Was working, so didn't go, did we stop the rot? was Pardew right to say we can take encouragement from the 2nd half display? should Varney have scored late on?
I thought we put out two different teams. Second half effort from the players was committed & vibrant, the first half was quite simply Abysmal. Think Todorov gets us playing more football when he's on the pitch.
Look, I'm a rose tinted specs man, so when I say 1st half we were shocking - then know it was worse than that!
Halftime Pards changed it round and suddenly the team had shape and balance - and the ball was sticking up front and we actually took the game to them, instead of playing like an away side.
As you will have heard, Toddy got the plaudits and deservedly so - but good effective performances especially from Sam, Moo2, Wright and Ambrose.
Poor old Varns. He pounced on a backpass nobody else would have read, rounded the keeper and at an angle just needed to toe it into the gaping net. He who hesitates is lost, and all that .......
Varns keeps missing at the moment, but credit it to him for never giving up.
At least he's always unfailingly in the right place to miss.....(!)
first half was awful, everyone was shite, just couldn't keep hold of ball, gave it away for fun, crowd really got on the players back after 30/35 min (and rightly so I might add)
second half, completely changed it around,
craine in CB - looked alot betta than primus,
toddy up top, now having someone to hold it up a little, bit of class
Josh wright - played some magnificant balls, and crunched all of the midfileders, potentially could be class with a bit more experience
Sam - made a huge difference (as I personally thought he did on tuesdsay night)
Moo2 - with sam down right looked a threat all 2nd half, and although positioning is a little dodgy, made some goood run back and recovering tackles, pace is a wonderful thing
Bailey - toss first half, bit betta second, also think he is carrying an injury or just needs a rest, tryin to give it his all but still way off the pace
Ambrose - usual first half from him, 2nd half was really good I even remeber a few crunching challenges and atleast 1 50/50 he didn't back out of!! Plays like that for 90 min I'd gladly play him
Varney - well he trys hard, like to stick with him for he's effort but can't see him scoring, reckon he'll get sent off soon, he's fuckn petulant, some rash/late challenges and loads of afters
Toddy - made a big difference, held up ball some class touches, actually got support from ambrose down left and sam/mouts down right
Primus - toss, as we all were first half, thought might have been a bit harsh to be subbed, but we did look alot betta woth craine central and basey on left
Basey - Thought had a good game, his passing and delivery is great, taclking good, strong on ball, not great goin forward but with moo2 bombarding down right meant we still had 3 as cover at back
Weaver - made some good saves, not at fault for goal, some good catches, but y the fuck do you keep punting it down middle when we lost allmost all challenges in air all game (untill toddy)
Hudson - Not he's greatist game, distribution poor, positioning poor, leadership poor, but atleast he can challenge!
[cite]Posted By: kinveachyaddick[/cite]Conclusions from Sat then?
Moo2 has to play at right-back tomorrow?
Crainie at centre-back with Hudson?
Basey at left-back?
Todorov and undefinedsundefinedVarney undefined/sundefinedup front?
does Bailey need a rest?
When is Shelvey back?
replace Varney not sure who with though! he needs a spell in the reserves!
Would start with team that finished on Sat - Toddy was doing his best to encourage Varns after the miss, and I think could be the steadying influence he needs. Varney causes oppo a lot of problems, and creates space - most forwards have spells when they can't buy a goal, so I'd stick with him a bit longer if we can press and create chances like we did with the second half formation. Have Dickson or McLeod (or pref both) on the bench.
I didn't think McLeod did that badly first half, and was a bit surprised by the two players subbed, but for once the changes made all the difference.
Mind you, think what really got them going was the crowd's fantastic support at the start of the second half:
"Stand up, if you saw a shot" really seemed to galvanise them ;-)
First half we were dreadful. Missed pass after missed pass. Set up was all wrong with Basey playing wide left and instead of bombing forward he seemed more intent on acting as Crainie's minder at full back. Pards compounded the situation by moving Ambrose inside behind the front two during the half which meant, effectively, we had no width whatsoever. McCleod ran round without ever looking particularly incisive and it was no suprise to see him sacrificed at half time.
In the second half the width was restored with Ambrose moving wide left and Sam introduced on the right. With Moutu given licence to roam and Todorov pulling their defence all over the show we looked a different side. All that was lacking was the end product but I've already spouted long enough on other threads about Varney's reluctance to shoot on sight and his lack of confidence in front of goal. Todorov is not only the link in play but also the missing link. Given the opportunity he will always score goals in and around the box but he was blatantly mindful of any tackles coming in and this, for the time being at least, will be the pay off. Joe Jordan he certainly isn't nor should he have to be.
Crainie looks too one dimensional to play at full back and appeared far more reassured in his preferred postion of centre back whilst Moutu adds an attacking option at right back. Basey doesn't look a natural athlete and is somewhat cumbersome on the ball. Hudson is the rock that all teams need at the back.
Josh Wright was neat and tidy but, along with Bailey, got caught in possession too many times in the first half. I would like to think, in years to come, Wright and Shelvey will prove to be an exceptional pairing in midfield. Ambrose is a total enigma and I believe that he might end up one day looking back on his career reflecting on what might have been. Lloyd Sam needs to learn that it's no good trying to start a dribble from the edge of your own area when it would be far more effective doing so in the opposition box.
Overall a draw was the right result. We were far too negative and apprehensive in the first half but that was remedied by the changes made at half time. I hope that Pards learns from this because I do believe that we have the players in the squad to shoot our way out of trouble but if we play without width or with just one man up front away form home we will continue to struggle.
Great summary AA. I must confess to wondering when and not if things turn round.
We have a strong squad, albeit with some weaknesses.
We have:
ZZ, Racon, Fortune unavailable - All decent players
Shelvey, Gray, and Fleetwood are now available again
Josh Wright looks a decent proposition
Tody is nearing full fitness and look really classy on Saturday
Cranie and Primus should improve with matches
Semedo's a decent player
Varney still not yet hit his straps
Ambrose is really only now fully fit
What we need is some consistency. We haven't had that yet this season. I am going tonight. I'm not that confident to be honest but I think that we will start climbing the table in the next few weeks.
Comments
Look, I'm a rose tinted specs man, so when I say 1st half we were shocking - then know it was worse than that!
Halftime Pards changed it round and suddenly the team had shape and balance - and the ball was sticking up front and we actually took the game to them, instead of playing like an away side.
As you will have heard, Toddy got the plaudits and deservedly so - but good effective performances especially from Sam, Moo2, Wright and Ambrose.
Poor old Varns. He pounced on a backpass nobody else would have read, rounded the keeper and at an angle just needed to toe it into the gaping net. He who hesitates is lost, and all that .......
Varns keeps missing at the moment, but credit it to him for never giving up.
At least he's always unfailingly in the right place to miss.....(!)
second half, completely changed it around,
craine in CB - looked alot betta than primus,
toddy up top, now having someone to hold it up a little, bit of class
Josh wright - played some magnificant balls, and crunched all of the midfileders, potentially could be class with a bit more experience
Sam - made a huge difference (as I personally thought he did on tuesdsay night)
Moo2 - with sam down right looked a threat all 2nd half, and although positioning is a little dodgy, made some goood run back and recovering tackles, pace is a wonderful thing
Bailey - toss first half, bit betta second, also think he is carrying an injury or just needs a rest, tryin to give it his all but still way off the pace
Ambrose - usual first half from him, 2nd half was really good I even remeber a few crunching challenges and atleast 1 50/50 he didn't back out of!! Plays like that for 90 min I'd gladly play him
Varney - well he trys hard, like to stick with him for he's effort but can't see him scoring, reckon he'll get sent off soon, he's fuckn petulant, some rash/late challenges and loads of afters
Toddy - made a big difference, held up ball some class touches, actually got support from ambrose down left and sam/mouts down right
Primus - toss, as we all were first half, thought might have been a bit harsh to be subbed, but we did look alot betta woth craine central and basey on left
Basey - Thought had a good game, his passing and delivery is great, taclking good, strong on ball, not great goin forward but with moo2 bombarding down right meant we still had 3 as cover at back
Weaver - made some good saves, not at fault for goal, some good catches, but y the fuck do you keep punting it down middle when we lost allmost all challenges in air all game (untill toddy)
Hudson - Not he's greatist game, distribution poor, positioning poor, leadership poor, but atleast he can challenge!
Moo2 has to play at right-back tomorrow?
Crainie at centre-back with Hudson?
Basey at left-back?
Todorov and Varney up front?
does Bailey need a rest?
When is Shelvey back?
replace Varney not sure who with though! he needs a spell in the reserves!
I didn't think McLeod did that badly first half, and was a bit surprised by the two players subbed, but for once the changes made all the difference.
Mind you, think what really got them going was the crowd's fantastic support at the start of the second half:
"Stand up, if you saw a shot" really seemed to galvanise them ;-)
532 rather than 352 - no outlet on the wings, so long balls up to two strikers who lost out every time. Lost all the 50-50s, gave away the ball.
Second half back to 442, more passion, more attacking play and more picking our passes. By no means perfect, but much better.
If the second half had been like the first, I think Pardew could have gone.
In the second half the width was restored with Ambrose moving wide left and Sam introduced on the right. With Moutu given licence to roam and Todorov pulling their defence all over the show we looked a different side. All that was lacking was the end product but I've already spouted long enough on other threads about Varney's reluctance to shoot on sight and his lack of confidence in front of goal. Todorov is not only the link in play but also the missing link. Given the opportunity he will always score goals in and around the box but he was blatantly mindful of any tackles coming in and this, for the time being at least, will be the pay off. Joe Jordan he certainly isn't nor should he have to be.
Crainie looks too one dimensional to play at full back and appeared far more reassured in his preferred postion of centre back whilst Moutu adds an attacking option at right back. Basey doesn't look a natural athlete and is somewhat cumbersome on the ball. Hudson is the rock that all teams need at the back.
Josh Wright was neat and tidy but, along with Bailey, got caught in possession too many times in the first half. I would like to think, in years to come, Wright and Shelvey will prove to be an exceptional pairing in midfield. Ambrose is a total enigma and I believe that he might end up one day looking back on his career reflecting on what might have been. Lloyd Sam needs to learn that it's no good trying to start a dribble from the edge of your own area when it would be far more effective doing so in the opposition box.
Overall a draw was the right result. We were far too negative and apprehensive in the first half but that was remedied by the changes made at half time. I hope that Pards learns from this because I do believe that we have the players in the squad to shoot our way out of trouble but if we play without width or with just one man up front away form home we will continue to struggle.
We have a strong squad, albeit with some weaknesses.
We have:
ZZ, Racon, Fortune unavailable - All decent players
Shelvey, Gray, and Fleetwood are now available again
Josh Wright looks a decent proposition
Tody is nearing full fitness and look really classy on Saturday
Cranie and Primus should improve with matches
Semedo's a decent player
Varney still not yet hit his straps
Ambrose is really only now fully fit
What we need is some consistency. We haven't had that yet this season. I am going tonight. I'm not that confident to be honest but I think that we will start climbing the table in the next few weeks.