Player Ratings - Newport Home

[Piglet_Phoenix]

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”

I don’t know who looked more confused with our 3-5-2 formation at kick-off today, our players or Newport’s players. Anyway our back three looked all over the place and our midfield were standing on each other’s toes. But in all the waspish confusion some good running from Yates, a classy ball in from Glendon and a technically excellent finish from Devitt gave us the lead. When Devitt found himself a yard of space and smashed a piledriver past the Newport keeper the energy we had in midfield made us look unstoppable. We have to look at ourselves as to why this game was not more comfortable. Although Yates actually provided some meaningful contribution (for a change) he wasted three golden opportunities to put us out of sight, our midfield dropped too deep and the folly of playing Sowerby and Grainger as wide midfielders (when they entirely lack pace, was exposed). None of our back three actually look like they understood how to play in a back three and we gave away a really soft goal before half time to let Newport into the game. It was a poor cross to let come into the box, a poor effort at marking by Gillesphey and Collin was flat footed and beaten far too easily by the header. The equaliser was pretty much a case of deja vu, Collin set his wall up far too close to the goal line leaving an acre of space for the ball to be hammered into the near post area, from the opposite side of the box – but the same principle, same mistake and same result. Then it looked for all the world like the team, if any, who would find a win would be Newport. But in truth, this was typical Grainger, he had an abysmal game for 91 minutes his full repertoire of awfulness was ripely in effect, but while his clubbing left boot is on the pitch it can buy you a goal at any time – and it won us the game today in spectacular style so fair play to him.

I give full credit to the players for fighting out a result even although our tactics were questionable, our team selection was random, we were organisationally vacant and our game management was fairly woeful. Some of our players looked like they’d never even met each other before let alone played together before. But at the end of the day, a win’s a win – and in defence of the manager, the players he brought back into the side got the goals today. So ultimately, although there’s a shed load to improve, this is a step in the right direction.

Collin – 2 – Might as well have been standing in the Warwick Road End itself for the first goal and his positioning of the wall left us wide open for the equaliser. He’s an experienced keeper but for two week’s running he’s been caught flat-footed and should be doing better with his wall organisation and communication with the defence. His distribution was ok today but needs to raise his game a few notches

Liddle – 6 – Probably the pick of our defenders today, for me always tends to look more composed in a back three. Used the ball well coming forward and wasn’t pulled out of position too often like his fellow centre-backs.

Gerrard – 2 – Not only is he the size as Mr Blobby, he looked like he was wearing Mr Blobby’s boots today. He was owned by Newport’s forwards, left treading water for pace, beaten easily in the air, pulled out of position on countless occasions (which is a problem when you have the turning circle of an oil tanker), slipping, sliding, falling. In honesty, completely behind the game and should be embarrassed by the standard of this performance. Maybe the fact our dug-out is sponsored by a pizza and kebab shop is distracting him too much. Needs to lose weight urgently, wear proper boots and raise his game.

Gillesphey – 3 – Should be embarrassed by his effort to defend the first goal, but his game as a central defender is not the best in the air defensively – he’s always been worth -1 defending headers at the back post. Half decent coming forward but struggled positionally in a three.

Sowerby – 2 – Peripheral and wasted and the right flank. Lacked pace enough to effectively bomb up and down the wing and didn’t get on the ball enough to make the most of his ability with the ball. I know he’s “doing a job for the team” but it’s a huge mistake to play him out wide.

Glendon – 4 – Flitted about to decent effect and put in a lovely cross for our first goal. Still too peripheral overall however and some of his touches in and around the penalty area were truly awful. You can see how his brain is working on the ball – but the problem is – so can the opposition. The difference with his cross for the goal was he played it early and with purpose, normally he takes too much time – he needs to speed his brain up playing in advanced positions.

Jones – 6 – Ran himself into the ground for the team in our midfield engine room and fought bravely turning possession over. He looks like he’s carrying an injury to me (which is maybe why he was subbed) but his performance today was invaluable. Without him in our midfield we fell apart towards the end of the game.

Devitt – 7* – Possibly the best I can remember seeing Devitt play, although it has got to help your confidence when you get two early goals. He showed a genuine deft touch for his first and deadly power for his second. Add these moments of genuine quality to a busy performance of ball winning and crisp passing then you have a player who did more to win us the game overall than any other. Hopefully he can consistently deliver performances of this quality over the next few months, but this was a definite improvement.

Grainger – 4 – What a goal. Although despite his screaming gamewinner, this performance was up there with Grainger at his worst. Buying dummies with embarrassing regularity, trundling around in no-man’s land, hooking the ball forward aimlessly. Watching him trying to defend is like trying to make a cup of tea in a sieve. Grainger is many things, but a midfielder is not one of them. I was ready to give him a proper and deserved slagging before his climatic denouement.

Nadesan – 5 – Ran himself into the ground but his quality on the ball was poor today, his passing, crossing, shooting – all below standard. That being said, playing with his back to goal is definitely not his game and did reasonable well fighting for headers and chasing lost causes. Did well with a header late on which hit the post following a lovely cross from Bennett – and it shows there is potential there as a partnership if they’re allowed to play together.

Yates – 3 – An improvement and did very well to win the ball in advance of our first goal. But in spite of his first influential moment of the season and the fact he didn’t look as excruciating as a forward than he does a winger, his forward passing was still horrific, his attempts at dribbling laughable – and he missed three easy chances one-on-one to score goals. In addition to those three opportunities he also found himself in acres of space in the box second half and could have easily created a goal for the team but again fluffed his lines. I really don’t believe Yates is good enough to start in our side – Bennett looks a far better player. Nothing calls the manager’s judgement into question more then his obsessive desire to start Yates every game.

Subs:

Bennett – 5 – Won a few headers and brought a calm assurance to our forward line. His use of the ball was, overall, very good. If we a play two upfront with our current squad, Bennett should be starting.

Slater – 4 – A couple of decent tackles and a stinging shot which the Newport keeper saved excellently, but overall he was drifting around chasing shadows. I can’t see anything Slater brings to our team which one of our own young players could not provide.

Third sub – when you’re trying to close the game out – unused.

[griff]

Sorry Piglet, total B­ollocks today. We were poor all match, but both keepers, despite conceding a total of 5 goals, brought out some splendid saves in a game which could have finished 6-6. Collin was mainly solid and although I agree that his communications were poor, his contribution to the win was as important as anyone else's on the field through several splendid saves. Weren't you watching?

Similarly Grainger. From the start he played the captains game, organising the team and he never stopped talking. We have missed his leadership even though he's liable to go missing at times. I felt that he was the difference to our side in the first 10 minutes and it showed. The increase in confidence that he brought laid the foundation to our first two goals, and his strike at the end sealed the points.

And if anyone was clearing the ball in defence it was Gerrard. He refused to be bullied on the ground and in the air and although he wasn't perfect he bossed the Newport forward line all game. Newport were a threat all game and neither set of backs were perfect. In fact, I thought that they had three good penalty shouts to our one, but those officials were never going to give anything contentious - they were too scared.

The Paddock were generally pleased today because they'd been entertained with a to and fro game. Not a classic, but some improvement.

[Piglet_Phoenix]

Vive la différence.

Did you have a drink before the game, Griff.

Anyway, I understand the temptation to give a player a high mark because of a last minute winner. But it's taking it a bit of stretch to claim Grainger shouting a few things in the first ten minutes was the reason we were leading 2-0. You have to take the emotion out of the equation and look at things in the cold light of day. For 91 minutes his technical contribution was extremely poor, watch the game back (with the volume down). If his most significant contribution is verbal, he can do that on the touchline - and should've been doing that in the training pitch and in the changing room.

Maybe I'm being slightly harsh on the keeper for his all round contribution, but when amateurish errors cost us another two goals it's difficult to mark him highly. Any professional goalkeeper should not be making these mistakes.

As for Mr Blobby's performance, I think a home win, three goals and a last minute winner has sent you a bit giddy, Griff.