Match Thread Stoke away 10th August 12:30 - Opening day! (18 Viewers)

[BlueSkiesForever]

Since Hamer we’ve lacked any proper vision and speed on the ball. Everyone needs three or four touches and rarely plays anything other than a safe ball.

Exactly, completely agree, and I know I’m beating a well-worn drum but it genuinely frustrates me that we haven’t really improved the defensive midfield aspect of our game. Torp can be decent, and I think he’ll come good, but we need that consistent quality in midfield.

Sheaf is great, granted, but if he’s not available or has a bad game, we tend to have a bad game. Obviously it’s clear I don’t like Allen/Eccles but I really do think we need at least 1 quality CM to come in before the end of the window, the consistency and threat just isn’t there in midfield imo.

 

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[fernandopartridge]

We don't really have any leaders.
But I'd have hoped for more reaction and fight when we went behind.

There was zero urgency after the goal, no tempo at all.

 

[napolimp]

Haven't read any of the above, but thought that they were easily able to nullify Rudoni today because Allen + Torp offered absolutely nothing in terms of creativity. They barely had to watch either of them. Allen is a 6th choice midfielder, and Torp needs to play in the gaps further forward.

We did finally look like we'd grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck in the first 15 minutes of the second half, but then uncharacteristic Robins subs after 60 mins disrupted the flow.

I thought the defence was OK, whichever 2 are playing at CB need run of games together. Sakamoto and EMC struggled, Simms looked isolated.

 

[fernandopartridge]

Thomas poor passing stats won't be helped by Allen and Torp in particular who hid from the ball

 

[Para1140]

We are missing Hamer simple as. Doug dig deep and go and buy him back if you want promotion. Go and activate his release clause and we get promoted because that midfield today has only one thing going for it and its not promotion

 

[OldBedrocker]

2021

Forest?

 

[Skybluekyle]

Thomas poor passing stats won't be helped by Allen and Torp in particular who hid from the ball

Thomas passing was terrible, typified when he couldn't even throw the ball to MvE for a throw-in and threw it straight into the Stoke bench instead. Was baffling to witness.

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

Thomas passing accuracy stats must have been terrible!

Fans favourite???

Yeah it's the sort of thing you see at the Memorial Park on Sunday morning's.

He better improve or we are in the Shit.

 

[BlueSkiesForever]

There was zero urgency after the goal, no tempo at all.

Literally, we need players who can say “fuck this press, I’m getting us through this” and bring the game to the opposition. We end up passing for passing’s sake, and I don’t feel like that’s an overreaction to this game in particular, it’s something that’s happened in numerous games in previous seasons.

 

[Gint11]

Hopefully today has just sharpened mind to what we need -
- a quality midfielder who’s dynamic
- a horrible bloody bugger / leader / experience.

its 1 game, people need to remain balanced. Of course we are annoyed, they were better 1st half, us 2nd - draw was probably fair.

And the players we do have to be fucking better

 

[Boicey]

We are missing Hamer simple as. Doug dig deep and go and buy him back if you want promotion. Go and activate his release clause and we get promoted because that midfield today has only one thing going for it and its not promotion

Rudoni can be the Hamer replacement. We lack an experienced midfield hard man who can pick a pass but also give us steel and some backbone.
We've lacked that for years tbh.

 

[Gint11]

Literally, we need players who can say “fuck this press, I’m getting us through this” and bring the game to the opposition. We end up passing for passing’s sake, and I don’t feel like that’s an overreaction to this game in particular, it’s something that’s happened in numerous games in previous seasons.

100% this. It’s what a leader or enforcer does. A Doyler for example. We don’t have one.
And as much as I think we missed Sheaf today, we’ve got a performance and result like that in us with him playing too.

Mentally first half not right.

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

As for the game: first half looked as if Robins dropped a completely new system on them before KO. Torp in particular was totally lost for the duration of his game - wouldn’t be the first time though, would it. There were glimpses of Rudoni and Simms connecting, but Sakamoto and EMC gave him nothing.
Definitely game of two halves but I don’t think anyone would’ve complained at a 0-0.

And to think Mark Robins was happy the Roma game was cancelled so he could spend the week coaching the players, well that went well.

 

[shmmeee]

I’d be tempted to get a CM and a CB both 27+ who can impose themselves. And can pass the ball. Must be a couple knocking about we can nick.

 

[Boicey]

This is the thing I find the most frustrating with the way we play, the midfield is slow and risk-averse most of the time. We pass, pass, pass but rarely does it lead to anything threatening and it’s not just this Stoke game, it’s been that way for a while.

I’ve said it a few times on here but we hardly ever beat teams 3-0 or 4-1 (outside of pre-season games), it’s just not fluent enough for whatever reason. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact reason for our ploddy-ness but I’m sure it’s the midfield that’s the main issue.

We need to get Saka and Rudoni on the ball. They can give us a spark.
We need a midfielder capable of passing to them or getting it to Simms, Wright in the channels.
We also need a hard man CM. We are soft as shit in there.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Forest?

Yep, McF with the last gasp winner

 

[duffer]

I’d be tempted to get a CM and a CB both 27+ who can impose themselves. And can pass the ball. Must be a couple knocking about we can nick.

Yep. I'd settle for a niggly, tough-tackling, midfield destroyer type.

Doesn't need to be silky, just break it up and pass it ten yards to someone in blue. The Doyle/McGrath type of player.

There's no shortage of class in this team, but we seem a bit short of bite and spite.

 

[Cally Fedora]

Browne was that man! Still yesterday’s news. Need to solve the issue. I don’t think Madsen is the answer.

 

[Offhegoes]

Hopefully today has just sharpened mind to what we need -
- a quality midfielder who’s dynamic
- a horrible bloody bugger / leader / experience.

its 1 game, people need to remain balanced. Of course we are annoyed, they were better 1st half, us 2nd - draw was probably fair.

We have needed that dynamic midfielder since Hamer left. Was the key position for me this summer.

 

[shepardo01]

…I’ll just leave this here

The simple answer to this is "Hamer"... again.
There were games where he had Howley (who couldn't get into Dundee's side) as a midfield partner. Pretty sure on occasions we had a midfield of him, Howley and Eccles.
He is the best midfielder in the Championship and as has been said before, often single handedly dragged us up the pitch.

 

[Evo1883]

Feeling quite depressed after today tbh .

Not really had this feeling for ages , I don't know why but today has got to me

 

[Mcbean]

just need to take it on the chin - trust in Robins and things will come good - saw none of the pre season adversaries in Stoke today who were organised and effective PUSB

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Feeling quite depressed after today tbh .

Not really had this feeling for ages , I don't know why but today has got to me

Think it’s just the performance really, bore little resemblance to what we saw being worked on in pre-season. The centre of midfield being unable to manage without Sheaf surprised me a lot but part of that was down to ditching the 4-3-3 that suits this group best.

Does MR know how to get the best out of this squad?

 

[ceetee]

How was Allen? Personally can't believe we've spent all that money assembling this squad to start Jamie Allen.

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

Because none of that money was spent on anyone to replace him

 

[Evo1883]

Think it’s just the performance really, bore little resemblance to what we saw being worked on in pre-season. The centre of midfield being unable to manage without Sheaf surprised me a lot but part of that was down to ditching the 4-3-3 that suits this group best.

Does MR know how to get the best out of this squad?

Too early for that talk , but as of now we've just carried on from last seasons end .

Atleast they will sleep properly

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Too early for that talk , but as of now we've just carried on from last seasons end .

Atleast they will sleep properly

No I agree it’s too early, but the question will be answered when this season is done. I see us trying to emulate a possession based approach which we just play at a snail’s pace while conceding regularly to teams who play at higher tempo.

 

[Skybluekyle]

I am kind of hoping this means we'll be written off again and people stop talking about us.

I much prefer being the underdog

 

[StrettoBoy]

I see us trying to emulate a possession based approach which we just play at a snail’s pace while conceding regularly to teams who play at higher tempo.

If it’s good enough for England . . . . .

 

[Skybluekyle]

That's bad.

Can I go now?

 

[fernandopartridge]

Feeling quite depressed after today tbh .

Not really had this feeling for ages , I don't know why but today has got to me

I do, it's probably because of how flat the performance was.

 

[SkyblueTexan]

Since Hamer we’ve lacked any proper vision and speed on the ball. Everyone needs three or four touches and rarely plays anything other than a safe ball.

I feel Stamenic was our solution to the Hamer problem but fucking Forest had to tempt him away.

 

[JAM See]

Not enough width.

Also, the wingers (as well as staying wide), should swap sides now and again.

 

[Chris1987]

Very surprised at how lethargic we were today. Annoying considering the promise shown in pre season Where was the midfield though ? Stoke ( who are very limited imo) running though at will in the first half with neither of Saka or EMC getting back to add extra cover. Allen was badly exposed on numerous occasions and difficult to understand why he started. Pretty deflating. The need for a quality CDM is obvious and not one of Budwell's better games . Disappointing day

 

[Winny the Bish]

Hope that result and performance terrifies Doug into getting the chequebook out again.

Or some idiots make bids for Kitching, Collins, Palmer and Allen so we can get rid and reinvest.

 

[Sick Boy]

No I agree it’s too early, but the question will be answered when this season is done. I see us trying to emulate a possession based approach which we just play at a snail’s pace while conceding regularly to teams who play at higher tempo.

Anything less than play-offs this season and he won’t be here the next one.