Quick Franchise FC report

[LoughboroBlade]

Quick thoughts on today. First half was poor. They created little and had what I thought was a clear penalty not given. Blackman had a good effort tipped round the post.

Second half we did improve slightly in terms of urgency going forward. But ultimately never tested the keeper. Up the other end, MK Dons were restricted to long-range wayward efforts. It had 0-0 all over it till the joke of a penalty decision.

Long 7/10 - looked confident throughout, had no real saves to make but made what would have been another good close-ranger but the flag was already up.

McMahon 6/10 - looked ok before the injury.

Hill 6/10 - as above

Collins & Maguire 7/10 - dealt with everything thrown at them well.

Flynn 6/10 - was in the game far less than previous ones I've seen. Had a better first half before switching to the left.

Doyle 7/10 - thought he had a decent game. Yes, he did seem to chop down their striker for the possible penalty first half, but dug in well where needed.

McDonald 6.5/10 - frustrating game. At times looked classy, and a minute later gives it away cheaply. I suspect he's being hampered at the minute by our all round lack of moment.

Williams 5.5/10 - I don't like to criticise him unnecessarily, but he looked poor today and summed it up by miscontrolling a simple ball from McDonald when we'd started to press before the goal.

Blackman 6/10 - hugely frustrating. Never really took advantage of all the good work from...

...Porter 7.5/10 - won absolutely everything in the air, which led eventually to their defenders holding him down (not given by the ref). He seemed to bring a Shipperley-esque intelligence to his game today, and sadly I think if Miller had started on the pitch he'd have read it all far better than Blackman.

Subs
Westlake 5/10 - he worries me, just doesn't look a safe pair of hands. Hopin McMahon isn't out long.

McAllister 6/10 - offered more going forward than Williams did. I think it was his 'challenge' adjudged to have been the foul for the penalty. He won the ball, poked it away and has tried to run to get the ball. Bowditch if anything blocked him from getting it. Joke of a decision.

Miller N/A - not on long enough.

Ref - one of the worst I've seen. Bookings for good challenges, the non-award of their penalty first half, the joke of a penalty given at the end, and one of the most knit-picking performances I've seen. What's more important - getting the basic important decisions right, or ensuring an MK Dons player hasn't placed the ball 1cm out of the corner quadrant, which he did several times in the space of a minute? Just awful.

 

[Foxy]

I thought in real time that the one in the first half wasn't a pen either.

Other than that, not much I would disagree with. Would probably give Doyle a slightly lower score and thought a few were a little harsh on Williams and Hill as usual.

0 - 0 would have been a fair result.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I thought in real time that the one in the first half wasn't a pen either.

Other than that, not much I would disagree with.

0 - 0 would have been a fair result.

Danny Wilson said the first one was a penalty, but he was furious at the decision to give them the one at the end.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I thought in real time that the one in the first half wasn't a pen either.

Other than that, not much I would disagree with. Would probably give Doyle a slightly lower score and thought a few were a little harsh on Williams and Hill as usual.

0 - 0 would have been a fair result.

I've since heard DW interviewed and he seemed to suggest that the first half pen was a definite that the ref subsequently felt pressured to even up.

Williams actually looked better at LW today - looked below his usual performance when shifted back. Hill was fine as usual.

 

[Foxy]

It might well have been, but didn't look it to me in real time, bang behind the centre of the goal.

Seen them given, but didn't think it was. Stand to be corrected with the replay though.

 

[Foxy]

Some quick photos here (click for full size):

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[Deadbat]

0 - 0 would have been a fair result.

Surprised to hear that as nearly every other report suggests MK were good value for the win even it came in controversial circumstances. Indeed nearly every other Blade who went suggest we were awful and had no desire to even win the game.

They had 63% to 37% possesion and 12 shots on target to our 4 with a further advantage 5 to 1 on corners.

Even Wilson said the one in the first half was a penalty and then it could have been a red card.

We have had a few slighlty iffy pens this season so we cant grumble too much. At the end of the day we are going to places and playing for 0-0s. Regardless of the personnel we have lost, to have such a negative approcach and not even try and barely attack the goal means we cannot have much sympathy with Wilson.

I am going to go to a few away games in the next few months but I will be pretty mad if we are continuing to play for 0-0's. Feel for Foxy and the rest who spend a lot of money and time going to games that we are not even trying to win despite us having players (still despite outgoings) that should be capbale of having a shot or two on goal. I honestly would have rather United gone for it in te two games we have just played. We got 1 point. Hell mabe we might have actually won 1 out of the 2 and got more points (than the 2 we aimed for).

 

[LoughboroBlade]

"12 shots on target to our 4" makes it sound like we were completely under the cosh, but Long barely had a save to make. The shots resulted in routine saves. The only substantial save I can remember was the Blackman effort tipped round the post.

It had 0-0 all over it till the penalty.

 

[Deadbat]

Just seen highlights on BBC. The penalty was an awful decision and was barely even a tangle of legs with our man probably as near to the ball as theirs but the one by Collins in the first half was a definite pen and red card and was similiar to one we got v Walsall. Shocking refereeing on both. Still we are fortunate we have not lost Collins for 3 games (in addition to Hill and McMahon).

 

[Foxy]

Surprised to hear that as nearly every other report suggests MK were good value for the win even it came in controversial circumstances. Indeed nearly every other Blade who went suggest we were awful and had no desire to even win the game.

They had 63% to 37% possesion and 12 shots on target to our 4 with a further advantage 5 to 1 on corners.

Most around me at the match also concluded that both sides were poor and neither looked to have it in them to win the match.

As I said on Twitter at the time, they had the better chances and more of the ball, but other than the pen and our own pessimism looked about as likely to score as us. 0-0 all over it

Not seen the replay of the one in the first half yet. Sounds like it looked better from behind though

 

[grafikhaus]

Quick thoughts on today. First half was poor. They created little and had what I thought was a clear penalty not given. Blackman had a good effort tipped round the post.

Second half we did improve slightly in terms of urgency going forward. But ultimately never tested the keeper. Up the other end, MK Dons were restricted to long-range wayward efforts. It had 0-0 all over it till the joke of a penalty decision.

etc. etc.

To save anybody the time & effort of giving reports in future, just copy and paste Loughboro's report - it's the bloody same every match.

Wondering whether or not it was a penalty is pure straw-clutching. If we haven't got anything to defend, we're wide open to penalties or late goals. Same thing every home game, it's fortunate that we usually score first, as I can't see where any kind of fight back is coming from.

Every team sells its better players, but still creates chances. That we're still so high up in the table after a series of truly shocking performances is purely down t the crapness of Division 3. But it won't last. The others are getting results (and scoring 2, 3 goals). We're not. Yesterday's result has been coming all season and, for any half-decent team, we've got an ideal chance to make up for it with a couple of home games.

Think we'll win both? Me neither.

 

[Foxy]

Having now seen the replays, the first one looks a lot worse than it did in real time from behind the goal. The one he gave looks a little bit less of an obvious joke on the replay, but still clearly isn't a penalty.

 

[Jehovah]

Right, that is the worst penalty decision I have ever seen.the first one might have been,I don't care, he didn't give it.giving that second one was a disgrace and he needs his face smashing in.

 

[PaulMK]

That game had 0-0 written all over it, both teams looked toothless in front of goal although mk looked slightly better, I've seen the replay of the pen and it looks awful but I was sitting right in front of it and he did get kicked on the ankle. The ref was one of the worst I've seen this season. I don't see why the ref wants to move the ball 1cm when it's going to be kicked 25yards into the box.

 

[Pedro Verde]

etc. etc.

To save anybody the time & effort of giving reports in future, just copy and paste Loughboro's report - it's the bloody same every match.

Wondering whether or not it was a penalty is pure straw-clutching. If we haven't got anything to defend, we're wide open to penalties or late goals. Same thing every home game, it's fortunate that we usually score first, as I can't see where any kind of fight back is coming from.

Every team sells its better players, but still creates chances. That we're still so high up in the table after a series of truly shocking performances is purely down t the crapness of Division 3. But it won't last. The others are getting results (and scoring 2, 3 goals). We're not. Yesterday's result has been coming all season and, for any half-decent team, we've got an ideal chance to make up for it with a couple of home games.

Think we'll win both? Me neither.

Totally agree we did not try and win the game and went for a 0-0
Whilst I agree with being strong defensively we do have to try and score and going for a 0-0 leaves us open to what happened yesterday. I dont really want to spend my hard earned watching a dire performance such as yesterdays, even at home we are happy wth a 1-0 and is one of the reasons we have drawn 4 home games as one goal is not enough at home

 

[super_pig]

you are often going to get your pants pulled down if you go for a nil nil
if we'd have made an attempt to win the game i might be disappointed but we didn't.. interesting comment.. flynn was good until switched to the left.. danny?? danny .. you reading this??

 

[timb2222]

We were terrible and got what we deserved for going there and playing so negitavely, even though the pen seems a bit of a joke! I'm beginning to get very worried about the lack of creativity we have, and uless we score a long range effort or a pen I do not see how we will score consistently. Williams is simply not the answer at LM, not good enough in posession or tackling back to be effective IMO. As we clearly do not have any wingers time has come for Danny to mix things up and change the formation to suit the players we have rather than changing the players to fit the formation.

This league is there for the taking this year and I worry that we will settle for 0-0 draws too often and miss out through the play offs again.

 

[timb2222]

Forgot to add as well, I was dissapointed with the support, never seemed to get started. I think it would have helped if they had sat us all together rather than people being spaced out. I also find the relentless having a go at other blades for not standing/singing is pathetic. Everybody pays their money and has the right to stand/sit/sing etc... and the last thing we need is lagered up 12 year olds having a go at people!

 

[PaulMK]

What was the 4 or 5 stewards doing down the middle, it wasn't the idiots who sang at the start of the minutes silence was it.

 

[Kentblade]

Forgot to add as well, I was dissapointed with the support, never seemed to get started. I think it would have helped if they had sat us all together rather than people being spaced out. I also find the relentless having a go at other blades for not standing/singing is pathetic. Everybody pays their money and has the right to stand/sit/sing etc... and the last thing we need is lagered up 12 year olds having a go at people!

Well said timb2222,we all have a right and being a Blade in his 67th season we usually act in according with our age.
A right to stand/sit/sing.
Not much chance of sitting in a paid for seat if the stewards allow fans to stand is there.
Good that we all sat at MKDons.
Pity about the game.
UTB

 

[timb2222]

What was the 4 or 5 stewards doing down the middle, it wasn't the idiots who sang at the start of the minutes silence was it.

No Paul the people singing during the minutes silence were out of the stand in the bar so couldn't see/hear what was going on. As soon as the message got to them it was a minutes silence they soon quietened down.

 

[Ollessendro]

Thanks for thoughts Loughboro. Glad I missed the fooker. Funny, I read a couple of reports (on the BBC, Sky Sports etc) and they all suggested that MK Dons were worthy winners. No mention of a dodgy penalty or 0-0 being fair. In fact the reports said that the visitors offered little and were disappointing.

We went to 2 difficult grounds and aimed for 0-0 draws, which is really disappointing in my book. It has kind of back fired on Wilson as we only picked up a point. Now we have a must win game at home against Stevenage all of a sudden. They seem to be stumbling a little, so perhaps it is a good time to play them, but the pressure is on to bounce back. It is important that we win the next 2 home games. We have more trickygames before Christmas after these too.

I am really disapointed that Wilson has been setting us up this way. He has had some luck so far (against the poorer teams) but it has not worked in the last 2 games. Now we have a really testing run up to Christmas and he needs to try something different for me. Perhaps he will prove me wrong, and if we win our next 2 home gaes then we are right back in contention, but I worry we will fall away and be in a play off position come the festive period.

 

[Kenilworth]

As we clearly do not have any wingers time has come for Danny to mix things up and change the formation to suit the players we have rather than changing the players to fit the formation.

I suspect that is exactly what he is doing already timbers. The formation is a consequence of the players we have. We can all see that we have no pace or creativity in midfield and McDonald is neutralised without an outlet on the flanks or without any decent movement from the front two. The best section of our squad is the defence - that's what is being used as the basis for our results so far.

 

[Blade nath]

Am I missing something?
How the fuck was that a pen?

 

[super_pig]

Am I missing something?
How the fuck was that a pen?

easy.. he had to make up for the stonewaller he missed earlier

 

[timb2222]

I suspect that is exactly what he is doing already timbers. The formation is a consequence of the players we have. We can all see that we have no pace or creativity in midfield and McDonald is neutralised without an outlet on the flanks or without any decent movement from the front two. The best section of our squad is the defence - that's what is being used as the basis for our results so far.

Undoubtedly Wilson is playing to the teams strengths of defending, but I don't think is enough. We will not get auto if we go into games looking for a draw. Wilson has done well to rectify the problems the defence encountered early doors but has not built on this. I think he needs to do this quickly as if we cam't get out of this division this year, considering how poor the competition is, I wonder if we ever will!

 

[Fiery Blade]

He had sorted the defence but I am afraid that if McMahon and Hill are out for any length of time we are in trouble - their replacements Williams and Westlake are distinctly average.
Our problems in midfield will not be rectified until he gets someone to operate down the left - Flynn is just about ok on the right
Up front if we have to use Porter then his most natural partner is Miller
Not totally convinced regarding Blackman, has some raw ability but fails to do the obvious things like running off the ball, anticipating flick ons and headers, looking for the second ball - only done it once this year when he anticipated Millers cross at Coventry to equalise!

 

[timb2222]

He had sorted the defence but I am afraid that if McMahon and Hill are out for any length of time we are in trouble - their replacements Williams and Westlake are distinctly average.
Our problems in midfield will not be rectified until he gets someone to operate down the left - Flynn is just about ok on the right
Up front if we have to use Porter then his most natural partner is Miller
Not totally convinced regarding Blackman, has some raw ability but fails to do the obvious things like running off the ball, anticipating flick ons and headers, looking for the second ball - only done it once this year when he anticipated Millers cross at Coventry to equalise!

Blackmans selection is a tricky one. For me he is the only striker we have that can create something out of nothing, and is our most proven goal scorer this year. I do get the feeling that Miller would be more successfull in link up play with porter but I am not convinced he will score enough. I suppose the only way to find out is for Wilson to give him his chance rather than bringing him on for 5 mins at the end of each game.