Back to Square One?

[axholme_miller]

Glanford Park is my nearest ground to where I live so it didn't take an awful lot of persuading for me to attend last night's game. Two Millers and two Scunny fans travelling together.
It's a while since I've been inside the stadium and it highlights just how impressive our New York Stadium is. Yes I know they're supposed to be having a shiny new NYS lookalike place of their own, but it hasn't even been started yet, so we shall see. As for the actual game:-

First surprise was the number of Millers fans who actually bothered to go. Looked quite a decent turnout, especially considering that a lot of fans attend these warm ups to see their club's new signings, and in our case they've been particularly scarce this time around!Home support looked abysmal with just a few scattered about the three sides of the remaining areas. Our Scunny travelling companions had said that they are a fickle lot and even for their game against Hull City last Saturday, fewer than 2,500 had turned up and that included a big travelling support!

No surprises regarding our team selection, we all expected to see Vaulks make his debut and given our squad size, AS had little choice in what was near enough same as Sunderland starting eleven. Smallwood making way for Vaulks. Halford injured and not on bench. Forster Caskey staring too.

I won't go into any detail about the game, suffice to say first half was competitive and fairly even. Vaulks looked a great addition with his pinpoint passing and movement off the ball. Both full backs appeared to have been told to get forward at every opportunity, which exposed our lack of pace in the centre back positions.

They scored from a mistake from Mattock who dithered on a clearance and the ball was guided past Camp with some ease. We equalised after several passes found Wood who tapped in. Difficult to see who did what leading up to the goal as we were at the other end and the view wasn't great.

Yates and Ward did okay up front but always the home players seemed that bit quicker, that bit keener to impress.

Second half, they stepped up a gear, we didn't and apart from an odd foray towards their goal, there was only going to be one winner.

They had a goal disallowed for pushing on Camp but got their just rewards with a superb shot on the turn which left Camp with little chance, and just a few minutes remaining.

We forced a good save from their keeps and Yates almost rescued a draw but saw his effort agonisingly over the bar.

Forgot to say that in that second half, Smallwood had replaced Vaulks, Bailey King had replaced Forster Caskey! Hardly made a difference!

Many Millers fans had already departed by the time the whistle went after a particularly poor second half display.

Conclusions:-

Let's not get too downhearted, it was a pre season friendly. As good as we were against Sunderland, we were poor tonight, both warm up games though.

Positives, Vaulks did well especially in that first half and is a quality player. Frecklington played the ninety minutes.

Negatives, we looked lightweight against a big physical team. Yates and Forster Caskey were too easily pushed off the ball. Our two centre backs lack pace and when the full backs push forward, which they appeared to be under orders to do at every opportunity, we are so exposed and better Championship sides will punish us, no doubt.

Forde had another ineffective game, his passing is poor and he seems unable to cross the ball. Lacking confidence perhaps? You can see why Wolves shipped him off to Walsall.Needs to improve and quickly.

Worst of all for me was our lack of any organisation, especially at the back. First time I've been so close to the pitch for ages and the players just don't communicate with one another. There's no chat, unlike the S****horpe players who continued to offer each other advice and encouragement!

All in all, a disappointing evening, but we all know where we need to strengthen. Ten days to go before Wolves, surely reinforcements are just around the corner?

By the way, our Scunny friends didn't think they played particularly well, which doesn't say much for us!

[PeteWaller]

Good summary, thanks for that. Nearly went, but glad I didn't.

[yorktownmiller]

I suspect I might have been sitting in the row in front of you last night. I'm only over from the US for a couple of weeks. I saw the Sunderland game and went to Scunny last night. I head home the day before the Wolves game. We did OK against Sunderland, but last night we looked lightweight. I understand Stubbs wants the team to play the ball out from the back. This is all good and well, but you need players comfortable with and skillful enough to handle the slow build-up approach. What worries is me is that the last manager to try this modus operandi in South Yorkshire was Stubbs's old Everton defensive partner David Weir at Sheffield United. you'll no doubt remember how that worked out (albeit in a league lower) against 'muscular opposition'. Based on what I saw in the last week, nevertheless taking into account these were friendlies (no Halford at all last night), I'm very much on the fence about Stubbs and his preferred tactics. I'm hoping some some of the apparent shortcomings can be addressed by recruitment in the next 10 days.

[axholme_miller]

Agree with you yorktown, lightweight! We were also completely disorganised at the back from what I could see. Recruitment is the operative word indeed, but time is running out with just ten days remaining before we tackle Wolves. Reading what AS said after last night's poor second half showing, I also begin to sense some frustration with what he's got to work with. Hey but as you say, it was just a warm up and in a couple of weeks time, this result will be forgotten, I'm sure. Enjoy the rest of your time in UK and keep those fingers crossed for a massive upturn in our form and fortunes when we play that first league game.

[millertop]

Extended highlights on Scunny's player

[Monkey46]

Cheers Milletop, but after reading the reports i wont bother ta. UTM