What happened?

[mattbianco1]

Been away for the weekend, come back on here and it seems the world has ended.

Were we really that bad?

I'm gonna watch it in a minute to see if you're all overreacting or not.

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

First half we were fine and ended the half looking very strong, but for some reason the second half we were abysmal, came out looking defeated.

 

[Wards]

No need for any of the panic. Not likely to come up many as strong as Bristol either. If we'd have been playing one of the 'also ran' yesterday we would probably have won comfortably.

25 mins in the first half were as good as I've seen us under Clough. Ok second half was poor but there's 45 games left.

Think we've built the expectations beyond what we're likely to experience so an opening day defeat was always going to flip some into panic mode.

 

[stannyblade]

If we had the rub of the green yesterday we would have won. We weren't good but still could have won the game

 

[Sharpestblade]

Views on yesterday depend on whether your glass is half full or half empty. For the half full amongst us there were some positives. I say some because they weren't positive for the whole game. Higdon scored and showed flashes of what he can do. we created a lot of chances, some were good chances and there were moments where wrong choices were made on crosses from very good positions. Alcock looked a good acquisition and Reed did very well. However, these good things weren't all for the whole of the game.

If your glass is half empty then you would say there were too many changes, the spine of the side was disrupted, Doyle and Collins should have played (even though the half empties probably called for them to be left out), we were outplayed at times second half and Clough should join Mark Robins on the dole queue.

What is for sure is that we seemed to run out of steam ie. not fit enough. Flynn and Murphy never got in the game (probably not helped by their fullbacks OR by the midfielders making the triangles to create crossing space. There were a lot of occasions of "crossed wires" ie. where players didn't know what each other was going to do. In addition, we looked lighweight at times and we missed the experience of the older players. Having said that, not all the teams will be as good as Bristol City.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Been away for the weekend, come back on here and it seems the world has ended.

Were we really that bad?

I'm gonna watch it in a minute to see if you're all overreacting or not.

No mate we weren't. There were a couple of individual errors on the first goal and we were a little slack on the second, though it was well taken.

My summary was poor team selection and a lack of cohesion. It looked like what it was, a cobbled together starting lineup with players that didn't know one another well enough.

I thought Bristol City edged the game and deserved to win but we didn't have our best team out.

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

It wasn't very good, but i'm more concerned that we seem to have signed a load of old rubbish and the board is tighter than a badgers chuff. Who honestly believes that the current regime is any different to the old one with slightly better PR?

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

It wasn't very good, but i'm more concerned that we seem to have signed a load of old rubbish and the board is tighter than a badgers chuff. Who honestly believes that the current regime is any different to the old one with slightly better PR?

Come on we can't judge the new players one way or another after one game, it's not enough time. I don't think yesterday's result was down to the quality of individuals, it was more due to a lack of balance and familiarity.

 

[S5Blade]

It wasn't very good, but i'm more concerned that we seem to have signed a load of old rubbish and the board is tighter than a badgers chuff. Who honestly believes that the current regime is any different to the old one with slightly better PR?

anyone with half a brain and not determined to see the absolute worst in the club. Honestly. We could sign Messi and people would piss and moan that it wasn't Ronaldo. Some of the fans on here are embarrassing with their views on the club and the constant need to try and put them down at every opportunity. Jim Phipps has said he is happy to sit down and explain the clubs structure and finances with any doubters of their intentions. Why not drop him an email?

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

anyone with half a brain and not determined to see the absolute worst in the club. Honestly. We could sign Messi and people would piss and moan that it wasn't Ronaldo. Some of the fans on here are embarrassing with their views on the club and the constant need to try and put them down at every opportunity. Jim Phipps has said he is happy to sit down and explain the clubs structure and finances with any doubters of their intentions. Why not drop him an email?

Will dropping him an email help us sign players?

Also why do you need to be insulting?
I have half a brain thanks, i have a degree and a high I.Q. but i don't feel the need to insult people.
If you are so clever, how about an I.Q. test challenge? I'll put up 20k as a bet, match it if you are so confident.

If we're on to insults, i could say if you are so clever then how come you are S5Blade but live in S35! Do you have trouble remembering where you live??

 

[blade.i.am]

So, 3 points behind the leaders and only 135 more points to play for. It's not going to be easy but I think we can still do it

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

So, 3 points behind the leaders and only 135 more points to play for. It's not going to be easy but I think we can still do it

By that logic, so can every single team in the league.

 

[bricktop]

Pure and simple.

A centre-half pairing of a raw 18 year old centre-half with less than half a dozen appearances, and a 5' 9" right back, was never gonna work.

 

[diplomat]

Pure and simple.

A centre-half pairing of a raw 18 year old centre-half with less than half a dozen appearances, and a 5' 9" right back, was never gonna work.

I wondered if he did that as a deliberate ploy to shackle Baldock with our little man while the big man took Wilbraham. However, they just swopped round and most of the time it was the 'wrong' defender left with them. The other aspect was Clough wanting Davies on the pitch. However to create a new CB pairing, one of whom is really a full back, to do this was strange in the extreme to me.

 

[bricktop]

I wondered if he did that as a deliberate ploy to shackle Baldock with our little man while the big man took Wilbraham. However, they just swopped round and most of the time it was the 'wrong' defender left with them. The other aspect was Clough wanting Davies on the pitch. However to create a new CB pairing, one of whom is really a full back, to do this was strange in the extreme to me.

Same here. I noticed relatively early on, Bristol City got a corner and it went deep where a man had a free header back in to the box. I noticed we looked particularly vulnerable when it came to giving away free headers, and despite what a lot of other people were saying, i was not particularly impressed with Alcock at centre half.

 

[Rodley]

Will dropping him an email help us sign players?

Also why do you need to be insulting?
I have half a brain thanks, i have a degree and a high I.Q. but i don't feel the need to insult people.
If you are so clever, how about an I.Q. test challenge? I'll put up 20k as a bet, match it if you are so confident.

If we're on to insults, i could say if you are so clever then how come you are S5Blade but live in S35! Do you have trouble remembering where you live??

 

[JOEYDEE]

Pure and simple.

A centre-half pairing of a raw 18 year old centre-half with less than half a dozen appearances, and a 5' 9" right back, was never gonna work.

Thought the 5'9'' right back was arguably the best player on the pitch ...

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Will dropping him an email help us sign players?

Also why do you need to be insulting?
I have half a brain thanks, i have a degree and a high I.Q. but i don't feel the need to insult people.
If you are so clever, how about an I.Q. test challenge? I'll put up 20k as a bet, match it if you are so confident.

If we're on to insults, i could say if you are so clever then how come you are S5Blade but live in S35! Do you have trouble remembering where you live??

Unfortunately a high IQ doesn't necessarily mean great knowledge and understanding of the beautiful game. I know a few mensa candidates that talk absolute bollocks as far as football is concerned.

 

[S5Blade]

Will dropping him an email help us sign players?

Also why do you need to be insulting?
I have half a brain thanks, i have a degree and a high I.Q. but i don't feel the need to insult people.
If you are so clever, how about an I.Q. test challenge? I'll put up 20k as a bet, match it if you are so confident.

If we're on to insults, i could say if you are so clever then how come you are S5Blade but live in S35! Do you have trouble remembering where you live??

Insulting? Come on, I am pretty sure anyone with less than half a brain would struggle to survive, was hardly offensive or even that insulting, more of a figure of speech.

Jim offered to meet people, not engage in email conversation, we have signed 9 players. 9. No loans. Still 20 days left in the transfer window yet people still think we are cheap, dont do any business in the transfer window yada yada yada.

With such a high I.Q and a degree, you would have thought your capitalisation of letters would be spot on.

Maybe I used to live in S5 but now live in S35 but can't change your username? I have moved 4 times since S5, maybe I like the username? Great way to backup your argument tho, bang on about a degree you have...... *yawn*

 

[SwissBlade]

Been away for the weekend, come back on here and it seems the world has ended.

Were we really that bad?

I'm gonna watch it in a minute to see if you're all overreacting or not.

We were poor, make no mistake, but I think writing off Basham, McNulty, Davies, Harris, Flynn and McGahey after one game is a little harsh.

I think Clough was perhaps a little optimistic to expect us to get a result with the team that he put out. Not because (like some believe) that they are shite players, but because we faced tough opposition with a side that hasn't had chance to gel.

I can't work out if the experienced players were left out/ on the bench through injury or because the youngsters were that much better. The young lads certainly have the technical ability and the pace, but they don't yet have the experience.

Big negatives for me were fitness or lack of and the lack of leadership. Clough saw fit to make Higdon captain, which is great for him, but like a goalkeeper captain, the lone striker can't exert his influence, especially when he is isolated (like in the second half

I don't think signing more players is the answer right now, but the answer is patience and to allow this side to bed in. Throwing money at the side now is not really addressing the issue, but i do think we're short of a commanding centre half (Danny Wilson at Hearts would be worth a bid).

If I was Clough, i'd work on fitness, but i'd work on a team which he can stick out there for a half dozen games and work on the organisation. If we're playing 4-5-1 then play 4-5-1 and work on defending as a unit and also defending on the counter. Both goals came from down the left and whilst Harris didn't have a great game, he was exposed by Alcock and McGahey getting dragged across on the second. If they need to cover right when there are just one or two attackers then they're out of position.

Importantly, we need to know what the midfield were doing allowing such gaps to form in front of the centre halves and the left back. Murphy, Scoogs, Reed and Bash all need to be dealing with that, If it means Basham goes out for Doyle (or possibly Baxter), then so be it. That would be my one change to start. I'd allow the Centre Half partnership to develop. Davies was solid as a righback, didn't dazzle, but is reliable (in my opinion). But if we wanted to put someone else at rightback it needs to happen quickly and they need to bed the new back four in.

I think the expectation for saturday was high, so it probably explains the reaction. I thought we were poor, but could've and should've got more from the game first half and second half we should've shut them out. We were niave. Clough left the subs long enough to give everyone their chance. Flynn and Scoogs were blowing second half and Basham rightly got replaced for under performing. Scougal though had run his socks off, Flynn just lacked fitness.

The subs made no impact really, JCR shouldve been making more space and Murphy shouldve been used more to create the space at the far post. McNulty was inneffective and Baxter at least seemed comfortable and composed alongside Reed. I'd like to see that partnership develop along with Scoogs in there.

Higdon looked unfit, yet class up front. I just hope we're not going to pump the ball long every game to him as we got more joy when the ball was whipped in

 

[super_pig]

when i saw the teamsheet (and after i'd rejoiced at collins and doyle's exclusion) i must admit i thought.. eh??

 

[SwissBlade]

when i saw the teamsheet (and after i'd rejoiced at collins and doyle's exclusion) i must admit i thought.. eh??

Hopefully Doyle will be back for the next game.

 

[Cyprus Blade]

Hopefully Doyle will be back for the next game.

well he is still captain - http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/shef...oyle-is-my-skipper-says-boss-clough-1-6777967

 

[Kenilworth]

Not sure there is a Captain out there - well no one any better for the role then Doyle is already. That is a bog worry for me.
I thought it was a significant move not making Basham captain - I am not sure about him - having seen him play twice - He has all the physical attributes but he need to "boss" midfield and lay it off to Scougs or Reed to use the ball properly. He isn't as effective nor as organising as Doyle is. I think NC had him in mind to be the fulcrum in midfield and the ever present - thereby prime to be Captain - After the pre season I am not so sure NC believes that any more. You have to be pretty certain that whoever you pick as Captain is going to be ever present, when fit - stands to reason - but not sure we have any player that can be comfortable enough to expect to be selected for every game.

Butler wasn't even named in the squad so his pre season seems to have been well below par. I have only seen him against Fener and he was pulled all over the place at times - not representative of the oppo he will face regularly - but if he was at fault for gaols vs Burton and York then he is going to get next to no look in at all. Was surprised that the CB pairing for Satdi wasn't Collo and McGahey - Alcock is a good player but I think he is much better at RB. Harris has looked off the pace for me so far this (pre) season - one of my favourite players from the last campaign but he was poorly positioned on a number of occasions and his crossing was not the best either - mind you only Davies was putting any decent balls in - very disappointed from the quality of crosses from Murphy and Flynn

 

[MobileBlade]

And the Upper Tier ran out of food BEFORE half time. Surprised their wasn't a riot up there......

 

[Northyorksblade]

Was Collins not 100% fit? I like the look of Alcock, but Collins in the middle and Alcock RB I think would have worked better.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I think people have been slightly harsh on the defence. I think the first goal showed our lack of aerial ability from our right back, while our midfield should have been tracking Elliott's run. NC blamed Scougall, I think Reed should have been back there.

It showed that our wingers had poor games, and from open play we missed the attacking input from Brayford, Maguire and Coady, although there was better playmaking from Reed, compared to what Doyle used to do offer.

I'm not happy with Davies and Flynn (not mobile enough, Flynn needs someone who can fly past him), and also thought Harris should have overlapped more, as Murphy struggled to get past Little. Against an opposition playing 3-5-2, it can be a good idea to double up on their wing-backs and thus get to the byline. But Harris and Davies most often crossed from deep, which is easier to defend against.

 

[Silent Blade]

I think people have been slightly harsh on the defence. I think the first goal showed our lack of aerial ability from our right back, while our midfield should have been tracking Elliott's run. NC blamed Scougall, I think Reed should have been back there.

You mean Bristol's 2nd goal? Basham was at fault for the 1st goal

 

[bartman]

You mean Bristol's 2nd goal? Basham was at fault for the 1st goal

They were targeting Harris especially in the 2nd half due to his lack of height. I was surprised Basham didn't go over their when the keeper was clearing his lines as this would have nullified the threat. Problem is, if you don't do this we have to win the second ball and track the runners which HM2 (I think) then Scougal failed to do.

 

[Bergen Blade]

You mean Bristol's 2nd goal? Basham was at fault for the 1st goal

Sorry, I meant to write:

I think people have been slightly harsh on the defence. I think the first goal showed our lack of aerial ability from our right back, while for the second our midfield should have been tracking Elliott's run. NC blamed Scougall, I think Reed should have been back there.

I know Basham tossed away possession needlessly. In attacks like that it is important to make an effort at goal because we have men pouring forward. Despite that I don't think it put us in a situation where it was impossible to do anything to prevent a goal. If you look at this photo, it shows that as we lost possession, BC had nine men behind the ball, i.e. only two players forward.


It's the type of counter attacks we're going to face every match, and we must be better organised with clearer instructions of who's going to do what. Moments after the above photo Reed and Harris fails to decide who's going to close Little down, meaning he's got a lot of space to run into with noone really covering.

At the back post Wilbraham has an easy header against Davies, who's not really built for that type of challenges. Back post headers against our small full backs may be a problem for us. Credit to BC though, it was a great counter attack.