What are people's thoughts on Thierry Small at the moment. For me he seems to be really off of his game and not at the levels he was producing last season. Thought he was poor today.
Better in flashes, his crossing in the first half was a sign of the player we had last season
Anyone would have happily taken 10 points from 5 games, especially given the 5 teams they were against. Yes the football isn’t the most exciting but we were deservedly 16th last season, it’s not going to be an overnight thing to get the team to where it needs to be to challenge for promotion.
It seems that the Nathan Jones style of play is the most well known throughout the league. Not hard to scout or defend against if you always know how your opponent is going to play.
There are pros and cons to every approach.
Having a set way of playing means everyone knows their role which is quite helpful when the players are of third tier quality.
- Excellent strike by Chuks, and if you watch a replay, the chance was created by TC's new found strength to keep the ball active. - Ahadme - Some good knockdowns but that miss was dreadful. I believe he changed his boots at half time too, as that was clearly needed. There's something there. - Ramsay looks excellent, but I'm happy to keep that quiet. He has tenacity and plays with "soft feet". Would love to see Edwards on the other side. Small is very erratic. - We really need to be clinical for our setup to work. I do feel that a Kanu from last season might have buried one or two this season, but always easy to say.
Supported the club through thick and thin and thin and thin for 40 years, and did something today I've never done. I left at half time because I was just bored. Don't know whether it's me or the team, but I felt no entertainment at all in that 45 minutes. Seemed like there was no attacking plan whatsoever, with no midfield support pushing up to form any sort of sustained attack. If that's what it takes to get promoted, I despair. Yes I'm excited about Leaburn coming back, but play that way and it'll make no difference. The only positive I saw was Ramsay, who was absolute class.
If you keep conceding ‘worldies’ then there is something wrong with how you’re defending.
Would it be the goalkeeping?
I’m not convinced by him, AMB would have saved a couple of those shots. He hasn’t had a save to make, but shots from outside the box go in.
Do be serious, AMB couldn't catch a cold, even in the warm ups.
How long do you continue with him in goal? 3 long shots on target ,3 goals.
that just isn’t true, Rotherham had 4 shots on target today and Mannion made at least one pretty good save with his legs
Not just today, I’ve not seen him make a great save yet. B’ham, Reading & today, 3 long shots and 3 goals.
that isn’t what you said though. FWIW I think he’s a solid shot stopper but won’t make worldie saves, if I was the opposition manager I’d be encouraging speculative shots from range
I really don't like the modern game from what I've witnessed this past few games. Far too many stoppages and long delays in play. Chucks scores a screamer, 20 minutes left to get a winner, then nothing ! 5 minute stoppage for cramp. Immediately another long stoppage for subs. Gamesmanship from their keeper, they took forever to take throw it's. The Ref aided and abetted it all, completely destroyed any momentum, and killing off the game. Very sad, the last 10 minutes of a game used to be exciting, not any more.
If you keep conceding ‘worldies’ then there is something wrong with how you’re defending.
Would it be the goalkeeping?
I’m not convinced by him, AMB would have saved a couple of those shots. He hasn’t had a save to make, but shots from outside the box go in.
Do be serious, AMB couldn't catch a cold, even in the warm ups.
How long do you continue with him in goal? 3 long shots on target ,3 goals.
that just isn’t true, Rotherham had 4 shots on target today and Mannion made at least one pretty good save with his legs
Not just today, I’ve not seen him make a great save yet. B’ham, Reading & today, 3 long shots and 3 goals.
that isn’t what you said though. FWIW I think he’s a solid shot stopper but won’t make worldie saves, if I was the opposition manager I’d be encouraging speculative shots from range
I hope he comes good, but they didn’t give him the No.1 shirt, so there were some doubts about him.
I really don't like the modern game from what I've witnessed this past few games. Far too many stoppages and long delays in play. Chucks scores a screamer, 20 minutes left to get a winner, then nothing ! 5 minute stoppage for cramp. Immediately another long stoppage for subs. Gamesmanship from their keeper, they took forever to take throw it's. The Ref aided and abetted it all, completely destroyed any momentum, and killing off the game. Very sad, the last 10 minutes of a game used to be exciting, not any more.
They should bring it back where you could pass it back to your keeper and he could pick it up…..
I’m not laying the blame for the goals at Mannion. Today’s goal and the one Birmingham scored were both down to players being able to advance 15 yards without being closed down. That’s down to the outfield players not the keeper. Both were great strikes right into the corner.
What are people's thoughts on Thierry Small at the moment. For me he seems to be really off of his game and not at the levels he was producing last season. Thought he was poor today.
Better in flashes, his crossing in the first half was a sign of the player we had last season
Agreed - I thought he was fine today - lots of low scores due to poor crosses, I assume . He’s obviously been told to put the ball into the box - it’s not working because crosses into the box need to be perfect to reach their man these days . He’s silky and positive and looks to get forward - give me that over a Purirngton- let’s pass it back to the left centre half when we can, not try anything challenging and get an easy 7 out of 10 .
Supported the club through thick and thin and thin and thin for 40 years, and did something today I've never done. I left at half time because I was just bored. Don't know whether it's me or the team, but I felt no entertainment at all in that 45 minutes. Seemed like there was no attacking plan whatsoever, with no midfield support pushing up to form any sort of sustained attack. If that's what it takes to get promoted, I despair.
.
I said on the match thread at half time, reading the comments from those watching online there feels such a disparity of what’s being observed watching online to being in the stadium.
I don’t know if it’s the lack of movement or the amount of time the ball is bouncing around in the air etc not being so noticeable online, or you’re able to not emotionally invest yourself so much, I don’t know. I’m not criticising those not there so please don’t take it that way, it’s just an observation. The different view to what people were seeing in Ahadme online compared to everyone around me in the stand was palpable.
Things picked up 2nd half and it was a fantastic goal by Chucks. But with us now having a good feel of what a good League One team looks like, I was expecting us to be better than this so far.
I know we’ve only lost once, and I can’t fault the effort in any way. I’m just desperate to now get out of this league but I just can’t see how we are going to get our attacking play and midfield working in the first 2/3rds of a game.
Right messy game, I don't think anyone could argue that a draw wasn't a fair result, and it could have gone either way up to the death tbh.
Ahadme seems to be able to play some decent football, except for the part we actually took him on to do. Brilliant strike from Chuks, but how many has he, along with others, failed to put away that have generally been considered a shoe in? (not just this season). I feel like creating chances aren't really the biggest issue here, but taking them. That old chestnut "quality" is the word that springs to mind.
I know Small hasn't been on it quite as good as last season (passes/crosses are a bit more hit and miss) but it's still rare you see him lose the ball under pressure. I can't quite get why everyone seems to think he's suddenly awful?
Ramsay also excellent of course, not the first time he's dug us out of a sticky situation this season already.
I think we had a great start, and the last two games have just been a bit of a reality check. There's still a long way to go, and the potential is there I think, but it's not going to be an easy (or pretty) ride. I don't think we are going to find ourselves in the sort of nightmare we had last season though.
Just can't see how we can score enough goals to get promoted playing this formation think we could put messi and Ronaldo in that formation and not score many
Supported the club through thick and thin and thin and thin for 40 years, and did something today I've never done. I left at half time because I was just bored. Don't know whether it's me or the team, but I felt no entertainment at all in that 45 minutes. Seemed like there was no attacking plan whatsoever, with no midfield support pushing up to form any sort of sustained attack. If that's what it takes to get promoted, I despair.
.
I said on the match thread at half time, reading the comments from those watching online there feels such a disparity of what’s being observed watching online to being in the stadium.
I don’t know if it’s the lack of movement or the amount of time the ball is bouncing around in the air etc not being so noticeable online, or you’re able to not emotionally invest yourself so much, I don’t know. I’m not criticising those not there so please don’t take it that way, it’s just an observation. The different view to what people were seeing in Ahadme online compared to everyone around me in the stand was palpable.
Things picked up 2nd half and it was a fantastic goal by Chucks. But with us now having a good feel of what a good League One team looks like, I was expecting us to be better than this so far.
I know we’ve only lost once, and I can’t fault the effort in any way. I’m just desperate to now get out of this league but I just can’t see how we are going to get our attacking play and midfield working in the first 2/3rds of a game.
We are full of effort and endeavour and low on quality , especially in midfield . That kind of midfield would be ok if we had a lot of goal threat - if this team had Grant and Taylor up front , we would be unstoppable as they would create things for themselves and others . I’ve said it before but Jones needs to find a way to get 3 attacking players into the side , just as you might if you played 4-3-3. My suggestion would be to play Zach Mitchell on the right of the three man defence , move Alex Mitchell into the middle and play Jones on the left - this would allow ZM to step into midfield as he has the pace and the passing ability and all we would lose is Gillesphy’s long balls with his left foot - he does nothing else of note. I would then play 2 in the middle - probably Coventry and Doherty or A Campbell , and play TC plus 2 strikers - ideally Leaburn and one other . At least that would give us a bit more threat .
Comments
Having a set way of playing means everyone knows their role which is quite helpful when the players are of third tier quality.
Leaburn
Allan Campbell
Not sure on the rest
- Excellent strike by Chuks, and if you watch a replay, the chance was created by TC's new found strength to keep the ball active.
- Ahadme - Some good knockdowns but that miss was dreadful. I believe he changed his boots at half time too, as that was clearly needed. There's something there.
- Ramsay looks excellent, but I'm happy to keep that quiet. He has tenacity and plays with "soft feet". Would love to see Edwards on the other side. Small is very erratic.
- We really need to be clinical for our setup to work. I do feel that a Kanu from last season might have buried one or two this season, but always easy to say.
no creativity whatsoever and we don’t need xG to tell us that
Far too many stoppages and long delays in play.
Chucks scores a screamer, 20 minutes left to get a winner, then nothing !
5 minute stoppage for cramp. Immediately another long stoppage for subs. Gamesmanship from their keeper, they took forever to take throw it's. The Ref aided and abetted it all, completely destroyed any momentum, and killing off the game.
Very sad, the last 10 minutes of a game used to be exciting, not any more.
Ahadme seems to be able to play some decent football, except for the part we actually took him on to do. Brilliant strike from Chuks, but how many has he, along with others, failed to put away that have generally been considered a shoe in? (not just this season). I feel like creating chances aren't really the biggest issue here, but taking them. That old chestnut "quality" is the word that springs to mind.
I know Small hasn't been on it quite as good as last season (passes/crosses are a bit more hit and miss) but it's still rare you see him lose the ball under pressure. I can't quite get why everyone seems to think he's suddenly awful?
Ramsay also excellent of course, not the first time he's dug us out of a sticky situation this season already.
I think we had a great start, and the last two games have just been a bit of a reality check. There's still a long way to go, and the potential is there I think, but it's not going to be an easy (or pretty) ride. I don't think we are going to find ourselves in the sort of nightmare we had last season though.
https://x.com/jamiecwpne/status/1832471372435472625?s=46&t=MojDVxh_AjG5taAWPQn6Tw
He has yet to make a good save in 5 games.