O/T Blackpool post match reflections

[SdnMiller]

I think contrary to MillersMad belief after spending the first 20 minutes asleep we outclassed Blackpool for the other 70 minutes.

But I do want to hop in on the Dawson/defense comments. He is an above average shot stopper I won't disagree but every other part of his game is substandard and he was at least partially at fault for all three goals last night. Once again in a team where we have an inexperienced centre back and two full backs playing in the centre, without that experienced centre half it is the job of the keeper to command the area and martial the troops, something which Dawson is useless at.

But the biggest gripe for me is his distribution. There was a point in the second half where we kept the ball for 90 seconds drawing Blackpool out, the ball went back to Dawson who under limited pressure with a reasonably easy pass to the other centre back booted it forwards without even looking up, even if Hugill does win the ball, what is he going to do with it. Football teams have to be built from the bottom up and Dawson is completely detrimental to the team at the moment costing us far more than he's giving with his shot stopping. The priority position for me in Jan is not a striker or some help at the back, it's a new keeper

[NorthWestCorner]

I think contrary to MillersMad belief after spending the first 20 minutes asleep we outclassed Blackpool for the other 70 minutes.

But I do want to hop in on the Dawson/defense comments. He is an above average shot stopper I won't disagree but every other part of his game is substandard and he was at least partially at fault for all three goals last night. Once again in a team where we have an inexperienced centre back and two full backs playing in the centre, without that experienced centre half it is the job of the keeper to command the area and martial the troops, something which Dawson is useless at.

But the biggest gripe for me is his distribution. There was a point in the second half where we kept the ball for 90 seconds drawing Blackpool out, the ball went back to Dawson who under limited pressure with a reasonably easy pass to the other centre back booted it forwards without even looking up, even if Hugill does win the ball, what is he going to do with it. Football teams have to be built from the bottom up and Dawson is completely detrimental to the team at the moment costing us far more than he's giving with his shot stopping. The priority position for me in Jan is not a striker or some help at the back, it's a new keeper

Outclassed Blackpool for 70 minutes? The game was practically over after 20 and they knew it.

And as for the point re priorities, we don’t have any strikers. JH is about as effective as a wooden door and Nombe will be down the road as soon as TS can recover a few bob. That leaves us with a few other cripples he’s thrown a fiver at.

[Andy1968]

Surely we've got Cam for the rest of the season as there'll not be money to replace him? Give Matt two strikers and play a proper centre back (Holmes or Baptiste) instead of James and play James at LB and providing these elusive strikers stay fit we can be top six as offensively we are pretty good but don't convert enough as we only have a target man at best. We would be top six now with a fit Nombe Etete and Sherif to rotate but things have gone pair shaped with injuries. We are still in with a shout with our threadbare forward line all season. This division is there for the taking this year.

[GlennMiller]

I realised all was not well before the game when the Angel ran out of New York Pale. The whole evening was one of those familiar scenarios where it seemed clear that nothing was going to go our way; and so it turned out.

Standout performances from Baptiste and Kaleta, plus Gore for his first half efforts.

One comment on Dawson (I'm not a fan). The Blackpool centre half won virtually every high ball cleanly and was rarely challenged in the air. We were far superior in midfield so the logical way of pushing forward would have been short throws from the keeper, through midfield. Why oh why did he insist on continuing to pump the ball long?! I just don't get it.

Nombe's return can't come quick enough - his mobility and eye for goal gives us so much more threat.

[Derbymiller]

I realised all was not well before the game when the Angel ran out of New York Pale. The whole evening was one of those familiar scenarios where it seemed clear that nothing was going to go our way; and so it turned out.

Standout performances from Baptiste and Kaleta, plus Gore for his first half efforts.

One comment on Dawson (I'm not a fan). The Blackpool centre half won virtually every high ball cleanly and was rarely challenged in the air. We were far superior in midfield so the logical way of pushing forward would have been short throws from the keeper, through midfield. Why oh why did he insist on continuing to pump the ball long?! I just don't get it.

Nombe's return can't come quick enough - his mobility and eye for goal gives us so much more threat.

Totally agree with you about his distribution and big boot, but it is very likely he is doing what he is told because if he is told otherwise and he repeatedly ignores it he would be dropped. So the question should be directed at MH why when we play a team with two huge CBs and a Cf who struggles to jump for a ball do you tell the keeper to kick it long, and if you don?t why do you tolerate your players ignoring your instructions.

[avondalemiller]

Totally agree with you about his distribution and big boot, but it is very likely he is doing what he is told because if he is told otherwise and he repeatedly ignores it he would be dropped. So the question should be directed at MH why when we play a team with two huge CBs and a Cf who struggles to jump for a ball do you tell the keeper to kick it long, and if you don?t why do you tolerate your players ignoring your instructions.

.....he's told to keep the ball out of the net but ignores that as well................

By the way, I've always said the same, just can't see the logic behind it, even if MH tells him to..........

[Back of the net]

The team is a mirror image of the manager. It has potential but lacks consistency and will probably just fall short. The chairman is ok with this as it’s all about trying to balance the books. The supporters are a bi product of all of this.
Stagnant and uninspiring.

[RU66]

Here we go again.

Starting Baptiste on the bench was a perfectly logical and sound decision. He's fresh from a hamstring injury and clearly Hamshaw didn't want to rush him back. If he'd started and torn something there would have been uproar. Not only that but the back 3 have done well for us previously and we were playing at home against a team in the bottom 3.

So not favoritism at all, just clear thinking and sound rationale. It won't always work and when it doesn't idiots like you will come on here and slag the manager, all with the benefit of hindsight of course.

Pathetic.

Manager should know if players are fit to start a game Baptist obviously was. He was just keeping his boys happy. Martha shouldn't have started did nothing last night to say otherwise. Why did he have Raggett on the bench not Ayres?

We've got nothing up front. Nombe going to take him a while to get up to speed.

[Yak]

This post sounds like others are not worthy of an opinion unless they agree with yours. This coming from someone who agrees with ulley one bad game out of last 10 doesn't make us a bad team though that performance was bad

Yes indeed I agree with a lot of what Ulley said but other opinions mean they are Poundland supporters?

Who was it who said it?s becoming an echo chamber on here? Maybe he had a point and funnily enough he hasn?t posted since

[UlleyMiller]

Yes indeed I agree with a lot of what Ulley said but other opinions mean they are Poundland supporters?

Not what I said. Leaving their bought seats empty on a routine basis, shouting abuse at our players for the majority of the match, or persistently being critical whilst purposely ignoring all of the positives makes for (IMHO) a sh**e fan.

Appreciate we all have reasons for missing games, we all find ourselves shouting, groaning, etc, and we all get blinkered vision sometimes, but there are points where it's clearly excessive. We've got some brilliant fans who go anywhere, any weather, always behind the team... but we also have a lot of absolute numpties who will find something to moan about no matter what's happening, and when that turns into shouting abuse at the team, it's dismal.