Post by stevek192 on Jan 12, 2020 11:24:56 GMT
If ever the movement and emotion of the Manager summed up the football his team were producing then the solemn arms crossed figure of Ben Garner throughout this game did exactly that. Yes Doncaster ;as expected; were good but if you are going to allow a team so much space in their own half to start their football off then there is only going to be one outcome especially if when you do finally get hold of the ball yourselves it is like a hot potato. From the moment the team was announced I pretty well expected this type of performance and could have predicted that this would be another game which would see Clarke-Harris a forlorn figure up front on his own with only crumbs to feed off.
When is an experience coach going to suss out that a team with little pace can ill afford to allow their opponents space to build their football and surrender so much territory and in fact waste two players completely in the ravine between JCH and the resat of the team? On Wednesday Josh Barrett gave the initial impression of being exactly what we were looking for in midfield- a player who had an eye for a pass, good control of the ball and the youth and ability to drive a team forward. How shocked he must have been yesterday when he realised the extent of his game would be no greater than the far less talented Hargreaves and just run around like a headless chicken chasing from player to player whilst your team mates amble about the pitch like a Sunday afternoon stroll. Such is the extent of the tactics employed by the club at the moment and the result is that the amount of goalmouth action is restricted to very few minutes.
For those who didn't go to the game and it was another low crowd of just over 6200 I would like to write of what a great match they missed but I can't because to be honest it was about as entertaining as watching paint dry or as exciting as watching an episode of EastEnders. We looked like a team who were totally confused as to what they were supposed to be doing out there. The excuse of players missing is a valid one but even that cannot cover up the total lack of inspiration which I will sum up in as quick a time as possible because in all honesty the performance yesterday does not warrant
Stappershoef 6 didn't do a lot wrong and had no chance with either of the goals that were brilliantly despatched but made far to easy by rank poor defending. You could say he should release the ball quicker and he is certainly nowhere near the standard of Anssi who did more than anybody to get us results in the first half of the season with regular worldly saves and a calming influence on his defenders.
Menayese 6.5 much better than the dismal performance on Wednesday but together with Rodmans defending it was no real surprise that both goals should come from his side of the pitch but it was ironic that they came during our best period of the game.
Craig 6.5 An Ok game considering that especially first half the left hand side of our defensive territory was just a large space for opposition players to run in and expose.
Kilgour 6 Blocked a number of crosses which was just as well as in the first half we were badly exposed down that side.
Rodman 5 Defensively pretty poor again and really didn't do very much attacking.
Upson 6 Not far behind Sercombe but surely would be better employed in a high pressing game further up the pitch as what we had was two lines of two midfield players with a huge distance between them.
Sercombe 7 MOM Best of a poor team performance but his performance was tightly reigned in by the tactics employed if there was really any.
Leahy 4.5 Defensively first half he was non existent and in possession he was laboured , rarely passing a ball forward and gave no real support to either Barratt or to Kilgour.
Barrett 5 Very similar to Hargreaves in what was required of him but IMO yesterday he was a wasted talent
Hargreaves 4.5 Not up to the standard required to hold down a place in the team. Too lightweight but not really to blame as he had the impossible task of just chasing shadows for 90 minutes.
Clarke-Harris 5.5 For those who say he doesn't want to be here who can blame him? Service is at the lowest level I can remember and a bit like a bird trying to find food in a freezing snowy winter- I almost lowered myself to say Robin then!! He should probably have scored late on but was probably as surprised as anyone to receive a quality cross.
Subs: Reilly 5.5 Showed some strong running and good control and unlucky not to score with a powerful shot. Should be given a run of games to release the pressure on him and give him the chance to show what he can do. He found more space in the short time he was on than we had done in the rest of the game. During the time he was on he warranted a 7 but just wasn't long enough to give that sort of mark.
Holmes-Dennis 5.5 same as Reilly he livened up the game at last providing a touch of class down the left. Surely if he is ever going to prove his fitness then now is the time.
Mitchell-Lawson NOLE Don't recall him touching the ball as brought on far too late.
Crowd 5 Poor crowd but not surprising given recent events and based on yesterday it will be even lower next game. To their credit the fans did try to get behind the team when it could easily have become hostile.
Ref 6 Can't really criticise the referee when the team played so poorly. For who he was I thought he had a reasonable game but missed an obvious foul that in fact caused the second goal but it was too late then to really worry.
Doncaster 7 a good passing side who did their usual and despatched us fairly easily- far too easily and I do not really think they are anywhere near as good as we made them look.
BG If he had been here three months and was producing this dross I would be saying "Get rid as soon as possible" as the style of play is as boring as his emotions. At the moment there are no signs whatsoever of any structure to our play. I was expecting a high pressure game plan when he arrived- what we have got is no pressing whatsoever and good players are being made to look like headless chickens. A what was solid back three is being dragged all over the place to cover the sides which are being exposed far too often with wing backs just not doing their jobs and in the middle it was mainly two and two with a huge gap between them. Hargreaves and Barratt were not high enough up to assist Clarke-Harris and once they were bypassed it was Upson and Sercombe who were heavily out numbered.
So what do we need? IMO we need to rid ourselves of all our forwards except Reilly and Clarke Harris and get two more strikers in.We need to push up far more and stop the opposition at source by closing down in packs rather than individually. if little is nowhere near fitness we need to sign a new right back and we need Holmes =Dennis now proving his fitness because we cannot protect him any longer and the same goes for Tom Davies. Another speedy winger would not go amiss as Mitchell- Lawson looks to me to be a bench player working his way in rather than a first choice. Long term I would be looking at huge changes in the summer but for now we just have to work out how to get four wins which will IMO give us safety, it really is sad to be saying this as we are still so in touch with the Playoffs but in terms of performances under the new boss we are miles adrift and looking like a relegation side.
I am not sure who can play on Tuesday night as I assume the new players can't play as they were not in place at the time of the original third round match but I stand to be corrected. So I will head off to St Andrews on Tuesday more in hope than anything else- such is the joy of being a Gashead at the present time.
When is an experience coach going to suss out that a team with little pace can ill afford to allow their opponents space to build their football and surrender so much territory and in fact waste two players completely in the ravine between JCH and the resat of the team? On Wednesday Josh Barrett gave the initial impression of being exactly what we were looking for in midfield- a player who had an eye for a pass, good control of the ball and the youth and ability to drive a team forward. How shocked he must have been yesterday when he realised the extent of his game would be no greater than the far less talented Hargreaves and just run around like a headless chicken chasing from player to player whilst your team mates amble about the pitch like a Sunday afternoon stroll. Such is the extent of the tactics employed by the club at the moment and the result is that the amount of goalmouth action is restricted to very few minutes.
For those who didn't go to the game and it was another low crowd of just over 6200 I would like to write of what a great match they missed but I can't because to be honest it was about as entertaining as watching paint dry or as exciting as watching an episode of EastEnders. We looked like a team who were totally confused as to what they were supposed to be doing out there. The excuse of players missing is a valid one but even that cannot cover up the total lack of inspiration which I will sum up in as quick a time as possible because in all honesty the performance yesterday does not warrant
Stappershoef 6 didn't do a lot wrong and had no chance with either of the goals that were brilliantly despatched but made far to easy by rank poor defending. You could say he should release the ball quicker and he is certainly nowhere near the standard of Anssi who did more than anybody to get us results in the first half of the season with regular worldly saves and a calming influence on his defenders.
Menayese 6.5 much better than the dismal performance on Wednesday but together with Rodmans defending it was no real surprise that both goals should come from his side of the pitch but it was ironic that they came during our best period of the game.
Craig 6.5 An Ok game considering that especially first half the left hand side of our defensive territory was just a large space for opposition players to run in and expose.
Kilgour 6 Blocked a number of crosses which was just as well as in the first half we were badly exposed down that side.
Rodman 5 Defensively pretty poor again and really didn't do very much attacking.
Upson 6 Not far behind Sercombe but surely would be better employed in a high pressing game further up the pitch as what we had was two lines of two midfield players with a huge distance between them.
Sercombe 7 MOM Best of a poor team performance but his performance was tightly reigned in by the tactics employed if there was really any.
Leahy 4.5 Defensively first half he was non existent and in possession he was laboured , rarely passing a ball forward and gave no real support to either Barratt or to Kilgour.
Barrett 5 Very similar to Hargreaves in what was required of him but IMO yesterday he was a wasted talent
Hargreaves 4.5 Not up to the standard required to hold down a place in the team. Too lightweight but not really to blame as he had the impossible task of just chasing shadows for 90 minutes.
Clarke-Harris 5.5 For those who say he doesn't want to be here who can blame him? Service is at the lowest level I can remember and a bit like a bird trying to find food in a freezing snowy winter- I almost lowered myself to say Robin then!! He should probably have scored late on but was probably as surprised as anyone to receive a quality cross.
Subs: Reilly 5.5 Showed some strong running and good control and unlucky not to score with a powerful shot. Should be given a run of games to release the pressure on him and give him the chance to show what he can do. He found more space in the short time he was on than we had done in the rest of the game. During the time he was on he warranted a 7 but just wasn't long enough to give that sort of mark.
Holmes-Dennis 5.5 same as Reilly he livened up the game at last providing a touch of class down the left. Surely if he is ever going to prove his fitness then now is the time.
Mitchell-Lawson NOLE Don't recall him touching the ball as brought on far too late.
Crowd 5 Poor crowd but not surprising given recent events and based on yesterday it will be even lower next game. To their credit the fans did try to get behind the team when it could easily have become hostile.
Ref 6 Can't really criticise the referee when the team played so poorly. For who he was I thought he had a reasonable game but missed an obvious foul that in fact caused the second goal but it was too late then to really worry.
Doncaster 7 a good passing side who did their usual and despatched us fairly easily- far too easily and I do not really think they are anywhere near as good as we made them look.
BG If he had been here three months and was producing this dross I would be saying "Get rid as soon as possible" as the style of play is as boring as his emotions. At the moment there are no signs whatsoever of any structure to our play. I was expecting a high pressure game plan when he arrived- what we have got is no pressing whatsoever and good players are being made to look like headless chickens. A what was solid back three is being dragged all over the place to cover the sides which are being exposed far too often with wing backs just not doing their jobs and in the middle it was mainly two and two with a huge gap between them. Hargreaves and Barratt were not high enough up to assist Clarke-Harris and once they were bypassed it was Upson and Sercombe who were heavily out numbered.
So what do we need? IMO we need to rid ourselves of all our forwards except Reilly and Clarke Harris and get two more strikers in.We need to push up far more and stop the opposition at source by closing down in packs rather than individually. if little is nowhere near fitness we need to sign a new right back and we need Holmes =Dennis now proving his fitness because we cannot protect him any longer and the same goes for Tom Davies. Another speedy winger would not go amiss as Mitchell- Lawson looks to me to be a bench player working his way in rather than a first choice. Long term I would be looking at huge changes in the summer but for now we just have to work out how to get four wins which will IMO give us safety, it really is sad to be saying this as we are still so in touch with the Playoffs but in terms of performances under the new boss we are miles adrift and looking like a relegation side.
I am not sure who can play on Tuesday night as I assume the new players can't play as they were not in place at the time of the original third round match but I stand to be corrected. So I will head off to St Andrews on Tuesday more in hope than anything else- such is the joy of being a Gashead at the present time.
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