our main threat. Yes he is frustrating but without him where was our threat? He was the only one who looked bothered for much of the game.
Decent -
McEveley -yes I cant stand the guy and he had a bad 15 mins at the start overplaying but you know what he tried tonight and actually did not hide. He won the pen and I felt gave a damn. Many will automatically criticise him but today he was not the worst.
McNulty - Made a difference for a while and nearly scored a wonder goal. After this did not quite have same impact but helped change game just by looking interested.
Freeman - Made a few mistakes but again maybe our best defender and at least stuck at it and tried to pass it forward.
Howard - Tempted to put him in poor but he made 2 or 3 good saves (ones you would expect) and had little chance on the goals. Put us in some awful situations with his kick out, stupid short passes and then 2 shots hit the bar he knew nothing about. He is a weak link for me but there are about 8 or 9 others too in the side.
Poor -
Sharp - Stupid to put 3 pens in same spot and he missed 2 sitters. He did try hard and for a 15 minute spell looked lively.
Woolford - A few decent runs and the goal (well finished apart) not sure he did much of note.
Collins and Edgar - Got caught too many times ball watching and both made mistakes but to be fair had no protection in front despite slowness of speed defending and inability to sense danger.
Awful -
Sammon - Did well first game I saw, since then he has been awful. No control, no goal threat (apart from missing sitters) and no physical presence. He looks no more the answer than Higdon (being serious). So poor in the air and looks like bambi on ice.
Basham / Baxter - Both awful. Did not get close to the opponents all night, slow and sluggish. Poor on the ball and no protection to the defence. It was like we did not have a midfield much of the night.
Colchester were no great shakes but they had some pace, runners from midfield (what are they?!) and attacked. They had loads of shots and really could have had a lot more. Other than that 20 minutes spell where we got back in it, they had more shots, more of the play and looked better than us. They deserved the win and if it had finished 7-4 it would have been about right. The fact the 2nd bottom side as they were can play us off the park s a worry. Defeats to Bury and Colchester, sides that will be nowhere near the top tossing us outside means Adkins now has some stark choices to make.
People may see it is a blip, and it is early doors but this is 3 seasons with many of the same players and basis still contriving to be mostly hopeless. We cant keep changing the managers. In reality a mass clear out should have happened in the summer. Pay players off, do whatever we needed to change the culture, the ethos of the side. Get hungry, fast and athletic players with bite and will to win. Get winners. We did not do that. Adkins chose to wait, To look at what we have. Sadly this may mean we have lost another season. I do not see anywhere close to a promotion side here. There is too many fundamental weaknesses.
I thought Adkins may have got the shape and discipline and some basics in order but the fact he has struggled maybe is as much down the fact these players do not 'get it' and many of the will never 'will get it.' We have players in reserve than for the most part are as bad or even worse. Sure Done, Brayford may come back but for the most par they are not good enough. He needs leaders, a spine and some experience that can come in and shake up this comfortable plod along mentality many have. We cannot wait till the end of the season to bin many of them.
Sadly the best thing I can say is that there is no home game for nearly two weeks. The last two games have been a massive disappointment; not just the results but the manner of the performances. Players that still in the main (save for a few bursts when we are already losing and chasing games) look totally unlikely to get us anywhere neat a top two finish.
Rant over.
I have an early start for work tomorrow and quite simply after watching that shambles I do not have the time nor inclination to pen more than a few paragraphs. It will more of a rant as I go to full Alan Bennett mode
Sadly this was worse than a cream cracker under the settee.
In short, it was as bad if not worse than anything under Weir, Wilson, Clough. We looked a disorganised mess.
I await those who come on and say but we could have scored 5 or 6 goals...maybe more. Yes you are right. Sharp missed a penalty. He missed two sitters and McNulty could have scored. We had a few other near misses. All of those were after we could have been 5--0 down. 5-0 down to Colchester and it would have been a fair reflection. An awful side at the bottom of the league and they tore us apart...in fact they did not even have to.
Teams have scouted us now and the secret is out. Press us high up, harry us and watch the Blades give it away. It happened on Saturday and happened tonight. All that crap about we have to be patient and teams will defend versus us; is garbage. Bury and Colchester have had a go and scored goals and could have had more.
Our slow ponderous side was picked off time after time and they ghosted through. Baxter at fault for the first, second not sure, but another giveaway. It happened 3 or 4 more times. A lot will point to the centre of the defence and other areas but iin truth the biggest weakness tonight was our awful central midfield. Those two were embarrassing. They were walked past, out fought, out run and generally out played. Soares and Mellis did the same Saturday. Those two are not good enough but they are the best we have. Slow, unathletic, lacking creativity, bite or steel. We are soft as shit in the middle and easy to play against. Sorry all those who laud Basham, the guy is not good enough. Slow and pathetically weak for a big man. With him and Sammon we seem to have the weakest, neshest 6 foot 2 players I have seen since Tony Philliskirk. Baxter was as bad with his stupid overplaying and daft sideways balls intercepted. I would have Doyle back tomorrow in some ways. At least he gave us bite.
I can cope with crap football and lack of idea (plenty of that tonight as they all passed the buck as they treated the ball like a hot potato and could not wait till play it back or got rid) but the total absolution of responsibility was appalling. Noone cared about taking initiative. This coupled with the lack of passion and effort much of the game added up to a mixture of dreadful play individually and collectively.
I thought Adkins would come ina nd give us some organisation, some steel and some shape. Tonight we looked like a kids side, running all over, no one in positions, no one keeping discipline. All the bollocks will come out to say we were chasing the game so had to take risks is garbage. We were all over the place at 0-0, 0-1, 0-2. If they had been more clinical it would have been over long before Sharp missed those two.
We had a go for 15 mins and got level. Interesting for all this talk over Adkins will get us playing properly etc and passing football, away from Dinosaur Dave and Warnock; our best spell came when we played balls behind the defence (long balls) that got the defenders turnings. Sharp and McNulty chasing stuff and Campbell Ryce down the win onto long balls was out best tactic. That may depress some but compare that with the nonsensical passing out from the back when they tried to play it around stupidly and it nearly led to more goals being conceded. the players are not good enough to play this stuff. I admire Adkins to wanting to play the right way but this will not work with these players. Like under Weir they will make mistakes and lead to chances.
Players - No ratings
Played well - Campbell Ryce - Got a few crosses in, continued to try and go forward and our main threat. Yes he is frustrating but without him where was our threat? He was the only one who looked bothered for much of the game.
Decent -
McEveley -yes I cant stand the guy and he had a bad 15 mins at the start overplaying but you know what he tried tonight and actually did not hide. He won the pen and I felt gave a damn. Many will automatically criticise him but today he was not the worst.
McNulty - Made a difference for a while and nearly scored a wonder goal. After this did not quite have same impact but helped change game just by looking interested.
Freeman - Made a few mistakes but again maybe our best defender and at least stuck at it and tried to pass it forward.
Howard - Tempted to put him in poor but he made 2 or 3 good saves (ones you would expect) and had little chance on the goals. Put us in some awful situations with his kick out, stupid short passes and then 2 shots hit the bar he knew nothing about. He is a weak link for me but there are about 8 or 9 others too in the side.
Poor -
Sharp - Stupid to put 3 pens in same spot and he missed 2 sitters. He did try hard and for a 15 minute spell looked lively.
Woolford - A few decent runs and the goal (well finished apart) not sure he did much of note.
Collins and Edgar - Got caught too many times ball watching and both made mistakes but to be fair had no protection in front despite slowness of speed defending and inability to sense danger.
Awful -
Sammon - Did well first game I saw, since then he has been awful. No control, no goal threat (apart from missing sitters) and no physical presence. He looks no more the answer than Higdon (being serious). So poor in the air and looks like bambi on ice.
Basham / Baxter - Both awful. Did not get close to the opponents all night, slow and sluggish. Poor on the ball and no protection to the defence. It was like we did not have a midfield much of the night.
Colchester were no great shakes but they had some pace, runners from midfield (what are they?!) and attacked. They had loads of shots and really could have had a lot more. Other than that 20 minutes spell where we got back in it, they had more shots, more of the play and looked better than us. They deserved the win and if it had finished 7-4 it would have been about right. The fact the 2nd bottom side as they were can play us off the park s a worry. Defeats to Bury and Colchester, sides that will be nowhere near the top tossing us outside means Adkins now has some stark choices to make.
People may see it is a blip, and it is early doors but this is 3 seasons with many of the same players and basis still contriving to be mostly hopeless. We cant keep changing the managers. In reality a mass clear out should have happened in the summer. Pay players off, do whatever we needed to change the culture, the ethos of the side. Get hungry, fast and athletic players with bite and will to win. Get winners. We did not do that. Adkins chose to wait, To look at what we have. Sadly this may mean we have lost another season. I do not see anywhere close to a promotion side here. There is too many fundamental weaknesses.
I thought Adkins may have got the shape and discipline and some basics in order but the fact he has struggled maybe is as much down the fact these players do not 'get it' and many of the will never 'will get it.' We have players in reserve than for the most part are as bad or even worse. Sure Done, Brayford may come back but for the most par they are not good enough. He needs leaders, a spine and some experience that can come in and shake up this comfortable plod along mentality many have. We cannot wait till the end of the season to bin many of them.
Sadly the best thing I can say is that there is no home game for nearly two weeks. The last two games have been a massive disappointment; not just the results but the manner of the performances. Players that still in the main (save for a few bursts when we are already losing and chasing games) look totally unlikely to get us anywhere neat a top two finish.
Rant over.
