We would have all taken an average of two points per game at this point but it feels we have to improve our attacking play. That isn't just on the strikers. At this level, even the best teams don't score worldies every other game so whilst there is a criticism in regards of closing down, we have been very unlucky and defensively it is chalk and cheese from last season. Jones has to find a way to get the attacking game right and that is probably the key to our season.
Very pleased for Chuks, has been immense off the bench so far this season. With Leaburn still to come back and even Dixon as a pacey option we should improve our attacking play. We certainly look solid enough at the back, need to improve our closing down of long shots as it’s no coincidence we have conceded 3 worldies already this season.
Watched first half on skysports. Think we look a lot better than last year, we have more of an identity and we know how we're going to play. I do think there's too much in league 1 this season and we will finish 8-12th.
Gas ahadme at ok, now it's poor. That miss yesterday was a stinker, Id expect any amateur Sunday league player to bury that. Let alone a 1M pound player from Ipswich. Very poor.
I like Berry. But he loses the ball a lot by taking too long on it.
Kayne Ramsay won't be here next season. Far too good for this league if his performances keep the same.
Overall pleased with the start. It's a marathon not a sprint.
I would like to say we are missing Edwards. For me Small was a weak link yesterday. In my opinion he is the one throwback to the lack of quality that we had last year.
A few people been saying this. I know he kicked the ball out a couple of times, but he also put in the best couple of crosses of the match and I don’t remember defensively him being exposed / beaten at any stage.
He hasn’t been at the standard this year he was last season, and he was notably below the level of Ramsey, but I didnt see him being a weak link yesterday in any way.
A countdown to promotion thread appeared after three games, but a quote that we might avoid relegation appears just two games later. I think it's sensible to wait until seeing where we are after ten games. That's why people in the game who know what they're talking about often say it.
We haven't won since that thread was closed... I warned the mods prior to their actions that it could have a negative effect on fate doing that
Anyone catch that 70-yard Mannion goal kick that Chuks caught on the top of his foot and killed dead. Stupendous touch. Some of the players were laughing
Oh yes, and a couple of times where he had ball at feet in or around the box. First time so far. These as well as his wonderful goal- that technique- were my best reasons for optimism yesterday. If that's all coming back to him (it wasn't evident last week) it means that he's recovering mentally as well as physically. Just hope we (including the club) remain patient with him. I'm sure the guy from Brighton has a plan, but if we don't fix things up front, NJ will feel under pressure to start him, and that will end in tears.
Considering where we were last year our league position and resolve is a great improvement. It wasn't a pretty game and we did not play amazingly but came back from 0-1 down with a suitably cracking strike. It was great to see Tyreece back on and affecting the game. He plays better with Chuks and you can see Jones wants him to kick on this year.
I can see a system in place and looking from afar improvements are being made. I'll wait for 10 games in, but so far quite happy with the progress. Not the finished article, but I am sure if Nathan can get the defence working as he has then he can unlock the attacking phases too.
Quietly confident for a less frustrating season of football.
A countdown to promotion thread appeared after three games, but a quote that we might avoid relegation appears just two games later. I think it's sensible to wait until seeing where we are after ten games. That's why people in the game who know what they're talking about often say it.
We haven't won since that thread was closed... I warned the mods prior to their actions that it could have a negative effect on fate doing that
I got the impression it was closed because the poster who opened it asked for it to be in a fit of pique during his "ciao adios I'm done" moment.
I'm just hoping Shrewsbury don't bounce back to excel themselves after their 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Wrexham the way Reading did.
At lot has been said about the 10 points being promotion standard (or close to), but the watch is telling a different story. If we has taken control of games and gone ahead early in the wins, then been able to take the foot off the gas, that would be fine, but as much as our defence looks solid (except for long range shots), we don't look like a team that can, or will score.
Rotherham are being lauded as a top end r side, and although they have many new (possibly good) players, they hadn't scored for 9 away games and had lost '11' in a row. They havn't won for 2 years away. Are we really talking about an opposition that, 'a point is a good result' can be said.
We are better than last season in being hard to beat, but just remember how many times Jones settled, or had to, for draws (not like we could get wins anyway), and if we start going down the, 'a point is a point' nonsense, then this season has got mid-table written all over it. If that is progress, because we finish higher than 16th, then so be it. Not sure our owners will share that view when it's their money being pumped into the 'HMS piss the league' ship, to keep it afloat, whilst never getting to a port!
3 points behind when we won the league (11/12) 5 points ahead when we won the playoffs (18/19) 2 and 5 points behind when we lost in playoff semi finals (17/18 and 09/10)
Late to this thread and many of my thoughts already well covered. I would just add:
1. We seem to be lacking composure at the back. There were several times when one of our defenders or midfielders back there took a hasty swipe at a clearance only to give the ball directly to the opposition when a pass was on. Thierry Small the worst culprit but Gillesphey also guilty several times. We need to calm down a bit and try to play through the lines or we're just inviting pressure.
2. It was so noticeable how both Godden (against Bolton) and TC (yesterday) looked so much more effective off the bench than when they started. I suspect that the same would be said of Chuks too, based on the rare occasions we've seen him start. I share the concerns about Ahadme so far but I just wonder whether we cut him enough slack for doing the hard yards for 60-70 minutes. Maybe if we started Chuks and brought on Ahadme for the last half hour he might look a bit more eye catching.
Sadly I wasn’t able to watch yesterday and although a win would have been great, a draw against a team I expect will be top six isn’t too grim. I do worry that we don’t seem to be fluid or even coherent going forward and that’s my major concern. Where are enough goals coming from ? Even at this early stage it’s looking like it’s shaping up to be a tough league with probably eight pretty decent teams. Achieving promotion this season will definitely be a challenge.
It wasn't a great game...but I didn't think it terrible or boring.
I thought we had good endeavour and are not too far away from "clicking"
Draw was fair result
I think, based on results and performances so far, that we have a fair shot at playoffs...
I’m with you Siv. Disappointing that we didn’t win, always disappointed when we don’t win. But the draw was definitely a fair result.
When the fixtures were announced, i thought we’d struggle to get any points from our first 5 matches so a return of 10/15 ain’t too shabby.
We now have a run of games where I’m expecting us to pick up more wins before we get into our run of cup finals against Birmingham, Stockport and Wrexham.
I say so far, so good. 2 points a game is promotion form. I’m still confident for a top six finish even at this early stage of the season.
So we’re shite but we have 10 points from 5 games.
Better than being shite and having 3 points from 5 games and your manager gets sacked like this time last year.
Get out of this league however we can. I will take winning 3 out of every 5 games between now and the end of the season.
The only teams we have beaten at the moment stand in the bottom seven. Yesterday Rotherham stood eighth before kick off. I am sure everyone would take winning 3 out of every 5 games ,that would surely see top two and promotion. But hand on heart can we see that happening with our team?
I only got to listen to the first half. Seemed we were comfortable without creating much going forward & Ramsay sounded excellent again, looking forward to seeing him in the flesh. Friends then arrived showing off their Tesla & that was that. Booooooooo!
Can't fault any player for lack of effort. Would be better if we chose to play through the midfield say on occasions rather than play the hopeful hoof and try for flick on/knock down/second ball every time..it seems too predictable and opposition teams will prepare for that.Even if we did get promotion that just won't work in a higher division.
Hopeful that we will see a bit more from our midfield
Interesting that Docherty has been made captain, I think he's the midfielder most at threat of losing his place to Campbell or Anderson, or at least should be based on these first few games. Felt like a proper league 1 game, with lots of commitment and not much creativity from either team.
Ramsay was outstanding. Gillesphey defended okay but if find his passing infuriating at times, really see Potts taking his place sooner rather than later.
Ahadme's miss was bad and he was clumsy with the ball to feet but felt he was "ok" overall, winning a lot of headers and generally finding his man....at least, I thought he was okay until Chuks came on and showed him how to do it. All 3 subs improved us massively.
There have been passages in every game where we've looked like a good side. It's not really clicked yet but somehow we have 10 points from 5 games, so reasons to be optimistic as I'm sure we will improve. If the returning Leaburn is the same player he was before, that will make a big difference. We also have Edwards to come back in and Dixon to assimilate.
Ahadme is a good target man, so far a hopeless 'striker'
Same was said about Leaburn (Snr) early on in his career.
Well pointed out Golfie. I thought Ahadme was a threat yesterday, he won most of the ariel duals and yes it was a bad miss but he made another chance for himself that flashed across the six yard box. I think he is worth sticking with but we must provide him with crosses, I think he had one cross to him in the first half, ironically from Small's only successful cross.
So we’re shite but we have 10 points from 5 games.
Better than being shite and having 3 points from 5 games and your manager gets sacked like this time last year.
Get out of this league however we can. I will take winning 3 out of every 5 games between now and the end of the season.
The only teams we have beaten at the moment stand in the bottom seven. Yesterday Rotherham stood eighth before kick off. I am sure everyone would take winning 3 out of every 5 games ,that would surely see top two and promotion. But hand on heart can we see that happening with our team?
Of course, it just happened. So why not again and again?
As mentioned before, it’s not really accurate to be judging the strength of opponents based on league positions after four or five games because if we had to lost Bolton or Wigan then they’d be top half themselves.
They’re only down there, in part, because we beat them.
As a pantomime villain I quite like Steve Evan's, in a very hateful way .. that big geezer! From the off his assistant was in the 4th officials ear, every decision contested as only the Evan's staffers can do.
"Only get penalties in London" if you're from London, referee is "Jones's touch buddy" "Referee swims with Jones" "Neil Warnock is a mate " says it all!
On Jones after last weeks Terry interview, I watched him as soon as their goal went in, I've never seen anyone go so apoplectic before! There is passion and there is worrying reactions, cradling his head in his hands jumping up and down, throwing himself down onto his chair and slapping his hands up and down in his thighs. Hopefully it is just his passion but it looked like someone right on the edge!
Comments
Gas ahadme at ok, now it's poor. That miss yesterday was a stinker, Id expect any amateur Sunday league player to bury that. Let alone a 1M pound player from Ipswich. Very poor.
I like Berry. But he loses the ball a lot by taking too long on it.
Kayne Ramsay won't be here next season. Far too good for this league if his performances keep the same.
Overall pleased with the start. It's a marathon not a sprint.
I'm just hoping Shrewsbury don't bounce back to excel themselves after their 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Wrexham the way Reading did.
Rotherham are being lauded as a top end r side, and although they have many new (possibly good) players, they hadn't scored for 9 away games and had lost '11' in a row. They havn't won for 2 years away. Are we really talking about an opposition that, 'a point is a good result' can be said.
We are better than last season in being hard to beat, but just remember how many times Jones settled, or had to, for draws (not like we could get wins anyway), and if we start going down the, 'a point is a point' nonsense, then this season has got mid-table written all over it. If that is progress, because we finish higher than 16th, then so be it. Not sure our owners will share that view when it's their money being pumped into the 'HMS piss the league' ship, to keep it afloat, whilst never getting to a port!
3 points behind when we won the league (11/12)
5 points ahead when we won the playoffs (18/19)
2 and 5 points behind when we lost in playoff semi finals (17/18 and 09/10)
1. We seem to be lacking composure at the back. There were several times when one of our defenders or midfielders back there took a hasty swipe at a clearance only to give the ball directly to the opposition when a pass was on. Thierry Small the worst culprit but Gillesphey also guilty several times. We need to calm down a bit and try to play through the lines or we're just inviting pressure.
2. It was so noticeable how both Godden (against Bolton) and TC (yesterday) looked so much more effective off the bench than when they started. I suspect that the same would be said of Chuks too, based on the rare occasions we've seen him start. I share the concerns about Ahadme so far but I just wonder whether we cut him enough slack for doing the hard yards for 60-70 minutes. Maybe if we started Chuks and brought on Ahadme for the last half hour he might look a bit more eye catching.
Yesterday Rotherham stood eighth before kick off.
I am sure everyone would take winning 3 out of every 5 games ,that would surely see top two and promotion. But hand on heart can we see that happening with our team?
Seemed we were comfortable without creating much going forward & Ramsay sounded excellent again, looking forward to seeing him in the flesh.
Friends then arrived showing off their Tesla & that was that.
Booooooooo!
Can't fault any player for lack of effort. Would be better if we chose to play through the midfield say on occasions rather than play the hopeful hoof and try for flick on/knock down/second ball every time..it seems too predictable and opposition teams will prepare for that.Even if we did get promotion that just won't work in a higher division.
Hopeful that we will see a bit more from our midfield
Ramsay was outstanding. Gillesphey defended okay but if find his passing infuriating at times, really see Potts taking his place sooner rather than later.
Ahadme's miss was bad and he was clumsy with the ball to feet but felt he was "ok" overall, winning a lot of headers and generally finding his man....at least, I thought he was okay until Chuks came on and showed him how to do it. All 3 subs improved us massively.
There have been passages in every game where we've looked like a good side. It's not really clicked yet but somehow we have 10 points from 5 games, so reasons to be optimistic as I'm sure we will improve. If the returning Leaburn is the same player he was before, that will make a big difference. We also have Edwards to come back in and Dixon to assimilate.
The strength, tenacity and determination TC shows to keep/ get possession in the build up to Chuk's goal is exceptional.
As mentioned before, it’s not really accurate to be judging the strength of opponents based on league positions after four or five games because if we had to lost Bolton or Wigan then they’d be top half themselves.
His post match interview is weird
https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/sport/rotherham-united-boss-makes-stonewall-penalty-claim-after-1-1-draw-at-charlton-athletic/
"Only get penalties in London" if you're from London, referee is "Jones's touch buddy" "Referee swims with Jones" "Neil Warnock is a mate " says it all!
On Jones after last weeks Terry interview, I watched him as soon as their goal went in, I've never seen anyone go so apoplectic before! There is passion and there is worrying reactions, cradling his head in his hands jumping up and down, throwing himself down onto his chair and slapping his hands up and down in his thighs. Hopefully it is just his passion but it looked like someone right on the edge!