Davefevs

But you’re assuming lots of fans aren’t fickle / knee-jerk! ? Seriously though, Dean wasn’t backed. Ashton should’ve gone, not Dean, SL should’ve spotted the Charlatan a mile off. I think what you are now seeing is that it wasn’t Dean per se that was the problem, but fans needed a scapegoat / SL needed a scapegoat, because he was too blind to see what was going on. I think if SL had known that MA was pissing off, Dean would’ve been kept in place. Ashton’s final year (or however long it was) was a professional disgrace. He shafted Holden last January too as his final act of “power”. I’d love to tell him face to face what I think of him. Dean can feel hard done by. However, I don’t think Dean was the man for a complete rebuild….which is what we now need….because of MA.

Spot on Grifty. Earlier this season we did see some patterns forming, but they’ve gone out the window as we’ve resorted to reactive football, requiring a bit of magic to create a chance rather than carefully constructed moves. It’s very similar to a lot of the last 2/3 seasons. Most weeks pre-game I have a little look at the opposition and think how are we gonna cope with them. A lot of my focus is usually how do we stop them building out, and this is typically how will our forwards and wide midfielders deal with their CBs and FBs/WBs. Yesterday was a simple Barnsley back 3 and WBs. Three CBs who don’t really play, but 2 WBs who play high. I thought Nige would go 442 and that would mean our 2 CFs would split their 3 CBs (no rocket science there) and our 2 WMs would attach to their WBs. All good. Even when I saw the line up I assumed 433, so the front 3 of AW, CM and NW would assign 2 to split the CBs and depending on which side of the pitch the ball was on, that forward would attach to the WB, shuffling across the pitch if Barnsley moved side to side. We would then have 3v2 in midfield and they’d have to go long. And that would mean our numerical advantage in midfield would pick up lots of bits and pieces. So when I saw it start to form as what I’m calling a 4312-diamond it really did raise some questions as to how we’d stop them getting their wingbacks into the game. They had acres to play in….and we didn’t stop their service. Between them they had 6 shots (4 on target). Massengo (RM) and Bakinson (LM) were left with lots of ground to cover. Too much ground, and we saw how one pass bypasses a one man press all too often. Ali Hines on co-comms mentioned how two passes got Williams into our final third, with Tanner then going out to engage him. Really Tanner needs to engage in a “double-up”, but that doesn’t seem to happen in a 442 let alone a narrow (on paper 4312d! Not blaming Tanner btw. Its resulting in a lot of needless running, and then we are knackered final 20. On the flipside, the Weimann in the hole worked fantastically for our two goals….but my question is could they have achieved the same playing as a three rather than a narrow two-plus-one? Oh, please give me the day when our FBs get a heatmap like above! ?

He has settled into Championship football really well. Kalas’s covering yesterday enabled him to go really tight too.

No need to apologise at all, least of all to me. ??????

That’s Brittain, the RWB. We are on about the LWB Williams ?

I remember that incident…I agree. This next comment is not about Benarous, but generally about how “match-like” training is? I watched Callum O’Dowda skin his man 3 times in one Robinstv clip recently, and then I saw him try to “do” Joe Williams, who just put his arm across him and eased him off the ball. That’s not having a go at O’Dowda either, but Williams for me, showed how you train at “match intensity”.

Hopefully get Antoine, Joe and Tommy back over the next week or so, and we have more options….and a couple / few more of the 18 drop out….and we look stronger imho

I don’t think he was anywhere near as bad as made out, but it shows how some come in and look ready (Scott, Conway) and others might need more than 25 mins (Benarous, Bell). No shame in an 18 year old needing time to adjust, least of all in a frantic game like today. Some of our more senior players having given far worse at times! Its all about taking the learnings from it. He’ll realise he has to think a bit quicker next time.

Played a bit like Firminho at times, especially last season when they played a front three, with the two side forwards running beyond. Good player. Neve got a chance here….always bugs me.

Scott for Martin! ?

I agree, but they weren’t dominant despite that.

Mmmmm, cheated FFP and got a paltry fine. Poorly handled by EFL. Brighton and Brentford good examples though. Fulham we’re up in the prem for a good few years a little while back, so have had prior years money as well as recently. But I agree, we need a plan, a better plan….let’s hope the current one is it. Get the feeling Nige is gonna go young.

Got all the attributes imho….not gonna deliver every game whilst in his early days here, but he’s made a really good start and way ahead of expectations. Nige has solved a bit of a problem area here.

How do you improve composure….and explain / convey that to the relevant audience….in a 2/3 minute media interview. This is for the domain on the “classroom” with video, whiteboard, etc.

Yes, very impressive…one to keep tabs on….can play either side too.

Yes he did, 1st half was fine….just 2nd half as he got tired. I like him as a player, but that isn’t playing to his strengths.

Ok, PPs and pandemic! Hardly any money spent by non-PP clubs in the summer. Fulham able to do deals like Harry Wilson on a season’s loan with obligation to buy for £12m. It’s just widening the gap.

Yep, if he stayed high, it leaves less room for Wells and leaves a hole between attack and midfield….which is where Barnsley picked up cheap possession. It surprises me and disappoints me in equal measure.

If you don’t have one in the pitch you can play differently. And even if you do go direct, you have to be better at picking up loose balls. We showed we could get in down the sides several times today. Martin really needed to come shorter and drag his CB with him and create more space in behind.

Moore - unused sub as Aberdeen beat Heats 2-1 (Watkins scoring) Low - unused sub as Eastleigh won 1-0 Towler - 90 as Grimsby lost 1-0 to Notts Co. Edwards - unused sub as Exeter beat Salford 2-1

Seeing as someone else started this one back up:

0-1 ht, up to 15th as it stands ???

I still wonder what has happened to Vyner and Palmer? Someone said they were doing fitness work pre-game, but that will be to keep them fit should they be needed….but they are obviously out of favour at the mo’.