Kolsch

Great game yesterday and he looked at home in that position. I think defensively he could have helped Zak and George out more on a couple of occasions but that will come the more we play that formation.

Another good performance from Tanner. I really like him at RB and I’m sure Zak enjoys him there too as they work well together.

Hopefully we keep that formation and he gets a run of games there as he’ll only get better.

He played well yesterday. It can’t be easy for the lad putting aside all the transfer talk, it must be on his mind all the time. Showing great maturity to put in another good performance with all that hanging over him.

Excellent again. Defensively sound (couldn’t do too much with the penalty really, nice footwork from Chong) and attacked with real intent. Made that position his own now.

Excellent performance. Makes such a difference playing 4 at the back, the defenders look far more at home playing as full backs or out and out centre halfs.

Pring MOTM for me, excellent. Tanner looks miles better as a RB. Both of them did superb against Chong and Bacuna.

Naismith looks great in the middle of the park. Him and James worked well together.

Sykes is a different player in that role. Finds pockets well and far more effective than at RWB.

Very satisfying performance. 

Definitely Mr Dependable. Works well with Zak and Andi down that side too.

Hopefully he’ll get a run of games and his confidence will continue to grow.

Another spirited performance today and one where we could have taken all three points again.

I definitely prefer the balance with this team. Andi brings so much to the team when further up and I thought him and Tanner linked well.

Zak and Rob superb at the back. Kal a bit wasteful with the ball but defended well. Great to see Semenyo looking more like his old self. 
 

It’ll be interesting to see what NP does at weekend. I’d keep the same team and give them a run of games.

Excellent again today, one of the first names on the team sheet now. Well done Zak!

1 minute ago, RUSSEL85 said:

Play like that at Coventry and we will come away with something, play like that rest of the season and a comfortable 14th place finish. I’m aware it’s not as simple as that, what we need is a string of consistent performances which has proven tricky but hopefully we can take encouragement from a batting performance last night.

Exactly. Sometimes we have to just grind out the points and last night we did that.

I’m still not convinced though. Let’s see what Sunday brings.

22 minutes ago, Lanterne Rouge said:

I did think second half that Tanner was able to get forward a lot more after they took that tricky winger off who was causing him a lot of problems.

He only got passed him once and then did the same to Zak second half so he’s clearly lightning quick. We defended well as a unit overall against him.

Aa for Rob, excellent performance and I hope he stays in the middle of the three. Very dominant and that block first half was outstanding.

1 hour ago, Cityboy1954 said:

If you wouldave watched the game the lad they subbed ripped him a new ass hole first half .

Once. Did the same to Zak second half once also.

Aside from that, they did well. Probably why Rowett subbed him in the second half.

Satisfactory point overall. They had a couple of good chances and we did too. 
 

Why it’s taken NP to play that team for so long I’ll never know. We looked far more balanced. On another night we could have easily won that.

Hopefully same team again on NYD.

2 hours ago, Rob k said:

Your talking rubbish if you think having 100 odd million over 3 years is irrelevant, this isn’t football manager, they have better players than us all over the pitch 

funny how you give no credit to NP for that result though isn’t it!!

Completely missing my point.

I couldn’t care less about their money. For the record, we have one of the highest wage budgets in the league though.

What I’m saying is in comparison to WBA we looked tactically inferior, under coached and to be Frank - completely clueless.

I’d bet my mortgage on us not doing anything in training on shape. WBA players all knew where to be, what positions to take. Our lot looked like they were winging it.

I lost count on the number of times our defenders had the ball and no midfielders were showing or they didn’t know who to play it too.

You only had to look at last season when we kept conceding last minute goals. Would a good manager allow that to happen or would they have the team working on game management in training to ensure the team see out games?

He has to go.

1 hour ago, Rob k said:

You can’t compare WBA (a parachute club) with us. 

Nonsense.

Compare that WBA team to the one we beat earlier in the season. The new manager has come in and got the players well drilled and fully aware of their jobs and roles. Tactically, they were on another planet.
 

Them being a parachute team is completely irrelevant. I’m comparing NP to their manager and other managers in this league who’ve completely schooled him this season.

A terrible game. Within the first 15 minutes I knew we wouldn’t get a result. West Brom were tactically streets ahead, clearly better coached and had multiple plans. 
 

Once again Pearson persists with King at CB. Baffling.

Midfield a disgrace once again. People talk about our defence but the midfield is the biggest issue. Terrible defensively and offered nothing going forward.

I lose count regularly the amount of times they offer no protection to the back three.

No character in the team and a clueless dugout. He’s got to go.

I think yesterday showed why we need a new manager. The contrast between the way West Brom were yesterday and us was light years difference.

They were well coached and everyone knew their roles.

Us on the other hand..

Pearson is very odd how he operates. Clearly has favourites and the way he spoke about Atkinson was disgraceful. He has been one of our best performers this season.

King gives his all but he is quite clearly not a CB. 

I’m happy. I think he has done well and with the Euros only being 18 months away the continuity will definitely help.

Poor game but a wins a win away from home.

I like Max as number one. Bentley is a good keeper but I feel safer with Max in between the sticks.

Makeshift defense did well. I like Tanner as a RCB. With good coaching and experience I feel he could be a very good player in that position. Both him and Naismith offer a better dynamic there, especially in games where Tanner is allowed to get forward. I felt King did OK at CB but clearly not his position. Surprised NP didn’t play Atkinson. A dominant CB alongside Naismith and Tanner (or Zak) would see us improve massively so the sooner Kalas is back the better.

Midfield worked hard but couldn’t keep the ball for decent spells. The shape and positioning just hasn’t looked right in the middle of the park all season. I can’t work out if it’s tactical or just bad positioning but I lose count every game on the amount of times there’s players with the ball and nobody is showing. Scott is special though, that was some cross for Pring.

Love Nakhi and Tommy up front. Tommy is fearless, especially when running at players.

Overall an impressive win when you consider the break, illness and injuries.

Hope Pring gets a chance tonight. Offers a different dynamic to Dasilva.

52 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I get why you might suggest that, but why spend all pre-season settling into a system that he feels suits the players he has and has recruited to, to then dispense with it after 2 matches.

That is what LJ did, flip flopped game to bane, mid-game, etc.

I hope Nige works on fine tuning the back-three based formation, because it isn’t far off clicking.  There’s been evidence in the first two games that it can.

I don’t think a back four, a back two, a back eight or whatever solves the issues we’ve seen….it’s down to players defending better as a team and as individuals. Ultimately I couldn’t give a toss about formations, it isn’t that that defines success.

FWIW, I’d have rather he’d stuck to a back four system last October, but he didn’t and he’s now happy with the system he’s deploying.  I’d rather he stuck with it, or where do new signings like Kane Wilson fit in?

I guess we will learn more later on this evening.  

.

Has to try 4 at the back.

O Leary

Tanner

Klose

Towler

Pring

Wilson

King

Massengo

Sykes

Conway

Wells

This 3 at the back just doesn’t work. Was we look a threat going forward but no shape defensively and our centre backs get isolated. Vyner was poor yes but it doesn’t help that he had two wing backs on his side that cannot defend. We have to revert to 4 at the back. I personally would go with the following:

O’Leary

Tanner

Klose

Atkinson

Dasilva

Wilson

Naismith

Scott

Sykes

Weimann

Martin

Neismith sat in front of the back 4. Wainman in the hole behind Martin.

Thought Huddersfield were just a far superior team. We have decent foundations next season especially with the front 3.

Good to see Tanner back, we’ve missed him second half of the season. Scott is far more effective further up the pitch too. 

We are crying out for defensive midfielder who is comfortable on the ball though. James would be good alongside a ball winner but we need someone to break up attacks. I don’t think we are too bad as a defensive unit but attacks just seem to get through our midfield far too easy which leaves the defense vulnerable.

Frustrating season but had some good moments, hopefully recruitment is good in the summer.