Given the performances, would we be favourites in either of those games now? Hard to make a case, even when we're winning Ben Foster is usually man of the match.
A Jekyll and Hyde team HD. Doesn't really matter though if we play like we did this again. They will nick one and it will be midnight before we even muster a shot on target. Still if you listen to Robbo and Smoggie get your pass NOW. No need for negativity we're building nicely as a side. Just ironing out a few crinkles here and there.
Vlad ? We would do better with Vlad Tepes as coach. Might inspire the fear of god into some of the players. Disgraceful performance again.
I agree with @Hogg-DEENEY!!! We must play a striker, even if it's Murray. Ivic has a football brain does he not? What side do you take to Barnsley a team with a striker. Murray created a chance at Wycombe, he isn't totally useless, and Gray needs time to bed in with Sub appearances.
Largely terrible display, they pressed our midfield so well - Capoue and Chalobah looked awful. Chalobah went in to HT with a pass accuracy of 48% (and ended at 51%). Capoue was also wasteful and got dispossessed a number of times - the times he didn't he tried Hollywood balls with mixed success. On the positive side we tore up their left flank a number of times (which has lead to a couple of goals so far this season) but couldn't convert that into shots. Corners again largely aimed into that same area as the rest of the season (although a close chance by Wilmot - funnily enough NOT in that area). Lots to work on and hope we abandon the 3-5-2 soon.
Delivered into the near post on the six yard line. Pity the poor connection from Wilmot otherwise a certain goal. Sema's left foot the provider again with the short corner routine against the Boro.
I cannot fathom how so many professional athletes can fail to do entry level skills. I had more joy with a six year old player today who exhibited sheer joy at running,hitting,learning. She can already recognise and play topspin, slice and read differing heights for volleying. she ENJOYS it. Where's the joy in our team,where's the freedom and bravery to take control? Fear has gripped this team,our club and it needs to change. I have been a fervent fan of Gino but I'm doubting now if he has the plan to repair this model.
No - he is worse than totally useless. Have you watched Murray this season? It is like playing with 10 men.
I used to think “ooh great, the Championship - another game midweek”. Now i think “oh ****, the Championship - another game midweek”
To be honest I have to disagree about Sarrs maturity levels, I thought he was too good for Barnsley and caused them plenty of problems with better movement and finishing he would have had 3 assists, the problem is he is simply not a central striker at any level. Secondly I think that the passing round the back was because of a reluctance to play more direct to our forwards because the players knew that we wasn't likely to keep it. He did throw Gray on late but yeah I agree he could have put Murray on, although Glen is a bit **** nowadays.
We were constantly hitting long balls out to Sarr on the right flank, or sometimes to Kiko who pushed up a lot as well. This pass became more frequent over the second half, usually made by Capoue. The issue was that subsequently Sarr either messed up the final cross after easily skinning their full-hack (usually hitting the first man), or the few times he did put a decent ball in there was no one actually in the box to get on the end of it as JP is powder puff and the rest of our players are slow as anything.
Granted this is coming from a position of desperation, but...Sarr and Pedro is quite clearly not working, they played quite well with each other against L*ton last month, but since then it's almost as if they're not even on the same pitch they're so far apart. Neither of them get in the box to make a target for the crosser (Sarr in many cases), and neither of them are an option with the long ball if we need a plan B. You say Murray has been useless so far, and that's true, but Pedro has been utterly anonymous two games running now, and the previous game he started was against Blackburn where they just completely played into our hands-you don't get too many Championship sides who are that easy to play against (apart from us it seems). I mean, Murray has to get better, right? He can't be as bad as he has been surely?
Is Murray injured or has the player we signed less than two months ago (presumably after an at least basic level of scouting and fitness and medical tests) been deemed not good enough to even make the match day squad despite him supposedly being exactly the type of player that we are desperately crying out for right now? Surely the greatest scouting network in the world haven't signed a player who is completely past it as a professional athlete as a result of not carrying out even the simplest level of due diligence?
Hi folks. Been out all day, just checked the result on BBC website hoping to see a win and 3 points. Oh dear. No points and no shots on target. Don't look like it was any better than the Wycombe game reading the comments. Plus point. Still in a play off place. Another possible plus point. Hughes and Gray full games imminent.
I have yes, and I agree he is awful, but we have no other target man who could make a possible run into the box. As I said, Gray is still risky to play 90mins, so why not try Murray for 75 then switch in Gray. It's better than playing tip tap football through a non existent midfield.
Probably buy a 17 year old South American who will make one appearance in the cup before disappearing never to be seen again.
On this sad day regarding Sean Connery, 007 is also the number of goals our players have scored in the league so far this season.
Whilst he was decimalising Moneypenny we have been decimated by some kind of lethargy and ineptitude.
As a happy clapper I am neither happy or clapping we have no end product. I missed the first 20 mins, Barnsley never really looked like scoring another in the bit of the game I saw , but we don’t seem to understand the need to put the ball into the box, we just **** around trying to run it in which gets us nowhere
It took me 10mins to get a stream working, and when one finally did and I saw we were 1-0 down, I immediately turned it off and went about my day, I knew what was coming. I'd really like it to work for Vlad, but he seriously needs to grow a pair and stop playing 5 at the back against these teams. He must feel doing so is the only way to keep us defensively solid, but we're even leaking goals now. We've no creativity in midfield, but one way around this is to simply get bodies forward in advanced positions, but playing 5 at the back prevents this, and sees us playing the ball to Sarr (who is out of form) and hoping he creates something. Currently we're play a certain system because we supposedly don't have a player the suits one position (LB), but in playing this system we're actually affecting numerous other players by playing them in positions that it doesn't suit, have a greater overall negative effect on the team. Stoke is a big game now.
You might be right about Sarr, he was good in the Prem, but I just watched Sarr today with his lost look, and wondered if he suddenly felt it was all too much. (especially after his non celebration last week after scoring) Agree he will be fine with the right striker to aim for.... I have a feeling vlad has lost the players tbh....
We have the players that should scare most sides in this league....if we set up in an attacking formation with offensive intent. Ivic seems averse even to consider that, so for me, the initial view of ‘good enough until he has a full deck to play with’ has now dissipated. He seems to only want to play turgid risk-averse sh1te with players that can’t defend in a league that will always batter against any defensive wall until it cracks. It takes a certain level of perverse skill to convert Sarr & Pedro into pedestrian gophers.
Again? What manager do they want? I've never known a side like ours to continually lose faith with managers like they do. Put a bucket of sheep slop in charge and it wouldn't last a month.
As we have some really promising attacking talent, imagine just how soul-destroying the whole squad must feel with the non-football they are being asked to play.
I think he skimmed his man almost every time he had any space to do so and if Cleverley had put his chance in from six yards out and Jaoa Pedro had made a couple of better runs then people would be saying that he had a good game.
Today was the first game where I'm worried we won't make automatics. We lack a bite in midfield and calmness at the back to make Ivic's system work effectively. Ivic needs to change from a back 5 now and implement his 4-3-3 now we're starting to see the current system show it's flaws in earnest, at latest after the international break. We looked like a team who lack a belief in our defence. Missing a LCB and LB are killing our chances; Wilmot having to play inside on his strong foot rather than have a natural left footed player who can carry it wider and away from pressure. Sema is wasted further back as his deliveries are vicious. We're still in decent shape but we know have to learn and step up.
