Have we gone back to the cloughie days?

[ramspride]

The last few games we have gone back to pass sideways - back - sideways even in the penalty area. Nobody will bl##dy well shoot. We have started to rely on someone scoring a wonder goal and when it doesn't happen that's it. When we break we must break fast and go direct for goal not keep the pretty passing all the time.

[Akwesasne]

That sounds like a Billy Davies style of playing. It's very good when your side is fit fresh and up for it but players are only human. When it's all dash and fifty fifty tackles isn't it any wonder that your treatment room suddenly becomes very busy.

[swaledale]

The last few games we have gone back to pass sideways - back - sideways even in the penalty area. Nobody will bl##dy well shoot. We have started to rely on someone scoring a wonder goal and when it doesn't happen that's it. When we break we must break fast and go direct for goal not keep the pretty passing all the time.

I think McClaren's done very well to get so far with what I have always thought and posted on here many times is a pretty average squad.


Given that any team - QPr, Burnley for example ahve had runs of bads forms - Burnley went 7 games without a win, then we were clearly going to suffer a loss of form. Couple that with teams set out to stop us playing then games become tight, the players confidence drops and so the free flowing football stops.


Its no surprise but not the end of the world, only the most optimistic thought we were desitined to finish any where other than the play offs.

[Rapid]

The last few games we have gone back to pass sideways - back - sideways even in the penalty area. Nobody will bl##dy well shoot. We have started to rely on someone scoring a wonder goal and when it doesn't happen that's it. When we break we must break fast and go direct for goal not keep the pretty passing all the time.

the only way we may have looked like the clough days is that we had sammon up front, who offers **** all. there's no wonder we were heading nowhere last season with him leading the line. unfortunately a lot of people have been long in denial about sammons ability at this level.

in fairness to NC it was him who brought martin in and today showed just how key he is to our side. I'm convinced we'd have on today if martin played.

[woolwhacker]

I agree, as much as the players didn't perform, Mac was useless, refused to make a change, when a blind man could see it was going wrong.
Hope he ain't lost his bottle, cos today was awful.

[Rapid]

I agree, as much as the players didn't perform, Mac was useless, refused to make a change, when a blind man could see it was going wrong.
Hope he ain't lost his bottle, cos today was awful.

did you miss ward and Russell coming on?

[woolwhacker]

No didn't miss that, but previous games he changed at half time, put 4 up front more than once, yesterday stuck with the fish when it was obvious it wasn't working.
Why was Hughes stuck as last man in our half almost for the whole game, he is wasted unless he plays in a more attacking role.

Not as angry now but still an awful clueless performance.

[Wraggrams]

I agree with you Ramspride. We are most dangerous when we attach quickly in packs.

I am afraid yesterday was the first time I have really questioned McClaren's team selection and tactics. At least he did make substitutions after 60 minutes but to me they were the wrong ones.

Sammon can not play as a lone striker, he simply has not got the technique or football brain. We had to go 4:4:2 from the start if he was to replace Martin.

Bamford is a luxury and liability in a team scrapping for points to maintain their promotion credentials. Bring him on with 15 minutes to go is fine. But our team has not got the depth in quality to carry him throughout 90 minutes. He should have been substituted at half time, failing that at 60 minutes. Why did Dawkins go off, he seemed our only threat?

The thing that was most reminiscent of Cloughie was persisting to play Hughes, Hendrick and Bryson as a midfield three. They have never succeeded together. McClaren did switch Hughes and Hendrick around f

[estebanoo]

If we wanted a ''front six'' from the start I would have played Russell off Sammon yesterday from the start, with Ward and Dawkins on either wing. Bryson and Hughes as attacking midfielders and Thorne/Eustace in central defensive midfield.

So you'd have just gone with three at the back then?!

[Bstand]

The last few games we have gone back to pass sideways - back - sideways even in the penalty area. Nobody will bl##dy well shoot. We have started to rely on someone scoring a wonder goal and when it doesn't happen that's it. When we break we must break fast and go direct for goal not keep the pretty passing all the time.

Would that be the same Cloughie who has won 9 games on the trot and has taken a division 1 side to the semi finals of the FA cup, if it is then I would like to go back to those days.