Deadbat
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- Aug 6, 2009
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To be honest I am very tired and cannot be bothered to do a full report after that garbage tonight. So, my report will be condensed into a short paragraph and match ratings.
We started well and Robinson had a good effort saved; we had another few decent moments with Mousset and Robinson looking lively early on. Their keeper dithered a few times and we had a few shots blocked or go just awry. Then they broke out and after a ball was not cleared, two players sold themselves and Power hit a great shot that Moore could only help into the net. After this we did absolutely nothing of note. We had no control of midfield, did not have any shots at goal and they won easily. 2nd half we did nothing until a late Clarke shot was pulled wide. I cannot recall them being troubled at all. They did not attack much but still hit the post and still looked more dangerous than us even on the break. I felt the front two did ok but then they went off (our best two players). The rest of the team were really poor – Besic did a few nice things but he was certainly not man of the match and Freeman had a decent 2nd half going forward but the rest of them. Stearman, Bryan and Jagielka were full stretch and horrific in possession. Morrison barely broke into a sprint and did not affect the game. Some of these are bit part players and most on loan/one-year deals or not going to be here by the end of the season I feel as have shown they are not good enough. I was disappointed by Freeman (L) and Osborn. These two cost us around 10 million pounds and both looked really poor.
Sunderland fought harder but also played better football when they had it. We simply cannot handle so many changes. We chucked on McBurnie and Fleck (and Clarke!) but it was too late. The team had no pattern, pace or urgency. Everything was done slowly and no body took control either by running with the ball or speeding up the tempo. The game just drifted away and before you knew it was stoppage time. The referee made some peculiar decisions but even he cannot be apportioned blame for a frankly embarrassing showing from a team of senior pros against a Sunderland team that were also missing several first teamers. Our team had players in it that cost millions but they looked disinterested on the whole and got what they deserved. Wilder will be wanting to bring in some quality backups when we get to January as most of these (front two apart) look well off being Premier League players and it would be a major concern if we got a raft of injuries.
Ratings:
Moore 5/10 – Shaky throughout really. So many crosses came in that he just left or watched. He did not communicate with his defence and then on the goal felt it was not right in the corner or hit that hard but he pushed it into the net. He does not command at all.
Freeman 5.5/10 – Got skinned a few times but he actually looked more bothered than some and did get down the right and put a few crosses in second half. Looked frustrated that he had no movement in front of him.
Osborn 4/10 – I thought he was poor. His touch and passing was off and he took too long to do things often getting robbed off the ball. He is not a left wing back at all. He may come on and play as a defensive midfielder or offer protection on the left if we are leading but he is only going to be a fill in type -a lot of money (5 million) for a player that may only play 2 or 3 minutes now and again when we are seeing games out. I have been quite disappointed with him technically in the two cup games.
Bryan 2/10 – Utterly abject. Technically he is woeful but I am not sure what he does well? I counted 2 things he did right all game out of around 20 bits of play. He cannot head it, cannot control the ball and struggles to make a simple pass. Has no idea of what is going on around him. In the end he just went backwards as his confidence was so shot. He took at least 2 minutes out of the game with his delays on throw ins. He needs moving on as he is not up to it at this level and not even close.
Stearman 4/10 – Spent most of the game grappling with Wyke and lost most headers and first balls. Always at full stretch. He looked so slow and was also ponderous in possession. The terrible and ridiculous shot at the end summed up his night.
Jagielka 4/10 – As above. Looked to be lunging in all the time and no calmness or poise. When he got it, he just kicked it long. Time after time he did this and then at the end just kicked it out for a corner under no pressure. He had done this first half too.
Morrison 4/10 – A few neat touches apart the game completely passed him by. He was never in it all and then when he got it, his passing was overhit or too slow. He did not penetrate; his set plays were poor and then as the game went on looked like he could not be bothered. Not sure what his best position is, he ended up defensive midfield but never got hold of the ball.
Besic 4.5/10 – Gets 4.5 for two decent passes through. One at the beginning where he nearly got Mousset in and then he did get Clarke in with a neat reverse ball. Outside of this his touch always saw the ball shoot off, he sat himself to ground too much and was not able to control play at all. Not worked him out yet as he is not big enough to be an enforcer but not mobile enough to chase back. Bit of a waste of a loan for me when you only get 2 from fellow Prem League teams.
K. Freeman 4/10 – One of the most disappointing players of the night in the sense he should stamp his authority on the game. Spent large chunks of the game arguing about where he should be playing with the bench. When he had it, he took too long and got robbed. Some telegraphed passes and did not run at the Sunderland team. We did not have any series of passes in midfield that went forward – it was all slow and square/behind. Defensively they also got ran past; as shown on the goal.
Robinson 6/10 – Thought he did ok and had one great effort and another run and cross. He at least tried to get involved early but as the game went on, he saw less of the ball and faded badly. He does not have much out and out pace and seems to prefer the ball to feet rather than to run onto.
Mousset 6/10 – As above. He at least looked lively with a few flicks and touches but not much did come off and he became frustrated at us just punting it forward and/or not playing through midfield.
Subs –
McBurnie – At least got involved and had a few really good crosses in but no one was on the end. He had a header cleared and at least we had a nuisance factor up there but ended up playing wider.
Clarke – Abysmal. He lost it time after time, failed to play in people when he had it and then missed a good chance. To say he looked ring rusty is an understatement. With January’s transfer window I am sure he will move on and that will be the last we see of him in a red and white shirt.
Fleck – Livened things up and at least carried the ball rather than three stationery, slow and predictable midfielders we had before – even he overrun it or made poor choices and then a stupid booking too.
Ref – Rubbish – missed fouls, played on at the wrong times and then seemed to be looking at his assistants to help him – these two were equally bad.
Crowd – Flat and bored but you could not blame them. Sunderland fans were very noisy – fair play to them.
We started well and Robinson had a good effort saved; we had another few decent moments with Mousset and Robinson looking lively early on. Their keeper dithered a few times and we had a few shots blocked or go just awry. Then they broke out and after a ball was not cleared, two players sold themselves and Power hit a great shot that Moore could only help into the net. After this we did absolutely nothing of note. We had no control of midfield, did not have any shots at goal and they won easily. 2nd half we did nothing until a late Clarke shot was pulled wide. I cannot recall them being troubled at all. They did not attack much but still hit the post and still looked more dangerous than us even on the break. I felt the front two did ok but then they went off (our best two players). The rest of the team were really poor – Besic did a few nice things but he was certainly not man of the match and Freeman had a decent 2nd half going forward but the rest of them. Stearman, Bryan and Jagielka were full stretch and horrific in possession. Morrison barely broke into a sprint and did not affect the game. Some of these are bit part players and most on loan/one-year deals or not going to be here by the end of the season I feel as have shown they are not good enough. I was disappointed by Freeman (L) and Osborn. These two cost us around 10 million pounds and both looked really poor.
Sunderland fought harder but also played better football when they had it. We simply cannot handle so many changes. We chucked on McBurnie and Fleck (and Clarke!) but it was too late. The team had no pattern, pace or urgency. Everything was done slowly and no body took control either by running with the ball or speeding up the tempo. The game just drifted away and before you knew it was stoppage time. The referee made some peculiar decisions but even he cannot be apportioned blame for a frankly embarrassing showing from a team of senior pros against a Sunderland team that were also missing several first teamers. Our team had players in it that cost millions but they looked disinterested on the whole and got what they deserved. Wilder will be wanting to bring in some quality backups when we get to January as most of these (front two apart) look well off being Premier League players and it would be a major concern if we got a raft of injuries.
Ratings:
Moore 5/10 – Shaky throughout really. So many crosses came in that he just left or watched. He did not communicate with his defence and then on the goal felt it was not right in the corner or hit that hard but he pushed it into the net. He does not command at all.
Freeman 5.5/10 – Got skinned a few times but he actually looked more bothered than some and did get down the right and put a few crosses in second half. Looked frustrated that he had no movement in front of him.
Osborn 4/10 – I thought he was poor. His touch and passing was off and he took too long to do things often getting robbed off the ball. He is not a left wing back at all. He may come on and play as a defensive midfielder or offer protection on the left if we are leading but he is only going to be a fill in type -a lot of money (5 million) for a player that may only play 2 or 3 minutes now and again when we are seeing games out. I have been quite disappointed with him technically in the two cup games.
Bryan 2/10 – Utterly abject. Technically he is woeful but I am not sure what he does well? I counted 2 things he did right all game out of around 20 bits of play. He cannot head it, cannot control the ball and struggles to make a simple pass. Has no idea of what is going on around him. In the end he just went backwards as his confidence was so shot. He took at least 2 minutes out of the game with his delays on throw ins. He needs moving on as he is not up to it at this level and not even close.
Stearman 4/10 – Spent most of the game grappling with Wyke and lost most headers and first balls. Always at full stretch. He looked so slow and was also ponderous in possession. The terrible and ridiculous shot at the end summed up his night.
Jagielka 4/10 – As above. Looked to be lunging in all the time and no calmness or poise. When he got it, he just kicked it long. Time after time he did this and then at the end just kicked it out for a corner under no pressure. He had done this first half too.
Morrison 4/10 – A few neat touches apart the game completely passed him by. He was never in it all and then when he got it, his passing was overhit or too slow. He did not penetrate; his set plays were poor and then as the game went on looked like he could not be bothered. Not sure what his best position is, he ended up defensive midfield but never got hold of the ball.
Besic 4.5/10 – Gets 4.5 for two decent passes through. One at the beginning where he nearly got Mousset in and then he did get Clarke in with a neat reverse ball. Outside of this his touch always saw the ball shoot off, he sat himself to ground too much and was not able to control play at all. Not worked him out yet as he is not big enough to be an enforcer but not mobile enough to chase back. Bit of a waste of a loan for me when you only get 2 from fellow Prem League teams.
K. Freeman 4/10 – One of the most disappointing players of the night in the sense he should stamp his authority on the game. Spent large chunks of the game arguing about where he should be playing with the bench. When he had it, he took too long and got robbed. Some telegraphed passes and did not run at the Sunderland team. We did not have any series of passes in midfield that went forward – it was all slow and square/behind. Defensively they also got ran past; as shown on the goal.
Robinson 6/10 – Thought he did ok and had one great effort and another run and cross. He at least tried to get involved early but as the game went on, he saw less of the ball and faded badly. He does not have much out and out pace and seems to prefer the ball to feet rather than to run onto.
Mousset 6/10 – As above. He at least looked lively with a few flicks and touches but not much did come off and he became frustrated at us just punting it forward and/or not playing through midfield.
Subs –
McBurnie – At least got involved and had a few really good crosses in but no one was on the end. He had a header cleared and at least we had a nuisance factor up there but ended up playing wider.
Clarke – Abysmal. He lost it time after time, failed to play in people when he had it and then missed a good chance. To say he looked ring rusty is an understatement. With January’s transfer window I am sure he will move on and that will be the last we see of him in a red and white shirt.
Fleck – Livened things up and at least carried the ball rather than three stationery, slow and predictable midfielders we had before – even he overrun it or made poor choices and then a stupid booking too.
Ref – Rubbish – missed fouls, played on at the wrong times and then seemed to be looking at his assistants to help him – these two were equally bad.
Crowd – Flat and bored but you could not blame them. Sunderland fans were very noisy – fair play to them.
