Living in the USA I had the "privilege" of watching the game. When I saw the team selection I thought "This will not be easy", but I did not think it would be impossible.
When you pick a team that had not played together as a team, you are taking a big risk. I know they train together, but that is not the same as real team play.
After the third goal, I, for the second time in my long life, "walked out" of a Rovers game. I turned back on in the second half just in time to see the celebration after the penalty and immediately turned-off again.
Pulling back to 4-2 with 20 minutes to go I would have thought we could have got one more to stay in the competition. The highlights do not show much, but from what I saw and the Free Press report, we had enough chances to win easily.
If we do not win on Saturday, I've not got all that confidence against Chorley.
Crazy team selection!
posted on 15/11/18
Having seen only the extended highlights, I thought the "reserves" played quite well, but they were up against a more determined defence and a proper goalkeeper.
The County keeper had a good positional sense and was highly active in his movement. Lawlor stayed on his line; he just watched, moving only minimally, just as he did at Chorley. In the one-on-one from which they scored he was only half-way out of his goal, late, when he should have anticipated it.
I know it's easy to blame him, but he even failed to keep out the shot straight at him, seeming to almost help it into the net.
posted on 16/11/18
Donaldo,
I agree with most of what you say. The reserves at times showed good talent and that is why they were given a chance, but it was the lack of coordination with passes going behind people who were making a run that showed a lack of togetherness. Although their Dutch player gave him a hard time, Amos has quality and his crosses were better than Andrew's has been over the last few games. He nearly scored when his first time effort hit the crossbar, and I thought it was Beestin that missed the rebound but the Free Press says Crawford.
Alfie May was his usual "Energiser Bunny" and scored two good goals and should have had several more, but I agree he should start on Saturday.
To me the biggest problem was midfield. Blair and Crawford were below what they have shown in the past, and I've never thought much of Anderson.
The new right back did not impress although he made a couple of good blocks, and I'm not sure who gave away the "penalty" - was it Mason? I'll have to watch the highlights in slow motion to see what happened.
As far as Lawler is concerned - bring back Marosi! As you say, for the second goal if he had come off the line like their GK did to deny May, his big body could have caused a block. It was the third goal that caused me to turn off - it was a header straight at him and rather than catch it or punch it he pushed it into the net. Who will start on Saturday?