Minority Report v Rotherham United

Warning: This report contains views and opinions that fellow posters are liable to strongly disagree with. It is strongly recommended that you do not read this report if you do not wish your preconceptions to be challenged.

Although the first half contained very little to excite either set of fans (I counted just one shot each on target), at least we were trying to play football rather than knocking the ball from back to front. At half time, the talk was about two sides that had cancelled one another out. Two sides unwilling to commit their central midfield players to attack. Two sides committed to attacking out wide, and two sides whose wing play simply had not fired. At least we were trying to build through our forward players, but it was clear that although Winnall’s fitness had returned, his touch still has some way to go.

The game changed when Roberts poked home our scrambled first at the start of the second half, and Hammill scored the second with a huge deflection. There was no longer any point in Rotherham retaining their shape. They needed goals, and they were unlikely to come unless they pushed more players forward. They did so, but it simply provided Barnsley with the room to attack them on the break. Kent’s pace took him almost clear on two occasions, but unfortunately he still runs faster than he thinks, and he took the wrong options. Still, that is what he is here for – to learn. If he was the finished article, he would be in the Liverpool first team wouldn’t he. He did finally take the right option to score with a curling shot into the top corner, but not before Bradshaw had headed a Yiadom cross back across Camp and into the far corner. It was clearly a weight off his shoulders, but I also thought the way that we played suited him far better.

It would be easy for us all to convince ourselves after such a wide score line that we were better than we really were. It is my view that the first goal was the key that had unlocked the game, and if Rotherham had scored it, the result could have been very different. A lead would have given them something to fight for and they would have defended deep in an attempt to protect it. In spite of the score, football is a game of inches. The gap is never as wide as it seems.

So Alfie is almost gone and there is a new SuperMac. It was also my first chance to chance Yiadom. I must confess that I was more impressed by Yiadom than SuperMac. Having said that SuperMac won all his headers and hardly missed anything, but he could do with being a bit fitter and he needs to make up his mind quicker or he will inevitably get caught with the ball, and when a centre-back gets caught in this league, a goal against soon follows.

It has to be said that I could not see a 4-0 home win at half time, but that is why we turn up, is it not.

 

That would be more of a majority report. Full first half and second we scored a couple of fortuitous goals then when Rotherham were forced to attack picked them off easily.

 

Can't say I disagree with any of that. Not sure which views there you expect to be in a minority with?

 

That's not bad this week. Feels almost like I was at the same game...

 

And without really getting out of 2nd gear...

 

"He runs faster than he thinks" is a really accurate and funny description of young Ryan. I too was really impressed with yiadom. He was my motm. I also thought that Rotherham matched us in the first half and, yes, had they scored first it would have been a different game. But they didn't and we did.

 

That is a majority report.


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Try again Red Rain


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Well, I really pleased that my report this week has not attracted the usual abuse, but as normal I have written about what I have seen. It makes a refreshing change to be uncontroversial. Thank-you all for your comments.

 

But you failed to deliver a minority report?


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You never know, you might have joined the minority.

 

He only won about 50% of headers in the first half, massively improved as the game went on though. Clean sheet will do his confidence no harm, Robbo helped him out a couple of times (to be expected) but I thought he looked after himself well, looked more composed and at ease as the game went on, especially with it being a derby match. Great debut

 

Correct, you could see their heads drop when we got our lucky 2nd.

I think we're still riding on last season's feel good factor, I'm pleased with the points we've picked up and the mind set we have continued to adopt. Hopefully we can maintain momentum.

 

Good teams score first and most teams scoring first win games. Since December 2015 we have done so more often than not. Therefore we're a good team

 

I agree with most of that.

I commented on one of your other posts that you have to be realistic about possession and that we'd get more of it against weaker sides like Rotherham.

We can't expect to pass our way through teams like Derby & QPR consistently during a game & when we do hit it long it's not a random punt hoping for a knockdown anyway, it tends to be a placed ball for a striker coming short or Watkins working the channels.

I think we'll see plenty of the ball against Preston & Reading as well but when we meet Newcastle & Norwich for example we'll have to mix it up

 

Really can't for the life in me see why yiadom was mom, I was extremely nervous when he was one on one whereas I wasn't when it went down whites side. I think yiadom got bailed out by scowen on numerous occasions. Just my opinion of course.

 

Fair review which would benefit greatly from excluding the condescending opening paragraph. Why not just give a match report every week without the assumption that you hold the view of a minority? It seems that the term "minority report" suggests you plan to be contrary before considering the view of the majority.

 

I agree. He looks like a winger playing full back.

 

The title "Minority Report" is my signature. Many posters now know that it means that I have written the piece, even if they fail to notice the signature attached. It gives the reader an instant impression of what they will find when they open the post. Those who dislike my style, or even the content have a way of avoiding me completely. It tells the reader that the post is likely to be about tactics rather than players and it tells the reader that the piece is unlikely to be a one-sided appraisal of the game.

There are many people who hate my style and who can take the opportunity to avoid me, but for others, that is not enough. I experience regular personal abuse for what I write, so the warning at the start of the post alerts the unwary about my style. Having said all that, I write about what I see and what I think. This week I seem to accord with the majority, which is not a problem for me, but the title is not accurate. That is not always going to be the case.

 

I reckon most think...meh.