Well we've all had chance now to air our views/opinions of yesterdays season opener..
I'd just thought I'd try to attract the views of the TOWN fans that actually thought that there were quite a few positives to take from the game..
I thought Gobern showed good strength and awareness of players around him, although his first couple of touches were a bit nervy, but what do you expect, it was his first day at work with 14,000 people staring at him.
Robinson, is a simular type of player to Gobern except with a bit more skill on the ball; hoping his injury doesn't come to much.
McDermot is a proper live wire, always looking to turn his man and run at goal, he certainly is going to win a few games for us and get MOM a few times this season.
Miller didn't do too much to get opinions flying, but isn't that a sign a good central midfielder, doing the boring hard work. And to be fair the only time a central midfielder usualy gets noticed is when he's made a mistake.
Woods, well I saw him in the friendlies and he played much better than he did yesterday, like I said before, it's his 1st day at work with 14,000 people watching/studying your every move...
Ward, Roberts & Rhodes all did their bit, trying hard to create chances, which will always go unoticed by the sceptics in the crowd (and on here)...
Come on lads lets hear what you thought were the positives to take from the game...
Accentuating The Positive....
posted on 7/8/11
It's so obvious 38, what are they watching that i can't see?
posted on 7/8/11
Any word on Robinson yet?
posted on 7/8/11
Anyone who thinks that Jordan Rhodws put a shift in yesterday is off their Rocker.
He didn't win a single challenge after the first 10 minutes and did nowt else apart from slipping Novak through for the goal.
A complete waste of space. Lee Clark seems to be being stubborn by playing him, but he'll cost him his job. Make no mistake about that.
posted on 7/8/11
Boooothy...It's not as simple as that...football is a very complex game nowadays with a rotating 3 supporting Rhodes in a triumvirate swinging (anti clockwise) motion. The inter-lacing network of pentagonal midfield sidways movement opening up for attacking full backs. Positional exchange to confuse the opposition...it works on my computer model, so it works in real life.
posted on 7/8/11
Cryer..Rhodes played 90 minutes, that's a start. But, he's a striker, a goal scorer and is most effective to the team in the pen box getting on the end of crosses ...why would we want him anywhere else ?
I was hoping, however, the new midfield would provide more opportunities for him
with a few quality passes, but to be honest I can't remember one from yesterday.
oops, mustn't be critical...not a proper supporter if you're critical.
posted on 7/8/11
they all ended up standing too close to each other, with bemused looks on their faces.. incidentally its the same look that terry mac has all the time..that might be his age???
rhodes isnt likely to score 40 yards from goal with his back to it, being marked by 2 defenders and the ball coming at him with snow on it... in fact no one is likely to bother the scoreboard doing that...
posted on 7/8/11
But there was nothing to get on the end of.
If that's the case he should come looking for the ball rather than keeping himself warm and cosy in the centre halts pocket.
He doesnt do himself any favors by t0$$1ng it off.
posted on 7/8/11
Ok, my thoughts....
Captain Fantastic was lucky to be on the pitch to be knocked out....looked a dead cert penalty to me (haven't watched highlights yet)...which would have meant a red card...
I think some people have been harsh on Woods..thought at times he showed some promise...
Gobern looked ok...think he can do a job alongside DJ when he's fit.
Robinson - hard to tell
Donaldo - thought he drifted in and out of it....but showed quality
Ward - frustrating - kept drifting infield in search of the ball, when if he'd stayed wide it would have come to him naturally, and also I like winger who runs at people, but he had loads of chances to cross it and wasted them
Roberts - usual stuff from him, and we didn't get the ball to him enough
Miller - I think he will get gametime and goals. Just a hunch.
Rhodes - People are being harsh again. He looked stronger in the tackle, and worked harder than he has in a long time IMO.
Novak - gamechanger. I've never been a huge fan, but he seems to have added purpose and more strength to his game.
Overall, I thought there were some positives, but frankly it was a boring and frustrating game.
I admired Clark for his postmatch comments, admitting that the floating/interchanging of Ward, DM et al did not work.
I was frustrated with the formation - we seemed to start with a quasi-442 formation, so why not play two strikers? Pick an eleven to fit the system, not necesserily your best eleven individuals.
Also, when we signed Ward and Donaldo, the talk was about all the crosses we'd be getting into the box. It jsut didn't happen.
We had 5 shots on goal all game.
That is what disappoints me. We played some nice build ups, but there was never any impetus to get the ball into the business area...
We will get better.
We have to.
posted on 7/8/11
The 'rotating triumvirate' was why Ward and Roberts drifted into the middle, to swap becoming the 2nd striker...If I hadn't heard LC explain it I would have remained confused.
think we can do better than that tho'.
posted on 7/8/11
In that case the 'rotating triumvirate' was probably the reason we were left wanting in the defensive part of midfield yesterday....
i.e. the was always both wingers pushing too far forwards in the hope of becoming a striker, whilst we were still in early stages of forming an attack. Bury found a lot freedom in areas where we are usually sound.
Again this is all part of the massive (and acute)learning curve that our players are on at the moment...
I think the Portvale game very nicely timed, maybe we can gain some progress along ous curve on Tuesday....