That was pathetic. First half tactics: give ball to camp, boot it upfield, don't challenge for it, let it come back.
2nd half was better when Smallwood came on. Always available as an outlet and suddenly we started playing football. You never know, if our best player, Newell, had played it might have been 5-3.
What the hell has happened to Mattock? He gets named in the starting 11 against Middlesbro and then gets replaced. No mention why.
We've got 2 weeks now to do something. I reckon the next plan of attack will be to play Broadfoot at Centre Forward, Andreu in goal and Ledesma at right back.
To be fair Oneaday Ledesma is probably as good at right back as either Buxton or Richardson who are the two Eedfearn has to choose from, and Broadfoot might be a better bet than Derbyshire who is going through the motions. Not sure about Camp either to be honest.
It's always easy to think that players who didn't play would have done better. Halford and Maguire up front anyone? White and Ledesma on the wings? I thought Smallwood was rank bad in the second half and his defending for the last goal was worse than Greens for the first two. Green made mistakes - Smallwood gave up and couldn't be bothered to run with Murphy. Newell is ok but no better. I thought against Burnley Mattock looked totally and strangely disinterested and clearly something has gone off with him. We just haven't got enough players who are good enough and it's that simple.
Smallwood poor? Everything went through Smallwood when he came on and was the catalyst for the improved second half.
You can't blame him for the last goal. He couldn't get close to him. Rawson turned his back on the shot instead of throwing his body in front of the ball.
-- Edited by oneaday on Saturday 7th of November 2015 10:43:21 PM
Sorry Oneaday but I just don't agree. Newell hasn't done nearly enough to be called a class act although like you I would have started him. I thought JCH was the sub who improved us just by being a nuisance and getting us on the front foot. Smallwood's distribution was poor. Even if you aren't with me on that surely you can't dispute that he plain knocked off for the last goal? He just let Murphy run and simply couldn't be bothered to run with him.
Don't agree one iota on Smallwood. Goals are on line to watch again. Smallwood was always behind him and couldn't get to him. Rawson should have thrown his body at the ball.
I have to say I think Newall , Smallwood and JCH are our best players by a margin.
I think most supporters would agree with you Ian.
The biggest worry for me were the players not starting on Saturday, does NR honestly think that we had better players out there than Newell, JCH, Smallwood, Mattock and Andrue?
I think the team selection against Ipswich was totally and utterly baffling and then to cap it off, NR commented after the game that we had no creativity and gave the ball away too often.....really??
