Not much more to say is there smiler. Glad to see Kelly bag another goal. Disappointing result and surprisingly the defense having been pretty solid and confident most of the season were not on form. Sunderland lost 4-2 today too; guess it happens to us all. The most disappointing was seeing so many 'fans' leaving early.
Agree about the fans. I'm sure the players notice. Just when they probably need a show of support, everyone disappears. The fans will say they pay their money and have the right to leave early if they so choose. That is true, but that doesnt stop it being crap. I thought Barlaser was outstanding today. His goal was excellent as was his pass for the second. More than that though he never hid. Even at 4-1 down he was looking to get on the ball and at least try to make things happen. They say you find out most about people/players in adversity and today Barlasers character was on show as well as his quality.
Outplayed and out classed by a side below us in the table. I think that shows how hard it will be for us to stay up in this division. Hull have spent a lot of money and the new caretaker boss seems to have got them playing (won 3-1 at Blackpool midweek).
I think there has been worrying signs for quite a while. A very old back three that has performed well but carried a lot of luck. A goalkeeper performing heroics and opposition who left their shooting boots in the garage. Barlaser did play well yesterday but did get caught in possession a few times. I think the reason for that is the quality around and in front of him. Not enough quality, movement or confidence to find the space to receive it and also lack of control from most in tight areas.
We look very slow down our left side with Peltier and Ferguson. I think both have gone for the standard required in this division. They will not lack for effort but quick forward players will rip them apart if they are teamed up regularly. Rathbone puts in a shift and cannot be faulted for his effort,but his game is more suited to division one where he rats about. In this division you need a bit more to influence a game.Wiles is also finding championship football difficult but he has much more to his game than Rathbone. Apparently Wiles has had a groin niggle for a while. I will not say too much about the forwards but will repeat again that in away games in particular i would play most of the game with just one up top, either Kelly or Eaves.
A very tough period coming up where we will be on the back foot for most of the five/six games. We will have to battle hard to get anything from them and if we can be out of the bottom three come the world cup it will have been some achievement imo.
There's some refreshing honesty on social media about yesterday. We were thumped by a far better side. If I had to pick one element of our game which really frustrated me, it was our lack of width. With Ferguson on the left, there is no out for Victor to play to. Instead, we compress all outfield players into as small an area as possible and lump the ball up for a 50/50 chance of getting possession - never worked.
I would much rather start with Bramhall who has the pace to get down the flanks. Cuffy on the right plays that role but he was off his game yesterday. We have the talent to play out from the back (not as precariously as Hull did though) and we should use it as an option more often to mix up our play.
Up front, I still think our best option is to start with Kelly and bring Eaves on late when defenders are fatigued. Who to play at the side of Kelly is an issue that I don't really have an answer for! Perhaps a sneaky bid for Haarland in January?!
I dont think Dan Barlaser had his best game yesterday but I am giving him credit for always wanting the ball and keeping going when other - in some cases more experienced- heads went down. Up front we have limited options. The better sides we come up against have forwards who are reasonably quick, strong and mobile as well as clever footballers. We have a statuesque option in Eaves, a grafter in Washington, and a raw goal poacher in Kelly. Not a criticism of those players but you usually get what you pay for and we lack that bit of quality up top that others have. We miss Ogbene who gives us the x factor. I'm afraid with Eaves in the side so far we have looked predictable and ineffective. I can see Kelly on his own being the choice for Tuesday and we need Cheo back asap. All that being said we are in a relatively good place. We need to scrap for what we can get before the international break then regroup and let the new manager do his thing in the time available.
We were slow all over the pitch and Hull deserved to win.
Hopefully we can get to January in a respectable position so that we can strengthen up top for someone who is mobile and can work the opposition back line.
NSM I think you are dead right. I like Ferguson on the ball but I think a fit Bramall has to play, and a fit Norton Cuffy has to play on the right. When we were playing good football early in the season it was because we carried a threat with pace through the side. I think we were almost forced to play Washington and Cheo up front through lack of options but it worked for us. I dont want us to revert to big lad up front predictability and having 30% of the ball in matches. There is no future for us in that. With Fergie at left wing back, Wes at right wing back for some of the game, Wood and Peltier together in the back three, the somewhat lumbering (sorry but its true) Eaves up front and Cheo out injured we were hopelessly short of pace through the side. Unfortunately Hull had the strength at the back to handle Eaves without any great problem and they had the pace and mobility in their forwards to exploit our limitations.
Ps that isnt to criticise Eaves over harshly. He can't turn into Phil Foden at will. He is what he was when we signed him - a big target man. Maybe with pace around him and crosses coming in from good areas he would be more effective, but in that lineup against that side on Saturday it didnt work for him.
