Re. the standing around moaning bit. Watch Vetokele when a move breaks down. He stands offside for a while then slowly ambles back onside. O/K he doesn't moan and yes he's our best striker. But people forgive him anything, yet won't cut Callum a little slack.
Vetokele was very petulant yesterday.At one point stayed lying on the ground after a tackle in the penalty area sulking while a JBG cross flew over him. Mind you,if I was him I would be pissed off at having no decent strike partner.
I wonder if there's a player in there. Thing is Tucudean and Harriott have their chances now to show why they should be considered but at the moment they are simply providing compelling evidence we need more quality signed in January. I like Harriot and thought it was great how he did in the final eight games of each of the last two seasons. But the crossing isn't as good as it could be, so perhaps he has to create havoc in the middle of the park, nearer to Vetokele?
We had Cousins, Jacko and Coquelin in a five man midfield yesterday. All defensive midfielders to relative degrees and all players who can, and have, played at both left midfield and full back. With a man over in the middle I would suggest that it wasn't entirely Harriott's responsibility to be protecting Fox and if Fox was exposed, which he didn't appear particularly to me, any one of those 3 could have done more to protect him too.
If he spends all his energy charging backwards, he has nothing in the tank when we're looking for him to carry the ball at pace on the break or make stuff happen in attack. I kind of agree with Len, Harriott works an awful lot harder than most of the wide men we've had since Robinson
It's a team game. Fair enough that sometimes means Harriott has to sacrifice his own game to help his teammates perform, but likewise sometimes you have to maybe expose the fullback a little bit to allow Harriott to focus on attack... if you're not making a small gamble like that at home to derby opponents then you really are playing negatively.
I'll say it again, 3 balls delivered by Harriott yesterday that were begging to be stuck away. 2 crosses that an isolated and well marked Igor couldn't quite get a telling contact on and one through ball fluffed by Tucs. Job done for Harriott imho.
I agree if he loses the ball though, at the very least, he should try and keep is frustrations to himself.
I thought yesterday was his best performance for us for a while.
He didn't bottle that challenge. He was always second best to win it.
He was up against a decent, experienced and pretty thuggish right back in Dunne and had the better of him one on one. He did a few silly things that could have put us in trouble. All players do that.
Has he improved? Yes, I think he has. But please do not expect consistency from a winger. Their job is to attack the full back and take a chance on beating them. This will not happen. He will be criticised for trying to beat a man and failing. He will also be criticised if he doesn't take his man on and plays the ball backwards or square all the time.
It is a fine line and one that very few wingers get right.
Had, what, 5 shots today? Only 2 on target but produced decent saves. Also played Igor in with a through ball that would have put him one on one if he'd been expecting a pass as good as that.
Lead from the front, showed touches of class and the determination to get the points today, shame we ended up empty handed after the performance he(and others) put in when going forward.
Much better this week than last, which is part of the frustration I (and I think it's fair to say others) feel about him sometimes. When he is on form and confident he is one of the best players in the entire squad - Coquelin and Gudmundsson are the only ones I would consider technically better on current evidence. BUT... those times are few and far between, often he is at best ineffectual and at worst an actual hindrance to the team.
The only manager to get any consistency out of Harriott is Riga, and he was here for a short enough time it could be mere coincidence anyway. I want him to do well but I can't make up my mind if he will ever make it or end up just another Lloyd Sam and fade into obscurity.
I flagged it for the little devilish little smile it gave me... removed now. (Was always going to be removed I promise, hence the smiley winky emoji thingy)
Comments
I like Harriot and thought it was great how he did in the final eight games of each of the last two seasons. But the crossing isn't as good as it could be, so perhaps he has to create havoc in the middle of the park, nearer to Vetokele?
If he spends all his energy charging backwards, he has nothing in the tank when we're looking for him to carry the ball at pace on the break or make stuff happen in attack. I kind of agree with Len, Harriott works an awful lot harder than most of the wide men we've had since Robinson
It's a team game. Fair enough that sometimes means Harriott has to sacrifice his own game to help his teammates perform, but likewise sometimes you have to maybe expose the fullback a little bit to allow Harriott to focus on attack... if you're not making a small gamble like that at home to derby opponents then you really are playing negatively.
I'll say it again, 3 balls delivered by Harriott yesterday that were begging to be stuck away. 2 crosses that an isolated and well marked Igor couldn't quite get a telling contact on and one through ball fluffed by Tucs. Job done for Harriott imho.
I agree if he loses the ball though, at the very least, he should try and keep is frustrations to himself.
He didn't bottle that challenge. He was always second best to win it.
He was up against a decent, experienced and pretty thuggish right back in Dunne and had the better of him one on one. He did a few silly things that could have put us in trouble. All players do that.
Has he improved? Yes, I think he has. But please do not expect consistency from a winger. Their job is to attack the full back and take a chance on beating them. This will not happen. He will be criticised for trying to beat a man and failing. He will also be criticised if he doesn't take his man on and plays the ball backwards or square all the time.
It is a fine line and one that very few wingers get right.
The only manager to get any consistency out of Harriott is Riga, and he was here for a short enough time it could be mere coincidence anyway. I want him to do well but I can't make up my mind if he will ever make it or end up just another Lloyd Sam and fade into obscurity.
If he can keep this up then goals and assists will come. Am I right in saying the whole formation was a bit different?