Not much from that game to warm up the millers fans on a cold afternoon
I thought we started ok with us moving the ball about well. However, Bristol found our weakness early, mainly Peltier who is just not this class and Woods exposure to pace. This resulted in two similar goals against and us going in at half time 2-1 down when possibly we shaded the half.
The second half saw us at our worst imo. Very little positives to take out of it. Peltier continued to look out of his depth and his failure to clear a routine ball resulted in a corner where McCart lost his man and that was game over. We introduced Washington. Now i am trying very hard to warm to this player. I am sorry but just running around in this league is just not good enough. His influence on games is non existant imo. High came on and looks like a second year playing against the big lads who are three years up in the school. Kelly, although a rough diamond does look like he has something different to offer and deserves a run of games in the team with Ogbene at the side of him.
I have said before it will be a monumental task to keep us up with what we have. Cuffey and Bramhall are learning on the job. Both look suspect defensively imo. Yesterday Bramhall played so deep that he hardly did anything offensively. We have to use his pace to get in behind defences which is his strength. The midfield of Lindsay, Rathbone, Wiles and Barlaser can compete at this level. I still think Lindsay and Rathbone are ratters and will not unpick defences but they can do a job for the team. Yesterday in the first half our shooting was abysmal. This area has to improve because we create so little chances in open play.
We need some players out and some in. My suggestion would be to send High back, terminate Peltiers contarct and try and get Odoffin and Ferguson out on loan to free up funds. Then hopefully get a centre back a left sided wing back and the needle in a haystack a striker. The latter needs investment. If we don't do it we will be watching division one football next season i'm afraid imo.
Fair comment Whiston, we can't play Wood and Peltier together in defence, they are easily beaten with pace and that showed up yesterday. I think Taylor is aware of that, so I wonder if his options were limited, I understand that there's sickness going round in camp.
That might also explain the lack lustre second half, we seemed more jaded than I would have expected after a four week layoff.
Not sure we will see too many moves inwards in January, unless we let Dan depart, and my preference would be to keep him until the end of the season, because without him we are definitely heading down a league.
Terminating Peltier's contract seems OTT. It was only before the break he was superb away at Sheffield United and also Luton.
I think Richard Wood is now really feeling the pace of the division and you cant play them both together although our hands seemed to be tied at the weekend with illness.
You may be correct Northstand and i might be going OTT but i will just point this out to try and back why i said we should terminate.
Peltier left Cardiff in 2020 after a good career there. He moved to West Brom who only played him four times before moving him on to Middlesbrough where he played twenty one times only. He is now 36 yrs old and lacks pace and is not good in the air. At the side of Wood who also lacks pace the defence is an accident waiting to happen. Four times this season The Millers have let in three goals or more ( Bristol C, Hull, Blackburn and Sunderland) Guess who started in all of them. Yep Lee Peltier.
I also think Warne signed Peltier with a view to helping out with defensive coaching and a strong voice in the dressing room. I think he expected him to play when the other five central defenders were either ill, injured, unfit or needed a rest. Perhaps he should stay on and do the role what i believe Warne signed him to do but only rarely imo should he be starting in either a back three or four.
