Match ratings vs Bradford

[durhampie]

I thought Slocombe should have done better with both goals, but otherwise his kicking is dreadful.

Slocombe - 6
Brindley - 7
Baldwin - 7
Cameron - 5
Randall - 3
Nemane - 6
O’Brien - 8
Bostock - 8
Crowley - 8
Didzy - 8
Macca - 8

Morias - 3
Gosling - 3
Tobi - 5
Austin - 5.5
Rawlo - 7.5

In January we need replacements for Morias, Randall and also a new keeper and Central defender. As for Gosling, if its going to take him that long to get up to speed (bearing in mind we only have him until Jan) then i wouldn't bother with him...

[BigFatPie]

I thought Slocombe should have done better with both goals, but otherwise his kicking is dreadful.

Slocombe - 6
Brindley - 7
Baldwin - 7
Cameron - 5
Randall - 3
Nemane - 6
O’Brien - 8
Bostock - 8
Crowley - 8
Didzy - 8
Macca - 8

Morias - 3
Gosling - 3
Tobi - 5
Austin - 5.5
Rawlo - 7.5

In January we need replacements for Morias, Randall and also a new keeper and Central defender. As for Gosling, if its going to take him that long to get up to speed (bearing in mind we only have him until Jan) then i wouldn't bother with him...

We must be looking at getting a new keeper in January if we want to go up. Slocombe has been a great servant for the club but he just isn’t good enough for the level we’re at. Williams clearly doesn’t rate Stone, so maybe he’ll be going out on loan.

Too early to judge Randall, as with Gosling who I suspect is having to be put in earlier than LW would have wanted. I would probably agree about Morias after that effort on goal yesterday where he looked every inch a National League player.

[jackal2]

In January we need replacements for Morias, Randall and also a new keeper and Central defender. As for Gosling, if its going to take him that long to get up to speed (bearing in mind we only have him until Jan) then i wouldn't bother with him...

Junior Morias has been very unlucky with injury and obviously he's behind the likes of Langstaff and McGoldrick in the pecking order waiting for a game, however I saw enough from him alongside Langstaff in the 3-0 win over Newport to believe he can do a good, hard-working job supporting Macauley if Didzy and Cedwyn Scott aren't available, so in my opinion he's good enough, relative to the place he occupies in our striking depth chart. The only way it would make sense to sign another striker is if it was someone even better than Langstaff or Didzy, otherwise you're just trading substitutes. Maybe a loan signing to cover for Scott's absence is an option, but I think there are more urgent issues to address, as below.

The goalkeeping situation is a concern. Slocombe is holding the fort for us reasonably well, but there's no hiding from the fact that he wasn't supposed to be. We've had to fall back on Sam because Aidan Stone has been so unconvincing. I can't see us signing another goalkeeper in January unless it's a loan or unless one of the current keepers moved on, because we'd end up with four on our books, but opportunity might yet be knocking for Tiernan Brooks to build on the first-team experience he's had in Ireland.

Randall so far has been pretty anonymous, but he's another who has been unlucky with injury. I'm not ready to write him off yet, because in truth I've not seen enough of him, but it's fair to say he'll have to show a lot more than we've seen to date. He was well regarded at Sutton, and our recruitment team have a good track record for picking outfield players, so I'm willing to trust that with more minutes we'll start to see the 'real' Will Randall emerge. If he doesn't, we might need another wing-back option next season, but we've got a fair number of options in those positions overall for now.

I'd agree we still do need a really dominant centre-half, in personality as well as physique, who can really lead the back line and set the standard for his team-mates. A lot of our problems in the second half yesterday came from sloppiness in the defence, and the stats show that our weakness is conceding goals too often, so some strengthening is definitely needed. If we concede fewer goals in the second half of the season, it could be the factor that wins promotion.

We also need more physicality/height in midfield, whether that comes from Gosling getting up to speed or someone else arriving, because some of our defensive issues also relate to that weakness in the midfield if we're missing the likes of Bostock.

[for*sttown63]

Sure it has been mentioned but I just wanted to give JOB a special mention. He makes errors but his bravery to play on the half turn and look for the incisive forward pass/run has really helped soften the blow of losing Matty Palmer.

He still seems to have that burst of speed and energy required for midfield. More importantly he has that fire….look at him celebrating those goals yesterday. We need that will to win.

He was fantastic! Although he did tire after about 70 minutes he showed enough desire and craft to prove to a few of the doubters on here that he still has the drive that we need,just look at the sublime touches for the last 3 goals….and some were calling for him to hang his boots up!!

[SmiffyPie]

JOB certainly put a good shift in.

[jackal2]

He was fantastic! Although he did tire after about 70 minutes he showed enough desire and craft to prove to a few of the doubters on here that he still has the drive that we need,just look at the sublime touches for the last 3 goals….and some were calling for him to hang his boots up!!

Jim O'Brien is doing a very good impression of Matt Palmer and really benefitted from having John Bostock back alongside him. Jim's just an outstanding professional who never hides or shirks responsibility. If something goes wrong he just goes straight back in and tries to make the next action right. Always looking for the positive pass. Fantastic example to the younger players.

[Elite_Pie]

Slocombe - 6.5
Brindley - 6
Baldwin - 6
Cameron - 6
Randall - 5
Nemane - 6.5
O’Brien - 7
Bostock - 7
Crowley - 8
Didzy - 8*
Macca - 8

Morias - 5.5
Gosling - 4
Tobi - 6
Austin - 5
Rawlo - 6.5

Unsurprisingly, attackers score higher than defenders. Even though none of the back 3 were awful, the marking when Bradford attacked our penalty area was very questionable. Too many weak challenges, and I remember one occasion when Nemane was left marking Cook on the far post! We have to work with what we've got until January, but it's pretty obvious where we need to be looking.

[magpie_mania]

Slocombe - 6.5
Brindley - 6
Baldwin - 6
Cameron - 6
Randall - 5
Nemane - 6.5
O’Brien - 7
Bostock - 7
Crowley - 8
Didzy - 8*
Macca - 8

Morias - 5.5
Gosling - 4
Tobi - 6
Austin - 5
Rawlo - 6.5

Unsurprisingly, attackers score higher than defenders. Even though none of the back 3 were awful, the marking when Bradford attacked our penalty area was very questionable. Too many weak challenges, and I remember one occasion when Nemane was left marking Cook on the far post! We have to work with what we've got until January, but it's pretty obvious where we need to be looking.

Pretty much agree with these.

Difficult choice for MOM. Bostock worth a bit more I think as he brings not only calmness on the ball but lifts the others when he is on the pitch.

Would love to see Morias get a goal when he comes on as I think that would really help him.

Jonathan and his daughter for the team-talk it's a 10.

[SmiffyPie]

Influence on a game by position is subjective isn't it? Don't score and we don't win but more importantly for me (a defensive player in all the team sports I have played) don't concede and we don't lose.

[optipez]

He doesn't have long to put himself in the shop window for a higher league. I didn't quite get the same sense of commitment to the cause in his first interview as I got from McGoldrick and Bostock and wonder if his head is really in the right place. If he didn't already then hope he now realises League 2 is not going to be a walk in the park and opposition players have a hunger to pinch the ball or get to it first.

I thought his interview was realistic and in all fairness to him he's accepted where he's at and is now applying himself at L2.
I think what he's maybe not come to terms with is that if you're a midfielder and you can't cover the ground you won't make it at NL level never mind a division above.