Thoughts v Brum

kirsikka

kirsikka

UTC Legend
After the diabolical display at the weekend and with plenty of fresh blood from whom to pick, the pressure was on Parker to get the mix right. Happy to report he nailed it.

There have been numerous matches recently when we've hammered a team in one half only to see the picture change dramatically with the opposition switching their tactics up. I don't think that happened this time. Until the big incident the second half was just scrappy with nothing happening for anyone.

Defensively we looked much more solid with the ball on the ground but even in the first half didn't look solid against crosses. Brum responded to this at half time by changing their shape and shortly after the break bringing on a target man. Good to see we held out.

We seem intent on self destructing in games in which we are comfortable this season. More than one individual in red and black has turned the tide for the opposition with something utterly mindless. Lerma at fault tonight. It was a red card for a foul on a player going nowhere special.

Cantwell looks like he might be the player that was missing to make the system work. Far more energy across the board from everyone in attack but it helps having a player on the pitch who is more naturally a forward playmaker to disrupt defensive lines with runs and passes. I look forward to see him back to full match fitness.

Anthony has looked very inconsistent of late but the signing of Dembele seems to have given him a jolt as he was back to his early season dangerman form. Great to see. Persistence for the goal was great to see.

Phillips looked solid. The own goal was unfortunate and not his fault.

Season back on? Let's hope so.

Positive performances:
Solanke: On it from start to finish tonight. That's how you menace defenders and worlds away from that performance a few matches back. Nice finish as well.

Travers: Surely going to take some shifting from the starting role now. More great saves.

Christie: Back to his earlier season form and looks a different player having Cantwell as an option to bounce off. Fingers crossed his injury is minor.

The truth is, there were lots of good performances across the whole team and I could have mentioned quite a few here.

Room for improvement:
Lerma had a solid game but then... well he knows he's a marked man by refs so why on earth would he give the man in black a decision to make? Especially to prevent such a poor opening. For me it was a sending off for the foul alone, and his reaction after the challenge wasn't great either. It might actually have pushed the ref over the edge from orange to red. Especially since the Brum player was booked for his push. Lerma has to hold his hands up and learn from this.

Parker got a lot right tonight so credit where its due after all the grief on Sunday. The attacking was decisive, energetic and exciting and I'd also say he got his tactical tweaking during the game spot on as well.

Final thought. Birmingham fans must be starting to damn well hate playing us. That's nine times on the trot we've beaten them.
 
One side note. I was a little bemused by Mepham and Cahill both being subs whilst not having a fullback on there considering the vast depth of options we now have. I know Mepham can fill in but that's all he would be.
 
Lermas red was daft . Not a great tackle then proceeded to start pushing .
Opportunity for someone else to play there now.
 
Lerma's red, not entirely convinced it was bad enough for a red, was certainly in the 'orange' category. You sometimes have to look at these decisions in the context of the game and what the bar the ref has set. All other incidents before and after this appeared to be a pretty high bar to be booked. Their lads challenge after the Lerma red didn't even warrant a yellow (near the end of the game). Solanke constantly being fouled and having his shirt pulled, barely got him a free kick. Just seemed strange when you look how lenient he was for most decisions that he went super harsh on Lerma.
 
Would add Zemura to the "Room for improvement" list, with a light hand. Still good when he got into attack, but most of the dangerous crosses were coming from his side because he couldn't close down the attacker before they crossed it. He's young and I have every confidence in him getting better at the defensive side, but that's the definition of room for improvement.

Outside of that and Lerma's stupid red card (haven't seen a replay to tell if the foul was worthy of a red, could have gotten a 2x yellow for the foul and push, but with it being a straight red there may be a chance at appeal if the foul wasn't that bad), great performance all around. Billing and Christie were dangerous, Anthony and Solanke finding form again, Cantwell looks to be the missing piece as the right forward mid to pair with Billing in Parker's formation, Lerma was solid before the red and Cook deputized well enough when he was on, defense was mostly good aside from some crosses. Dembele showed some spark, so he provides a good attacking option, not enough time from Moore today to judge, will have to see more Moore.
 
Have to say I’ve defended Jeff to the hilt previously and love the guy to bits, but that was simply fucking stupid tonight. A ridiculous challenge on a player going nowhere, followed by a bout of petulance to tip the referee’s balance from yellow to red, that could have cost us two, or even three, points.

Great work from the team to keep attacking after going down to ten, very unusual for us. Great performances from Solanke and Travers with several others also stepping up. Delighted to see Phillips and Cantwell start and play well, also good to see cameos from Dembele and Moore
 
If any other player had made that challenge, I'm damned sure they wouldn't have got a straight red. Hernandez certainly got up quickly enough to make a fuss about it. For a while, it looked as if we were going to manage to let Brum get right back into it, so great to see JA rediscover his attacking threat and make the game safe.
 
Coobster said:
Lerma's red, not entirely convinced it was bad enough for a red, was certainly in the 'orange' category. You sometimes have to look at these decisions in the context of the game and what the bar the ref has set. All other incidents before and after this appeared to be a pretty high bar to be booked. Their lads challenge after the Lerma red didn't even warrant a yellow (near the end of the game). Solanke constantly being fouled and having his shirt pulled, barely got him a free kick. Just seemed strange when you look how lenient he was for most decisions that he went super harsh on Lerma.
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Yellow for a deliberate foul on Solanke when he was last man too. As clear a red as I've seen
 
Agree with most of the OP except the 2nd paragraph. We once again were slow and lethargic in the 2nd half and let them back in to it, then reliant on a worldie from Travers to stop them pulling level. If not for that I think the sentiment on this board would have been very different. At least we now have proper attacking options from the bench and now seems to have sparked the likes of Billing and Anthony in to life too.

Much more positive than negative in the performance but we just need to be more ruthless as auto promotion really is there for the taking.
 
AFCB_Liam said:
Agree with most of the OP except the 2nd paragraph. We once again were slow and lethargic in the 2nd half and let them back in to it, then reliant on a worldie from Travers to stop them pulling level. If not for that I think the sentiment on this board would have been very different. At least we now have proper attacking options from the bench and now seems to have sparked the likes of Billing and Anthony in to life too.

Much more positive than negative in the performance but we just need to be more ruthless as auto promotion really is there for the taking.
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The save from a potential equaliser came after the sending off which changed things significantly. Until the sending off neither team was really on top. Not a lot was happening at all. In previous games we've suddenly looked all over the shop after the change but this was just a game petering out. Until Lerma gave them a needless fillip.
 
This was not a good game for my nerves! Missed the first 20 mins putting the kids to bed (would they settle?!!) Delighted to be ahead and sat down with a pizza (it is National Pizza day!) to see Dom score. If Phil Bill had buried his header it would have been game over. Bitty second half, then Jeff, oh Jeff. Love him but he’s got to stop doing that type of challenge. Their goal was too much for me, off for a shower. Worried to flick on the score but then looks like Anthony saved the day! Moral of the story, I need to stop watching and go for showers more!!! :utc:
 
Coobster said:
Lerma's red, not entirely convinced it was bad enough for a red, was certainly in the 'orange' category. You sometimes have to look at these decisions in the context of the game and what the bar the ref has set. All other incidents before and after this appeared to be a pretty high bar to be booked. Their lads challenge after the Lerma red didn't even warrant a yellow (near the end of the game). Solanke constantly being fouled and having his shirt pulled, barely got him a free kick. Just seemed strange when you look how lenient he was for most decisions that he went super harsh on Lerma.
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Impossible to say but if Lerma hadn't reacted with a push I think he may have got a yellow. Given that he booked the Brum player, he then either had to give Lerma two yellows or a straight red so he saved himself some paperwork.

It's one that could be argued either way but if the players were reversed I'd be demanding a red for it.
 
London Cherry said:
This was not a good game for my nerves! Missed the first 20 mins putting the kids to bed (would they settle?!!) Delighted to be ahead and sat down with a pizza (it is National Pizza day!) to see Dom score. If Phil Bill had buried his header it would have been game over. Bitty second half, then Jeff, oh Jeff. Love him but he’s got to stop doing that type of challenge. Their goal was too much for me, off for a shower. Worried to flick on the score but then looks like Anthony saved the day! Moral of the story, I need to stop watching and go for showers more!!! :utc:
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Almost Sh*t myself when it went 2-1, and a shower might have been required ....
 
For the most part, much much better. Could easily have been 3 or 4 or more first half but as ever we don't take our chances, and as ever in the second half something stupid happens (Lerma not for the first time).

Still can't find that 90 minute performance but important win and important improvement.
 
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