shmmeee
Well-Known Member
Not a bad game per se, a little flat, but both teams tried to play football. We looked toothless throughout and desperately need a striker to partner Juke. That said Leicester didn't look like a team who have spent £10m and some of the credit for that has to go to us.
We were well on top when it was 10 V 11 and if it had stayed that way we would have won. Once we went down to 10 and Leicester got a second wind and their goal, we never looked like troubling their goalie, let alone scoring.
A couple of things we were doing well seem to be missing today as well: the fullbacks seemed reluctant to get forward and offer and option, which led to a lot of back to square one from the flanks. The diamond only works if the fullbacks can offer the width missing from the lack of wingers and today they didn't
Also the midfield 3 of Bell, Clingan and Bigirimana played far too close to the back line for my liking. If I was Thorn I'd tell Clingan to do the job of getting the ball from the back line and Gael and Bell to push up and offer options.
We had real trouble penetrating today mainly because of the lack of options going forward, whether it was intentional due to the opposition or individual players making that decision I don't know.
Player Ratings:
Murphy - 6: Couldn't see enough of the goal to see if he could have done better, but it was my first time seeing Murphy in Sky Blue and he looked a decent replacement for Westwood. If nothing else the distribution from the back was 100 times better than the last 3 seasons. We gave away far less of the ball with a keeper who doesn't just lump it forward at every opportunity. Didn't have a huge amount to do, but did it well enough.
Christie - 7: Grew into the game and by the end looked like one of our better players. His defensive positioning needs some work (as can be expected from an Academy player) but he didn't look out of place and I wish he had the confidence to go on a few more runs like he did in the first half.
Cranie - 6: Was solid enough, fairly good distribution from the back, and had a good understanding with Keogh which meant some calm defending under pressure.
Keogh - 7: Still think he looked better once moved to RB, but was probably our best defender today. Got his head to a lot and his pace was an asset at times.
Hussey - 6: Was disappointed that he didn't get forward more today. Slowed our momentum far too often by checking back instead of looking for a forward pass. Was always an option though, and especially from goal kicks we should have used him more.
Clingan - 7: Probably my MotM. Did the simple things well and kept the ball moving. Another player who checks back rather than looking for the forward pass too often, but does the water carrier role very well. In a midfield with other playing further forward I probably wouldn't have any complaints about him.
Bigirimana - 7: Can only remember him giving the ball away twice: once when the ref missed a blatant knee in his back at a throw-in and he headed the ball out and once when he was the last man back at our corner and nearly gave the ball away, but recovered with a last ditch tackle. Tidy is probably the best way to describe him, always looking for the ball, always comfortable receiving it and has an awareness of his teammates that means he always knows where he can get rid of the ball. Deserves to be in the team on merit alone and if Gunnar was still here I's still pick Gael ahead of him.
Bell - 6: Get the fuck forward Bell! You're an attacking player, a goal scorer and creator, yet too many times today he was back with the back four picking the ball up and playing keep ball with Sammy. Needs to do his work further up the pitch for us to be effective. That said did what he had to well enough, but I lay the blame for our lack of attacking effort at his feet as our attacking playmaker. Nearly scored with a great shot in the first half, which just goes to prove my point further.
Baker - 4: Was OK for the first 35 minutes, kept the ball, beat a couple of men but (like the rest of the team) no penetration when it mattered. Then made a really stupid mistake that, let's be honest, cost us the game. Having only seen it once I'd say a red was a bit harsh, but the ref had set his stall out by sending off the Leicester player. With the game at that stage and the ball in that area of the pitch there was no need to attempt that challenge. Silly silly boy.
McSheffrey - 6: Couldn't tell if he was supposed to be a striker or a midfielder when we had 11 men. Didn't do much really, has lost his pace and ability to beat a man, can't shoot from distance for toffee and didn't really do much of anything. If this is the guy supposed to get us goals this season we're in trouble. He needs the protection of two proper strikers and without it is bullied out of the game too easily.
Jutkiewicz - 7: Lead the line on his own really well, but missed a proper partner to play with. Needed support all game and just didn't get it. Had a couple of good chances that he made himself, but was always fighting a one man battle.
Thorn - 6: I've giving him a 6 because there were too many players refusing to go forward for it not to have been at his direction. Leicester were not good enough to warrant that reaction and we lost the game mainly because once we got past the center circle we had no bodies forward and invariably came back again. A bit more courage and we could have gone in at half time ahead and probably won the game.
Fans - 4: 21 thousand for this game is a disgrace, massive gaps all over the stadium and generally very quiet throughout. It took all of 30 seconds for me to hear the first "get it FORWAARRRD!!!". Must do better.
Overall we're not as bad as many have made out in pre-season, we matched the favourites for promotion and badly missed a striker. ALF or similar is vital, or we should have played O'Donovan from the start. The kids are alright and I wouldn't worry about them at all. Get in a partner for Juke and keep that team fit and we'll be OK, we won't set the league alight, but we won't prop up the table either.
We were well on top when it was 10 V 11 and if it had stayed that way we would have won. Once we went down to 10 and Leicester got a second wind and their goal, we never looked like troubling their goalie, let alone scoring.
A couple of things we were doing well seem to be missing today as well: the fullbacks seemed reluctant to get forward and offer and option, which led to a lot of back to square one from the flanks. The diamond only works if the fullbacks can offer the width missing from the lack of wingers and today they didn't
Also the midfield 3 of Bell, Clingan and Bigirimana played far too close to the back line for my liking. If I was Thorn I'd tell Clingan to do the job of getting the ball from the back line and Gael and Bell to push up and offer options.
We had real trouble penetrating today mainly because of the lack of options going forward, whether it was intentional due to the opposition or individual players making that decision I don't know.
Player Ratings:
Murphy - 6: Couldn't see enough of the goal to see if he could have done better, but it was my first time seeing Murphy in Sky Blue and he looked a decent replacement for Westwood. If nothing else the distribution from the back was 100 times better than the last 3 seasons. We gave away far less of the ball with a keeper who doesn't just lump it forward at every opportunity. Didn't have a huge amount to do, but did it well enough.
Christie - 7: Grew into the game and by the end looked like one of our better players. His defensive positioning needs some work (as can be expected from an Academy player) but he didn't look out of place and I wish he had the confidence to go on a few more runs like he did in the first half.
Cranie - 6: Was solid enough, fairly good distribution from the back, and had a good understanding with Keogh which meant some calm defending under pressure.
Keogh - 7: Still think he looked better once moved to RB, but was probably our best defender today. Got his head to a lot and his pace was an asset at times.
Hussey - 6: Was disappointed that he didn't get forward more today. Slowed our momentum far too often by checking back instead of looking for a forward pass. Was always an option though, and especially from goal kicks we should have used him more.
Clingan - 7: Probably my MotM. Did the simple things well and kept the ball moving. Another player who checks back rather than looking for the forward pass too often, but does the water carrier role very well. In a midfield with other playing further forward I probably wouldn't have any complaints about him.
Bigirimana - 7: Can only remember him giving the ball away twice: once when the ref missed a blatant knee in his back at a throw-in and he headed the ball out and once when he was the last man back at our corner and nearly gave the ball away, but recovered with a last ditch tackle. Tidy is probably the best way to describe him, always looking for the ball, always comfortable receiving it and has an awareness of his teammates that means he always knows where he can get rid of the ball. Deserves to be in the team on merit alone and if Gunnar was still here I's still pick Gael ahead of him.
Bell - 6: Get the fuck forward Bell! You're an attacking player, a goal scorer and creator, yet too many times today he was back with the back four picking the ball up and playing keep ball with Sammy. Needs to do his work further up the pitch for us to be effective. That said did what he had to well enough, but I lay the blame for our lack of attacking effort at his feet as our attacking playmaker. Nearly scored with a great shot in the first half, which just goes to prove my point further.
Baker - 4: Was OK for the first 35 minutes, kept the ball, beat a couple of men but (like the rest of the team) no penetration when it mattered. Then made a really stupid mistake that, let's be honest, cost us the game. Having only seen it once I'd say a red was a bit harsh, but the ref had set his stall out by sending off the Leicester player. With the game at that stage and the ball in that area of the pitch there was no need to attempt that challenge. Silly silly boy.
McSheffrey - 6: Couldn't tell if he was supposed to be a striker or a midfielder when we had 11 men. Didn't do much really, has lost his pace and ability to beat a man, can't shoot from distance for toffee and didn't really do much of anything. If this is the guy supposed to get us goals this season we're in trouble. He needs the protection of two proper strikers and without it is bullied out of the game too easily.
Jutkiewicz - 7: Lead the line on his own really well, but missed a proper partner to play with. Needed support all game and just didn't get it. Had a couple of good chances that he made himself, but was always fighting a one man battle.
Thorn - 6: I've giving him a 6 because there were too many players refusing to go forward for it not to have been at his direction. Leicester were not good enough to warrant that reaction and we lost the game mainly because once we got past the center circle we had no bodies forward and invariably came back again. A bit more courage and we could have gone in at half time ahead and probably won the game.
Fans - 4: 21 thousand for this game is a disgrace, massive gaps all over the stadium and generally very quiet throughout. It took all of 30 seconds for me to hear the first "get it FORWAARRRD!!!". Must do better.
Overall we're not as bad as many have made out in pre-season, we matched the favourites for promotion and badly missed a striker. ALF or similar is vital, or we should have played O'Donovan from the start. The kids are alright and I wouldn't worry about them at all. Get in a partner for Juke and keep that team fit and we'll be OK, we won't set the league alight, but we won't prop up the table either.
