Preston match was a step in the right direction

[Bergen Blade]

I don't think you should always sack managers on merit. That's in the past. You sack managers because you lose hope that they're going to get it right.

The Preston match was probably the second best I've seen us play this season, and therefore does give a little hope that we may improve. We were not more than average, but it is true to say that we looked better than the opposition and there were some encouraging signs.


Weir has made changes. In this game we mixed it up a bit more, played a few longer passes, attempting to play more of our football in the final third of the pitch. With the way we play we're vulnerable when key players aren't performing to their maximum ability.

Some players' touch were off - Baxter (quickly closed down, they knew he's key to us), and King in particular. Baxter needed just a little more space to get his dribbles and through balls right. Not worried about him, it will come and he will do well for us.

King was poor, disappointingly unfit and it made his touches worse and he looked unable/unwilling to get the ball down and run with it. There was one occasion, a good chance for a break (after 14 minutes) where Hill intercepted and ran on the ball before he found King down the channel. King could have taken on their lanky centre half Huntington, and I'm sure he would have done in his best days, but this time he passed it backwards to Doyle. It's going to take him time to get match fit, and we'd better hope he's still got it.

Hall has a sweet left foot, should be able to cross the ball into good areas for a target man, but he didn't look very pacey. Not convinced he's someone we should be signing permanently, but a wide addition was needed after losing both McFadzean and Murphy. Both Hall and Brandy kept cutting inside to cross, and as the full backs rarely overlapped first half we didn't have enough width.

Full backs were clearly instructed to go forward more, something that a lot of people have wanted. I don't think McMahon and Hill will every do this really well, but yesterday was the best efforts I've seen in a long time. Hill even had a couple of efforts on goal and made a few crosses second half, sadly his accuracy is not good. McMahon's crosses were also disappointing.

Let's remember that it was the first game for King and Hall and the first game in central midfield for Cuvelier. Baxter is also quite new. They should hopefully improve as they settles into the team.


Regarding our style, we still aren't good enough at taking opportunities to break, counter attack with pace and numbers. When we win the ball in good areas (when the opposition is going forward, i.e. is most vulnerable) we need to bomb forward with real determination. The King situation was one example, another was ruined by a dwelling Doyle.


To sum up, these were the pluses:

• Quicker build up, more varied attacking play
• Full backs going forward more
• Team having more attack minded players than before
• We had more shots
• A couple of times we could actually blame the final ball (in some games we haven't been so close!)
• King may get fitter, Baxter will have slightly more luck, Cuvelier and Hall may improve as they play more.
• Preston rarely looked threatening
• Weir is showing a willingness to make tweaks

Biggest negatives:

• Not enough real chances
• Not enough focus on exploiting chances to break/counter attack
• King's fitness
• Fans are losing patience

 

[MBoreman]

All spot on, from yesterday it looks like our best chance of scoring will be getting it into Baxter's feet then him laying off to on running centre mids, playing through balls to bombing wingers and full backs, and through balls to the front man. You could tell yesterday that the players were still gelling and weren't quite on the same wave length so that should improve. To help this I think Weir needs to chop and change less to get some stability, although from yesterday I'd drop Doyle as I don't think he contributes anything and however much I rate Hill (agree that both did well yesterday), he doesn't work in this formation so a more attacking LB would be nice.

 

[stannyblade]

My mate said this morning that Weir should be asked who he needs (realistically) in to make his system work. Then we should go out and get them on loan till Jan. If it clearly isn't working by the start of December then he has to go.
From yesterday it isn't far away but I still cant understand why we haven't brought in the right type of full back.
Mcmahon is total shite and if he didn't take the dead balls then he wouldn't contribute anything to the team.

 

[Hodgyman]

I don't think you should always sack managers on merit. That's in the past. You sack managers because you lose hope that they're going to get it right.

The Preston match was probably the second best I've seen us play this season, and therefore does give a little hope that we may improve. We were not more than average, but it is true to say that we looked better than the opposition and there were some encouraging signs.


Weir has made changes. In this game we mixed it up a bit more, played a few longer passes, attempting to play more of our football in the final third of the pitch. With the way we play we're vulnerable when key players aren't performing to their maximum ability.

Some players' touch were off - Baxter (quickly closed down, they knew he's key to us), and King in particular. Baxter needed just a little more space to get his dribbles and through balls right. Not worried about him, it will come and he will do well for us.

King was poor, disappointingly unfit and it made his touches worse and he looked unable/unwilling to get the ball down and run with it. There was one occasion, a good chance for a break (after 14 minutes) where Hill intercepted and ran on the ball before he found King down the channel. King could have taken on their lanky centre half Huntington, and I'm sure he would have done in his best days, but this time he passed it backwards to Doyle. It's going to take him time to get match fit, and we'd better hope he's still got it.

Hall has a sweet left foot, should be able to cross the ball into good areas for a target man, but he didn't look very pacey. Not convinced he's someone we should be signing permanently, but a wide addition was needed after losing both McFadzean and Murphy. Both Hall and Brandy kept cutting inside to cross, and as the full backs rarely overlapped first half we didn't have enough width.

Full backs were clearly instructed to go forward more, something that a lot of people have wanted. I don't think McMahon and Hill will every do this really well, but yesterday was the best efforts I've seen in a long time. Hill even had a couple of efforts on goal and made a few crosses second half, sadly his accuracy is not good. McMahon's crosses were also disappointing.

Let's remember that it was the first game for King and Hall and the first game in central midfield for Cuvelier. Baxter is also quite new. They should hopefully improve as they settles into the team.


Regarding our style, we still aren't good enough at taking opportunities to break, counter attack with pace and numbers. When we win the ball in good areas (when the opposition is going forward, i.e. is most vulnerable) we need to bomb forward with real determination. The King situation was one example, another was ruined by a dwelling Doyle.


To sum up, these were the pluses:

• Quicker build up, more varied attacking play
• Full backs going forward more
• Team having more attack minded players than before
• We had more shots
• A couple of times we could actually blame the final ball (in some games we haven't been so close!)
• King may get fitter, Baxter will have slightly more luck, Cuvelier and Hall may improve as they play more.
• Preston rarely looked threatening
• Weir is showing a willingness to make tweaks

Biggest negatives:

• Not enough real chances
• Not enough focus on exploiting chances to break/counter attack
• King's fitness
• Fans are losing patience

As usual, I agree with Bergen Blade on all of his points above.

I would also like to add that :
Poor refereeing won the game for Preston, 2 good calls for a Blades penalty turned down and he didn't spot Davies' push on Hill which led to their goal. A decent ref would have seen us win 2-0.

Weir's substitution of a midfielder/striker (although clearly injured)for a fullback when we were losing doesn't appear smart.

Why do we need 4 defenders when the opposition are only playing one striker, particularly when we have 5 midfielders, 2 of which have a defensive role too?

 

[super_pig]

The King situation was one example, another was ruined by a dwelling Doyle.

a dwelling Doyle is our biggest problem imho.. he is good at breaking up play. .unfortunately.. ours

 

[Dnblade]

I thought our passing was poor on Saturday.We looked like a team who didn't know each other,which is not that surprising with all the new faces.Maybe it was because we mixed it up more.
We rarely get to the byline..there was a cross from McMahon late on,where he had Westlake I think on the overlap,and he could have put him in to get to the byline or around the back,but ignored him and angled a cross in to no avail.
A few players still struggling with fitness and need time to gel..I liked the look of Hall,and King showed the odd glimpse of what he can offer with more games behind him.
Another team comes to the Lane and nicks a goal,but looked worse than us..I thought PNE were poor.
Let's hope we can go to Wolves and get an unexpected result.

 

[SwissBlade]

Bergen Blade good objective analysis, not watched the game on Blades Player yet so can't comment much, but I felt on the Bradford game our best chance to get in behind them was drawing the Bradford back four out closer to half way and then hammer them on the break. On the few occasions we tried this we looked dangerous if we'd found the through balls and the finishing.

Do you think that this is the way to go? It opens teams up and it's not a big issue if they eventually cotton on to it because then you go back to the other way of attacking.... Oh ok forget that bit.

Main thing for me is that we should be pressing teams more, do you think that the fitness was a big issue? Are we looking fitter yet.

Sooner King goes the better

 

[Darren]

My mate said this morning that Weir should be asked who he needs (realistically) in to make his system work. Then we should go out and get them on loan till Jan. If it clearly isn't working by the start of December then he has to go.
From yesterday it isn't far away but I still cant understand why we haven't brought in the right type of full back.
Mcmahon is total shite and if he didn't take the dead balls then he wouldn't contribute anything to the team.

Weir has already signed an entire team of new players:

1. Hall
2. Taylor
3. Baxter
4. McGinn
5. Cuvelier
6. Coady
7. King
8. Brandy
9. McGinty
10. Bunn
11. Johns

Will he have to sign another 11 players to "make his system work"?

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Weir has already signed an entire team of new players:

1. Hall
2. Taylor
3. Baxter
4. McGinn
5. Cuvelier
6. Coady
7. King
8. Brandy
9. McGinty
10. Bunn
11. Johns

Will he have to sign another 11 players to "make his system work"?

We'll definitely need a keeper.

 

[Bladesman]

That is the real point Bergen that we are not creating any REAL chances.

Had we won Saturday it would have been because of Preston giving us a penalty rather than us scoring from open play.

Sadly we can't rely on OG and Pens all season so something needs to change quickly.

 

[LSF]

a dwelling Doyle is our biggest problem imho.. he is good at breaking up play. .unfortunately.. ours

Ahh, you obviously made the trip over from Austria on Saturday then?

 

[Ted Danson]

That is the real point Bergen that we are not creating any REAL chances.

Had we won Saturday it would have been because of Preston giving us a penalty rather than us scoring from open play.

Sadly we can't rely on OG and Pens all season so something needs to change quickly.

That is the problem, even though we looked abit better in the first half we didnt create anything, the odd long range shot and a free kick isnt good enough. Its like watching Robsons team all over again and Im sick of it already, glad Im off on holls for the nest few weeks and hopefully Weir wont be here when I get back.

 

[Bergen Blade]

That is the real point Bergen that we are not creating any REAL chances.

Had we won Saturday it would have been because of Preston giving us a penalty rather than us scoring from open play.

Sadly we can't rely on OG and Pens all season so something needs to change quickly.

I agree it wasn't very good, but thought we looked more threatening and forced their defence to rely on some last grasp defending at least.



The photo above shows McMahon with an excellent crossing chance and if he'd seen Brandy at the first post he may have had another sitter. McMahon's actual cross evaded everyone. The chance came about following some good running on the ball by Hall, then Baxter had a chance to lob King through, though he opted for McMahon instead.



In this situation Baxter has played a one-two with King, resulting in Baxter being one on one with an isolated, flat footed last defender. Sadly he couldn't get past him, but on another day he will. Hopefully King will show more of this know how when he gets fitter.


The above situations are just a couple where we tried to do things a bit quicker, and if we work more on that, I can see us creating more.

I also think we need to remember that Weir planned a different set up in pre season, with McDonald our key man, and most signings being made before we knew we were rich. It is his second go at getting something to work. King getting fitter, Baxter, Cuvelier and Hall adapting + Murphy, McFadzean and Porter returning could mean we should expect to improve.

 

[Bergen Blade]

We'll definitely need a keeper.

Surprised he didn't put Baxter there!

 

[Harry's Game]

People keep saying we showed a bit of improvement here and a bit a improvement there, well I am not sure about that,

What I do know is that the three main problems remained

We created next to nothing

We didn't score

We lost.

People want to give Weir until December, well that means almost half the season will have gone and I can see us being on about 10 points if we are lucky and needing title winning form in the second half of the season just to stop up.

Four games maximum for me from now and I say he needs to win two of them, realistically Crawley and Port Vale, otherwise time to go.

 

[stannyblade]

Weir has already signed an entire team of new players:

1. Hall
2. Taylor
3. Baxter
4. McGinn
5. Cuvelier
6. Coady
7. King
8. Brandy
9. McGinty
10. Bunn
11. Johns

Will he have to sign another 11 players to "make his system work"?

Thats just it though Darren, he has signed more than one player per forward position yet none for the back four where its needed most.

If McMahon never played for SUFC again that would be too soon for me. He is terrible

 

[Darren]

Thats just it though Darren, he has signed more than one player per forward position yet none for the back four where its needed most.

If McMahon never played for SUFC again that would be too soon for me. He is terrible

That defence was the 2nd best in the division last season and kept a club record number of clean sheets.

What has Weir done to them?

 

[stannyblade]

That defence was the 2nd best in the division last season and kept a club record number of clean sheets.

What has Weir done to them?

Trying to get them to play a formation that they simply cant play. Im not defending him in any way but the only way he can succeed is if the players can play in the position they are supposed to, If they cant then either they have to go or he does.
Hill and McMahon cant play wing back and when they do go forward then Collins and Maguire arent fast enough to cover.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

A slight improvement for the 1st 30 minutes - largely due to a slightly higher tempo. But we never looked like scoring even in that period. For the remaining 60 it was back to the same slow, ultra-negative approach. As soon as they scored it was game over. You'd have thought when we went behind that we'd have thrown everything at them, kicking towards the kop. But no - we just allowed the game to drify by - presenting yet another team with an easy 3 points.

 

[Guesty]

All this 'I can see improvements' talk is dangerous (remember Scunthorpe at home when we were relegated?). Teams whose fans come away each week saying 'we played well but didn't make enough chances and gave a silly goal away' almost invariably get relegated. And that's what we got on Saturday, our play was less dismal than previously, but we didn't create anything and gifted them the winner.

 

[Zanzibar]

A slight improvement for the 1st 30 minutes - largely due to a slightly higher tempo. But we never looked like scoring even in that period. For the remaining 60 it was back to the same slow, ultra-negative approach. As soon as they scored it was game over. You'd have thought when we went behind that we'd have thrown everything at them, kicking towards the kop. But no - we just allowed the game to drify by - presenting yet another team with an easy 3 points.

Yes agree with the slight improvment early on,
However as soon as Preston had got to grips with it we were bullied and submerged by their desire to see more of the ball and as the match went on they powered forward looking for the winner. They weren't pretty but it was a very solid away performance.

 

[Toronto Blade]

Preston can bully our group physically they have a big team our players are on the small side.Fitness should not be an issue a fitness and injury guru was brought in the players should be in top shape.

 

[IOM Blade]

Weir has already signed an entire team of new players:

1. Hall
2. Taylor
3. Baxter
4. McGinn
5. Cuvelier
6. Coady
7. King
8. Brandy
9. McGinty
10. Bunn
11. Johns

Will he have to sign another 11 players to "make his system work"?

I think Brandy, McGinn, McGinty and Johns were singed up before Weir arrived, Taylor was probably lined up too. Not making excuses for him tho, he's still useless.

 

[judge]

People keep saying we showed a bit of improvement here and a bit a improvement there, well I am not sure about that,

What I do know is that the three main problems remained

We created next to nothing

We didn't score

We lost.

apart from that though ?

 

[Bergen Blade]

Bergen Blade good objective analysis, not watched the game on Blades Player yet so can't comment much, but I felt on the Bradford game our best chance to get in behind them was drawing the Bradford back four out closer to half way and then hammer them on the break. On the few occasions we tried this we looked dangerous if we'd found the through balls and the finishing.

Do you think that this is the way to go? It opens teams up and it's not a big issue if they eventually cotton on to it because then you go back to the other way of attacking.... Oh ok forget that bit.

Main thing for me is that we should be pressing teams more, do you think that the fitness was a big issue? Are we looking fitter yet.

Sooner King goes the better

It's not always easy to get in behind teams if they defend deep. When you say "drawing the Bradford back four out closer to half way" you may argue that that's what all the passing among the back four have been for. I'm hoping Baxter at some point will develop an understanding with Taylor, as Baxter is the type who gets in good positions to play through balls, while Taylor wants to get in behind defences.

We must improve our counter attacking and the management should be hammering into the players the importance of bombing forward quickly and with great enthusiasm when we win - and regain - possession high up the pitch. We can't afford not to take those opportunities.

I don't think fitness, stamina and athleticism is our strength at the moment. I would like us to focus more on trying to regain possession immediately after we've lost it (as a way to win the ball and create a quick chance from it, rather than just as a way to stop the opposition, or keep the possession stat high).

 

[Jehovah]

We were at home and still Did not create a single chance of note. Inexcusable.

 

[God]

Bergen Blade good objective analysis, not watched the game on Blades Player yet so can't comment much, but I felt on the Bradford game our best chance to get in behind them was drawing the Bradford back four out closer to half way and then hammer them on the break. On the few occasions we tried this we looked dangerous if we'd found the through balls and the finishing.

Do you think that this is the way to go? It opens teams up and it's not a big issue if they eventually cotton on to it because then you go back to the other way of attacking.... Oh ok forget that bit.

Main thing for me is that we should be pressing teams more, do you think that the fitness was a big issue? Are we looking fitter yet.

Sooner King goes the better[/quote]

Really? and you haven't even watched the game! Obviously not for football reasons then.

 

[God]

All this 'I can see improvements' talk is dangerous (remember Scunthorpe at home when we were relegated?). Teams whose fans come away each week saying 'we played well but didn't make enough chances and gave a silly goal away' almost invariably get relegated. And that's what we got on Saturday, our play was less dismal than previously, but we didn't create anything and gifted them the winner.

Bergen must have watched a different match to me because the simple facts are we were shite! OK, average for the 1st 30 mins but after the realisation set in that it wasn't working and with Preston growing more into the game, we just didn't have an answer. Preston upped the ante in the second half and we were fooked. Easy as that.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Bergen must have watched a different match to me because the simple facts are we were shite! OK, average for the 1st 30 mins but after the realisation set in that it wasn't working and with Preston growing more into the game, we just didn't have an answer. Preston upped the ante in the second half and we were fooked. Easy as that.

If you think we were average for a good chunk of the game surely you're agreeing with me that it was a step in the right direction, as we've been rubbish since the opening game?

I was really disappointed after listening to the game and thought it had been as bad as the other games. Having watched it on BP I think there were signs that things may get better, if Weir builds on that performance and approach.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

My observations to date:-

1. Need new fullbacks, I'm not happy with the defensive/attacking balance of any of ours. Or their consistency.
2. Must work on moving the ball around more quickly in the final third, we give the opposition too much time to regroup.
3. Need to work on making more forward passes than sideways ones. Start by asking the forward players to drop deeper for the ball and build it from there.
4. Allow a little more positional freedom to certain players. Ask the centre forward to work the channels as much as possible.

I've slept on my comments since the weekend and think we should persevere a little longer with Weir. Let's see if we can build on the slight improvement of the weekend.