Mark_GT
Well-known member
What do you think? Looking back and despite the disappointment, I'm still glad I was there. It was a pretty incredible sight to see more than 4000 of us making the trip yesterday. A statement if anybody needed it, is that this club is right back in business and has all the potential to compete at a high level.
As for the game itself, we competed well for the first half but in my view lost our way in the second. To have no proper shot on target in 96 minutes of football isn't really good enough. Rhodes had little or no support, and in my view we have to give him a proper attacking partner to capitalise on our most effective player. Critchley again made the wrong changes or nmade them too late. His reaction to tactical switches by the opposition and his ability to take the initiaitve and take it to the opposition at the right moment "in game" is not where it should be. I like Dale, but seriously, what was he going to bring to right midfield that would be better than Dembele was giving? Bolton were already all over us in midfield at that point. I initially applauded the sub because I though he was going to swap Dale for a labouring Thompson, who had got himself stupidly booked for handball and was clearly building up to having another of his erratic moments. Grimmy looked to be on the left side of his goal when the shot came in.
Throughout, our passing wasn't quite good enough and we didn't ask them enough questions. On a positive note, Marv looked more himself, Norburn showed his bottle after what looked like a rib injury, Dembele only needs the right set up to be a massive asset and Joseph looks a quality addition.
Looking at the table, we are 12-15 points off the pace for automatic promotion and around 10 points from yet another roll in the play off lottery. I can't really see us making up the deficit for automatic now, especially if we have more games where we don't get a shot on target, but who knows? We will need a spectacular winter, including Christmas when we know we often struggle.
I don't like 5 3 2/5 4 1. Football is about attacking and defensive partnerships, ones and threes don't work as well. I think we have the squad. Critchley must be less stubborn, adjust his tactics and let our best players play.
Still glad I was there yesterday though.
As for the game itself, we competed well for the first half but in my view lost our way in the second. To have no proper shot on target in 96 minutes of football isn't really good enough. Rhodes had little or no support, and in my view we have to give him a proper attacking partner to capitalise on our most effective player. Critchley again made the wrong changes or nmade them too late. His reaction to tactical switches by the opposition and his ability to take the initiaitve and take it to the opposition at the right moment "in game" is not where it should be. I like Dale, but seriously, what was he going to bring to right midfield that would be better than Dembele was giving? Bolton were already all over us in midfield at that point. I initially applauded the sub because I though he was going to swap Dale for a labouring Thompson, who had got himself stupidly booked for handball and was clearly building up to having another of his erratic moments. Grimmy looked to be on the left side of his goal when the shot came in.
Throughout, our passing wasn't quite good enough and we didn't ask them enough questions. On a positive note, Marv looked more himself, Norburn showed his bottle after what looked like a rib injury, Dembele only needs the right set up to be a massive asset and Joseph looks a quality addition.
Looking at the table, we are 12-15 points off the pace for automatic promotion and around 10 points from yet another roll in the play off lottery. I can't really see us making up the deficit for automatic now, especially if we have more games where we don't get a shot on target, but who knows? We will need a spectacular winter, including Christmas when we know we often struggle.
I don't like 5 3 2/5 4 1. Football is about attacking and defensive partnerships, ones and threes don't work as well. I think we have the squad. Critchley must be less stubborn, adjust his tactics and let our best players play.
Still glad I was there yesterday though.
