| Just got back 23:16 - Aug 23 with 3262 views | SaxonDale |
First game I've seen this season and obviously QPR are of a higher standard than the teams we'll be playing week in, week out however here's a few observations.
Henderson needs to play on the wing, it's his best position and if he can't play there then don't play him. He was poor tonight and to be honest I was surprised to see him stay on, he's not a striker and must be caught offside more than the entire football league put together. It really is a waste of a talent playing him there, having said that our options going forward have developed and we're not in the position now where he's an automatic starter.
Been said many times so far this season but for whatever reason McNulty is a clear weak line atm. He gifted the ball to the opposition too many times and really is not impacting at all offensively. If he was as solid and dependable at fullback as Rafferty then it could perhaps be excused but at the moment he's struggling.
Allen was not at his best tonight. He's clearly a talented player and he was up against Championship standard midfielders tonight but I thought too often he played the ball backwards. We created virtually nothing today and I think a lot of that is due to us not getting the ball forwards quick enough. Allen needs to realise he is what makes this team tick and the team rely on his more than anyone to start attacks.
Logan needs time. Some fantastic saves today from him and it's refreshing to hear his commanding voice from the other side of the pitch, however twice he was caught in absolute no mans land today, hopefully that will change with minutes of the pitch.
I really don't know what we can say about set pieces that hasn't been said before. It's a simple case of their players wanting it more which concerns me the most. We're clearly becoming a target for teams now from set pieces and I think we'll continue see us bombarded with crosses/corners for months until we will almost be forced to become the best set piece defenders in the league or we'll be relegated.I think our record with set pieces shows that mentally we're still missing something, Hilly was literally telling players where to go in the first half for set pieces, that shouldn't have to happen. Also whos captain? Allen or Henderson? They seem to be alternating by the minute. If I'm being honest I'd rather neither.
What worried me most tonight was the fatigue/lack of urgency which seemed to set in as soon as they scored the second goal. We could have played till the next time it's 30 degrees and we still wouldn't have scored. The players didn't hassle, they didn't create and a few McDermott flicks aside we never looked like creating even a half chance.
On the plus side I thought the fans supported the team fantastically, no negativity at all from the stands. Great to see Rafferty back as well, he's our best defender at the moment and it enables Cannon to play where he's best. |  | | |  |
| Just got back on 23:21 - Aug 23 with 3233 views | TVOS1907 |
Agree with all of that, although once we started making our subs, Henderson dropped further and further back.
Maybe Hill thinks he's Rooney! |  |
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| Just got back on 23:38 - Aug 23 with 3164 views | mikehunt |
My thoughts too. I text my mate, Another corner another goal and we didn't threaten after the second goal but didn't play that bad all things considered.
It does say a lot about us that we are seriously disappointed to lose against QPR. Sort the dead ball fiasco and we will be tough to beat.
Must mentions Ste Davies, I like him. Will be a good'un.
And even Joey T is no worse than what we've got ( or as good as depending on your particular stance) |  |
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| (No subject) (n/t) on 09:04 - Aug 24 with 2680 views | TomRAFC |
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| Just got back on 11:46 - Aug 24 with 2419 views | AtThePeake |
Agree with pretty much all of that.
A few other points:
Henderson is so quick to get on players backs and for the supposed captain it's not what you want to see. He was shouting at Logan for not finding him with a 60 yard goal kick and then two minutes later overhit a 10 yard pass to Rafferty out for a throw-in. Sometimes he walks around the pitch like he's above every other player we have and yet he's done nothing so far this season to suggest that he is. Or indeed in the final few months of last season from the games I saw. I know it's frustrating for him playing up top and not getting the service but even when he's getting the ball where he wants it he's doing nothing with it. That shanked shot towards the end was a prime example.
The set-piece thing has been done to death now but what's strange to me is the resignation on the players when we concede from them. They expect it, they know it's coming - why can't they do anything about it? I'm sure many of us on here have played football at some level and when you concede a goal from a corner you usually have someone demanding to know who has lost their man. Our lads just seem to put their heads down, accept it's happened (again) and trudge back to their places for the kick-off. Where's the accountability? This ties in with what I was saying about Henderson, we really do lack a vocal leader and organiser. Logan does it to an extent but he's only just come back to the club and there's only so much he can do from between the sticks.
I wasn't at Port Vale but from what I can gather, we struggled to create chances in that game. We definitely struggled to create chances on Saturday and even more so last night, although as others have pointed out we were up against (weakened) Championship opposition. As frustrating as it has been to concede these goals from set-pieces, we're also going to struggle to pick up any points if we fail to create chances. The only goal we've scored in the last three games has come from a corner and for me that's a big worry too. We need more from our creative players like McDermott and Henderson. We possibly need to find a way to bring Camps into the XI as well. |  |
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| Just got back on 11:55 - Aug 24 with 2384 views | 442Dale |
| Just got back on 11:46 - Aug 24 by AtThePeake |
Agree with pretty much all of that.
A few other points:
Henderson is so quick to get on players backs and for the supposed captain it's not what you want to see. He was shouting at Logan for not finding him with a 60 yard goal kick and then two minutes later overhit a 10 yard pass to Rafferty out for a throw-in. Sometimes he walks around the pitch like he's above every other player we have and yet he's done nothing so far this season to suggest that he is. Or indeed in the final few months of last season from the games I saw. I know it's frustrating for him playing up top and not getting the service but even when he's getting the ball where he wants it he's doing nothing with it. That shanked shot towards the end was a prime example.
The set-piece thing has been done to death now but what's strange to me is the resignation on the players when we concede from them. They expect it, they know it's coming - why can't they do anything about it? I'm sure many of us on here have played football at some level and when you concede a goal from a corner you usually have someone demanding to know who has lost their man. Our lads just seem to put their heads down, accept it's happened (again) and trudge back to their places for the kick-off. Where's the accountability? This ties in with what I was saying about Henderson, we really do lack a vocal leader and organiser. Logan does it to an extent but he's only just come back to the club and there's only so much he can do from between the sticks.
I wasn't at Port Vale but from what I can gather, we struggled to create chances in that game. We definitely struggled to create chances on Saturday and even more so last night, although as others have pointed out we were up against (weakened) Championship opposition. As frustrating as it has been to concede these goals from set-pieces, we're also going to struggle to pick up any points if we fail to create chances. The only goal we've scored in the last three games has come from a corner and for me that's a big worry too. We need more from our creative players like McDermott and Henderson. We possibly need to find a way to bring Camps into the XI as well. |
That's a fair assessment of a lot of what we've seen so far.
Not a clue why Henderson is captain. |  |
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| Just got back on 12:00 - Aug 24 with 2363 views | SuddenLad |
I wouldn't say we struggled to create chances against MK. Our problem was sticking it in the net. Martin made an incredible save from Hendersons' header and but for some VERY late clearances and last ditch defending, we might have had 3 goals..
We've snatched some very late points off many teams on many occasions, now it's our turn to suffer the same fate.
Once we address the set piece defending effectively, and get the missing get players fit, we aren't that far away. |  |
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| Just got back on 12:10 - Aug 24 with 2331 views | AtThePeake |
| Just got back on 12:00 - Aug 24 by SuddenLad |
I wouldn't say we struggled to create chances against MK. Our problem was sticking it in the net. Martin made an incredible save from Hendersons' header and but for some VERY late clearances and last ditch defending, we might have had 3 goals..
We've snatched some very late points off many teams on many occasions, now it's our turn to suffer the same fate.
Once we address the set piece defending effectively, and get the missing get players fit, we aren't that far away. |
Fair enough that was a great save from the Hendo header and Calvin perhaps should have done better with the chance he was stretching for but they're the only two stand-out chances that I can remember.
MK meanwhile produced 3-4 top saves from Logan, not including the penalty save. And they scored. | |
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| Just got back on 12:19 - Aug 24 with 2299 views | dingdangblue |
| Just got back on 12:10 - Aug 24 by AtThePeake |
Fair enough that was a great save from the Hendo header and Calvin perhaps should have done better with the chance he was stretching for but they're the only two stand-out chances that I can remember.
MK meanwhile produced 3-4 top saves from Logan, not including the penalty save. And they scored. |
Lund had a chance in the 1st half he should have buried but hit it straight at the keeper. We also had Thompson and NML in great positions on more than one occasion but their final ball into the box went straight to the keeper or didn't pick out a man. We are very close to getting it right - hopefully it all clicks on Saturday and we can put in a good performance and result against a team we need to be beating at home...................oh and defend corners. |  |
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| Just got back on 12:54 - Aug 24 with 2199 views | 1907 |
We need to mix this formation up I think. We're over complicating a simple game trying to accommodate too many players. This 4-2-3-1 isn't working with the players we're trying to utilise.
On Saturday I'd go:
Logan
Raff
Mcgahey
Canavan
Tanser
McDermott
Lund
Camps
NML
Hendo
Davies
We need to not mess about on Saturday and get straight down Wimbledon's throat. None of this sitting back giving the opposition too much resepect. Let's set up to win. Get at the from the off and with that team we've got enough cover in all areas of the pitch and more than enough quality to kill the game.
Allen isn't firing at all at the minute. He's slowing the game down far too much and creating next to nothing. Hendo isn't doing a great deal more however we all know he's capable of finding the back of the net. | | | |
| Just got back on 12:57 - Aug 24 with 2189 views | aleanddale |
I also think we are close to getting it right ( results wise )
some credit to the opposition we cant keep a clean sheet week in week out of course we will concede more often than not... the problem is not so highlighted if we out gun the opposition and score more than they do.
Saturday was almost the best 0-0 I had seen in years!! just a shame it ended 0-1.
roll on Saturday... Up the Dale. | | | |
| Just got back on 13:14 - Aug 24 with 2127 views | boromat |
A similar team line up would be fine by me all I want is to see Tanser given a chance at left back for Jim. | |
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| Just got back on 13:44 - Aug 24 with 2034 views | 100notout |
| Just got back on 13:14 - Aug 24 by boromat |
A similar team line up would be fine by me all I want is to see Tanser given a chance at left back for Jim. |
Bang on and sooo many fans are saying the same thing so why doesn't king keith see that too?
The stubborn barsteward | |
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| Just got back on 16:08 - Aug 24 with 1838 views | seasidedale |
Seeing a we cant defend set pieces, I would be tempted to leave everyone ecxcept the back 4 on the half way line, bet the oposition would push everyone up then , cant be any worse, would be a case of whos nerve holds | | | |
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