Oh dear! After the euphoria of having won the last two games, it was a case of coming down to earth with, if not a resounding bump, certainly a gentle knock and a reminder that two wins don't make a season perhaps?
Overall the afternoon can be summed up for me as awful weather, awful atmosphere and an awful game. Wolves were one of the poorer sides to visit NYS this season and were there for the taking. Unfortunately, we chose this game to give a lethargic, flat performance. Perhaps it was the adverse weather but tactically we appeared to have it all wrong especially reverting to the big hoof ball, quite inappropriate for the conditions.
JCH illustrated just why we are unlikely to be having to bat away incoming bids for him in the January transfer window. After his five star show last week, it was a definite no show this week. He came up against a bigger, stronger, more experienced centre back and looked lost for much of the game. Alongside him, Danny Ward was injured early on and replaced by an equally ineffective Derbyshire and we never look likely to score a second goal which would almost certainly have given us a point.
As has often been the case, we lacked that cutting edge again, but my main worry is at the back. Toffolo was weak and struggled throughout at left back and Collins, once again lacked pace and positional sense. Both Wolves goals should have been prevented but we looked so shaky with Buxton not really offering much either. That left Broadfoot and Camp to give a five star display and prevent a bigger defeat.
In midfield Grant Ward was nowhere near as effective as in the previous two games and Frecklington failed to give us that drive, he'd shown last week.
A disappointing day then for the Millers but with results once more going for us, all is still not lost, not by any means.
We really need to sort out the defence though and quickly in that transfer window if we are to gather enough points to avoid relegation. That left back position is a major concern with Mattock good enough but oh so injury prone. Collins is way past his sell by date and Rawson is now injured and might return to Derby in January anyway.
Im sure that Neil Redfearn is aware of our shortcoming and I expect lots of transfer activity in a few weeks time. For now, we must try and pick up points when the opportunity arises. Saturday was one such opportunity missed. Sterner test lie ahead with a resurgent Blackburn and and a true six pointer at Huddersfield to negotiate.
My player Ratings are as follows:-
Camp 8 A magnificent double save to keep us in the game otherwise no chance with either goal and nothing much else to do.
Buxton 6 An okay performance although mostly anonymous. His passing is poor and he doesn't offer much when we are going forward.
Broadfoot 8 My Millers MoM what he lacks in pace, he more than makes up for with his positional play.
Collins 4 Another poor display from a player way past his best. No pace, no positional sense, struggled throughout in my opinion.
Toffolo 5 A poor ninety minutes from a young player struggling with the rigours of the Championship. So easily shrugged off the ball and only he knows what he was doing for their first goal.
Smallwood 6 Seemed uncomfortable in the windy conditions, rarely offered much going forward but broke up their attacks on occasion.
Frecklington 6 Named our MoM? Amazing in my opinion. Had an off day but still one of our better midfield performers.
Grant Ward 6 Tried too hard at times, no doubt eager to continue where he left off last week. Struggled in the conditions and missed one of our very few goal opportunities in the second half.
Newell 6 Ineffective for the most part and was replaced early in the second half through injury. Not his day.
Derbyshire 5 Better at tracking back than going forward. Ineffective anywhere near their goal and offered very little.
JCH 5 Not one of his best days, up against a defender bigger and stronger than him, failed to live up to those rave reviews of previous weeks. Appeared to lose interest as the game wore on.
Hyam 6 Best of the three substitutions we made and offered a bit more drive pushing forward. Must be very close to a start against Blackburn.
Barker 4 Fourteen minutes isn't long to impress but he looked completely out of his depth. Not sure if he's ready for this step up, time will tell. Or will it? We need players to be able to have that impact now.
Saw game different. Camp cost us the game not coming out for corner for there 2nd goal.
Frecklington was our 2nd best player on the pitch after Broadfoot.
Hyam looked good, got to start now.
Collins is a total liability, either bring Thorpe in or get Richard Wood back.
Both full backs were poor. Toffolo needs coaching on defensive side of his game, got to learn fast.
Forgot about Andrue, got to be better than D Ward or Derbyshire. Best is back for Huddersfield game.
That double save from Camp was one of our highlights. I thought that Frecklington looked a bit tired and didn't shoe us that spark of the last two games. Toffolo is so easily shrugged off the ball and defensively all over the place, so we do agree with much of what I say. Agree with you totally about Andreu, Derbyshire is so ineffective up front and Danny Ward is invariably injured in most games, as per Derby, Middlesbrough and Saturday.
Defence is a real worry what with Mattock being constantly out through injury. Not sure I agree about Richard Wood, but our need for pace should offer an opportunity to Thorpe.
First of all I thought everyone tried their best and we were unlucky to lose. As long as they try hard I can live with it when things don't go our way. I did however think the game highlighted areas we need to improve. Lee Camp - I agree with T71. He is a good shot stopper but is often rooted to his line. Their keeper wouldn't have had to pull off the double save because he would have dealt with the corner first. If someone has a free header in front of goal three yards out you have to wonder where the keeper was. Likewise the second goal - their keeper would have come and dealt with the cross. In fact second half he did twice and caught the ball further out than where their scorer headed in from. Lewis Buxton is a solid pro but he is short of pace and offers little going forward. Second half he made a great overlapping run (to his credit) but the winger tracking back caught five yards on him over twenty to snuff out the danger. Whenever Danny Collins plays we look vulnerable. Toffolo has promise but is learning his trade and as a defender that can be costly. We lack someone who can get a grip of the midfield. We see other teams come with players like McDonald, Barton etc who demand the ball and keep it moving. we don't have that player, although Hyam looked good in his short appearance. Players like Barton and McDonald tend not to come cheap. Derbyshire is a nearly man. He nearly gets on the end of things, and nearly scores when he should score. We are light up front but then that might be something Best will sort out. Watching JCH was like watching a promising kid in the under 16's. He has loads of ability but his head went down so quickly. Their centre backs old manned him and played the ref, and JCH didn't know how to cope with it. He had tap ins if he had followed up first half when Derbyshire chased a lost cause and squared it across the face of goal and also second half when he didn't attack Grant Ward's cross from the right. Like Toffolo (and Grant Ward) he has ability but is learning his trade in a tough league. I do still think though that there were lots of positives. Overall we fought hard and despite our failings we deserved at least a point. Broadfoot (and I am not his number one fan) was immense and we battled hard in midfield. There were enough good things to build on.
As I said all is not lost but yet another defeat at home puts immense pressure on us away from home. Two home wins now and it's mid December. We have some tough fixtures coming up, but in this league they all are. We need to pick up points against teams like Wolves though if we are to stay up. Looking at the table I'm having difficulty picking out three teams that will finish below us.
For me, Toffolo isn't quite up to Championship standards, particularly as a defender and he's something of a luxury as a loan that we can ill afford. Agree, as I'm sure every other Millers fan does, that Collins is a liability. In the January window, I think NR should look to bring in at least an experienced left back. A centre back, particularly if Rawson doesn't extend his loan as is rumoured and a permanent box to box midfield player.
NR clearly doesn't rate Andreu, not sure why though, he IS better than Derbyshire and D Ward in my humble opinion. Therefore I think an additional striker would be an asset.
All this will cost a great deal so likelihood is we won't be able to manage much if any of this! We may have to battle on pretty much with what we have.
As I said all is not lost but yet another defeat at home puts immense pressure on us away from home. Two home wins now and it's mid December. We have some tough fixtures coming up, but in this league they all are. We need to pick up points against teams like Wolves though if we are to stay up. Looking at the table I'm having difficulty picking out three teams that will finish below us.
For me, Toffolo isn't quite up to Championship standards, particularly as a defender and he's something of a luxury as a loan that we can ill afford. Agree, as I'm sure every other Millers fan does, that Collins is a liability. In the January window, I think NR should look to bring in at least an experienced left back. A centre back, particularly if Rawson doesn't extend his loan as is rumoured and a permanent box to box midfield player.
NR clearly doesn't rate Andreu, not sure why though, he IS better than Derbyshire and D Ward in my humble opinion. Therefore I think an additional striker would be an asset.
All this will cost a great deal so likelihood is we won't be able to manage much if any of this! We may have to battle on pretty much with what we have.
My thoughts, my opinions and we all have those!
Very fair thoughts and opinions Axholme. I think Mattock would be the answer at left back but can we trust him to stay fit? I see that Danny Lafferty is on loan from Burnley at Oldham which surprises me. No offence to Toffolo who may turn out to be a very good player, but in our current predicament Lafferty would be a better bet and I wonder what he would be available for as a permanent signing in January? I thought he was very solid while with us last season.
I agree with you about Andreu. If we are going to play with one up top and players supporting from wide and from midfield, Andreu is a fair bet. He isn't a striker nor is he a battling midfielder, but he is good at getting on the ball in those holes in front of their back four. Unless he is out of favour for some reason we don't know about I would have had him involved.
It looks like Bolton might be a basket case (sadly for them) and I think we will finish above FC Franchise. Charlton might be the other most likely candidate. Anything at Blackburn will be a bonus. The Huddersfield and Bolton games are the big ones coming up. I think we can do it.
-- Edited by smiler on Monday 7th of December 2015 01:58:29 PM
Ward has done nothing to prove he is better but a great deal to suggest he is poorer.
Granted left side needs juggling but D. Ward has given absolutely nothing all season and only showed up for a few games last. We cant mess about with these nearly men. He has had years to get it right. not good enough for us. A waste of a wage.
