Let's talk about the Newport County game

[mutleyrover]

Williams cleared a lot that came in as crosses from corners and long throws. He appears to have problems with the long balls up to the strikers from deeper positions where he probably won 1 or 2 in every 10!
As one of my ex managers used to say, he is 6ft 2 though only 5ft 6 when going up for a header.

[roversdude]

I only recall the one that I think he must have focussed on the Morocco v Portugal game and misjudged, apart from that he won everything

[ForsolongaRover]

To resort to all-out defence allowing very poor quality opponents numerous opportunities to equalise, when we had shown the ability to penetrate their defence repeatedly in the first half created unnecessary risk. I suppose it reveals a very low level of confidence in the coach’s system. It was not an attractive spectacle.

Numerous opportunities? I can only remember one, which Jonny saved.

At no point in the game did I think they'd score, and I think we had enough chances in the second half to win 3 or 4 nil.

If you fall back in defensive mode you allow the opposition to strike at your goal. Fortunately they were poor at hitting the target, but my point is that we changed our strategy to defending  the lead when we could have pressed home our obvious advantage.

[Donnywolf]

Yes .... Me and mate discussed just that on way down.

Netherlands were 2 0 down using their total football then resorted to direct assaults on Argentina and pulled it back

Into extra time , why did they stop doing the thing that had got them to 2 2 and Argies "rocking". But they did going back to safety of total football again.Strange

And we like many Teams that lead drop further back and allow other Teams the space and possession and so freedom to lob the ball into danger area and it makes it more fraught for them and deffo for us.

No end of long throws , corners and Free kicks rained in whereas the old saying " attack is best form of defence" still works for me. If we are taking a throw in 5 yards from their Corner flag then they can't lob it into our box can that ?

[drfc1951]

I have just watched a full replay of match with Newport commentary team,they said near the end that Williams won nearly every header.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I think Williams gets very harshly treated. Following his two gaffs last week, he's shrugged that off and put in a good performance.

It's all about balance assessing players and some folk just seem to jump on his errors rather than take into account the standard things he does without fuss.

Quite often the same with keepers when mistakes tend to cost goals whereas midfielders and forwards are allowed more tolerance.

Another aspect with Williams, he cares. You can see how animated he gets when we score. He's definitely not one who goes through the motions.

[Padge_DRFC]

I have just watched a full replay of match with Newport commentary team,they said near the end that Williams won nearly every header.

They were really complimentary all game about our players being technically good and trying to play football.

[danumdon]

I think some on here have to remember that football is individuals playing in a team setting, with that in mind you have to look at the protection that the rest of the team give to the defence in play. Williams we all know can be prone to a mistake or two as can anyone but if the right protection is given by the midfield then it can magnify the effectiveness of the defence and the team as a whole. Williams was effective in his play yesterday against a team that looked weak all over the field but i thought Bogle gave them a decent examination and they kept him overall quite.

I understand why DS wants to have ball players at the back to bring the ball out , retaining possesion and building from that, the fact we had to use two of our more inspiring players to do that was a shame as that can take away from our overal effectivness, we got away wit it yesterday but much sterner tests await. Lets just hope we can get Anderson and Olowu back asap as they will slot in with williams as the back three allowing Knoyle and Rowe to play their more attacking positions in which they are far more effective.

Thought as a team we approached the game much more positively from the off which set the pace for the whole game, when we dropped back late on in the match to protect the lead it never looked dangerous as Newport lacked any penetration to hurt us, against a better side that could of cost us but you can only play what's in front of you. The midfield had a good game with standouts for Close , Biggins and Clayton, A fully firing Moly and Hurst in that game could of tore them a massive new one. Lets hope all are back soon as we need some sort of momentum through this period to kick on.

[wilts rover]

Mitchell has been consistent all season.

The problem is the lack of consistency of a few of the others imo.

Yes a clean sheet today but Williams in the air was awful again.
Newport looked a very poor team today & against a better team that back 3 would have been unlikely to have kept a clean sheet.
None of them are centre backs. Tommy Rowe didn’t look comfortable.
KK is a wing back all day long & Williams, well i have said all I need to say in previous posts.

That's just not true. Their main tactic was to launch it into the box, via a punt from the wing or a long throw and Williams lost very few headers that came his way.

Overall it was a very good defensive performance from all the team. They had very few clear chances and Mitchell only made one save.

Criticise people when they have done badly by all means. But to see a game that didn't happen except in your imagination? Well done to the whole team today for a solid performance - including R S Williams.

You were watching a different game to me then Wilts.  Williams won only one 50/50 all game. I suggest you watch a re run of the game.
He even missed a couple of headers where he was not under pressure. Sorry he is really poor.
Thought early on in the season he had improved and played well in those 1st 6 games.

I was sitting level with the penalty box looking diagonally towards him in the first half and directly in line with him in the second half. I suggest you watch a re-run as you were watching a different game to the one we saw.

I thought he was decent yesterday too, apart from where he totally misjudged a header, he won most headers thrown into the box.

I am not against players being criticised, after all that's what this forum is for, but when people start criticising them for something they haven't done or misrepresenting how they actually played, then all they are doing is showing they have an agenda against that player, rather than being able to give an accurate opinion of how that player is playing.

And if you come on here giving opinions based on your own personal agenda - then you are not worth listening to.

[roversdude]

To be fair CR is one of our more balanced posters, it’s just differing opinions

[Campsall rover]

Mitchell has been consistent all season.

The problem is the lack of consistency of a few of the others imo.

Yes a clean sheet today but Williams in the air was awful again.
Newport looked a very poor team today & against a better team that back 3 would have been unlikely to have kept a clean sheet.
None of them are centre backs. Tommy Rowe didn’t look comfortable.
KK is a wing back all day long & Williams, well i have said all I need to say in previous posts.

That's just not true. Their main tactic was to launch it into the box, via a punt from the wing or a long throw and Williams lost very few headers that came his way.

Overall it was a very good defensive performance from all the team. They had very few clear chances and Mitchell only made one save.

Criticise people when they have done badly by all means. But to see a game that didn't happen except in your imagination? Well done to the whole team today for a solid performance - including R S Williams.

You were watching a different game to me then Wilts.  Williams won only one 50/50 all game. I suggest you watch a re run of the game.
He even missed a couple of headers where he was not under pressure. Sorry he is really poor.
Thought early on in the season he had improved and played well in those 1st 6 games.

I was sitting level with the penalty box looking diagonally towards him in the first half and directly in line with him in the second half. I suggest you watch a re-run as you were watching a different game to the one we saw.

I thought he was decent yesterday too, apart from where he totally misjudged a header, he won most headers thrown into the box.

I am not against players being criticised, after all that's what this forum is for, but when people start criticising them for something they haven't done or misrepresenting how they actually played, then all they are doing is showing they have an agenda against that player, rather than being able to give an accurate opinion of how that player is playing.

And if you come on here giving opinions based on your own personal agenda - then you are not worth listening to.

Crikey Wilts, I was just offering a different view to yours. You saw it differently to me. Simple as that.

If you watch closely RSW headed the ball when there was no one challenging him for the ball. Although he also missed a couple of those unchallenged headers also.
When he was challenged he failed to head the ball bar only 1, possibly 2 occasions.
Even on the brief highlights EFL show last night it showed him missing a header. He seems incapable of jumping.

Now I want to be clear Wilts, i  have no agenda ref RSW whatsoever. I thought he was playing very well early on in the season.

If you saw it differently to me that’s fine. All i was saying is you were watching it through different eyes to me and no offence intended. Hence “You were watching a different game to me”  Quote.

I think we should leave it at that. Not worth getting into a spat about it.