Robins Comments (6 Viewers)

[fatso]

During the post match interview yesterday MR made the following comment
“We have to work hard, and I don’t think we worked hard enough. If people want to be comfortable and sit in position’s that are comfortable for them, they won’t be in the team for very long and they have to quickly realise that.

who do we think he was referring to player wise ?
my money is on either Thomas or Torp

Having just watched the whole game back, id say Torp was the no1 suspect, he was a spectator for most of the game, Allen worked harder but he's just completely inefective, and shouldn't be any where near the starting line up. Honestly, Eccles and Palmer/ Lats would of done a far better job than Allen and Torp.

Sakamoto and EMC need to tuck into midfield more if they're not getting the ball, same with Simms, he needs to be more mobile and drop deeper, rather than becoming isolated.

But all the above shouldn't be necessary if the midfield 3 do their job. Yesterday only Rudoni was worth a mention.

Oh, and the passing out from the defence was fucking woeful.

 

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[Skyblueweeman]

We are massively missing a leader.
We've never replaced Fadz in that regard.
We looked like a rudderless ship yesterday.

I said this yesterday on the match thread. It was noticeable...no one to grab the team and the game by the scruff of the neck.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

We're quite some way off having a squad to go up automatically.

Forest were awful in their promotion season for what, a dozen games?

 

[Sky Blue Heaven]

I know it’s only the first game of the season but since 1st April we’ve played 9 league fixtures and our stats are: W1 L7 D1. We all know that we need a central midfielder but also a right sided centre half who can pass the ball. Unfortunately, BT distribution into midfield just seems to be getting worse. Lots to do on the training ground.

 

[fatso]

I said this yesterday on the match thread. It was noticeable...no one to grab the team and the game by the scruff of the neck.

We should of signed Browne!

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

Unfortunately, BT distribution into midfield just seems to be getting worse

The thing that got me though, was that a few of those misplaced passes were when he was under no pressure. Stoke didn't even have to close him down to cause the error. If he can improve that side of his game, then he's great - but it disrupts our play so much if it happens regularly. Need MVE. or a midfielder to come and collect it off him so that he's not put in that position so regularly.

 

[ccfc1234]

the reality is Ipswich who came 2nd lost 6 games all year last season.

We have already lost 1 after 1 game.

I’m sorry but without being ruthless, this year will absolutely slip away from us

Yes, if we want to be at the top end of the table we cant be going into tht many games looking to 'take a draw' too many times this season!

 

[San Francisco]

First half, agreed. Second half we were the better team and Stoke unfortunately had one good opportunity and took it. So I don’t think we got it ‘completely’ wrong.

Modern football in a nutshell. Lots of possession and passing but sweet FA to show for it doesn’t make us “the better team”. As others have mentioned, their keeper had nothing to do all game. Could’ve just sat and read a book.

 

[Skyblue Bangkok]

Modern football in a nutshell. Lots of possession and passing but sweet FA to show for it doesn’t make us “the better team”. As others have mentioned, their keeper had nothing to do all game. Could’ve just sat and read a book.

I saw their keeper on his iPad during the game.

 

[ProfessorbyGrace]

Apologies if this has been asked elsewhere, however I’m too lazy to delve into pages of threads; was Allen captain yesterday?

 

[HuckerbysQuiff]

Apologies if this has been asked elsewhere, however I’m too lazy to delve into pages of threads; was Allen captain yesterday?

Bidwell was

 

[larry_david]

We deffo need an older head in the team somewhere. When things aren't going well there's no one to pull rank.

Atm it's rudoni who is doing it but we need more.

When the going gets tough, most of our players hid. BT passing became laughable and we kept giving him the ball to do the same mistakes 3-4 times instead of others taking ownership

Simms needs to believe in himself too. 30 second in he should have trusted his left foot and had a go and then when he was played in one on one vs his defender you could tell he didn't have the belief to do anything

 

[Evo1883]

First half, agreed. Second half we were the better team and Stoke unfortunately had one good opportunity and took it. So I don’t think we got it ‘completely’ wrong.

Agreed on Simms being isolated, we made 1 or 2 direct passes to his feet in the first half. It didn’t help that the referee allowed stoke players manhandle him.

Before we got promoted to the Championship, we had a good record on Day 1 of the season. We’ve lost all 3 out of 4 opening day matches now.

Stoke had more shots than us second half , we had a good 25 minutes where we had all the ball and kept playing it out wide and then crossing to nobody..

We were hopelessly clueless yesterday , Stoke thoroughly deserved their win

 

[Londonccfcfan]

Did he admit he made a big mistake not playing a natural defensive midfielder. Was Ridiculous and baffling to start that midfield trio who are all attacking midfield players.

Stupid decision leaving Eccles in the bench.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Stoke had more shots than us second half , we had a good 25 minutes where we had all the ball and kept playing it out wide and then crossing to nobody..

We were hopelessly clueless yesterday , Stoke thoroughly deserved their win

More shots doesn’t necessarily equate to better team. The control of the ball was there in the second half but the incisiveness in creating chances wasn’t.

On the balance of things, we were lucky to be 0-0 going into the break so we can’t have any complaints with the final result.

 

[Gint11]

Disagree with Dovin. I liked him. Distribution was good and he made a great save when called upon.

Agreed but he should have done better for their goal albeit the defending was poor. It was a near post finish. Generally though, he was fine.

 

[usskyblue]

1st half from kickoff, it looked like we weren’t ready for the step up in intensity from preseason to a Championship game. We weren’t ready for the speed or the pressing of Stoke and we weren’t brave enough with or without the ball. The only player in the 1st half that looked confident and comfortable was Rudoni.

One of my biggest concerns (which hasn’t improved from last season and happens a lot) is the sloppy passing of our CB’s when we’re playing out from the back. Even when they’re not being pressed, when they have time on the ball. That needs to be addressed because we’ll get punished.

 

[Cally Fedora]

If Allen was 6ft tall he wouldn’t get half the stick he does. He looks so tiny it can alter the perception of his play.

 

[torchomatic]

If Allen was 6ft tall he wouldn’t get half the stick he does. He looks so tiny it can alter the perception of his play.

I think that's unfair. His height has nothing to do with it. He's like Kelly now, the Club has moved on as have our aspirations. We need to upgrade every position. I like Aleen, but he's no longer good enough for what we need to achieve.

 

[rob9872]

If Allen was 6ft tall he wouldn’t get half the stick he does. He looks so tiny it can alter the perception of his play.

Disagree. When he's asked to run about and be a little pest higher up (like when we used to play a box midfield) he was useful. In this system as a deeper anchorman he offers little.

Also agree with lack of leaders. I called that a few weeks ago and said we needed a Fadz or Doyle etc and was told on here we'd moved on from that style.

 

[SkyblueTexan]

I saw their keeper on his iPad during the game.

Rob Gurney said something to the effect of Johannsen could have come in his pajamas and slippers and sat is a lawn chair to read a newspaper. That’s how easy it was for him.

 

[AJB1983]

Rob Gurney said something to the effect of Johannsen could have come in his pajamas and slippers and sat is a lawn chair to read a newspaper. That’s how easy it was for him.

He even jumped into Haji at the end and ‘dived’ just to entertain himself.

re Dovin there was a time where Binks told him to tell him he was coming a she headed it wide for a corner when dovin should have just come and caught it.
few times I felt he could have been more commanding, although to be fair Wilson tended to stay on his line so maybe it’s how they’re coached?

 

[robbiethemole]

Having just watched the whole game back, id say Torp was the no1 suspect, he was a spectator for most of the game, Allen worked harder but he's just completely inefective, and shouldn't be any where near the starting line up. Honestly, Eccles and Palmer/ Lats would of done a far better job than Allen and Torp.

Sakamoto and EMC need to tuck into midfield more if they're not getting the ball, same with Simms, he needs to be more mobile and drop deeper, rather than becoming isolated.

But all the above shouldn't be necessary if the midfield 3 do their job. Yesterday only Rudoni was worth a mention.

Oh, and the passing out from the defence was fucking woeful.

Surely the bloke in the technical area is guiding them??
Pretty sure Robins would be pissed off if they went against his instructions and listen to the SBT 'experts'

 

[stevefloyd]

We need a Rodri type, someone who covers the pitch tackles and passes...not too much to ask after all we are COVENTRY CITY FC

 

[Skyblue Bangkok]

We need a Rodri type, someone who covers the pitch tackles and passes...not too much to ask after all we are COVENTRY CITY FC

We can tempt Man City with an offer for Rodri, a couple of.pork pies and pork scratchings should do it . Plus free beer in the Gosford Arms, should be too tempting for him to turn down.

 

[fatso]

If Allen was 6ft tall he wouldn’t get half the stick he does. He looks so tiny it can alter the perception of his play.

Shit is shit no matter how tall it is.

 

[BlueSkiesForever]

I find in a lot of our games it feels like we’re too scared to concede that we forget to attack. If we’re not putting the opposition under pressure it becomes to easy for them to latch onto a wayward pass and score a goal against the run of play, I feel like we’re great at somehow allowing that to happen.

I wonder if it’s player’s mentality or poor instructions that cause us to look so unthreatening. We rely on single players too often rather than working as a unit, it’s really tricky to put a finger on what the sole issue is at times.

 

[larry_david]

I find in a lot of our games it feels like we’re too scared to concede that we forget to attack. If we’re not putting the opposition under pressure it becomes to easy for them to latch onto a wayward pass and score a goal against the run of play, I feel like we’re great at somehow allowing that to happen.

I wonder if it’s player’s mentality or poor instructions that cause us to look so unthreatening. We rely on single players too often rather than working as a unit, it’s really tricky to put a finger on what the sole issue is at times.

There was a moment yesterday in the first half we managed to overplay but get out of a big press and it was done, we'd got out, fans applauded, Plymouth shouted sighs of frustration...andnit went to a cov midfielder in acres of space and he passed it straight back to binks

We'd just got out ffs and we passed it back into where they'd just worked a triangle to get it out. I was fuming and if I were binks I'd have absolutely bollocked that player. Can't remember who it was

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

More shots doesn’t necessarily equate to better team. The control of the ball was there in the second half but the incisiveness in creating chances wasn’t.

On the balance of things, we were lucky to be 0-0 going into the break so we can’t have any complaints with the final result.

We should have scored in the first minute, equally should have conceded 2 or 3 in that half. There was one team creating chances and bothering to shoot at the goal, with another doing a Southgate tribute act.

As it turns out in not getting a shot on target all game we were even more 'Southgate' than the real thing

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Shit is shit no matter how tall it is.

 

[clint van damme]

We should have scored in the first minute, equally should have conceded 2 or 3 in that half. There was one team creating chances and bothering to shoot at the goal, with another doing a Southgate tribute act.

As it turns out in not getting a shot on target all game we were even more 'Southgate' than the real thing

According to the stars we had 1 on target, I can't remember it.
Unless they're counting the Asante one which was offside.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

According to the stars we had 1 on target, I can't remember it.
Unless they're counting the Asante one which was offside.

I think it might have been counted as one when Johansson came for a cross and technically Binks met the ball first.

 

[SkyblueTexan]

I find in a lot of our games it feels like we’re too scared to concede that we forget to attack. If we’re not putting the opposition under pressure it becomes to easy for them to latch onto a wayward pass and score a goal against the run of play, I feel like we’re great at somehow allowing that to happen.

I wonder if it’s player’s mentality or poor instructions that cause us to look so unthreatening. We rely on single players too often rather than working as a unit, it’s really tricky to put a finger on what the sole issue is at times.

We are not cohesive enough and don’t move up and down the field as a unit. Yesterday in the first half especially there were huge gaps in midfield that were easily exploited by Stoke which allowed them to break at will. Only in the second half did we show some signs of being compact and moving as one unit. But that didn’t occur on a sustained level to yield a goal. When you are not compact, players get isolated with no support. There’s no link from back to front and the opposition can easily pick off stray passes and/or construct attacks of their own.

 

[oakey]

The two wide players worried me. They were too easily pinned to the line and couldn't beat their man in the first half. Sakamoto improved in the second half but EMC? We need to see more from him and soon.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

The two wide players worried me. They were too easily pinned to the line and couldn't beat their man in the first half. Sakamoto improved in the second half but EMC? We need to see more from him and soon.

It takes time to adapt to a higher level than what you're used to for most players, no pressure on him right now. Just being honest, very few players put in a decent shift yesterday from start to finish. MVE and perhaps Rudoni, with Simms fighting a lost cause up front but also not helping himself on the few times he got the ball in good areas.

My theory is that MR adopted a quick counter attacking style when he felt we were the underdogs in most games, and now the squad is stronger wants to take on a possession based approach instead. I don't think it's ever really suited the players we've signed