The Swan and Cemetery

Pretty much agree, would probably give Wells a 7, thought he made a great impact.

Good from Bentley, Klose, Cundy, Atkinson, Dasilva and Wells. Midfield and up front not really firing and Han confirming why he’s been dropped. Thought Weimann generally too far up the pitch and that caused problems down our right, but by being too far up the pitch, he won us the game, so will happily take his gung-ho-ness. Great to a get a clean sheet.

King is viewed by many as a failed signing and in lots of ways that’s fair, but personally think more due to injuries than performance when on the pitch (other than a daft sending off). He played 2/3rds of the season in a team that won the Premier League and whilst legs going (see injuries), when he has played, the calmness and positional sense have helped, a lot. Haven’t done the maths, but would guess lower goals conceded per game when he’s played than when he hasn’t. We need a combo of Williams and James to work out how to do this consistently.

Bit harsh on James given he’s never played below Championship level and has played Premier League, vs Rowe who’s played less than 40% of his career at Championship level?

Enjoyed that, not the right result, but watching all those youngsters more than hold their own was great. Individual/collective errors, but despite goals conceded, think we’re slowly but surely looking stronger defensively. Obviously more to do, but far less batten down the hatches and defend our own 6 yard box. But do need to get closer to players, both goals we were miles away and don’t think we needed to be, particularly the first. Went a bit awry late first half with their press, but good to see DB getting more comfortable with distributing short. Battered them for much of the game, a couple of late nicks for corners from them, a couple of decent pieces of keeping etc, could have been very different. Whilst we haven’t won two in a row, we have managed two decent performances in a row, that’s good. They were dirty, a couple times stepping on our players (Scott and Semenyo) as they got up from tackles. Not hard, just sneaky. Ref didn’t get any big decisions wrong, no pens in there, but didn’t give us much either.

Similar: Hirst, Mardon and Tins, plus Super Bob at Rotherham (1-0 down at half time, Del Amitri “kiss this thing goodbye” at half time, won 2-1) John Bailey at Crewe

Given NP’s comments about Pring, wouldn’t be surprised if he comes back in for Bell and then Bell maybe has 20 in him, ie the reverse of yesterday. Williams is more problematic, if he starts will he last, not sure he’s got it in him not to do a lot of running, feels instinctive for him. Given we’re unlikely to get to 6-0, taking him off won’t feel super comfortable, but I’d rather lose than set back his recovery. Part of me thinks that Martin would be the best person to do 30 mins in the centre of defence, but realise that’s a gamble that Nige is unlikely to take even if we are 6-0 up. On paper Zak should be the better option for the role Joe played yesterday, but if he’s struggling with confidence, Cundy or, given Coventry aren’t all about big strikers kicking people, maybe Idehen gets a go and Klose moves to the middle when Joe goes off/before he comes on?

And much easier to explain to an under contract player than if a PL team comes in.

Along with our struggles to stop crosses from open play, think we’re a bit too comfortable giving away corners. We’re defending them pretty well, Martin being key to this, but giving away 13 is always likely to result in at least some chances. Body language when we give away a corner rarely seems frustrated, more happy that the situation we were dealing with has been nullified. Clearly sometimes that’s true, but quite a few are sloppy. One of the reasons we gave away a lot yesterday, was we did better at stopping crosses, but don’t think giving away corners is the solution. If we get to 4-3-3 we need the wide midfield and forward players to put on more pressure out wide, further up the pitch, as opponents tend to have acres of space down our flanks. Right now I’d accept a bit more coming through the middle, as both DB and MOL better at shot stopping and one on ones than they are at dealing with crosses, but accept there’s some whack-a-mole risks.

Think Gow had a slower start (although didn’t witness it myself as just before my time) also debuting at 17, so that probably isn’t as extraordinary as it sounds. Would be fantastic if Scott reached Sir Gerry’s heights, albeit a different type of player. As a minimum Alex needs to get himself inserted into a Half Man Half Biscuit song, before he can start to be compared properly with Sir G.

Think one of NP’s main differences with DB was that he wasn’t playing very well. He did play well yesterday, albeit nothing astonishing, but still right that he was dropped in my view. If nothing else it confirms to Dan that he’s droppable if out of form. Whilst Max seemed to be losing confidence during his run in the side and doesn’t move feet quickly enough when shot stopping, not sure too many goals conceded were solely down to him. Still think Dan needs to improve distribution and sweeper-keeping. We need either Max to improve his weaknesses, Harvey to be the real deal or look to bring someone in, as need a strong alternative to DB for when out of form.

Agree, whipped in and headed from 4 yards centre of goal really needs either the keeper to deal with or the man markers to do better, 8 yards out or more loopy, then it’s easier for the zonal defenders like Cundy to be dominant. In reality, probably more a good corner, run and header than any horrific defending.

Hansen’s long been derided for his “you can’t win anything with kids” comment re Man U in 1995, but he was broadly right, Man U won the title that year because Fergie’s Fledglings also had Schmeichel, Irwin, Bruce, Pallister, Cantona and Cole alongside them. With Bell doing well today, Benarous on the bench and positive vibes from the Academy about a few others, it seems increasingly likely that Pearson’s pre-pubescents are ready and raring, the challenge will getting the right oven ready Championship experience around them. Down the spine that looks okay with Bentley, Kalas, Klose, Williams, James, Weimann and Martin, the challenge looks to be having a bit more (good quality) experience in wide areas. Not sure we’re more than a couple away from a pretty decent side, so hope that Gould and Pearce (or whomever) are on top form over coming months in shipping some wages and bringing in a decent new face or two - hopefully Kelly or Webster sales can give us some leeway, rather than needing to sell any of the youngsters.

I love the way that when we lose it’s all Pearson’s fault and when we win he just gets lucky.

Hopefully he’ll sign a new deal with a release clause that works for both parties. Not sure he’ll have done enough this season to convince the bigger clubs and maybe (maybe not), he’ll feel a full season smashing it in the Championship will be best for him. A great 2022/23 and think we’d get some proper bids summer 2023 even if only a year left. Think with real talent it’s going to be less about a bargain basement price via out of contract and more about beating your rivals to a top prospect. And if he leads us on a promotion charge, he might stay and help us push on to European glory…

Before Barnsley at home not sure many would predicted we’d currently be 2nd (last 4 games) and 4th (last 8 ) in the home form league table, but 19th and 22nd respectively for away form. Inconsistencies with current squad and a transition season showing up in whack-a-mole home/away form and attacking/defending balance. Feel like we’re now in a position where we’re safe enough for NP to focus on playing those he believes have got long term futures, so someone like Sam Bell might get more game time. Really like that both him and Alex have taken on the challenge of being played out of position and done well, suspect NP will like what that says about both skill/potential and attitude.

Still too easy to create against us, not much tight marking, but not hanging on second half and look really strong going forward. Not many below par, thought Semenyo, Martin, Scott and Williams all very good and no stand out poor performances. Bell looks like he can make it at this level with the right application and luck. Dan much better today than he was before being dropped, looked back towards his best. They were a top 6 team, in decent form, so was never going to be easy.

Great run by Martin before the goal, carrying his concrete boots with aplomb.

Surely the laws are the laws? Not convinced of any higher level of moral bankruptcy from our players vs other teams, but even if there was, the role of officials is to apply the laws, which means giving penalties when laws indicate there should be one and punishing players who cheat/show dissent? Dangerous approach if refs are considering the reputation of our players when making their decisions, surely the job is to observe what’s in front of them? Accept its far fetched that there’s an actual conspiracy, but yet to see decisions even out for us this season. Also accept that, however frustrating, it maybe a statistical anomaly, easy enough to come up tails ten times in a row.

Agree, fine to acknowledge that one player is more in credit than another, but no reason to go full halo/horns bias and make everything that goes wrong Zak’s fault, whoever’s making the mistakes. Every match that goes by highlights how much we miss James, what he does well is not (yet) the core strength of AS or HNM (and no reason it should be given where they are in their career, but also no point pretending they are there yet).

Very much agree with this (and King to some extent), wise old heads whom whilst legs not what they were, when fit, bring a lot of tactical nous to the team. Very fair. Think the coach can and should make a difference (as should the players, neither full blame or credit to either), but needs to be some acknowledgement of the tools at his disposal. We’re broadly where I’d expect us to be with the squad we’ve got, with an attack over performing (well done NP/CF) and a defence under performing (must do better NP/CF) vs expectations. Therefore overall I’m fine for NP/CF to continue for now (that’s my preference vs other options), but that’s not the same as thinking they’re the eighth wonder, they should continue forever, whatever, or any other accusations of happy clappy-ness that non-sack-him-now folk sometimes get!

Think defensively we look like a team that needs the accountability of man to man rather than zonal in open play. 3 at the back encourages a worst of all worlds hybrid (or at least seems to). Whilst 2 CB’s has risks, it does, obviously, free up another body to be somewhere else. Our LCB and RCB are often unwilling to drift wide to assist the LWB/RWB, despite everything indicating that we’d probably be better preventing crosses than dealing with them. Therefore sensible to shift that challenge (or at least try to), by moving to 3 CM rather than 2, giving freedom for the LCM and RCM to move across to help out the FBs. Reduces width when we’ve got the ball, but not sure we’ve scored many from WBs whipping in crosses, think a front 6 should be able to move defences around and we’ve shown enough to indicate we’re vastly better at playing through the middle than a year ago. 4-3-3 for me (plus a GK who is aware ‘patrol the edge of the box’ relates to 18 yards rather than 6).

Agree, think Zak thought he’d passed him on to Jay and was then unable to react quickly enough. Personally thought their first was much more Jay’s fault, as rooted to the spot despite the player being in his vision and Zak at least indicating it was his (Jay’s) man. For their third Zak made a pretty weak challenge, but wasn’t alone in being poor on that one either. Overall don’t think Zak is what we’d be after with lots of cash and upward ambition, but does tend to be default for blame, despite often a fair number of others not covering themselves in glory. Think there’s a player in there, but not at CB and probably not with us now, as think he’ll struggle to win over fans.

Fair that the signings were not guaranteed successes, but with the budget available it was always going to be tricky to bring in proven Championship players at the peak of their career. Weimann and James pretty solid bets, Tanner and Atkinson relatively cheap punts on younger talent, King, Simpson and Baker bigger gambles given career stage/injury records, but not ludicrous, just haven’t turned out well. Klose a short term option. Injuries hurting us again, not as bad as last season, but we lack the protection of a bigger squad. Still tempted to conjure a conspiracy theory about Desso pitches given (think) the same pitch at HPC.

and telling someone to read their post again is a pretty nifty definition of patronising.