Auks .....

[champs95]

From what I saw.

We started well, Rhodes hit a brilliant shot, which hits the post. That goes in, we don't lose the game.
Not convinced we started with the correct side. The centre half pairing was wrong, and this worries me a little. I think we miss Baptiste. Personally I'd have paired Kilgalon and Hanley.
We started Marshall in the No 10 role. He is completely lost in this position. Clueless. He is a decent winger, nothing more nothing less. Delfounso is not effective out wide. Once GB swapped this around, we looked a better side.
Guthrie is a better version of Spearing, but too similar to Lowe. And I don't agree with the backwards step of putting Williamson on the bench. As is Evans. The midfield are too prone to passing sideways. My main critism of GB, is he picked the wrong paring at CB, got Marshall & Delfounso mixed up. And still doesn't seem confident in picking the young lads who did very well pre season. That said .....Delfounso made the goal, and will be a decent a

[AucklandRover]

Thanks, Champs. As you can tell from my comments on the other thread, it was a bit difficult to get a handle on individual performances. Your report helps. (The COLLECTIVE performance, unfortunately, sounds to have been a repeat of what was seen in too many matches last season. )
I still feel disappointed we couldn't get Bo-Kyung. He might have had the creative edge we need.
Quite a few fans have advocated playing Marshall behind the striker, but it clearly didn't work.
GB obviously feels Jason Lowe has to be amongst the first on the team-sheet, but I have never been convinced. I just don't think he makes enough contributions that have a go-forward effect.
I wonder if this IS the time to give O'Sullivan a run. He got a lot of experience on loan last season, scoring quite regularly and making a good few assists. (He is more of an attacking midfielder than Lenihan).
The problem is, GB probably feels he has to cast a match-day eye over the new signings first.
I am puzzled a

[robinrover]

That is pretty much how I saw it champs
on another note I thought raya looked very confident

[jordan12rhodes]

At least your report contains a bit more of a positive outlook champs, so I'll run with that..

Disappointed Kevin gallachers assessment was that he feels were in for a long hard season..

[jordan12rhodes]

Also agree with aucks in that bowyer can't be blamed for the team dropping the intensity after 25 mins. Players alone are to blame for that..

[AucklandRover]

JR - I don't know what the answer is, but it does seem to be a weirdly repetitive pattern. There was bound to be a reaction (from both sides) to Wolves scoring from their first shot, and I accept that a team will rarely dominate THROUGHOUT a game, but this habit of disappearing for a long spell and then picking things up again too late seems to be our major flaw. You're right - this is more about players than managership, and the key factor must surely be inspiring on-field leadership, something we don't seem to have had for years.
I was one of those who thought that was what Danny Murphy would bring to the team. I am still scraping the egg off my face.
When I look at the current squad, I just can't see that particular X-factor.

[Howie5o]

A draw would have been a very fair result .

Fine margins ..we hit the post they hit the bar. We get very lucky with our goal yet they get even luckier with their second. Rhodes goal chalked off for offside when on another day would have been given.

Two very ordinary sides in my eyes ..neither side any great shakes.

GB has stuck his neck out with the keeper change just hope he sticks by it and the fans get behind the young lad. Dont think most fans can be 100% happy with either Eastwood or Steele. Lets see how Raya fares...



A similiar performance to last season. No one prepared to get down the flanks and no midfielders prepared to get beyond Rhodes.

Hopefully we ll take the Shrewsbury game seriously ..get the feeling GB may just need a win pretty soon or otherwise he may start to get a rough ride with the fans.

Early days yet,cant be too critical.

[Despair]

Didn't see matches out of country, but I am reading this period of 'lack of effort / concentration being repeated yet again, and again it is correctly levelled at the players on the park.
We've discussed this before and yes what's needed is a loud mouth leader out there, someone who demands 100% and no shirking.
Someone who demands respect, oh how we need someone like that in our team nowadays.
The trouble is they're not so easy to find, and no one on this forum seems to be able to identify a likely candidate.
the thing I have trouble with is GB stating what a great 'together close knit squad' which almost suggests the team runs itself and maybe doesn't need such a leader.
But evidence suggests otherwise.