Viking Supporters Co-operative
Viking Chat => Viking Chat => Topic started by: selby on October 06, 2024, 08:08:09 pm
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After they upset the apple cart last season in the play offs, a win would go a little way to make up for the disappointment we endured when they caused a surprise after our first leg result and pipped us on penalties only to revert to their form up to that game and freeze in the final.
Past history that still hurts and even more reason to get a win next weekend, which will not be easy with both teams looking likely to have decent seasons again, us being fourth in the division and Crewe just behind us in seventh and an away record of won 2 lost 2 and scoring 4 goals and conceding 4 goals.
No doubt they will take inspiration from the play off result and play the same way tactically, pressing the ball and disrupting our rhythm while looking sharp in front of goal and will look to negate our threat.
We played well yesterday, the midfield with Broadbent coming to the party with Kelly now looking more used to the pace of league football along with the regulars in there looking far more solid, Olowu's injury the only blot.
The two full backs looked more confident and the three up front are a danger in this division to any side, two wins in the week glossing over somewhat the Chesterfield game where we were well beaten, which happens in a long season, we have probably been spoiled since February, and long may it continue.
Unusually for a team in the top half Crewe have not got a player in the top twenty goal scorers in the division their goals must be shared out something that is harder to stop than one or two big scorers.
One to look forward to over the week, and not an easy game in prospect, lots to discuss and guess work as to who will play in this game, and we can sit back while Crewe play Harrogate Tuesday evening while we have a blank mid week, is this really an advantage? please have your say.
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Start with ironside and do everything we can to get him on the scoresheet, hes struggling at the mo, and one goal will do him the world of confidence..
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Fairly decent away record in the league. Played four, won two and lost two. They have beaten two poor sides in Bromley and Accrington. Lost to Barrow in opening game and at Newport last away game. In general on a very good run of form in the league, winning five of last six, although most of these were weaker sides.
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Is Kelly on international duty ?
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Is Kelly on international duty ?
Yes, unfortunately. Hopefully Close won’t replace him. Will Westbrooke and Maxwell be ready? I can’t see a different line up from the Grimsby game other than Kelly
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Didn't realise that a good point brought forward.
When I was younger I would have known every international game when and where and know all the broadcast times on the radio, recognise all the players and the clubs and colours they played for from the cigarette cards every boy collected, and now I put the matches on the TV and on some occasions think who the hell is he, and who does he play for, surely we have not picked someone from other than Arsenal, Manchester United and City and Spurs, Christ he plays for Crystal Palace.
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I guess much will depend on Olowu, if he's got over his back spasm. If he has, then Bailey will revert back to midfield with Bradbent and Clifton I imagine. If not, then Close will probably replace Kelly.
It'll be interesting to see if Westbrooke and Maxwell make the bench. From having choices at centre half, we now have a glut of full back options although Sterry and Fleming are likely to start.
We tend to have more success when playing on the break, so will we see us trying to play out from the back to draw Crewe out? Or is it a case of hoping an early goal to force them to come out?
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If Olowu is over his back spasm will GM put him back centre half then move Bailey into the midfield three with Broadbent taking over from Kelly for this one game. As long as Close is not in midfield. Then it’s a straight choice whether to start Billy or Joe up front.
There’s a behind close game on Tuesday against Scunthorpe DFP says so you would suspect Maxwell Westbrooke Emmanuel Senior possibly Close Hurst will get game time with some young lads
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I'd be starting Ironside in the hope that he absolutely smashes that d**khead keeper of theirs.
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He’s gone back to Poland MM
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This is also on Sky Sports+ for anyone who can’t make it.
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This is also on Sky Sports+ for anyone who can’t make it.
Good chance by the end of the season a third of our games will have been shown on sky. Wonder what we get paid by Sky v lost revenue from those choosing sky instead of going
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This is also on Sky Sports+ for anyone who can’t make it.
I will be at the match but I thought 3pm Saturday kick offs couldn’t be shown live, or is it something to do with International break weekend.
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League One and League Two games can be shown live during the usually blocked broadcast period of 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturday, when there is an international break.
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That was what I guessed CBCB, thanks for confirming.
One to remember if Rovers are away on the next round of international matches.
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Doesn't look like our man Omar Bogle is going to make an appearance. Been out since 7 September with a calf injury.
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Hope grant gets the players in and shows them a re-run of their fans dancing all over our pitch.
Got to be a bigger motivation than any pep talk.
If there is 1 team i would like us to smash 5 past this season it is this lot.
Very unlikely because they are decent to be fair, but 1 can only hope
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I’ll take a scrappy 1-0 win as long as we end up with 3 points to get back to 2ppg.
Obviously I’d prefer an entertaining game as we’re coming to this one, but winning is important.
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We're still a bit Jekyll and Hyde at the moment. The team that turned up against Harrogate will lose, the team that turned up at Grimsby first half will win. Once we find that consistency we'll go on a run again, because when we are at our best we're unplayable in Lg2.
I'd avoid Close playing at all costs, these are tidy but big and physical so he needs to be sat on the sides with me. Hard to drop Sharp with his work rate but Ironside does need a run of minutes and to get a goal or two to get him going.
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We can't, and I'm sure we won't, approach this thinking we're after revenge.
Has to be a very pragmatic approach. I heard some 'experts' say this will be a different test against a team who prefers defending with a low block. I think we need the same patience and control we showed at home v Barrow as we can't rely on fast breaks. Quick, accurate passing and crossing without being overelaborate is likely to be the order of the day.
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We can't, and I'm sure we won't, approach this thinking we're after revenge.
Has to be a very pragmatic approach. I heard some 'experts' say this will be a different test against a team who prefers defending with a low block. I think we need the same patience and control we showed at home v Barrow as we can't rely on fast breaks. Quick, accurate passing and crossing without being overelaborate is likely to be the order of the day.
Crewe are a pretty negative team this season. We need to make sure we use our possession incisively, they will want us to be slow paced and play in front of them.
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Play like we did in the first half at Grimsby & we’ll sweep them aside.
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Revenge!
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Just another game but, it’s not really is it?!
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Now is the time to find some consistency. Big statement if we back up the last two with a win today.
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COYR.
Should be a good zippy surface. Let's Ave em!
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COYR.
Should be a good zippy surface. Let's Ave em!
Let’s hope we can bungle in a few goals today then.
Maybe George can get one himself.
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Big game today.
Yes we have 46 big games I know. But it it important we continue our momentum today.
2 winnable games to follow in Swindon A & Bromley H to follow.
If we can get 9 points then we are seriously motoring.
Just watching Chesterfield v Notts C and they are both very good footballing sides. County still look little brittle at the back and Chelsie are going to miss Dunkley who is out injured for a few games.
Still think these 2 will be in the top 3 this season. Definitely top 5
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GM is not bothered with this game being a revenge one, but I think the fans are. Crewe are playing well, but Rovers can outclass them if they truly turn it on. I think they will do, Rovers to win this one 3-0
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Sure Grant was playing it down in his interview...behind closed doors he will want this as much as us..
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Just the one change Olowu back in
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Olowu starts. Midfield of Bailey, Clifton and Broadbent.
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Decent game. Crewe defended exceptionally well and had us completely worked out, forcing us to play a lot of sideways and backwards passing, rather than those cutting one twos of last week. They were slick with the ball and got what they came for a breakaway goal, and a good one. Couldn’t see us scoring at all.
Then we did a Crewe on Crewe with a breakaway with fast smart passes and a good finish.
The changes then seemed to upset Crewe’s rigid plan, and in the end we should have won it.
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Frustrating game for me. Soft goal to concede as he went through unchallenged and McGrath had an absolute brain fart, we then started to play but why do we so often only get into gear when we go behind? We’ve also looked better every time we’ve gone to 3 at the back; I know a lot of it depends on the state of the game but surely it’s worth a go from the start?
Even with only playing well for a short period we could have scored a few more - Hurst and Sharp missed chances that were near enough sitters, and Sharp was poor in being offside for the rebound from Gibson’s free kick.
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John Coyle reckons that was our first home league draw since September last year. Thought it was a weird feeling when whistle went.
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Frustrating game for me. Soft goal to concede as he went through unchallenged and McGrath had an absolute brain fart, we then started to play but why do we so often only get into gear when we go behind? We’ve also looked better every time we’ve gone to 3 at the back; I know a lot of it depends on the state of the game but surely it’s worth a go from the start?
Even with only playing well for a short period we could have scored a few more - Hurst and Sharp missed chances that were near enough sitters, and Sharp was poor in being offside for the rebound from Gibson’s free kick.
You say we don’t start playing until we fall behind so often but when?
I can’t think of any occasions this season
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Who was the guy who rang praise or grumble first. 'we started of slow again' must have e forgot last week's 0v3 at HT
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McCann is getting much better at impacting the game with his personnel and formation changes. It almost always makes a difference. This again is the benefit that our huge squad provides.
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MK Dons a recent example of starting slow. We did start slow today. They didn't want possession and we just didn't have enough urgency or creativity to break that down. The one time we broke quickly we scored.
However, it was a decent performance and decent point overall - Jay and Olowu excellent again, Gibson and Moly also looked good. Sharp worked his socks off but he's having a dry spell by his standards. That second half header he missed was a proper sitter.
We just need to be a bit braver - willing to move the ball quickly and forward to break teams down.
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Boring and laborious! We need to start playing from the kick off, not when we go behind!
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When have we started playing only when we’ve gone behind. People keep saying it but when
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MK Dons a recent example of starting slow. We did start slow today. They didn't want possession and we just didn't have enough urgency or creativity to break that down. The one time we broke quickly we scored.
However, it was a decent performance and decent point overall - Jay and Olowu excellent again, Gibson and Moly also looked good. Sharp worked his socks off but he's having a dry spell by his standards. That second half header he missed was a proper sitter.
We just need to be a bit braver - willing to move the ball quickly and forward to break teams down.
To be fair we had a man sent off after 8 mins
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Don’t think we were brave enough today until we were behind
Crewe’s time wasting was infuriating and allowed to happen by the ref who missed an awful lot
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Frustrating game for me. Soft goal to concede as he went through unchallenged and McGrath had an absolute brain fart, we then started to play but why do we so often only get into gear when we go behind? We’ve also looked better every time we’ve gone to 3 at the back; I know a lot of it depends on the state of the game but surely it’s worth a go from the start?
Even with only playing well for a short period we could have scored a few more - Hurst and Sharp missed chances that were near enough sitters, and Sharp was poor in being offside for the rebound from Gibson’s free kick.
You say we don’t start playing until we fall behind so often but when?
I can’t think of any occasions this season
Yep that’s fair, was thinking of MK (admittedly mitigating factors) and had thought there was more but now you mention it I’m not sure there have been. Should have said we only get into gear in the 2nd half of games. We’ve been very slow starters fairly regularly this season.
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The goal we conceded summed up L2 football. Fleming plucks the ball out of the air brilliantly, plays a complete hospital ball across to Sterry under no pressure who then nods the ball straight to their player. After that somebody just has to take the yellow.
It’s really difficult to put a finger on that performance and call it good or bad. McCann has to sense that teams will come to slow the game, sit in and cut off the supply to the wingers. It is becoming more and more annoyingly predictable and he changed it a good 30mins too late. Having said that, we had enough chances to win the game comfortably. No idea how the keeper has saved Gibson’s free kick, Sharp has to score, Hurst has to score, Ironside has to score and it looked a nailed on penalty in the 2nd half.
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Probably marginally two points lost but a draw was in the region of being fair. We are now in the automatic spots and should be the aim to stay here now. Another empty midweek so Maxwell and Westbrooke could be in contention for Swindon away squad.
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Westbrooke has had a minor setback but scan shows he is ok
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It was a good decision to bring on Ironside and Hurst and leave Sharpe on .Sharpe is most likely of all to get on to Ironsidés headers and hold up play but they have had too little time together to work a partnership .Team mates says that in training the hardest man to mark is …Hurst .
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Good point after going 1 nil down. But a disappointing performance on the whole. We’re better than that. We do seem to struggle against teams that sit deep. We’re so much better attacking at pace, as demonstrated by our goal.
I thought we missed Kelly today. His ball carrying last week was excellent and might have proved the difference today in advanced areas.
We do also seem to be missing an in form striker. Controversial opinion I know, but our centre forward was integral to how we played last season and neither seem to be on it at the moment.
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We played at a tempo that was too slow in the 1st half and 1st 20 mins of the 2nd half.
Credit to Crewe, they did their homework on us.
Did think we should have started with Joe Ironside. We had no focal point up front. Billy hardly got any ball he could hold up and bring players into play. Joe is so much better at it.
Do think Billy should be used as an impact sub in most games.
Let Joe run the defence around for 65 mins and Billy’s fresh legs will be much more effective using him for 20/25/30 mins.
Just my opinion.
Harry Clifton m.o.m last week and this week he couldn’t trap a ball or pass a ball.
Midfield was brilliant at Grimsby and poor today. How Broadbent got m.o.m. I don’t know as he was not influential in the game imo.
Last week as HC he was very good, possibly his best ever game for us.
Jay McGrath was my m.o.m. He is going to be a top player no question. He is way beyond his age for a CB
Subs should have been made at H/T imo. Ironside made a massive difference as we had an outlet up front and consequently our wingers started to have an impact.
Any way we got a point in a game this time last year we would have lost.
2nd in the table is perfect after 11 games.
Only Port Vale in the top 7 won today.
Home defeats for Gillingham and Barrow to the bottom 2 teams
Win the next 2 and we are very well placed.
Still not at our optimum yet. That will come from Feb onwards i expect.
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We played at a tempo that was too slow in the 1st half and 1st 20 mins of the 2nd half.
Credit to Crewe, they did their homework on us.
Did think we should have started with Joe Ironside. We had no focal point up front. Billy hardly got any ball he could hold up and bring players into play. Joe is so much better at it.
Do think Billy should be used as an impact sub in most games.
Let Joe run the defence around for 65 mins and Billy’s fresh legs will be much more effective using him for 20/25/30 mins.
Just my opinion.
Harry Clifton m.o.m last week and this week he couldn’t trap a ball or pass a ball.
Midfield was brilliant at Grimsby and poor today. How Broadbent got m.o.m. I don’t know as he was not influential in the game imo.
Last week as HC he was very good, possibly his best ever game for us.
Jay McGrath was my m.o.m. He is going to be a top player no question. He is way beyond his age for a CB
Subs should have been made at H/T imo. Ironside made a massive difference as we had an outlet up front and consequently our wingers started to have an impact.
Any way we got a point in a game this time last year we would have lost.
2nd in the table is perfect after 11 games.
Only Port Vale in the top 7 won today.
Home defeats for Gillingham and Barrow to the bottom 2 teams
Win the next 2 and we are very well placed.
Still not at our optimum yet. That will come from Feb onwards i expect.
Clifton is pretty pointless against teams where they'll let us have the ball more than them intentionally.
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We played at a tempo that was too slow in the 1st half and 1st 20 mins of the 2nd half.
Credit to Crewe, they did their homework on us.
Did think we should have started with Joe Ironside. We had no focal point up front. Billy hardly got any ball he could hold up and bring players into play. Joe is so much better at it.
Do think Billy should be used as an impact sub in most games.
Let Joe run the defence around for 65 mins and Billy’s fresh legs will be much more effective using him for 20/25/30 mins.
Just my opinion.
Harry Clifton m.o.m last week and this week he couldn’t trap a ball or pass a ball.
Midfield was brilliant at Grimsby and poor today. How Broadbent got m.o.m. I don’t know as he was not influential in the game imo.
Last week as HC he was very good, possibly his best ever game for us.
Jay McGrath was my m.o.m. He is going to be a top player no question. He is way beyond his age for a CB
Subs should have been made at H/T imo. Ironside made a massive difference as we had an outlet up front and consequently our wingers started to have an impact.
Any way we got a point in a game this time last year we would have lost.
2nd in the table is perfect after 11 games.
Only Port Vale in the top 7 won today.
Home defeats for Gillingham and Barrow to the bottom 2 teams
Win the next 2 and we are very well placed.
Still not at our optimum yet. That will come from Feb onwards i expect.
Agreed 100% on all points.
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If we’d have scored first we’d have won that, Crewe knew it which is why they set up as they did to frustrate us.
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Sharp in every game he has played in this season has had an opportunity where he “should have” scored. Ironside hasn’t played well up to date this season and he has shown signs that now he has competition and isn’t the main man he’s gone under and lost the belief. The difference in quality is that Billy is getting in the positions to score so, I know which one I’d pick. We are missing a 9 with pace though.
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Very brave and ultimately successful substitutions by Grant today.
He threw caution to the wind and it totally changed the game. I said to my brother at 0-0 that if Crewe scored first we would lose.
When they got their goal I feared the worst.
The changes Grant made were brilliant.
In the end, only one team was going to win that game and Crewe were shitting themselves.
I’ll take a point.
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I thought Crewe were absolutely knackered for the last 10 or 15 minutes of the game. All that harrying and pressing clearly hurt them more than us. If they can keep that up for 46 games, I’ll be impressed, but I’m sure it’ll come at a cost!
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Although we've had some positive results when Sharp has started games, I really think we're missing Ironside in the middle up top. He was pivotal in our good run last season and I think its showing. Billy works very hard and will always sniff out being in the right place at the right time but at the moment our overall attacking play is suffering without Ironside.
I was really disappointed with their goal, why nobody didn't just tackle the bloke or even take a foul for the team is a mystery. You can't just let him waltz through like he's Messi. I would imagine that was their only meaningful attack of the game.
Another thing that continues to frustrate is our absolute inability at set pieces.
McGrath and Oluwu really good today, both look good and for me, are the future CB pairing.
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I thought we played the first half as though we were a team that had just been promoted into Lg2.
Very tentative, Joe Olowu on the right of a back three always looking to play the ball back to Bailey or Sterry (if he’d wandered close enough to the half way line) yet when he was ‘brave enough’ (& as the home side we NEED to be braver on the ball in this division) he carried the ball forward in that first period & found an outlet in Molyneaux.
Jay McGrath showed the way in getting the ball forward in that he was always playing with his head up & looking for that pass to set us on the front foot but, that first half was a dirge to watch.
Having said that, Crewe had the most inventive midfield & in that department we really struggled to impose ourselves. Broadbent to my absolute beside myself annoyance never once ‘showed himself’ to receive the ball from a throw in leaving Sterry the option of Molly or a throw back to Olowu…& repeat.
It wasn’t until they scored on 55 minutes that substitutes having been made we actually put them on the back foot. You can’t seriously think of dropping Sharp ( it is Sharp without the ‘e’ for Christ’s sake) because he hasn’t scored x amount of goals yet. He needs the clever, quick ball into him to show why he is & has been such a predator throughout his career & yes, as his manager at half time I would have ‘slapped his legs’ for getting himself into an offside position first half thus nullifying Gibsons excellent free kick.
When Ironside & Hurst came on (leaving Sharp & Moly still on the pitch) we really looked a force. Molyneaux’s run & pass inside was finished sublmely by Hurst & if only Kyle had gone for accuracy rather than power when the ball fell to him late on we’d be sitting at the top of the table tonight.
So we’re not the finished article, we certainly missed PK in midfield today & Crewe came, saw & could well have conquered so let’s settle for a point, learn & move on.
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I thought we played the first half as though we were a team that had just been promoted into Lg2.
Very tentative, Joe Olowu on the right of a back three always looking to play the ball back to Bailey or Sterry (if he’d wandered close enough to the half way line) yet when he was ‘brave enough’ (& as the home side we NEED to be braver on the ball in this division) he carried the ball forward in that first period & found an outlet in Molyneaux.
Jay McGrath showed the way in getting the ball forward in that he was always playing with his head up & looking for that pass to set us on the front foot but, that first half was a dirge to watch.
Having said that, Crewe had the most inventive midfield & in that department we really struggled to impose ourselves. Broadbent to my absolute beside myself annoyance never once ‘showed himself’ to receive the ball from a throw in leaving Sterry the option of Molly or a throw back to Olowu…& repeat.
It wasn’t until they scored on 55 minutes that substitutes having been made we actually put them on the back foot. You can’t seriously think of dropping Sharp ( it is Sharp without the ‘e’ for Christ’s sake) because he hasn’t scored x amount of goals yet. He needs the clever, quick ball into him to show why he is & has been such a predator throughout his career & yes, as his manager at half time I would have ‘slapped his legs’ for getting himself into an offside position first half thus nullifying Gibsons excellent free kick.
When Ironside & Hurst came on (leaving Sharp & Moly still on the pitch) we really looked a force. Molyneaux’s run & pass inside was finished sublmely by Hurst & if only Kyle had gone for accuracy rather than power when the ball fell to him late on we’d be sitting at the top of the table tonight.
So we’re not the finished article, we certainly missed PK in midfield today & Crewe came, saw & could well have conquered so let’s settle for a point, learn & move on.
It is Molyneux without the “a” for Christ’s sake.
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Unbelievable that after all these years we’re still having Sharp spelt as Sharpe on here as well.
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Molyneux (without an a) contributed very little. The sooner he accepts the fact that he cannot beat the defender in front of him then he will be a much better player.
He could be a poor mans David Beckham if he concentrated on crossing the ball and taking shots anywhere near the area.
How many times did you see Beckham take a player on? Not many but he could certainly be relied on to get a good cross in or get a shot on goal!!
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He can take a player on, what he can't do is take on 2,3 players on his and the other wide players are better with quick 1-2 and whipping balls into the box
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He can take a player on, what he can't do is take on 2,3 players on his and the other wide players are better with quick 1-2 and whipping balls into the box
This was the first home game I've actually attended for over 2 years and looking in close up from the East stand towards the north end I got a close view of Fleming and Gibson. Gibson, about
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... Sorry - typing on Android! So what I noticed was that Gibson was far more adventurous than he has seemed to be previously. Unllke those around he was prepared to carry the ball forward instead just taking the safe sideways option.
Until Crewe scored that excellent individual goal there seemed no spirit of enterprise at all.
Whereas the typical PL player is streaming with sweat and still out of breath at his post match interview., only a few of Rovers players really seem to put in that sort of effort. You could see Ironside running himself ragged in a 90 minute shift, but I do wonder why more effort is not demanded of the majority.
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Anyone know what happened in the South stand and is the person involved ok?
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Only realised there was an incident when I saw all the St John's ambulance people around. A lady was moved to gurney and taken away. Seemed unconscious. Another woman was really trying to have a go at someone. Don't know if this was connected. Not very helpful, sorry
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Apparently, DFP reporting there’s been another question about our free kick disallowed goal. It appears the analysts believe the free kick may have been over the line?
Not checked myself but they believe it would be very close if there was VAR in our league!
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Unbelievable that after all these years we’re still having Sharp spelt as Sharpe on here as well.
Don't forget Woods and Bramhall.
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Only realised there was an incident when I saw all the St John's ambulance people around. A lady was moved to gurney and taken away. Seemed unconscious. Another woman was really trying to have a go at someone. Don't know if this was connected. Not very helpful, sorry
The first aid people were with whoever was laid out for over ten minutes but wasn’t able to see much of what was going on.
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Apparently, DFP reporting there’s been another question about our free kick disallowed goal. It appears the analysts believe the free kick may have been over the line?
Not checked myself but they believe it would be very close if there was VAR in our league!
Don’t need VAR, just goal line technology
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Molyneux (without an a) contributed very little. The sooner he accepts the fact that he cannot beat the defender in front of him then he will be a much better player.
He could be a poor mans David Beckham if he concentrated on crossing the ball and taking shots anywhere near the area.
How many times did you see Beckham take a player on? Not many but he could certainly be relied on to get a good cross in or get a shot on goal!!
Contributed very little other than an assist.
His game is running at defenders and committing them, Beckhams game was getting early crosses in.
Totally different players
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I thought we played the first half as though we were a team that had just been promoted into Lg2.
Very tentative, Joe Olowu on the right of a back three always looking to play the ball back to Bailey or Sterry (if he’d wandered close enough to the half way line) yet when he was ‘brave enough’ (& as the home side we NEED to be braver on the ball in this division) he carried the ball forward in that first period & found an outlet in Molyneaux.
Jay McGrath showed the way in getting the ball forward in that he was always playing with his head up & looking for that pass to set us on the front foot but, that first half was a dirge to watch.
Having said that, Crewe had the most inventive midfield & in that department we really struggled to impose ourselves. Broadbent to my absolute beside myself annoyance never once ‘showed himself’ to receive the ball from a throw in leaving Sterry the option of Molly or a throw back to Olowu…& repeat.
It wasn’t until they scored on 55 minutes that substitutes having been made we actually put them on the back foot. You can’t seriously think of dropping Sharp ( it is Sharp without the ‘e’ for Christ’s sake) because he hasn’t scored x amount of goals yet. He needs the clever, quick ball into him to show why he is & has been such a predator throughout his career & yes, as his manager at half time I would have ‘slapped his legs’ for getting himself into an offside position first half thus nullifying Gibsons excellent free kick.
When Ironside & Hurst came on (leaving Sharp & Moly still on the pitch) we really looked a force. Molyneaux’s run & pass inside was finished sublmely by Hurst & if only Kyle had gone for accuracy rather than power when the ball fell to him late on we’d be sitting at the top of the table tonight.
So we’re not the finished article, we certainly missed PK in midfield today & Crewe came, saw & could well have conquered so let’s settle for a point, learn & move on.
It is Molyneux without the “a” for Christ’s sake.
It’s the curse of predictive text & even when you’re ‘lost in your thoughts’ it’s absolutely unforgivable.
I’m the first to pull people up on getting Billy’s surname wrong so hands up.
I can only hope that in the fullness of time you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me NickDRFC. It would mean a lot.
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Just read in Donny free press, a stat from John Coyle, this was the first draw at home since the 0-0 game against Swindon on the 23 September 2023. Hadn’t realised we’d not seen a draw since then!
COYR
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Molyneux (without an a) contributed very little. The sooner he accepts the fact that he cannot beat the defender in front of him then he will be a much better player.
He could be a poor mans David Beckham if he concentrated on crossing the ball and taking shots anywhere near the area.
How many times did you see Beckham take a player on? Not many but he could certainly be relied on to get a good cross in or get a shot on goal!!
Contributed very little other than an assist.
His game is running at defenders and committing them, Beckhams game was getting early crosses in.
Totally different players
Im not sure running at defenders and commiting them or in other words losing the ball to them is a very effective tactic.
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Molyneux (without an a) contributed very little. The sooner he accepts the fact that he cannot beat the defender in front of him then he will be a much better player.
He could be a poor mans David Beckham if he concentrated on crossing the ball and taking shots anywhere near the area.
How many times did you see Beckham take a player on? Not many but he could certainly be relied on to get a good cross in or get a shot on goal!!
Contributed very little other than an assist.
His game is running at defenders and committing them, Beckhams game was getting early crosses in.
Totally different players
Im not sure running at defenders and commiting them or in other words losing the ball to them is a very effective tactic.
Not sure what games you’ve been watching for the last year but if you don’t think molyneux has been very effective then you’ve got a problem
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In the second half of last season Moly was immense, unplayable most games and was a huge reason we went on that run. It's fair to say he's not yet hit the heights of last season yet (same Ironside and Bailey) partly because teams know he's our danger man and double-up and play to try and stifle him. But he's still one of our most dangerous players and when fit (which he usually is) will always be one of the first names on the team sheet. At the Bristol Street games it was really noticeable how much less creative we were when he didn't play, and how much more lively we were when he came on.
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We’re talking about Moly being less effective but he still has 5 goals and 2 assists, the (joint) most goal involvements in the division. There was talk earlier in the season of him being top scorer which was/is never going to happen but even though he’s not been at full tilt he’s still been our most effective player.
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Molyneux (without an a) contributed very little. The sooner he accepts the fact that he cannot beat the defender in front of him then he will be a much better player.
He could be a poor mans David Beckham if he concentrated on crossing the ball and taking shots anywhere near the area.
How many times did you see Beckham take a player on? Not many but he could certainly be relied on to get a good cross in or get a shot on goal!!
Contributed very little other than an assist.
His game is running at defenders and committing them, Beckhams game was getting early crosses in.
Totally different players
Im not sure running at defenders and commiting them or in other words losing the ball to them is a very effective tactic.
Not sure what games you’ve been watching for the last year but if you don’t think molyneux has been very effective then you’ve got a problem
Molyneux had two men on him all the time in the second half. That means that there are only 8 outfield players to mark 9 of ours and we should be taking advantage of that. But I don’t think we did… Crewe were well organised and were quicker on to the offensive when they did get the ball.
We could do with a few more who are prepared to run at defenders because waiting for the defence to open up in front of them is not going to happen. Too many are risk-averse. Fleming is usually more enterprising and the much-criticised Sterry is always a dynamic force. As I remarked earlier Gibson was also prepared to run at defenders.
As for time-wasting, Crewe were pretty average I’d say; no worse than Rovers in similar situations.