I noticed we seem to be playing with a much higher back line than was the case last season, and that has helped with the pressing, progressive style Bob is after - even when it does get passed back to a centre back they are looking to move it forwards instead of constantly backpedalling. Much as I love Morrison his passing is more of the agricultural style, and there's a place for that, but I really can't see him breaking up the Ben Haim/Bikey partnership short of injury.
Have to say I still think Jackson is the weak link. As our captain and cafc legend (as some put it) we all want him to be a big part of our success but I fear he will cost us this season. He had an average game last night. Some good tackles & a fair bit of closing down but he adda virtually nothing to the team bar his leadership I guess. Having Cousins in the middle, No 7 on the left and Wilson on the right would make us a lot stronger. Out of interest if Bob makes this call who would you fancy as captain? For me TBH looks like a leader on the pitch.
but he adda virtually nothing to the team bar his leadership I guess.
Watch the video of the third goal and see who puts the cross in.
I only watched the 12 minutes of highlights on Player but Jackson seemed a lot more involved then against Wigan in those.
Combine that with the point he won us with his assist against Brentford, people really need to stop laying in to Jackson but then we do need a scapegoat now that Ben Haim & Tucudean are looking decent.......... ;-)
I know he put the cross in and I can understand why he played the whole 90mins as it was one of his better games. I'm talking about over a period of time not just one match. He will cost us
Great performence, loving the football at the minute, we have some real good players this season and can see us finishing in the top 6. A couple of players needed to challenge top 2. Agree with Agim Cousins in the middle for Jackson. Think Jackson will be a very good player to bring off the bench with 20 to go but his starting days are coming to an end.
This was Gomez's league debut so it would have been bizarre if he had rampaged down the right wing, especially as Gudmundsson hasn't yet got into the frame of mind to cover for him. He is just 17 and had a superb debut. He will drive further forward when he is a) instructed to do so and b) is more experienced. Contrast his performance with the vastly more experienced Rhoys who seemed totally unaware of Derby players outside him. Several times he was caught many yards out of position. Rhoys is fine going forward but a full back's first job is to defend. It may be said that Cousins unfamiliarity with the left wing-back role hasn't helped Rhoys and I would endorse that concern. On the positive side (in addition to Gomez) how thrilling to see us pose a goal threat from Igor, George and Frank as well as the midfielders. (I will pass over Popes full debut for us. He will get better...once he swaps Deano's boots!!
Derby's known strength was loading the wings, so given our shape I'd be surprised if full backs weren't advised by BBB to let wingers close down wide but defend narrow. Both Gomes & Wiggins constantly let wide men get ball on wings unchallenged.
I did notice we also seem happier to let the oppositions goalkeeper and defenders get on the ball and pass it out. Seemed to worry people around me but the amount of times it happened it looked like that is the way Bob wants us to defend.
Not a bad thing for fitness if we close down well where it really matters. Doubt we'd look as dangerous on the counter if we had been chasing after the ball in Derby's own half in the way I've seen us do in the past.
Agreed, there's a tendency amongst British football supporters to expect their players to run around continuously like headless chickens to 'show' that they care and are working hard
I know he put the cross in and I can understand why he played the whole 90mins as it was one of his better games. I'm talking about over a period of time not just one match. He will cost us
People said that last season, but then the goals against QPR, Ipswich and Watford and assists against Yeovil and Bournemouth amongst others are what kept us up last season. Look back at those games and it's Jackson who made the decisive contribution, either pulling us out of the fire or delivering 3 points that we desperately needed. None of his goals or assists were the fourth goal in a 4-0 win, they are all contributions that completely changed the face of our season. He's already got two assists this season, which is a third of the goals we've scored in games he's played in.
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He had an average game last night. Some good tackles & a fair bit of closing down but he adda virtually nothing to the team bar his leadership I guess.
Having Cousins in the middle, No 7 on the left and Wilson on the right would make us a lot stronger.
Out of interest if Bob makes this call who would you fancy as captain? For me TBH looks like a leader on the pitch.
Combine that with the point he won us with his assist against Brentford, people really need to stop laying in to Jackson but then we do need a scapegoat now that Ben Haim & Tucudean are looking decent.......... ;-)
Not exactly someone who's costing us.