My heart sank when I saw that Oshilaja was starting yesterday. For me, he is always a fatal mistake waiting to happen. I blamed him for us losing vital points due to predictable but unforgivable mistakes in a couple of the final games last season. For me, he is a liability that we can’t afford. Others on here don’t seem to see his errors, poor decision making, rash tackles, panicked clearances and terrible distribution.
That was your comment on 9th Jan. Like I said, you've made your mind up on him and now he's just your scapegoat. He did make a mistake last night yes (although I would put 60% of the blame on Pearce) but he's been very good recently. Like 99% of our fans, I wouldn't be putting him above Inniss or Famewo but on the evidence I've witnessed he's a half decent League 1 defender. I'd have no concern with him playing 10-15 games a season.
I think others have seen his mistakes but also think he can improve. He is currently our third best CH and ideally he is sitting on the bench but failing that he has our first or second best playing next to him.
Against Bristol Rovers, his last ditch block saved us two points.
People blame Pearce for every goal being conceded at present......if he’s anywhere within10 yards of the ball! Ridiculous.....the first wasn’t exactly a mistake by him just an unfortunate mix up between two players. The second, there was absolutely nowt he could have done.
Agree on the second but don't think it's fair to say people are unnecessarily blaming Pearce. He played a massive part for the first. For me, he looks even slower than normal and just not good enough.
I remain gobsmacked that most people seem to think the sun shines out of Oshilaja's XXXX. As I have said on here so many times, he has at least 1 very bad mistake in him every single match which we can't afford. I dread him coming in for a tackle or trying to play hospital balls at the back and yet I seem to be alone in my criticism of him. If I had the time, I'd pull together a montage of his atrocious defending - starting at the back end of last season - to prove my point. Fine, carry on playing him if I'm in the wrong. Don't expect us to win many games this season though. Certainly, any half-decent attacking teams will have a field day with him in our central defence. I'm done watching the live streams whilst this bad patch continues. My poor wife is sick of my depression after watching us throw away victory after victory.
I wish that I could care less, but I can't help it. 42 years of disappointment after disappointment hurts. As AFKABartram said yesterday, I genuinely feel like our club is cursed given all the crap and unfortunate timings (e.g. the wage cap when we have a minted owner for once) that seem to come in waves throughout the years.
Who are you currently hoping for as a starting defence when you see Bowyers line up?
I have had a closer look at the first goal and without the luxury of discussing with the players, it looks to me like the scorer was probably Pearce's man. The fact they both went for the ball meant he was unmarked.
Had a player tracked him, missing the clearance would not have inevitably led to a goal.
Yes defensive errors cost us the game, however there were still opportunities to score but, dubious penalty apart,I can’t remember the opposition goalkeeper having to make a save.Bogle was woeful and Washington not much better,constantly making the wrong decision.However the 2 replacements were no better. At the other end of the pitch, every time there is an opposition attack, you feel a goal is coming.We can’t just pin hopes on 2 returning centre backs but have to face up to the fact that this squad is not good enough even in a poor league. Why not try some of the younger players like Barker and Davison and clear out the deadwood Gunter,Pearce,Williams,Gilbey,Watson,Bogle, Washington , if not now at the end of the season.
Only Pearce and Williams are out of contract. No one is going to pay them what we are paying them so why would they leave?
I have had a closer look at the first goal and without the luxury of discussing with the players, it looks to me like the scorer was probably Pearce's man. The fact they both went for the ball meant he was unmarked.
Had a player tracked him, missing the clearance would not have inevitably led to a goal.
I agree that Pearce went for the ball when he didn't need to. Deji was going to lose out on the header but Pearce was standing next to the goalscorer. Him going for the ball left an unmarked man, even if Pearce did call for it then I still think it's poor defending because he's left his man to go for the header. That being said, communication and just being on the backfoot generally played a big part and for that Deji is equally to blame.
That is how I see it but I think the senior CH calls it so I think Pearce has to take most of the blame.
I think there is a possibility Pearce went for the header because he did not have confidence in his ability to track the scorer due to his lack of place. I think he is currently playing around this weakness and the question is whether he can improve it or not as he gets fitter.
They're both hilariously incompetent for that goal. Pearce shouldn't let that ball bounce, but once he does I have no idea why Deji thought running at it side on was a good idea. Pearce is obviously going to go for the ball he's facing, so charging across when there's an opposition player right next to you is just stupid; at best you're both going to get something on it and make a mess, and at worst as we saw you're going to get beaten for it and then there's no-one left to actually defend. Deji isn't very good at smelling danger and Pearce's judgment seems to have gone completely
I've said before that Stangaard is very quiet on the external communications front at the moment. I just wonder what is going on that we are not privy too ?
Wouldn't we all like to be a fly on the wall at Sparrow's Lane ? Would be worse than a plague of locusts...
It wasn't a dubious penalty, just a stupid one to give away. I was clear he was pulling on Pearce's shirt.
Exactly, Muttley.
If the same incident had happened anywhere else on the pitch, it would have been a free kick. So in the box, it had to be a penalty.
Nothing dubious. Just a needless penalty for the defender to stupidly give away.
I'd have liked to have seen a replay when Bogle went down in the box in the second half when the Peterborough player landed on top of him - That to me looked a free kick anywhere else on the pitch
we're all focusing on the obligatory defensive error from our reserve centre halfs but it can't be coincidence that most were unhappy with the starting 11 before yesterdays game and said so whereas most were happy with the starting line up prior to the 2 previous games. I know we were away against a bedtter side but the whole thing felt like another attempt at negative anti football - the substandard forwards and the pratley factor meaning we were there for nothing but trying to nick an ugly result - practical on a crap pitch? not for me - this negative dross never gets us anywhere, particularly with the personnel at the back atm
Yes but Bowyer can get a pass on the anti-football for that game as the pitch prevented good football. Pratley was pretty effective on it for starters and made a big difference as it didn't require a lot of skill. I thought any football that was played came from us, but not a lot came from either side.
I've said before that Stangaard is very quiet on the external communications front at the moment. I just wonder what is going on that we are not privy too ?
With the amount of money it's costing him to run our club and try to take us back to the premier league. Whatever decision he makes he deserves out support 100%
Aneke went off cleaner than when he came on how the fuck dose that happen on that pitch he was bad Pearce smith Gunter shit let’s get real were not good in a shit league. If we don’t beat Swindon his got to go.
Aneke looked really tired after coming on yesterday, slow reactions and leaden footed.
Is that a consequence of inadequate recovery time for his condition?
They're both hilariously incompetent for that goal. Pearce shouldn't let that ball bounce, but once he does I have no idea why Deji thought running at it side on was a good idea. Pearce is obviously going to go for the ball he's facing, so charging across when there's an opposition player right next to you is just stupid; at best you're both going to get something on it and make a mess, and at worst as we saw you're going to get beaten for it and then there's no-one left to actually defend. Deji isn't very good at smelling danger and Pearce's judgment seems to have gone completely
Seems a little harsh. Deji’s been very good at smelling danger in the last three games, (as perhaps reflected in the high marks he’s received on the players’ marks thread). Excellent tackles, blocks and interceptions. I’m trying to judge him on these games, rather than on earlier games when he was played out of position in formations that weren’t working - when I’d be more inclined to agree with you. Keeping my fingers crossed he keeps improving.
We also got relegated last season as the other promoted teams Luton and Barnsley got some ridiculous results at the end of the season
In the last 9 games we got a reasonable 9 points Barnsley got 15, with the gods on their side as they beat Forest and Brentford with injury time winners as their opponents chased the 3 points Luton got 16. Indeed Luton lost only 1 of their last 12 matches.
It was Taylor's fault that Luton lost only one from the last twelve. It was Taylor's fault Barnsley scored in the last minute as well.
Comments
That was your comment on 9th Jan. Like I said, you've made your mind up on him and now he's just your scapegoat. He did make a mistake last night yes (although I would put 60% of the blame on Pearce) but he's been very good recently. Like 99% of our fans, I wouldn't be putting him above Inniss or Famewo but on the evidence I've witnessed he's a half decent League 1 defender. I'd have no concern with him playing 10-15 games a season.
Against Bristol Rovers, his last ditch block saved us two points.
Had a player tracked him, missing the clearance would not have inevitably led to a goal.
I think there is a possibility Pearce went for the header because he did not have confidence in his ability to track the scorer due to his lack of place. I think he is currently playing around this weakness and the question is whether he can improve it or not as he gets fitter.
Would be worse than a plague of locusts...
Is that a consequence of inadequate recovery time for his condition?
It was Taylor's fault that Luton lost only one from the last twelve. It was Taylor's fault Barnsley scored in the last minute as well.