Defeated before we started game (Brentford)

[Redi_dare]

Very disappointed with the way we set up today, it was as if we knew we would get beaten before we kicked off.

Chucks up on his own ?

Packed midfield ?

10 men behind the ball ?

Pogs wide ?

No Subs until 20 mins from end ?

Came away bemused and disappointed most entertainment was the dog running on the pitch before kick off.

Got it wrong today for me . Why not have a go, what's the worst that can happen we might lose. We lost anyway and trudged home having not given it a go!

[AstonAlex]

I feel bound to agree with you. Packing the midfield would suggest we were going to deny them space - how much more space did Judge and Forshaw want before striking their 'worldies'? Poor Ben Garratt must at least expect someone stopping them from getting shots away so easily, although he could maybe have done a little better with the second. Kind of Clayton to gift us a soft pen, mind you!!

Pogs and Brad offered no help to Chuks, who for me will not be a lone striker so long as he has a hole in his ass . . tried hard though, the fella.

3-0 would suggest a poor display by the back 4, but ironically I thought they did pretty well, just no help from the 3 in front of the, especially in the first half.

I would also agree that SD seems to have contracted Dario-itis with regard to bringing on subs, i.e. wait till its too late. Seemed clear to most that the formation wasn't working and that Abdul was having a 'mare.

Finally (rant almost over!), our goal difference is pretty much ir

[all]

Difficult to disagree with the posts above.
I was particularly disappointed with the apparent lack of dsire or determination show by most of the players on duty today.
I also wonder whether SD has the ability to motivate his players for such important games.
Any more performances like today and we are near certainties for Div 2

[Tomkat2011]

I am a big fan of SD but he can get his tactics very wrong and today was one of those days. Also why is he so averse to making substitutions before the 70th minute, when often the game is beyond repair?

Anyway, the match itself: Brentford moved the ball very well and were by far and away the best side I've seen Crewe play this season. However, we made them look like Barcelona. Sat too deep, stood off every man and let them pass at will. All their goals were super strikes but it just highlighted our lack of pressing and attempt to actually win the ball.

The only player I didn't fancy was their right back McCormack who seemed a bit of a bully. Inman made the wrong decision several times but he looked vulnerable and was lucky not to get a second yellow for a cynical trip on Inman which the ref missed. Obviously we lacked Brentford's quality on the ball but on the rare occasions we did venture forward I thought we looked dangerous.

The midfield 3 spent the first half chasing shadows a

[Mojofilter]

Any more performances like today and we are near certainties for Div 2

That's a bit of an over statement, they were very good and I don't think that any individual did particularly badly - the tactics were just all wrong.
I can see what SD was trying but it didn't work out.
Osman and Grant spent most of the first half not knowing who was doing what and that IMO was the main reason that they dominated so much in the middle.

Time to stop playing Pogs on the wing, him and Aneke playing upfront together is going to give any team at this level a headache - especially if the have to contend Innman and Moore on the wings as well.

[DGFG]

I think Pogba was psyched out by the dog before the game started, the body swerve and sprint he produced to get away from it was arguably the fastest he moved all afternoon. ;D