Sharp and Ironside

[ChrisBx]

0 league goals from open play since 7th September. 8 appearances each in that period.

An issue that needs resolving quickly.

[oggycompton]

Inability to get across the 6 yard box six times? Might be the issue

[GazLaz]

Ironside hasn’t lifted a leg this season. He’s been dreadful even not considering the goal return. His touch was miles off it again today.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I agree. Neither striker for me has done anything like enough and it's the worrying thing. Teams like Bradford win that tonight.  Our play up to the box was pretty good but nobody in the box looks alive.  Work to do.

[anton123]

Letting miller go now may or been a mistake, he would of given us something different

[colincramb]

Our crossing was appalling. Molyneux completed 3/14 crosses. Not good enough

[GazLaz]

I agree. Neither striker for me has done anything like enough and it's the worrying thing. Teams like Bradford win that tonight.  Our play up to the box was pretty good but nobody in the box looks alive.  Work to do.

Last three home games WDL. xG (approx) 5.0 vs 1.8, it will come.

[Padge_DRFC]

Chances are falling to our midfielders. Sharp and Ironside don't even look like getting in a position to score. For all the crap balls in there was enough tonight for any okay league 2 striker to get on the end of.

[mushRTID]

Sharp has been disappointing.


Not slagging him off, but I don’t think he’s offering a lot and he doesn’t look to be enjoying it.

[Nudga]

Sharp has been disappointing.


Not slagging him off, but I don’t think he’s offering a lot and he doesn’t look to be enjoying it.

Would you enjoy playing up top on your own against two centre halves knowing you're going to get hooked at 60 minutes?

This formation stinks the place out. 

[mushRTID]

Sharp has been disappointing.


Not slagging him off, but I don’t think he’s offering a lot and he doesn’t look to be enjoying it.

Would you enjoy playing up top on your own against two centre halves knowing you're going to get hooked at 60 minutes?

This formation stinks the place out. 

No i wouldn’t to be fair.

But harsh on Joe as well in this thread.
One of the best strikers in the league last year and we then go and bring in Billy and chop and change them both every week.

You are correct, they both can’t get going.

[McCammon egg n chips]

Funny how we're just three days since the entire forum was lauding Ironside as the second coming for scoring a penalty.

I'd love him to kick on as much as anyone but once again doesn't look anywhere near the performance we need of our main striker. Poor touches, bad positioning, back to goal etc.

Sharp also hasnt looked fantastic in the last few matches. I personally think he offers us slightly more leadership but it's not worked out recently.

That aside, I think the main problem is delivery in the box. We're not whipping the ball in the air. I'd like to see us be more direct in the box. And ironside to stay in the box.

[Thorney]

Billy has spent more time throwing his arms around in a strop.
Not the type of attitude to pick the players up around you

[Dagenham Rover]

Sharp has been disappointing.


Not slagging him off, but I don’t think he’s offering a lot and he doesn’t look to be enjoying it.

Would you enjoy playing up top on your own against two centre halves knowing you're going to get hooked at 60 minutes?

This formation stinks the place out. 

I must admit the chap next to me said c'mon Grant time to make changes, I just said its not 60 minutes yet

[rover-n-out]

It just seems to me that the midfield is not getting enough balls into our strikers down the middle. Time and time and time again the ball goes wide and Mols, Gibson and Sterry are being closed down by two sometimes 3 defenders and they are finding it difficult getting past them and getting quality balls in the box. There is very little coming from the midfield into Joe and Billy to do their stuff in the box. Too many floated crosses with no pace and too near the goalie for him to mop up for me. Get some bloody velocity on the ball, high or low, if there's pace and accuracy on it we should be able to cause more problems in the box than we are. Very disappointed tonight.

[Padge_DRFC]

People whinge about Close he's the only midfielder who's going to get assists through the middle. The rest are nowhere near Close in that department. There is too much reliance on how our wingers and full back play. First half Maxwell was very good. The other particularly Sterry everything went wrong on the ball mainly tonight

[ncRover]

It just seems to me that the midfield is not getting enough balls into our strikers down the middle. Time and time and time again the ball goes wide and Mols, Gibson and Sterry are being closed down by two sometimes 3 defenders and they are finding it difficult getting past them and getting quality balls in the box. There is very little coming from the midfield into Joe and Billy to do their stuff in the box. Too many floated crosses with no pace and too near the goalie for him to mop up for me. Get some bloody velocity on the ball, high or low, if there's pace and accuracy on it we should be able to cause more problems in the box than we are. Very disappointed tonight.

Agreed on the midfield creativity. Why did he sign Sbarra and say he was going to be a key player?
Gibson 0/7 accurate crosses.
The best pass of the night was an absolute beauty from our goalkeeper.

[grayx]

Ironside hasn’t lifted a leg this season. He’s been dreadful even not considering the goal return. His touch was miles off it again today.

Im thinking the same. Hes looking like hes never played football before. I was hoping the pen at the weekend would boost his confidence but he was shocking tonight. Billys not looking the force of old either.

[drfchound]

The best pass of the night was the one across the six yard line by Hurst late on.

[EasyforDennis]

The best pass of the night was the one across the six yard line by Hurst late on.

The one that Yeboah should have put in the net? We need to be sending him back to Bristol City in January.

[Fal]

The problem isn’t Sharp and Ironside, it’s the midfield and we have an over reliance on the wingers who just get doubled up on all the time.


Watch time and time again we are playing it across the back without any option in midfield to pass it to so all we do is keep passing it to the fullbacks and then to the wingers and hope for the best. The ball hardly ever goes through the middle and sharp and Ironside are just expected to try and hold it up when they have 2 defenders right up their arse.

Don’t personally think a midfield 3 of Bailey, Kelly and Clifton works. The problem is who do you drop?

[Fal]

The best pass of the night was the one across the six yard line by Hurst late on.

The one that Yeboah should have put in the net? We need to be sending him back to WBA in January.

I’m sure you mean Bristol City

[EasyforDennis]

The best pass of the night was the one across the six yard line by Hurst late on.

The one that Yeboah should have put in the net? We need to be sending him back to WBA in January.

I’m sure you mean Bristol City

Corrected

[ravenrover]

The problem isn’t Sharp and Ironside, it’s the midfield and we have an over reliance on the wingers who just get doubled up on all the time.


Watch time and time again we are playing it across the back without any option in midfield to pass it to so all we do is keep passing it to the fullbacks and then to the wingers and hope for the best. The ball hardly ever goes through the middle and sharp and Ironside are just expected to try and hold it up when they have 2 defenders right up their arse.

Don’t personally think a midfield 3 of Bailey, Kelly and Clifton works. The problem is who do you drop?

McGrath midfield?

[Fal]

The problem isn’t Sharp and Ironside, it’s the midfield and we have an over reliance on the wingers who just get doubled up on all the time.


Watch time and time again we are playing it across the back without any option in midfield to pass it to so all we do is keep passing it to the fullbacks and then to the wingers and hope for the best. The ball hardly ever goes through the middle and sharp and Ironside are just expected to try and hold it up when they have 2 defenders right up their arse.

Don’t personally think a midfield 3 of Bailey, Kelly and Clifton works. The problem is who do you drop?

McGrath midfield?

Edited before you posted as realised my mistake!

[ncRover]

Ironside hasn’t lifted a leg this season. He’s been dreadful even not considering the goal return. His touch was miles off it again today.

Im thinking the same. Hes looking like hes never played football before. I was hoping the pen at the weekend would boost his confidence but he was shocking tonight. Billys not looking the force of old either.

Ironside’s first touch was very reliable last season and it’s completely gone for some reason.
There was a rebound he wasn’t wise to either. He would have slotted it away last season. Grant alluded to it.

[Usher wide.]

The balls into the box from Molyneux, Gibson, Sterry & Maxwell should have been whipped in low but time after time we played the ball in at height with inevitable result.

The players need to have more ‘intelligence’ & guile when playing against sides with six or seven Harlem Globetrotters in their team.

Joe & Billy end up dropping deep to get the ball instead of taking up positions ’knowing that pass’ will come their way.

Yes their keeper had a blinder & some good fortune, but we need to get Billy & Joe playing higher up the pitch & the midfield ‘working’ to get the ball to them.

Too often Moly tried to curl one in the top corner when he had players around him on the edge of their box in space.

We have pace, we have freedom to play on the front foot from the manager but that final eighteen yards at times has been like the ‘Bermuda Triangle’ where players ‘brave & intelligent’ enough to make the right decision in front of goal disappear.

They need to take stock after last night & after his post match interview Grant will certainly ensure they do.

Roll on Saturday & let’s make amends against ‘local rivals & contenders’ for promotion.

[Michael Shaw]

My expectations for this season was very high having signed one of my favourite ever players, Sharp. I expected to see us trouncing most teams with ease. And yet both players have been a disappointment. It is just not working this season and yet (on paper) we have so much firepower and ability in the squad. I don't claim to know if the problem is the players in the squad or the manager but it is not working, for a team that expects to be champions. And many others can see it although "the faithful" will still say "we are doing ok and don't panic". Do we really want to be in the play-offs again or in this league for yet another season?

[Usher wide.]

My expectations for this season was very high having signed one of my favourite ever players, Sharp. I expected to see us trouncing most teams with ease. And yet both players have been a disappointment. It is just not working this season and yet (on paper) we have so much firepower and ability in the squad. I don't claim to know if the problem is the players in the squad or the manager but it is not working, for a team that expects to be champions. And many others can see it although "the faithful" will still say "we are doing ok and don't panic". Do we really want to be in the play-offs again or in this league for yet another season?

Mmmm, I see what you’re saying, I think.

Both Joe & Billy have been disappointing. Do we get rid?

It’s not working this season (we lie 3rd in the table this morning). Do we have the right players in the squad? If not would you recommend wholesale change?

Is the problem then the manager?

Where realistically do you see us finishing this season if we don’t change?

Only asking as ‘one of the faithful’.

[McCammon egg n chips]

This forum has such short memories.

One good result and we're going to win the league, wouldn't trade our strikers for any others in league 2 blah blah blah.

One bad result, we need to sell both of them and the world is falling in.

In my opinion I think we still have two strikers who can score goals. It's about how do we deliver them the balls to do that. But they need to put the work in too, particularly with Ironside.

We're just a few points off first. This is not a disaster.