What’s Murray doing ? His tactics and sub choices in the last 30 mins were crackers. We are against ten men and we stop playing instead of pinning them in and going after them with fast paced pressure. We are in slow motion tip tapping it about as if we are winning the game and running down the clock. We went out with a whimper and Murray’s tactics and subs stopped us playing and being any threat. In the end a lucky heel from helik stopped brown making it 3 2 and that would have properly rubbed it in. first job in the morning for the powers that be at oakwell is to pick the phone up to those free agents centre forwards we’ve apparently been talking too and sign both of them we are absolutely powder puff until we do. Schmidt Thomas and frieser are not the answer at all long term they are a waste of a shirt and offer nothing. Walton has earned the right to get another chance but Christ almighty that was a very poor mistake. need to start picking points up quick sharp and a target man striker is the missing piece of the jigsaw that we need before the next game otherwise it’s us Wycombe + 1 for the relegation fight and the Groundhog Day circle of sh*t starts all over again. get James and Kane in from the off and drop mowatt he looks tired and could do with a rest new manager needed ASAP but we all know it will be Ned leerderhosen from somewhere in the alps instead of an English manager Very worrying times
A lucky heel from Helik. A lucky face from Davies. A lucky brush of the shin deflection by the Stoke defender. Which is it? The way we played today was a great example of how you don't always need a target man (in this particular game). That would have played in to Stoke's hands. Instead we used the channels, used our width, and got in behind them wide time and time again to relieve the pressure on the defence. We tried as often as possible to not just aimlessly play the ball high down the pitch and our attacking players used their skill, pace, energy and trickery to get the better of the Stoke back line. The problem tonight as Plankton already mentions. That final ball or shot just wasn't quite there.
Evening plankton Would have been better sticking helik and Anderson up top in the last ten to cause some problems !! Our final pass is often the main issue. Thomas being a big culprit he can carry the ball for 40 yards like messi but fluffs his lines time and time again with the final ball. we need a plan b sometimes and that is a big mobile target man otherwise another miserable season looking up and not down is all we can look forward to
Evening loko we slowed the game right down against ten men and played crab slow slow football without hurting them at all and Stoke had x 3 chances against us in the final 15 mins where they could have won the game. I totally agree with you our final passing let us down but sometimes needs must and can’t play Fifa football every week and try and walk it into the net. I would have took a point all day long before the game but it was so frustrating what Murray did with his subs and formation. We should have gone after them a lot more
Maybe sometimes, the giant at the back (Soutar?) Would have been delighted to keep heading them away. Our lack of a quality final ball will probably explain why we're in for a relegation scrap rather than a dull mid-table borathon.
Yep our final ball is woeful but why take Britain off ? Thomas is a waste of a shirt he’s like a Tesco bag blowing around the pitch his end product and decision making is awful. James and Kane start next match for me let mowatt have a breather but we still need some fresh blood to bolster the squad
And we created 3 or 4 brilliant opportunities too Oduor should have done better on 2 or 3 occasions. Davies' face rescued him against Brittain and Woodrows late effort was well saved Goes both ways
Evening Mate, I think there were times when the game slowed down and it was frustrating, but that was a well drilled two banks of four from Stoke who are under the guidance of a really experienced manager known for being an expert with that kind of setup. We did up the tempo at times and find the space, but we'd have found less space lumping up to a big man. I think Murray knew this as well which is why we didn't send a CB up front (we also weren't losing so less need to be gung-ho). The big chance for me was the Kane chip in to the box with three players onside. Needed our wits about us then to take advantage. Oduor was a joy to watch when he was bursting in to the box, until the final ball, and Brittain was inches away from missing Davies' face and scoring. That deflection that Davies saved without knowing anything about was infuriating. We all see the game differently, but it wasn't like we were without effort and chances to win the game. We just probably didn't create that one clear cut chance like SImoes burried in the first half. But we were close.
Chucked two points away there no matter how we sugar coat it. Stoke were ****. I've singled out Walton, Oduor, Mowatt thus far. It's just frustration.
Definitely a game we should have won. But at the same time if you came on here not knowing the score certain threads and posts are beyond too negative. I'm putting it down to the frustration of not getting our first win. Lots of positives tonight for the new gaffer to build on and there must be a lot more belief in the squad now than there was after the Boro game.
I agree about the final ball letting us down but we only got in behind Stoke because they let us, once they went down to 10 men and sat deeper we struggled to break them down, maybe that is when a different option is useful. More than one way to skin a cat and all that.
Maybe a shot from range instead of stacking passes up and getting in each others way. I'm disappointed with Oduor because he got round the back but lacked composure. I can see why Struber didn't think he was ready.
Hi loko think you make some really good points there. now the dust has settled a point away at Stoke on a Wednesday night is a good point most fans would have took that before the game !! anyway at least we have a good base to build on now for the new man to come in. Murray seems to be getting more out of the players but tonight was so frustrating. Another point towards the magical 50 mark onwards and upwards !
Maybe. But I don't think Stoke were letting us get in behind. Surely they wouldn't let us do something that caused them to concede two goals.