kirsikka
UTC Legend
The starting XI for the last two matches has been the logical choice. This time the only questions were is anyone fatigued and should Dembele come in for Anthony. SP kept the same team.
The defence was all over the place at the start. Lacked strength and leadership across all four of them. The first goal was a real team effort of bad play - poor strength from Zemura. Bad marking in the middle. A shanked clearance attempt from Kelly. A weak challenge from Smith.
As for the second... when your defence gets done for pace by Andy Carroll you know it's going to be a bad night. Bad judgement on the through ball from Phillips and Smith again looking weak.
Bruce had them all pushed up for our goal kicks and we didn't have the intelligence to lob it over the first row into the extra space, instead insisting on playing it out short still. It's fine to have a plan but you need to show some footballing brain and adapt to conditions.
At half time we could justifiably have subbed six at least. That's how bad we were. I was hoping Cantwell would come on in the break, something I'd come to regret later.
Kris and Willo started going on about the lack of attempts on target halfway through the second half but from an early point I was already thinking it smelled of Peterborough - openings created or shots taken but failing to work the keeper and looking terrible as a result.
Solanke, Smith, Billing and Zemura all guilty of not getting good chances on target. Wild long shots from many, including Kelly, Solanke and Zemura. I'm all for having a shot as L Cook showed at the weekend but they need to come with the vague region of the goal. 0 attempts on target from, I guess, about 20 tries takes some doing.
We've had some peak Parker performances lately. This wasn't as aimless as some of the worst performances but it was a long way from the last two matches.
I know he's been out most of the season and L Cook shows what a run of games can do but Cantwell was once again shocking in his time on the pitch. I really hope he can turn it around but based on what I've seen so far I wouldn't want us to sign him.
I thought Anthony was a little unlucky to come off. In the first 45 our best play came with him down the left and this then switched to the right when he moved over their in the second. Until he went off after which that clever interplay disappeared.
All that said, points on the board and games in hand allow you to have off days and make mistakes. Reset, refresh the line up from some of the options and take the game to Sheff Utd at the weekend. No major harm done. Yet.
Hard to point the finger too much at Parker this time. The players let him down.
Positive performances:
Nobody stood out consistently. There were pockets of good play but everyone had poor elements to their game tonight.
Room for improvement:
Lerma: Probably his worst performance in an AFCB shirt.
Christie: Probably his worst performance in an AFCB shirt. (same words, different player).
Phillips: That was not good. Carroll had him on toast.
Several others could easily be here...
The defence was all over the place at the start. Lacked strength and leadership across all four of them. The first goal was a real team effort of bad play - poor strength from Zemura. Bad marking in the middle. A shanked clearance attempt from Kelly. A weak challenge from Smith.
As for the second... when your defence gets done for pace by Andy Carroll you know it's going to be a bad night. Bad judgement on the through ball from Phillips and Smith again looking weak.
Bruce had them all pushed up for our goal kicks and we didn't have the intelligence to lob it over the first row into the extra space, instead insisting on playing it out short still. It's fine to have a plan but you need to show some footballing brain and adapt to conditions.
At half time we could justifiably have subbed six at least. That's how bad we were. I was hoping Cantwell would come on in the break, something I'd come to regret later.
Kris and Willo started going on about the lack of attempts on target halfway through the second half but from an early point I was already thinking it smelled of Peterborough - openings created or shots taken but failing to work the keeper and looking terrible as a result.
Solanke, Smith, Billing and Zemura all guilty of not getting good chances on target. Wild long shots from many, including Kelly, Solanke and Zemura. I'm all for having a shot as L Cook showed at the weekend but they need to come with the vague region of the goal. 0 attempts on target from, I guess, about 20 tries takes some doing.
We've had some peak Parker performances lately. This wasn't as aimless as some of the worst performances but it was a long way from the last two matches.
I know he's been out most of the season and L Cook shows what a run of games can do but Cantwell was once again shocking in his time on the pitch. I really hope he can turn it around but based on what I've seen so far I wouldn't want us to sign him.
I thought Anthony was a little unlucky to come off. In the first 45 our best play came with him down the left and this then switched to the right when he moved over their in the second. Until he went off after which that clever interplay disappeared.
All that said, points on the board and games in hand allow you to have off days and make mistakes. Reset, refresh the line up from some of the options and take the game to Sheff Utd at the weekend. No major harm done. Yet.
Hard to point the finger too much at Parker this time. The players let him down.
Positive performances:
Nobody stood out consistently. There were pockets of good play but everyone had poor elements to their game tonight.
Room for improvement:
Lerma: Probably his worst performance in an AFCB shirt.
Christie: Probably his worst performance in an AFCB shirt. (same words, different player).
Phillips: That was not good. Carroll had him on toast.
Several others could easily be here...
