Elliott Bennett

[AucklandRover]

I've only just managed to watch (lunchtime).
That was pretty awful.
I almost wish we'd been playing one of the stronger teams, as we saw again that our forwards look a bit clueless when faced with massed ranks of defenders. Dack, in particular, just drops deeper when man-marked, which simply achieves exactly what the opposition wants!
I don't agree about Downing, Champs. I thought he had a reasonable game, as did Johnson. I also disagree about it being a defence-minded line-up, but I was disappointed that Rothwell didn't start.
Most of the regular critics seem to have chosen the usual players as targets, but I thought Travis and Lenihan were also very disappointing. As you say, Champs, Lenihan's distribution was woeful.
Bell actually looked all right going forward, but I'm beginning to give up on him as a full-back. He looked little better than Bennett in that respect. I suspect he might not have figured if Hart had been fit.
I'm not going to judge the keeper on one game, but I actually selected Leutwiler in my Telegraph team, just because I think it DOES take time for new players to settle in.
I think - for the same reason - that Mulgrew will have to play again in the next match, but the full-backs have got to be replaced.
I did actually suggest in advance that we might be better with three at the back (Nyambe, Lenihan, Mulgrew) and wing-backs. A number of times last season, I thought there was too much space between the back line and the midfield, and a couple of yesterday's shaky moments were the result of the same thing.
Bottom line for me, though, whatever the defensive problems are, our "creative" players have to do more with that amount of possession. On this occasion, even Graham didn't improve things.
If I was TM, I would make several changes quickly. Of course, if he does and we get beaten again, he will be knocked for knee-jerk reactions, but I thought several players looked short of confidence, which is bizarre, given our pre-season. We know from past experience that his head will be on the block very quickly because a surprisingly high proportion of the fans don't rate him at all.

(Extra thought: I know I've asked this before, but where does Armstrong go in this kind of game?)