Leko does not become active until the deflection, so imo can't be offside. He in no way prevented the keeper from saving that, the deflection did him completely and he would never have got anywhere near it.
That doesn't change the fact that it was piss poor from Leko to wander into that space (although it reflected his shocking performance if I am honest)
This isn't sour grapes either, we didn't deserve anything from the game and we were total cak from about 20 mins in.
I know it sounds ridiculous to even suggest it but given our powderpuff attack I'd be tempted to put young Kanu on the bench on Saturday and bring him on to provide a goal threat. So young, very little experience, raw as hell - but the kid knows how to finish.
By my reckoning he's the only Natural goal scorer we've got.
We are a League 1 team, and we have so much work to get out of this division next season. Mid table this season will be an improvement to where we are now and where we were when JJ took over in 22nd place.
No cutting edge until Burstow came on to be in the right place at the right time. Feel sorry for the midfield of Dobson and Gilbey and Clare as RCB was great most of the night supporting and running into midfield. Famewo and Pearce struggled all night and Leko is so frustrating. No way do Crewe score the goal from the corner if Innis and Stockley were fit to play. Henderson was poor for both goals.
DJ hot and cold but twice he was totally unmarked on his right foot and Leko and Washington didn't give him the pass on the edge of the box. Conor Washington had a typical hard working night but not the quality and he missed his two chances and the third chance he failed to control from a good pass from the erratic Lee.
2-2 would have been a fair result as CAFC are a poor team and CAFC are a mediocre team in League 1.
Leko marks the defender and plays on his heels in the box. Washington is suited to through balls. We have a game based around balls in the box through width but no cutting edge in the box. Lee originally helped but whilst he is trying, he has lost confidence. That goal may have given him some, but instead it being disallowed may have kicked him in the teeth.
Same Shit different day. we need two Strikers and we need our rock n Rolls owner to wake up and invest. Crewe are Shite and 50% of our team do not play for the shirt it’s embarrassing 👎
I don't think tonight is anything to do with recruitment or lack of investment - everyone knows each player on that pitch drastically under performed tonight (save Burstow). They got sucked into a scrappy style of play far too easily, and lost badly. It was ugly.
Still think that team, as it is, should've beat Crewe tonight, but they fucked up and I reckon that's been the problem (on and off) this whole season. A squad with enough ability to hold their own in this league, under performing. That's not to say the new striker everyone keeps going on about wouldn't be a welcome addition
Lee had 2 overhead kick attempts. Flicked a header out the box. Couldnt get to an open goal from an excellent cross and sidefooted wide from 16 yards. Not a single free kick or corner hit our player. I like him but we need to highlight facts.
Leko ran the ball out of play multiple times.
DJ is not showing any attacking threat going into the box. He's looking more limited by the week.
Gilbs - Will just be repeating the same from last few games.
All the above really needed to contribute today in the final 3rd but failed miserably to show any leadership.
What was Leko doing on the position on the goal line in the first place ??? Doesn't appears to have a striker / centre forward instinct. He was much better on the wing. Burstow should start if Stockley or Washington not available.
Doing what he does. Just pottering around aimlessly with the very occasional piece of skill thrown in.
Unless we have plans to sign him, it’s just about time to fuck him off back to Birmingham and let him continue his pathway to the National League which is where he’s going to be in a couple of seasons if he doesn’t pull his finger out of his arse.
Miserable trip. A proper Adkins performance that. Not bothered by the goal at the end because we didn’t deserve anything anyway.
And the set pieces. EVERY SINGLE WEEK. How difficult is it to deliver a decent ball into the box. It’s pathetic.
I don’t know who the twat was in the first half who was swearing at every player but when he said Leko should run harder because ‘you lot should be able to fucking run’ it made me even more livid. Someone near me said ‘thats borderline that’. No, its racist. I’m guessing someone must have shut him up cos I didn’t hear him again.
I thought we started well with Gilbey and Dobson on top but we were toothless and the Crewe goals knocked us out of our game. A striker who makes/finds space and is a handful and we probably go 2 up and it is all different. I think this is not too hard to fix, but requires spending on a Striker. Had our owner done so on 1 Jan, we would probably have got a chunk of it back from a Cup run.
Didn't rate Leko when he was here the first time. DJ just as ineffective. What's the point of throwing a few tricks and beating your man if your final product is two Bob?
You can trace this all back to the absolutely awful summer recruitment.
We ended last season on a relative high.
It seemed obvious doing business early was the way to go to build on that momentum and fly into this season. But we dithered, bought too many players in certain positions and not enough in others. That cannot happen this coming summer else we honestly risk sinking further down the pyramid. The next six months are massive in this club’s future. I really believe that.
So I watched the last 60 minutes of this game out of the corner of my eye because I was in meetings. But apart from the final 15 minutes of the first half where we completely fell apart, we didn't look...terrible to me. I get why losing to such a poor team evokes strong reactions, but am I way off base here? Was I not seeing the whole thing? Were we really that bad?
I try not to be over the top when reacting but that feels like a real low tonight. I just cannot believe this is the same team that smashed Plymouth with so much intensity just 6 weeks ago,
Other than Sunderland, they haven’t performed away at all under Jacko. And I include Burton in that which was a decent defensive performance but could have gone either way. They seem to need a packed Valley to bother putting it in….
He is not a striker. But he can do a job as a wide player. He does not have a striker's instinct. I wouldn't mind defending against him, he would probably mug me off once, then twice, then three times and I would get the ball off him the fourth time!!!!!!
Finally people starting to realise these players don’t give a fuck. No one holds them accountable. I do like some of our players and on paper they are good. Just no real leaders. Or the ones that are leaders can’t leas by example because they have mistakes in them.
Leko does not become active until the deflection, so imo can't be offside. He in no way prevented the keeper from saving that, the deflection did him completely and he would never have got anywhere near it.
That doesn't change the fact that it was piss poor from Leko to wander into that space (although it reflected his shocking performance if I am honest)
This isn't sour grapes either, we didn't deserve anything from the game and we were total cak from about 20 mins in.
He didn't wander there though, he got pushed into the space by the defender as the ball was coming over.
I try not to be over the top when reacting but that feels like a real low tonight. I just cannot believe this is the same team that smashed Plymouth with so much intensity just 6 weeks ago,
Other than Sunderland, they haven’t performed away at all under Jacko. And I include Burton in that which was a decent defensive performance but could have gone either way. They seem to need a packed Valley to bother putting it in….
You can trace this all back to the absolutely awful summer recruitment.
We ended last season on a relative high.
It seemed obvious doing business early was the way to go to build on that momentum and fly into this season. But we dithered, bought too many players in certain positions and not enough in others. That cannot happen this coming summer else we honestly risk sinking further down the pyramid. The next six months are massive in this club’s future. I really believe that.
The next 7 months will be very telling about the appetite/ ability to get us out of this league in the next few years. Come the end of August when the window shuts will speak volumes to intent and prospects.
Ideally business will be done as soon as the window opens in summer and hopefully not another summer of over analysis as to why we've not done any great business whilst over hyping the players that do come in.
We have a manager who knows the club inside out and who every fan is behind (bar the odd one that no doubt exists somewhere in the ether) and an owner who by now has had enough time to take stock where we are lacking and what we need.
This summer window is massive in terms of a rebuild and getting it done via a well executed strategy a'la Powell in that glory season.
Failing to do that will likely see us cemented down here for the foreseeable with no real plan to change it.
This was very much a step back to the dark days. Crewe are awful. Absolute dross........ BUT we were out fought by them. They wanted it more and they got what they deserved.
JJ wanted to play Burstow and Washington in a two up front but as he still sufferers with cramp during and after games he couldn't risk starting him tonight after he had a reaction after the Norwich game. Which is a great shame as Burstow may have got on the end of one of the half dozen crosses which came into the box 1st half.
One great pass from Morgan for Conor where he almost... and another decent pass where Lee almost.... But Leko brain went out of gear and he stood next to the keeper, one step away from the keeper and we have a comeback draw instead of a terrible defeat.
We are paying the price for an appalling transfer window at the start of the season when we failed to strengthen the squad to anywhere near the levels needed - including wasting goodness knows how much money on Harry Arter's loan from Forest and on Kirk who is nowhere near the level we need.
To be honest I am also far from convinced about DJ either, he shows occasional flashes but doesn't produce enough real impact for my money.
Jacko got the bare bones playing well during his caretaker phase but the cupboard is now bare and we need some quality off the bench and some more options but we don't have them, especially up front where we have TWO senior strikers.
Let's get it right, you need quality in the squad to get promoted and that costs money so unless TS wants to put his hand in his pocket then there is no point griping about performances on Twitter because that is not going to help.
With Macgillvray, Lavelle, Inniss, Famewo, Gilbey, Dobson, Lee, Stockley and Washington we have the bones of a good team but we are still short in depth and in goal-scoring power.
We have a massively unbalanced squad if we want to play 2 up front. 2 senior strikers is laughable depth, when we we are so overstocked elsewhere that we are able to leave the likes of Gunter, Souare and Kirk out of the 18 altogether. And why Matthews, Inniss and Watson on the bench tonight anyway and not Kirk or Davison?
Yes Burstow is very promising, but he's a kid who can't play start match after match. As Jacko said, his hamstrings were cramping after Sunday; overplay him and he'll be out for weeks with an injury. Similarly Inniss just isn't capable of starting another match so soon after Sunday
I said this before the match, but there's got to be more to Jacko's tactics than playing the same system match after match, making the usual sub change of wingbacks, and indeed the same midfield. Just as Adkins was rightfully criticised for dumping Clare and Dobson, I don't agree with the way Jacko's treated Morgan either. I understand why he wasn't starting ahead of Gilbey and Lee, but this is the first sub appearance in the league he's made under Jacko. Not playing someone since the 19th October is justifiable when you're winning and playing well, not when you're losing, and Lee (and to a lesser extent Gilbey) are struggling.
People saying it was an "Adkins like" performance, it was also a "Bowyer like" performance from this time last year and its fast becoming a "Jackson like" performance as well.
Certain players put their lives on the line to get Jackson the job, where are they now?
So predictable flatter to deceive good build up play for 20 minutes with poor final ball/poor final third decision making. Score first and we go on to win - concede first and we never look like fighting back and equalising and usually concede a second and have a mountain to climb just like last season. Add to that our total ineffectiveness from set pieces and inability to score from distance unlike every other team in this division.
Despite the good run under JJ as caretaker I never thought we'd make the playoffs due to our awful summer recruitment. January recruitment not even started and we're nearly half way through the window. Before today I thought we'd finish mid table and hopefully have a Chris Powell style clear out in the summer but now I fear being dragged back into a relegation battle.
Comments
Just sums the evening up for me.
In fact, nights like this make me seriously consider if I shouldn't try another hobby.
Goodnight!
We are a League 1 team, and we have so much work to get out of this division next season.
Mid table this season will be an improvement to where we are now and where we were when JJ took over in 22nd place.
No cutting edge until Burstow came on to be in the right place at the right time.
Feel sorry for the midfield of Dobson and Gilbey and Clare as RCB was great most of the night supporting and running into midfield.
Famewo and Pearce struggled all night and Leko is so frustrating.
No way do Crewe score the goal from the corner if Innis and Stockley were fit to play.
Henderson was poor for both goals.
DJ hot and cold but twice he was totally unmarked on his right foot and Leko and Washington didn't give him the pass on the edge of the box.
Conor Washington had a typical hard working night but not the quality and he missed his two chances and the third chance he failed to control from a good pass from the erratic Lee.
2-2 would have been a fair result as CAFC are a poor team and CAFC are a mediocre team in League 1.
We are missing Stockley terribly.
we need two Strikers and we need our rock n Rolls owner to wake up and invest.
Crewe are Shite and 50% of our team do not play for the shirt it’s embarrassing 👎
Still think that team, as it is, should've beat Crewe tonight, but they fucked up and I reckon that's been the problem (on and off) this whole season. A squad with enough ability to hold their own in this league, under performing. That's not to say the new striker everyone keeps going on about wouldn't be a welcome addition
Miserable trip. A proper Adkins performance that. Not bothered by the goal at the end because we didn’t deserve anything anyway.
And the set pieces. EVERY SINGLE WEEK. How difficult is it to deliver a decent ball into the box. It’s pathetic.
I don’t know who the twat was in the first half who was swearing at every player but when he said Leko should run harder because ‘you lot should be able to fucking run’ it made me even more livid. Someone near me said ‘thats borderline that’. No, its racist. I’m guessing someone must have shut him up cos I didn’t hear him again.
DJ just as ineffective.
What's the point of throwing a few tricks and beating your man if your final product is two Bob?
But we dithered, bought too many players in certain positions and not enough in others.
That cannot happen this coming summer else we honestly risk sinking further down the pyramid.
The next six months are massive in this club’s future. I really believe that.
The next 7 months will be very telling about the appetite/ ability to get us out of this league in the next few years. Come the end of August when the window shuts will speak volumes to intent and prospects.
Ideally business will be done as soon as the window opens in summer and hopefully not another summer of over analysis as to why we've not done any great business whilst over hyping the players that do come in.
We have a manager who knows the club inside out and who every fan is behind (bar the odd one that no doubt exists somewhere in the ether) and an owner who by now has had enough time to take stock where we are lacking and what we need.
This summer window is massive in terms of a rebuild and getting it done via a well executed strategy a'la Powell in that glory season.
Failing to do that will likely see us cemented down here for the foreseeable with no real plan to change it.
We will see.
Which is a great shame as Burstow may have got on the end of one of the half dozen crosses which came into the box 1st half.
One great pass from Morgan for Conor where he almost... and another decent pass where Lee almost.... But Leko brain went out of gear and he stood next to the keeper, one step away from the keeper and we have a comeback draw instead of a terrible defeat.
To be honest I am also far from convinced about DJ either, he shows occasional flashes but doesn't produce enough real impact for my money.
Jacko got the bare bones playing well during his caretaker phase but the cupboard is now bare and we need some quality off the bench and some more options but we don't have them, especially up front where we have TWO senior strikers.
Let's get it right, you need quality in the squad to get promoted and that costs money so unless TS wants to put his hand in his pocket then there is no point griping about performances on Twitter because that is not going to help.
With Macgillvray, Lavelle, Inniss, Famewo, Gilbey, Dobson, Lee, Stockley and Washington we have the bones of a good team but we are still short in depth and in goal-scoring power.
Yes Burstow is very promising, but he's a kid who can't play start match after match. As Jacko said, his hamstrings were cramping after Sunday; overplay him and he'll be out for weeks with an injury. Similarly Inniss just isn't capable of starting another match so soon after Sunday
I said this before the match, but there's got to be more to Jacko's tactics than playing the same system match after match, making the usual sub change of wingbacks, and indeed the same midfield. Just as Adkins was rightfully criticised for dumping Clare and Dobson, I don't agree with the way Jacko's treated Morgan either. I understand why he wasn't starting ahead of Gilbey and Lee, but this is the first sub appearance in the league he's made under Jacko. Not playing someone since the 19th October is justifiable when you're winning and playing well, not when you're losing, and Lee (and to a lesser extent Gilbey) are struggling.
Certain players put their lives on the line to get Jackson the job, where are they now?
Despite the good run under JJ as caretaker I never thought we'd make the playoffs due to our awful summer recruitment. January recruitment not even started and we're nearly half way through the window. Before today I thought we'd finish mid table and hopefully have a Chris Powell style clear out in the summer but now I fear being dragged back into a relegation battle.