The only saving grace was the quality of the iFollow coverage

Spot on. Perfect picture and commentary and the ability to freeze the action, rewind it and play in slow motion. I did that several times, especially to confirm how shocking our defending was for all three goals.

That penalty at the end looked a bit dodgy - better view from behind the goal obviously but, in slow motion, it looked like their player just clipped Hedges. He was certainly playing for it but I didn't think it was a dive. As I said though, a different angle might show that he did dive.

We were out thought and out muscled by a VERY average side there which makes you wonder how we have attracted all this hype about certainties to go back up. I'd be happy with a steady season from now on. These last two defeats could seriously knock their confidence.

 

We've definitely the hint of being flat track bullies. Smash teams that don't press. Capitulate to ones that stand up to us and make it hard. I think we've some very good technical players. I'm not sure some have a great deal of natural football intelligence. And i'm not sure we've a great deal of heart and spirit. You're going to get plenty of tough dogged games in league 1 through the winter months as the pitches start to wear. We need to be able to deal with such games, or we'll be lucky to make top 6.

 

It does worry me how easy we were knocked off the ball tonight and how meek our players seem to be. I hate to see players stealing 10 yards at throw ins but their right back did it every time and the ref just let him get away with it. Ours just pick up the ball and stand there, at more or less the spot it went out, and throw it short, often resulting in lost possession.

We have no terriers in the team and, strong as he is, Cavare is starting to look like a total passenger. He might burst through the odd challenge but mostly he doesn't and he wasted so much ball tonight. He was not alone though. They all did. It was just woeful to watch apart from the first bit of the second half when we looked like we had a chance. That soon fizzled out though.

 

Its the thing that makes my blood boil, not trying. It's the only thing I won't forgive. Everyone was below par. But the last 3 games i've seen, just one has failed to try or make an effort. In each of those 3 games. He's either not fit. Hasn't got the stamina. Has a poor attitude. Or is doing what his coach wants and it's hurting us. That the same isn't happening down the left hand side suggests its not the latter.