Leaburn shown up by Chuks. Tedic shown up by Tyreese. But I can rarely remember a substitution improving us as dramatically as Asiimwe for Twatson. From watching an uninterested sieve to a machine of intent and menace. Awful from several members of the starting eleven. Won't hold too much against Hector and Thomas who, while flawed, gave it their all
I think this is harsh on Watson. I think what could be perceived as "lack of desire" is more down to lack of fitness and sharpness. Appleton saying now that he lacks fitness from a lack of football. No pre season and started his first game what, a week ago?
Absolutely agree he wasn't good, and didn't think he's been great in any of his games so far, but I think he's better than what we've seen. He was a very solid player for MK Dons, solid if unspectacular, and I think he'll be that again. I think it'd also worth remember that Asiimwe is much better going forward, especially when the game opens up, than he is at defending.
Thomas was obviously not great. If Edun isn't fit after the break then we might need to get creative at LB. Hector was good apart from the massive mistake which is a sentence you could write for him three or four times this year. I think he's had, what, three individual easily preventable mistakes that have led directly to goals this season. He has to either cut that out or be dropped. I don't know what it is, he hasn't had a lot of football in the last two years and maybe that catches up with your legs and speed of thought, but he can be good at reading danger for 89 minutes but if he creates danger in the other minute he can't stay in the team.
I do think we look so much better when the game opens up. Appleton is talking about how we have to get better after we beat the first press, and we really do. Fraser should help with that when he starts. But this team still lacks a natural RW and LB cover and it makes us uneven and predictable.
International break probably comes at a good time. Hoping we'll get more players back afterward. This squad is deep and there's a lot of talent, it's just uneven.
Sadly for us, TWatson is nowhere as good as Sean Clare. But Asimwe will be better.
We controlled so much of the game without really creating much for the first 70mins. Their defence martialed us and organised well. On the other hand our defence gifted them 4 gilt edges chances I remember; they scored 2; headed one straight at AMB near the end and Rhodes (I think) woeful first touch when set through saved us in the first half. Didn't make them work for any of those chances at all. The entire back 4 are not good enough currently. Hector looks a busted flush and Watson T a total dud so far.
Can't agree there are any duds. The quality on the whole is far superior to what we were getting earlier in the season. MA has to choose his best side through 90+ minutes and counter the strength of opponents throughout. Team game. Changes spot on. Most importantly enjoyable overall and I can excuse the odd mistake. There are a lot fewer mistakes than I think we are used to at this level with previous squads, and as others have said we are shaping up to be harder to beat.
P.s. And totally agree on the point of the Blackpool defence marshalling our attack before Chuks appeared. They are a decent side.
Missed both our goals as I learned my daughter was scrubbing my truck with sticky stuff remover... Now I have a horrible permanent smudged tailgate door.
Why did we get rid of Sean Clare? Him and asimwe would have been perfect for the rb position. Tw was embarrassing, not helped much by tedic
No idea how he is playing for Wigan, but considering last year we had one of the worst defensive records, and this year Wigan currently have the 2nd worse - I don’t think he’s the solution.
Have to agree with a few other lifers that in my opinion I would have moved on Hector and Thomas after last season. We need better than this and I wonder if Appleton would have kept them. There's not one player in the back four completely nailed on for their position which is a big worry. I hope we can keep up with other sides and buy in the Jan window. We simply won't make the playoffs with this defence.
Another enjoyable game with MA getting his subs spot on again. Feel we stood off Blackpool far too much and allowed them to slow the game down. Can’t knock the work rate tho and we could/should have won.
We look vulnerable every time we lose the ball in an attacking position.
Blackpool look the better side for 60 minutes and then scored their second goal just as we started to play.
Fair play to us though, spirit shone through to get level again. Alfie May's burst from deep to give Aneke an option for the first goal was brilliant and CBT's goal sublime.
Chuks unreal, Aslimwe looked very good, a big improvement on Watson - not everything he tries comes off, but he occupies defenders and has the ability to make things happen - as does Tyreece Campbell. Good to see him stick up for himself after the defender took him out on the touch line - worth the booking imo.
Anyway, disappointed not to win, glad to get the draw. we are a working progress - hoping for more to come.
Even leaving out the glory of Chuks, Appleton does have to figure out why we’re completely unable to put the game plan into practice until the traditional half time bollocking. I don’t think we’ve started a single Appleton game well and we’re lucky that the players are apparently sufficiently frightened of him to offset how bad they are at the start with how good they are after that. We can’t keep coming from behind against teams, it would all be a lot easier if we tried to be good for 90 minutes.
Feels a bit like the players who start are sacrificial lambs and whoever replaces them are world beaters, it’s all quite weird. If we can figure that out we might be ok
Just seen the highlights and our first goal...the strength Aneke has is outstanding..genuinely never seen so many defender bounce off a forward like they do him😂
Even leaving out the glory of Chuks, Appleton does have to figure out why we’re completely unable to put the game plan into practice until the traditional half time bollocking. I don’t think we’ve started a single Appleton game well and we’re lucky that the players are apparently sufficiently frightened of him to offset how bad they are at the start with how good they are after that. We can’t keep coming from behind against teams, it would all be a lot easier if we tried to be good for 90 minutes.
Feels a bit like the players who start are sacrificial lambs and whoever replaces them are world beaters, it’s all quite weird. If we can figure that out we might be ok
We started the Wycombe game really well, but yeah, it feels like Appleton has 'controlled mode' which is a bit shit and then 'emergency mode' which is really good. Hard to implement from the off. Not really known anything like it
It's also worth noting that Blackpool got a lot of last-ditch blocks in and we spurned several really good chances. We really could have got 5 quite easily. Play like that every week and we'll win far more than we don't
Louis Watson was brilliant again, chuks and the rest of the subs were also great. Tedic at right wing cannot happen again it just makes no sense at all.
Leaburn shown up by Chuks. Tedic shown up by Tyreese. But I can rarely remember a substitution improving us as dramatically as Asiimwe for Twatson. From watching an uninterested sieve to a machine of intent and menace. Awful from several members of the starting eleven. Won't hold too much against Hector and Thomas who, while flawed, gave it their all
Agree. Leaburn (an injury?) Tedic and T Watson of the pace.
Appletons in game management has been flawless so far. The subs and their timing have been spot on.
His game management is starting to look poor. He could have sorted out the problem during the first half, the same issue as the other night was happening again and we had no width and were making it easy to defend against.
Most of the managers we have had since 2007 would have been scratching their heads till there was 5 minutes to go.
Comments
But Asimwe will be better.
P.s. And totally agree on the point of the Blackpool defence marshalling our attack before Chuks appeared. They are a decent side.
Kids
Blackpool look the better side for 60 minutes and then scored their second goal just as we started to play.
Fair play to us though, spirit shone through to get level again. Alfie May's burst from deep to give Aneke an option for the first goal was brilliant and CBT's goal sublime.
Chuks unreal, Aslimwe looked very good, a big improvement on Watson - not everything he tries comes off, but he occupies defenders and has the ability to make things happen - as does Tyreece Campbell. Good to see him stick up for himself after the defender took him out on the touch line - worth the booking imo.
Anyway, disappointed not to win, glad to get the draw. we are a working progress - hoping for more to come.
Kept 90% of lost balls in play that I know would've been given up for dead in seasons past.