Positives/Negatives from today

Positives:

The first 20-30mins - Best I've seen us play all season. Passing was sharp, we created more chances than probably the last 6 games together, had numerous corners, flicks and tricks were working too, Strihavka was linking well with pretty much everyone. All was going well until they scored. It knocked us for six and we went back to the same concerning football we've seen in recent games.

Hartson has potential to be what Roberts was for us. No pace but takes a quick touch and keeps the play moving well. Won a fair few headers and was unlucky not to nick a goal or two early on. Class, and impressed he lasted 70mins. One I'll admit I was wrong about when I questioned us bringing him here.

Strihavka - NEEDS A RUN IN THE TEAM. Worked his arse off today, and has a lot of pace too for a tall lanky striker. I still think he's going to improve more and he gave his all for the entire 90mins. Probably runner up for MOM on our team to Hucks. Given a good run in the team I think he may well be our best striker and could bang in a lot for us, but not if he now sits on the bench for another half dozen games before starting one again.

Hucks - Looked MUCH keener today and worked very hard, especially defensively. As much as this is a positive the fact that he's using up so much energy in defending when he's one of our most creative players is a bit concerning.

Negatives:

Duffy's initial line up and first sub:

Maybe it's just me, but we had TWO big men upfront who can win headers, so therefore to ANYONE with ANY football knowledge, you'd try to get as many crosses in as possible WITH WINGERS ON THE PITCH. But no, we stick our best winger on his least favoured right wing then stick Lappin on the left, who's slow as hell. He had the chance to put this right when Drury got injured. He SHOULD have brought on Croft for Drury, dropped Lapping to LB, and then stuck Hucks on his favoured left wing and put Croft on the right. Also at that time in the game we were on top and it would have been a more positive attack minded move. But instead we pull apart a central defence, which AT THE TIME, were doing well, and we stick Murray at left back, who looked uncomfortable there all afternoon, and it was almost like it encouraged them to bring the game to us a little.

Russell - Sorry but he hasn't impressed me ONCE this season. I was thinking at the game today, he HAS become the new Andy Hughes. He spends most of the afternoon on his arse from constantly sliding tackles that NEVER win the ball and normally allow the man to run around him, his passing was SHOCKING, AGAIN, like it has been for weeks now, and although he may TRY and work hard, he shouldn't be getting this kinda run in the team when he's been so poor.

This annoys me more when I personally think Croft has worked his arse off AND played pretty well whenever he's been on the pitch this season yet he's stuck on the f***ing bench most games.

My criticism being that right now players aren't being rewarded for playing well. Russell continues to play s**te and starts every game. Croft has been impressive for a lot of games yet even if he's had a really good game you can pretty much guarantee he's back on the subs bench for the following game.

Rossi was also poor again today and for parts of the game completely disappeared. The most concerning thing right now is, WHO THE HELL DO WE HAVE TO REPLACE THEM? Spillane again may be ok but is young and inexperienced. Brellier is injured still and hasn't looked good at all, Smith may get some decent passing in there at least but we'll still need a holding midfielder while he pushes forwards.

We have a concerning lack of depth in the middle of the park and it's that area that is costing us so dearly week after week right now.

Weirdly, and concerningly, I am finding a few positive things to take out of a 3-1 defeat, which I couldn't take out of the QPR defeat and even Scunthorpe (although admittedly that wasn't QUITE as bad). This is how bad it has got right now, and I desperately hope that in the forthcoming weeks we can repeat the first 20mins of today for the whole 90mins.

OTBC

Posted By: CityForLife, Oct 20, 18:33:04