United 1 Millwall 2 - report

[Woodwardfan]

DB's rating is a fair IMO Collins never carried McGahey they were as bad as each other.

Thanks Sniper, of course I have to modify my view when so many think he had a stinker. I thought he was immense at times so I must have had an off-day and rose-coloured spectacles. I just can't imagine what we would have done without him or his equivalent. McGahey's mind was mulched by half time.

 

[Woodwardfan]

DB's rating is a fair IMO Collins never carried McGahey they were as bad as each other.

Oh, I've just read the thread on "Collins and Confirmation Bias" and I'm not alone it seems. That's reassuring.

 

[super_pig]

>> Some fans need to realise that this side is very, very unlikely to go up.
realised this at the Colchester game.. around 40 minutes in.

 

[LSF]

Thanks Sniper, of course I have to modify my view when so many think he had a stinker. I thought he was immense at times so I must have had an off-day and rose-coloured spectacles. I just can't imagine what we would have done without him or his equivalent. McGahey's mind was mulched by half time.

Have to say I'm with you on this WWF. Whilst Collins is not the answer to a maidens prayer, he is far from as bad as some make out. I thought he defended well at times but sometimes, well, a lot of times, his defensive headers are to the floor instead of up up and away.
Similarly, Howard gets such unfair stick. Compared to some of the keepers seen on Football league show and MOTD even, he looks pretty competent to me.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Well I for one would say yes we do, because most of our midfield players on the books currently are either midgets or ineffective in this agricultural division, or both !! many people comment that 4 - 4 - 2 isn't a good system because you need 3 in CM to avoid being over-run. Milwall played 4 - 4 - 2 against us and we certainly didn't over-run them and we rarely looked like troubling them .....

Its just that we have ineffective players ...... nothing wrong with 4 - 4 - 2.
UTB & FTP

Good post.

I'll list what I regard as very good midfield players at this level in my opinion in order of merit:

Hammond ( I'm presuming he's good)
Reed
Baxter
Coutts
Flynn
Wallace (when fit)
Woolford
Freeman (wing back)
Harris (wing back)

We also have Basham, Scougall, Ryce, Done, Adams. I'd play Bash in defence and the last two in attack.

There is enough quality in that list and the manager has to find a way of playing the resources to their strengths. To date he has not found the right system or decided on his first choice team.

The resources don't quite man a 4-4-2 system or 4-3-3 ( which I personally don't like).

4-5-1 could work. My preference would be 3-5-2. In addition the diamond could work in a 4-2-3-1 formation or a 4-1-3-2.

Coutts and Hammond together somehow could work really well in possession and control-wise but defensively would be questionable, though I do think they are capable of keeping the right side of the ball and holding their positions well.

Those midfielders surely are capable of providing the ammunition for Done, Sharp, Adams and Sammon, McNulty in that order, surely and capable of keeping things tight against teams like Burton who just look to stop us playing anyway.

Hammond is the key - how good is he as a player and a leader?

The manager has to get the players expressing themselves and playing positvely. That will ignite the crowd and the ball starts rolling.

 

[Revolution]

Good post.

I'll list what I regard as very good midfield players at this level in my opinion in order of merit:

Hammond ( I'm presuming he's good)
Reed
Baxter
Coutts
Flynn
Wallace (when fit)
Woolford
Freeman (wing back)
Harris (wing back)

We also have Basham, Scougall, Ryce, Done, Adams. I'd play Bash in defence and the last two in attack.

There is enough quality in that list and the manager has to find a way of playing the resources to their strengths.

I disagree with the last statement.

With the possible exception of Hammond, on whom the jury is out, that is a list of players who are one dimensional and/or inconsistent or not midfielders (Harris and Freeman).

A number of other teams in this league have young, big midfielders who do a number of things well - they can tackle, should, run well...think Dack at Gillingham or the lad at Port Vale. They do these things consistently.

We do not have a midfielder like that. We need one. And they are not that rare.

 

[super_pig]

A number of other teams in this league have young, big midfielders who do a number of things well - they can tackle, should, run well...think Dack at Gillingham or the lad at Port Vale. They do these things consistently.
We do not have a midfielder like that. We need one. And they are not that rare.

jacob mellis??

 

[Lane Ender]

I disagree with the last statement.

With the possible exception of Hammond, on whom the jury is out, that is a list of players who are one dimensional and/or inconsistent or not midfielders (Harris and Freeman).

A number of other teams in this league have young, big midfielders who do a number of things well - they can tackle, should, run well...think Dack at Gillingham or the lad at Port Vale. They do these things consistently.

We do not have a midfielder like that. We need one. And they are not that rare.

Harris and Freeman going forward offer options defensively they are both poor.