[ELTON 2020]

Having seen them and been at the match:

For a start, Donny imo were worthy 3-0 winners imo. They were quicker, sharper, knew where players were, were better on the ball. They had far more possession, shots on target etc...Apart from a 5 minutes spell at the beginning of each half - we looked like a team going only one way.

1) Dan Gardner is liked by Saunders. He is a weak link, at the moment in the team imo. Is not 90 minutes, more 15 on last nights display.

2) Ariyibi is no better. He can't play with anyone up the pitch, is not physical enough and has poor defensive awareness.

3) Richard Wood disappoints me. He's been in the championship for a while now. If Rotherham don't care for him - they know something Saunders doesn't.

4) Chris Herd baffles me - for a player who's been in prem/championship. Completely off the pace.

5) Sam Hird is a liability at RB

[Goku]

Tend to agree with all of that. I try not to judge Hird at RB similar to how I wouldn't judge Morsy playing left wing - they're not supposed to be playing there. If our manager had prepared his squad properly, Hird wouldn't have to be played at RB and made to look stupid. It's a completely different position to CB and it shows how crazy some posters were when they were on about putting Raglan there earlier on in the season when he's never properly played there either.

Gardner... meh. I like him to an extent because I like flair players who can get the crowd on their feet but in a 4-4-2 he is no wideman, he doesn't have the natural defensive know-how or footballing brain required and it seems that either our coaching staff are unable to teach him or he is unable to learn properly. Similar with Ariyibi really, no defensive brain about him at all bless him.

Wood, I've only seen him against FCUM but by all accounts he's been poor and Herd is a clogger - I am very confused as to how he was kept on the books of Aston Villa for so long, he has such a lack of technical ability. Players at League 1 level coming down from the Prem should not be struggling to trap a ball.

[Mr Mercury]

Getting back to a warm car?
Edit..btw I tend to agree with all points.

This post has been edited by Mr Mercury: 25 November 2015 - 08:19 PM

[Stoneyspireite]

We are being coached using ill thought out, naive tactics. Sam M dropping deeper and deeper for the ball. Given it on the edge of our box, sideways passing to centre halves, making no progress up the pitch. Taking unnecessary risks in possession. Lose the ball up front no central midfield because Sammy is still too deep. Herd not a footballer so unable to influence attacking play. Obvious last night that we were wide open down the middle and flanks due to players who cannot track back because they are slow or idle. Get back to an extra player in midfield let Sammy play deep and play 4 in front of him and one up top. Talbot at right back. Wood did quite well last night so currently copping for scapegoat. If we are playing Jayo / Gardner play behind the striker. Only thoughts but rooted in seeing us totally bossed about last night COYB.

[Ernie Ernie Ernie]

Stoneyspireite, on 25 November 2015 - 08:50 PM, said:

We are being coached using ill thought out, naive tactics. Sam M dropping deeper and deeper for the ball. Given it on the edge of our box, sideways passing to centre halves, making no progress up the pitch. Taking unnecessary risks in possession. Lose the ball up front no central midfield because Sammy is still too deep. Herd not a footballer so unable to influence attacking play. Obvious last night that we were wide open down the middle and flanks due to players who cannot track back because they are slow or idle. Get back to an extra player in midfield let Sammy play deep and play 4 in front of him and one up top. Talbot at right back. Wood did quite well last night so currently copping for scapegoat. If we are playing Jayo / Gardner play behind the striker. Only thoughts but rooted in seeing us totally bossed about last night COYB.

It's just a matter of time before Morsy gets caught in possession on the edge of our box. It's too predictable

[TrueBlue Steve]

Elton John 1866, on 25 November 2015 - 08:04 PM, said:

Having seen them and been at the match:

For a start, Donny imo were worthy 3-0 winners imo. They were quicker, sharper, knew where players were, were better on the ball. They had far more possession, shots on target etc...Apart from a 5 minutes spell at the beginning of each half - we looked like a team going only one way.

1) Dan Gardner is liked by Saunders. He is a weak link, at the moment in the team imo. Is not 90 minutes, more 15 on last nights display.

2) Ariyibi is no better. He can't play with anyone up the pitch, is not physical enough and has poor defensive awareness.

3) Richard Wood disappoints me. He's been in the championship for a while now. If Rotherham don't care for him - they know something Saunders doesn't.

4) Chris Herd baffles me - for a player who's been in prem/championship. Completely off the pace.

5) Sam Hird is a liability at RB

Just watched, sorry just endured the highlights, the 2nd and 3rd goals omg Sunday league defending or what! Where is this communication that Wood is meant to bring to the team.

The third just emphasises a previous post where I've stated were just not good enough to pass it out from the back so why B****Y do it, it was only a matter of time before we got caught out.

[meowdmucker]

Just seen them and to be honest, and I know they were just highlights, we looked absolutely terrible. No commitment, apathetic with no eagerness to close down and allowing players to run and shoot at will. It almost looks like the players don't want to play. I would like to be a fly on the dressing room wall when there is no management team around. They dont appear motivated one bit.
What a disaster this managerial appointment is turning out to be.

[Westbars Spireite]

meowdmucker, on 25 November 2015 - 10:44 PM, said:

Just seen them and to be honest, and I know they were just highlights, we looked absolutely terrible. No commitment, apathetic with no eagerness to close down and allowing players to run and shoot at will. It almost looks like the players don't want to play. I would like to be a fly on the dressing room wall when there is no management team around. They dont appear motivated one bit.
What a disaster this managerial appointment is turning out to be.

We might look back on this 'heady' league position and yearn for these days in May.

[lindave]

Elton John 1866, on 25 November 2015 - 08:04 PM, said:

Having seen them and been at the match:

For a start, Donny imo were worthy 3-0 winners imo. They were quicker, sharper, knew where players were, were better on the ball. They had far more possession, shots on target etc...Apart from a 5 minutes spell at the beginning of each half - we looked like a team going only one way.

1) Dan Gardner is liked by Saunders. He is a weak link, at the moment in the team imo. Is not 90 minutes, more 15 on last nights display.

2) Ariyibi is no better. He can't play with anyone up the pitch, is not physical enough and has poor defensive awareness.

3) Richard Wood disappoints me. He's been in the championship for a while now. If Rotherham don't care for him - they know something Saunders doesn't.

4) Chris Herd baffles me - for a player who's been in prem/championship. Completely off the pace.

5) Sam Hird is a liability at RB

Good post. The only highlight for me apart from his mistake, was Evo.

[dim view]

Elton John 1866, on 25 November 2015 - 08:04 PM, said:

Having seen them and been at the match:

For a start, Donny imo were worthy 3-0 winners imo. They were quicker, sharper, knew where players were, were better on the ball. They had far more possession, shots on target etc...Apart from a 5 minutes spell at the beginning of each half - we looked like a team going only one way.

1) Dan Gardner is liked by Saunders. He is a weak link, at the moment in the team imo. Is not 90 minutes, more 15 on last nights display.

2) Ariyibi is no better. He can't play with anyone up the pitch, is not physical enough and has poor defensive awareness.

3) Richard Wood disappoints me. He's been in the championship for a while now. If Rotherham don't care for him - they know something Saunders doesn't.

4) Chris Herd baffles me - for a player who's been in prem/championship. Completely off the pace.

5) Sam Hird is a liability at RB

and now, the alternative highlights.....

Banks once again hits the post.

Gboly makes no attempt to defend the second goal.

Jayo holds the ball too long too often.

[Mr Mercury]

dim view, on 27 November 2015 - 10:11 AM, said:

and now, the alternative highlights.....

Banks once again hits the post.

Gboly makes no attempt to defend the second goal.

Jayo holds the ball too long too often.

I noticed a few times on Tuesday that Jay was holding onto the ball and trying to be a man too many..WHY?..quite simply nobody was making themselves available, nobody was getting forward he was looking into areas where people just weren't making the effort to get to.
I know it's being mentioned ad nausium but the regression on the pitch injust a couple of months is absolutely mind bogglingly worrying!

[h again]

Mr Mercury, on 27 November 2015 - 03:17 PM, said:

I noticed a few times on Tuesday that Jay was holding onto the ball and trying to be a man too many..WHY?..quite simply nobody was making themselves available, nobody was getting forward he was looking into areas where people just weren't making the effort to get to.
I know it's being mentioned ad nausium but the regression on the pitch injust a couple of months is absolutely mind bogglingly worrying!

If nobody is making the runs for him - and it happens, to be fair - then he has to pass to them anyway and get a first time pass back, hopefully through the defence. What he shouldn't be doing with his experience is just dribbling and dribbling until he's crowded out and we lose the ball - and one of the dreaded counter attacks starts.
It looks too often as though he's got his head down and loving his dribbling, and can't see the pass even when it's there.
Don't get me wrong - I like to watch O'Shea on form, but he could be so much better for us if he just made the right decisions. Including shooting when he gets a sight of goal instead of trying to make it an even better opening.