Disappointed not to come away with something though on the whole we weren't at our best, I thought at half time we had taken the best they had to give and with a bit of improvement we would go on and win the game.
We didn't make use of the ball and gave it away too much, our two flare players Pablo and Sacko were quiet though Pablo came into the game late on,
Thought Phillips and Mowatt were poor, Wood never got into the game but worked hard as to be fair did all the side,
Wasn't a great goal we gave away but on the whole we don't look like conceding many which will stand us in good stead for the rest of the season,
O Kane was excellent and is a player, just goes about his game in a quiet but effective manner,
Looks like Dallas is out for a while and we haven't got anyone for that role in his absence might be worth putting Berardi in and pushing Charlie up otherwise I would play Grimes,
Lot of people down cos we have lost at Derby which shows how we are improving as expectations are growing, need a win on Tuesday and try and get something at Wolves and we are back on track, still plenty to look forward to imo, so MOT to Tuesday night.
Thoughts on today
posted on 16/10/16
I thought we made some strange substitutions. Antonsson should have come on far earlier for Mowatt or Philips who just weren't in the game.
posted on 16/10/16
I like O'Kane. I wasn't at the match but he got good reviews on Twitter by those who went.
He reminds me of a better, busier, smarter and less aggressive Kilkenny. In fairness to Kilkenny, he played in a team who hammered it upfield and ignored his ball playing requirements.
Having said that, you take Wood out of our side and we have no goals. You take out Sakho and we lack assists.
However promising our players are, our midfielders and wingers are not contributing enough to those tallies.
Agree Mowatt is not a winger. He is a 10.
Roofe is struggling and may benefit for a stint on loan
Dallas has no end product at all.
Phillips is a decent back up but I would rather we played Diagouraga.
Vieira needs a spell on loan.
What this says is that we are good defensively which makes a change. We lack something in midfield and on the wings and a striker to challenge Wood.
Antonsson is good and has been unlucky. He does make a difference but cant play in a one up front formation unless he changes his game and plays off the wing.
We urgently need another midfielder, a winger with pace and another target man.
My job isn't to worry about fitting them all in. Cook on loan would be ideal if not a longer term option. Rhodes on loan from Boro would offer a proven goal scorer at this level. Is Gestede getting game time at Villa? He's proven too. Finally a winger, would be delighted with either Gradel or Forster at Bournemouth or Ojo
at Liverpool thought presume most would be loans.
posted on 16/10/16
We had more possession, more passes and more accurate passes than Derby yesterday, if we had used the possession better we would have won, Monk is getting the side to play a certain way and it's paying off, need a bit more strength in depth but not a lot of change required, people need to forget Dave he ain't happening under Monk, Grimes get pelters for a poor game at QPR when Dave and Dallas were awful and gave him no support, can't work Roofe out looks like he's struggling to adapt but coming on as sub doesn't help,
posted on 16/10/16
The team had it been at full strength would have beaten Derby yesterday. Heck replace Mowatt with Viera and i think we would have won yesterday.
Mowatt CANNOT play with Pablo, both have give the ball away and Alex is too slow.
Yesterday the game was there for the taking, however i must add that Monk failed us. His selection was wrong and his subs were daft.
That being said, i still think we are on an upward curve and expect to give Wigan a real hammering on Tuesday.
posted on 16/10/16
Mowatt should only play as a number 10 or in one of the deeper midfield roles if alongside a more defensive player like Bridcutt or Phillips. Hes not a winger. I dont think Monk rates him on the left either so that says a lot about Roofe.
Monk made poor subs definitely. Dont get why Grimes came on. Wood looked knackered after his internationals so would have been time to start antonsson maybe.
I think top half of the table is going to be our limit. We look solid at the back now, but not enough attacking power. Need another striker who can play that lone role if ant isnt up to it. Roofe been a massive disappointment
posted on 16/10/16
Wasn't at the game so can't really comment on each individuals performance on the day but I have always felt that a lack of a steely and class midfield is really holding us back from being able to move into the 'fast lane'.
So based on the above do any of you think there is any milage in persisting with Mowatt and Philips - Are they a genuine weak link or ever so slowly progressing or is Monk being deluded or has not got any other feasible option as Murphy and Dave look like history as far as the club is concerned.
Still personally feel Mowatt plays at 10 or doesn't play at all.
posted on 16/10/16
So based on the above do any of you think there is any milage in persisting with Mowatt and Philips
..............................
Mowatt will always be held back by his lack of athleticism. Phillips is not ready yet, needs a season playing as a starter imo.
posted on 16/10/16
I watched the game on streams yesterday.
Couldn't understand where mowatt was playing looked more like a diamond with Philips playing really deep. The only player we had on the left side was Taylor. It almost seemed like Hernandez and Mowatt were taking it in turns to go out wide and we couldn't get Sakho in the game.
posted on 16/10/16
Looks as if you saw exactly the same match I did, ADRITK
Excellent analysis.
posted on 17/10/16
Mowatt cannot play, except as a dead ball specialist and even then he's a poor mans Ian Harte ( a very poor man))