Teams looking like promotion contenders usually have a “giving someone a hiding” in them. We genuinely don’t look like we have a 4 - 0 in us. That’s a worry because nicking 1 nils and 2 - 1’s is bloody hard to keep going. Still think we will squeak playoffs and then on our day we can compete with the best of this division. Sunderland v Charlton Wembley final.
Felt this way for a while. We've had a lot of one goal results, which is good because you're squeaking things out. But apart from Shrews, where they were pretty poor, we haven't really battered anyone this season. There have been performances where we've dominated, but as with last season, we haven't always killed teams off.
Losing Grant certainly hurts. But our midfield remains very technically gifted for this level. We have missed Aribo, he provides some drive and tidiness around the box, but our struggle to break down teams who sit deep has been there most of the season.
This is a huge test for Bowyer and Jackson. I still believe this is a team on paper that should be top six. But that means they need to get more out of this midfield. Contrary to what Bowyer said, I don't think we created that many clear cut chances. Losing Karlan means we can't just look to play the ball forward 40 yards as quickly as possible. He and Taylor created a lot for each other that way but sometimes we were over-reliant on it, and without Grant we need to change tactic to some extent, and focus on more patient build up. It doesn't help that our pitch looks to be deteriorating quickly.
Hopefully Aribo finds some form again. Maybe Fosu still has a part to play. Hopefully we can get more out of Igor. And I think that will be the big one for Bowyer and Jackson--getting the most out of what we have.
It's not rocket science is it. You move your back-up striker on and flog one of your two leading scorers breaking up the partnership in the process. You bring in a journeyman back-up and don't replace your 14 goal striker. The other striker misses three games through susoension with two more likely to come. Hey presto! You now struggle to score goals, drop points and fall down the table. Repeat each year under Duchatelet to maintain operating costs as a third division side whilst looking to cash in on anyone we can sell. Taylor and Aribo next out the door.
It's starting to look and feel like the end of last season and the two play offs games against Shrewsbury. We didn't ever look like scoring in them 2 games. Maybe other teams have worked bowyers tactics and ideas out to an extent.
If we are ever going to score a few goals it will be again wimbued on Saturday.
Or we sold our top scorer and our other top scorer hasn't built up that relationship with his non existent replacement.
Of course that's a factor. Bowyer has done excellent job in awful circumstances. However he built the midfield and train them etc there goal return has been shocking. We play narrow so you would expect the cam to chip in with a decent amount of goals which not happened. I think as we are stuck with Parker up top with Taylor we need to look at getting a bit wider and getting crosses in box more.
We got so many of our goals from Grant running in behind and then drilling it across the box for Taylor to tap in or vice versa. With Parker we haven’t got the pace to do that anymore. Vetokele got in behind more in the 10 minutes he was on the pitch than Parker did all game. We should definitely start with Igor up top next to Taylor IMO
Comments
Losing Grant certainly hurts. But our midfield remains very technically gifted for this level. We have missed Aribo, he provides some drive and tidiness around the box, but our struggle to break down teams who sit deep has been there most of the season.
This is a huge test for Bowyer and Jackson. I still believe this is a team on paper that should be top six. But that means they need to get more out of this midfield. Contrary to what Bowyer said, I don't think we created that many clear cut chances. Losing Karlan means we can't just look to play the ball forward 40 yards as quickly as possible. He and Taylor created a lot for each other that way but sometimes we were over-reliant on it, and without Grant we need to change tactic to some extent, and focus on more patient build up. It doesn't help that our pitch looks to be deteriorating quickly.
Hopefully Aribo finds some form again. Maybe Fosu still has a part to play. Hopefully we can get more out of Igor. And I think that will be the big one for Bowyer and Jackson--getting the most out of what we have.