Where for art thou Jake.

[Almosthuman]

How has Jake wright suddenly turned into a world beater? It’s like when Collins wasn’t in Cloughs plan and all of a sudden fans believed him the answer to everything.

Jake has been great for us massively over performing however Stearman has done nothing wrong since coming in, he’s been getting up to speed and hasn’t been responsible for any of the goals conceded.

 

[gavtheblade]

Everyone is entitled to an opinion.
My opinion is that not only today, but half a dozen games or so we have looked unbalanced and shakey at the back.
This coincides with a back three of stearman, clitty chapped vulva and jacko.
My two penneth is that we have played better when Jake has been part of the back three,and clearly hasn't been in the last six.

 

[McGrath]

I cant give a reason, that's why I'm pissed off. The stats show themselves, it's quite literally on paper for Wilder to see and ignore. We defend better when he's here.

Why did Oxford release him to us?

 

[McGrath]

nope - not after the 1st whistle goes - every team needs a leader in defence - the one that everyone else listens to.

It should be the one in the middle of the 3 man defence we play.

UTB

So the rest of defence but be pretty attrotious if we need to play a special player in the middle of a back 5 just to hold their hands.

Maybe we should get rid of all of them and get some proper centre halves in January, maybe even go to a back 4

 

[cahill]

We were “ bullied” today by a set of players with something to prove, and they weren’t overly physical or dirty. Playing in front of a near 30,000 crowd must be more motivating than playing in front of their paltry 14,000 regular home gate. They are more improved of late as well.

 

[hazzasufc_]

Why did Oxford release him to us?

He left by mutual consent and was one of Oxford's best players. Wilder also had him when he was manager for Halifax and Oxford so he knew him well.

 

[McGrath]

He left by mutual consent and was one of Oxford's best players. Wilder also had him when he was manager for Halifax and Oxford so he knew him well.

So he was first team regular at Oxford. Strange them southerners you'd expect them to want to hang on to their realism.

 

[Sean Thornton]

It’s alright winning the challenges but it’s letting him pass it off, chest it off or flick it on without fucking challenging him, we got bullied in every aspect and Wright wouldn’t have let that happen.

That's an opinion not a fact.

 

[wizadry]

That's an opinion not a fact.

I appreciate that!

 

[Sean Thornton]

I appreciate that!

The question of why Wright is out has been dealt with by CW, more physical presence.

I wasn't being a smart arse. No one knows if Wright would have handled Madine. It's rather like saying l know Leon will score because he's scored before.

 

[wizadry]

The question of why Wright is out has been dealt with by CW, more physical presence.

I wasn't being a smart arse. No one knows if Wright would have handled Madine. It's rather like saying l know Leon will score because he's scored before.

I know you wasn’t and my comment was indeed an opinion I hold regards Wright’s organisational skills. We were all over the shop yet again as a defensive unit in the first half of a game which imo is due to Wright not being in there, at the heart of the defence.

Leon should’ve scored but I would’ve still had this conversation, that’s the difference. I know that we have to sort the defence out, it’s simply not good enough.

It might sound daft but if we don’t concede one stupid goal today then we probably go on to win the game. Confidence breeds from the back line imo.

 

[Latters]

I note that Carter Vickers is getting singled out a lot but there’s barely any mention of the fact that Basham was fucking shit and cost us the goal today.

J O’C, Wright and Stearman would be the back 3 I’d be trying out.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

For me, it became obvious half way through last season that if we continue to play three at the back, then the only combination that does this effectively is Basham, Wright and O' Connell.

All other combinations, both last season and this, have been found to have shortcomings . I looked at the team sheet today and saw that one of them was on the bench and another playing in midfield and immediately felt uncomfortable.

I'm not saying that this dictated the overall result, but I'm pretty sure it was a factor, particularly in the way we conceded the goal.

By the way, I don't go along with the idea that you need to match physical presence with physical presence. My hero was only 5 ft. 8 " but he played big centre forwards better than anybody I've ever seen because of his superior football brain.

 

[GrayBlade]

I thought that Stearman was probably the best of the bunch (sorry).

 

[wizadry]

For me, it became obvious half way through last season that if we continue to play three at the back, then the only combination that does this effectively is Basham, Wright and O' Connell.

All other combinations, both last season and this, have been found to have shortcomings . I looked at the team sheet today and saw that one of them was on the bench and another playing in midfield and immediately felt uncomfortable.

I'm not saying that this dictated the overall result, but I'm pretty sure it was a factor, particularly in the way we conceded the goal.

By the way, I don't go along with the idea that you need to match physical presence with physical presence. My hero was only 5 ft. 8 " but he played big centre forwards better than anybody I've ever seen because of his superior football brain.

Brilliant post and Baldock can jump pretty high aswell which is why it baffled me with the decision to not play him and nullify our threat going forwards from the start.

 

[Champagneblade]

Why can’t we play Stearman, Wright and O’Connell together?

They are all specialist defenders.

None of our defenders have pace particularly.

Surely the greater experience of Stearman and Wright would be better than putting your money on an out of sorts 19 year old.

 

[GrayBlade]

For me, it became obvious half way through last season that if we continue to play three at the back, then the only combination that does this effectively is Basham, Wright and O' Connell.

All other combinations, both last season and this, have been found to have shortcomings . I looked at the team sheet today and saw that one of them was on the bench and another playing in midfield and immediately felt uncomfortable.

I'm not saying that this dictated the overall result, but I'm pretty sure it was a factor, particularly in the way we conceded the goal.

By the way, I don't go along with the idea that you need to match physical presence with physical presence. My hero was only 5 ft. 8 " but he played big centre forwards better than anybody I've ever seen because of his superior football brain.

Agreed. But the problem yesterday wasn’t about Madine dominating our defence, they hardly had a sniff apart from the goal. It was all about us not being able to creat clear cut chances for the forwards and on the few occasions we did they didn’t take them.

 

[wizadry]

It was Wright, JOC and CCV starting when we played them away earlier in the season, with Blackman in the net, we coped brilliantly that night and there’s no reason to think this four couldn’t have coped with it in the corresponding home fixture.

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

Dropping Baldock was the big issue today cost us the game.

Stearman played well.

Why wasn't Baldock playing from the start? Thought when he came on he was our best player.

 

[bertieblade]

If you are pointing fingers at any of our centre backs for their goal, I would suggest, CCV for again losing his footing and subsequently his man and JOC for allowing Madine to get to the ball first to put it away, if he had been alert he should have put it out at the near post.
Unfortunately our style of high intensity play with a small squad means that players like JOC and Stevens are exposed, both have been bad recently as in my opinion they need a rest.
Wright has also needed a rest, particuarly against more physical teams.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

Why can’t we play Stearman, Wright and O’Connell together?

They are all specialist defenders.

None of our defenders have pace particularly.

Surely the greater experience of Stearman and Wright would be better than putting your money on an out of sorts 19 year old.

That would be preferable to today's line up, but I like Basham in the side and his best position is clearly right centre back so, the way I see it is, why experiment with someone who may be uncomfortable there ?

For my money, we've done too much of that which is why we've lost more games than some teams in the lower half of the division.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

Agreed. But the problem yesterday wasn’t about Madine dominating our defence, they hardly had a sniff apart from the goal. It was all about us not being able to creat clear cut chances for the forwards and on the few occasions we did they didn’t take them.

Agreed. But the problem yesterday wasn’t about Madine dominating our defence, they hardly had a sniff apart from the goal. It was all about us not being able to creat clear cut chances for the forwards and on the few occasions we did they didn’t take them.

Which is why I said it didn't necessarily dictate the overall result, but probably was a factor.

 

[Uncle mick]

Why wasn't Baldock playing from the start? Thought when he came on he was our best player.

Because for some reason wilder has to find a spot for bash is he undroppable

 

[Fulwood Blade]

I thought that Stearman was probably the best of the bunch (sorry).

you are correct - but is he the best player to organise, lead and control the back 3?

The spine of the team has changed and it isn't working.

This problem will run and run.

UTB

 

[HillmortonBlade]

I thought that Stearman was probably the best of the bunch (sorry).

And I think you are right. Madine was very effective yesterday, credit where it is due. But that was not due to Stearman, that was due to Madine.

 

[Dark muffy]

My back 3 would be the same as last season, Basham, Wright and JOC. They just seem to be a much better organised unit that allows us to get the best of Basham and JOC pushing forward. However last season they didn' really have to worry about doing too much defending and we'e hardly ever tested properly as a defensive unit. Having said that Stearman has done well recently and played well yesterday. As for CCV I'm not sure why he keeps getting picked (only young so not going to slate him). He seems to get his body in odd positions when being ran at by an attacker almost as if he' square on, he inevitably then either gets skinned or slips and cant recover, ive noticed this 5 or 6 times this season leading to goals, notably at the sty, against fulham and yesterday in the lead up to Boltons.

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

Because for some reason wilder has to find a spot for bash is he undroppable

I'm not Bashams bigest fan but he has played consistently well throughout the season.
He shouldn't be undroppable but you have to question these things I guess, when Wilder plays him over our better full back.

 

[Rustyblade]

Er...because that's what his parents named him?

 

[Bladesman]

Dropping Baldock was the big issue today cost us the game.

Stearman played well.

I don't think Stearman played that well at all. He let Madine bully him for most of the match.

 

[super_pig]

‘a player who makes the team great is better than a great player’
john wooden