Crawley (H) - Post-Match Discussion

[Latics_Fanatic]

A very frustrating afternoon at Boundary Park. Wouldn't call it a bad performance on the whole, we created plenty of chances and probably could have nicked it.

 

Crawley came for a point, set up for that and got it because of an unforgivable error from Rachubka/Wilson. They were a dirty team though, much of what you'd expect from a John Gregory team.

 

As for the people around me saying that we're :censored:. No we're not.

 

In terms of individuals...

 

Rachubka - Steady as usual on the whole, mostly decent distribution. Too much dicking about before their goal, should've been cleared easily.

 

B.Wilson - Good forward runs, steady defensively - gives you everything you really want in a full-back. Good effort from him, his crossing ability let him down slightly in the second half.

 

J.Wilson - Dealt with pretty much everything thrown at him - calm and composed. Again shouldn't have given the ball away for their goal, stupid clearance, but unlucky.

 

Dieng - Looks comfortable at the back. As i say, defence weren't caused too many problems all afternoon. Some of his passing could be better.

 

Mills - Definitely an off-day in a sense for Joseph. Thought he looked good going forward, some of his runs could have lead to something was he not hacked down by their thuggish defending. His touch and passing let him down in some parts of the game.

 

Kelly - Not up to his best, but still gives you what you need. Not much else to say.

 

Johnson - Good runs, both for the chance before and for his goal. Looks to have a good footballing brain with his flick-on's and back-heels. Need our players to learn how to play with him properly. Lack of match fitness maybe? He tired significantly second half.

 

Jones - Gives you all the effort in the world and runs his bollocks off. Shame he couldn't have nicked it with a long-range drill.

 

Philliskirk - Same as Jones, gives all his effort for the cause. Thought he could have been our match-winner today had he been able to get a clear shot away in the second half. Always looks to be getting himself and others involved in the game though.

 

Forte - Seemed off the ball and didn't provide much. However, scoring 11 goals doesn't go unnoticed by other teams and they'll all be looking to cut him out of the game, as Crawley kind of did today. Not sure whether he's carrying injury or got a knock as to why he went off.

 

Ibhere - Liked the look of him today, always looking to get into good areas. His touch can let him down at times, but at other times his hold up play can be very useful. It's a shame he doesn't have an extra yard of pace, he might have fared better today with that.

 

Subs...

 

Tidser - Looked very comfortable and slotted into the team well. Looks like he can pick a pass and looks to get others involved in play.

 

Poleon - Didn't see much of him to comment, needed a chance to run at them which never really came.

 

Dayton - Didn't do much, didn't have the chance to though.

 

Overall, as I said, not necessarily a bad performance, just wasn't up to a recent high standards. Onwards and Upwards to Sheffield United.

 

Edited November 15, 2014 by Latics_Fanatic

[Ritchierich]

We don't take enough of our chances, consequently we don't put teams away when we're on top which means that you need a perfect defensive performance almost every game....today one sloppy bit of defending cost us 2 points.

 

We need to fix this but difficult to do and for us to challenge for the play-offs is going to take more than draws.

 

Not really a complaint though as LJ has clearly shown that he knows what he is doing at this level and on one of the smallest budgets in League 1 (I assume).

 

I was hoping for mid table and JPT final for this season....bang on target for that still

[the_mighty_bosh]

It sounded like Crawley just parked the bus for most of the game according to LP.

[opinions4u]

We weren't lively enough.

[MAC0AFC]

Our tempo second half was much better then first, we started very quickly got the goal and should have killed them off but didn't, lost our tempo then ultimately started getting comfortable with the ball round the back 4... which led to their goal

[archiecat]

That game sets us up perfectly for watching England, enough said !

[frizzell54]

Boundary Park. League 1

 

What's with all these misrepresented links?

[Gaz_Oafc]

Rachubka... What was he playing at?

 

Dieng loves a good aimless hoof doesn't he!

 

Brian Wilson had about 4 really good opportunities to pick out a man in the box with no pressure on him and hit the first defender every time.

 

Philliskirk was guilty of trying to walk the ball into the net a couple of times and should have buried that header.

 

 

If we have any chance of getting into the playoffs then you have to beat crud like that at home!

[Lee Sinnott]

It was :censored:. But, it's probably Wilson's first ever mistake for us, Johnson looked good and we didn't lose : not all bad...

[JoeP]

We weren't lively enough.

That goes for fans and players! I blame the a 1pm kick off..

 

Crawley not the worst team we've played this season. Mills was kicked off the park, which I think affected his game.

 

Not sure if LJ tinkered more than necessary. He's created a nice problem to have with signing Johnson. Undoubtedly talented and we're grateful for his goal today, but are we fixing something that isn't broken?

[slystallone]

We were a little guilty of trying to overplay on the edge of, and in the box today; Philliskirk in particular.

 

For all our domination in the 2nd half, we didnt massively work their Keeper.

 

But, for 89 mins of the 92 (only 2mins of added time, really?) there was only one team interested in winning the game.

 

2 points dropped and it was a bit frustrating at times, but - i've sat through far worse and - well, we did enough; just about, to really have deserved all 3.

[slystallone]

We need to work on corners though, and Brian Wilson needs extra training on picking out our players with low crosses once in very decent positions.

 

Chubs should give his bloody head a wobble too for his part in their goal. I mean James Wilson's clearance was poor; but i lay the blame at Chubs for putting him in that position in the 1st place.

 

Daniel Johnson looks a tidy player mind...

[BP1960]

We need to work on corners though, and Brian Wilson needs extra training on picking out our players with low crosses once in very decent positions.

 

Chubs should give his bloody head a wobble too for his part in their goal. I mean James Wilson's clearance was poor; but i lay the blame at Chubs for putting him in that position in the 1st place.

 

Daniel Johnson looks a tidy player mind...

The problem with corner kicks is no one comes in on the far post, countless times today the ball drifted aimlessly out of play..and its not just today it's a common occurrence.

[Markspark92]

Frustrating second half we lost most of our tempo, we would have all 3 points if it wasent for that stupid mistake we made, Chubs to blame for that, Wilson could of recoverd it though but instead of doing the easy thing (putting it out for a throw in) he passes it straight to them, They were very difficult to break down second half, very organised and played for the point.

 

Few of them had off days today but still quite confident we can give Sheff U a game next week if we play to our best, Johnson showed what a good player he will be for us, classy goal.

 

Look on the bright side we probably would of lost that game last season, we dident play any way near out best and still battered them and got a point ! Results went out way today so very much still in it ! 2 massive games ahead

[Scapegoat]

Frustrating afternoon - not vintage by any stretch of the imagination but enough to normally take the 3 points (60+% possession, good number of shots, and on target and a plethora of corners).

 

Still its a point and we are still on the coat tails of the Play-offs.

 

 

Mentioned above, but we do need to be better at corners, as despite the number of them, we didn't look threatening from them. In fact, overall at dead balls we are a bit ordinary. I'd have expected LJ to be the kind of manager that works on a few intricate "training ground" routines that could unlock stubborn teams but so far not seen any.

 

Johnson looked good but faded. Forte looked out of sorts, but I think he is the kind of player that does that for 89 minutes but then switches on when he gets an opportunity. Ibrehe - worst performance so far, struggled to win headers and hold the ball up (something I think he has demonstrated to be a strength so far prior to today)

[Frankly Mr Shankly]

We were a little guilty of trying to overplay on the edge of, and in the box today; Philliskirk in particular.

 

Yeah, this was our main fault I felt. The way we play can open up certain teams but in matches like today, when an out-of-form Crawley game just to spoil and park the bus with an uninspiring formation then we needed to just be a bit 'old skool' with a few more crosses in the box to force a mistake or a hack.

 

We came out of the blocks nicely, looked very dangerous with Crawley petrified of Johnson in particularly. Once we got a goal up early doors I felt we'd soon get another and run out easy winners. But the worst possible thing to happen was conceding a goal like that at the time we did which just let them shut up shop for the second half. We were creators of our own downfall and to achieve promotion from this division you simply have to cut :censored: like that out.

 

Really frustrating afternoon, but at least we didn't lose.

[Oafc1895]

IMO LJ got the subs completely wrong - If Forte is not cutting it for what ever reason (Kuqi syndrome or injured) you've got Poleon,Turner,Winchester or Dayton on the bench that can come on and keep the system as it was. By bringing Tisder on (a holding midfielder) you change the whole dynamic of the system. Tisder, through what he is used to, kept dropping back and sitting along side Kelly leaving the left hand side of midfield completely empty. If he is a winger then I'm the Duke of Edinburgh. This leaves us with two holding which forces him in taking our captain and rock at the base of the diamond off to get another attacking player on which should have been done at half time.

 

However they offered nothing going forward and due to complacency from Rachukba dropping Wilson in it they scored and at half time they set out their stall and parked the metaphorical bus. They had their plan, came for a point and got it due to throwing themselves at everything that moved whether it be ball, player or turf.

 

As much as I am a Danny P fan I do feel he has a problem with trying to walk it and and I think that he needs to either get it out of he feet and put his foot through it or pass to someone. However I think that as a collective all were at fault for that and we needed to have a few more long range shots when they started to camp on the edge of their area.

[Blue_Guru]

When you think where we were last year we have come on massively...but this year it's looking like not capitalising when we are on top and finishing teams off is going to be the slogan of 2014/2015...LJ has already said it a few times and we have now drawn 8 games and need to turn more into wins...and when you think 3 wins and 5 losses would have yielded a better return from those games

[Chaddy_Ender]

The problem with corner kicks is no one comes in on the far post, countless times today the ball drifted aimlessly out of play..and its not just today it's a common occurrence.

Agree wheres the runner at the back stick if we see it surely LJ does ? I mean Ibehre was the deepest player at times and he was no where near the ball coming in, its small things like this that will make the difference this season it doesnt take that much to sort out surely ?

[BP1960]

When you think where we were last year we have come on massively...but this year it's looking like not capitalising when we are on top and finishing teams off is going to be the slogan of 2014/2015...LJ has already said it a few times and we have now drawn 8 games and need to turn more into wins...and when you think 3 wins and 5 losses would have yielded a better return from those games

 

I think we soon see a system change, probably 3-5-2.

[BP1960]

Agree wheres the runner at the back stick if we see it surely LJ does ? I mean Ibehre was the deepest player at times and he was no where near the ball coming in, its small things like this that will make the difference this season it doesnt take that much to sort out surely ?

 

LJ also had Tommy and Dean Holden with him, surely one of them must have picked upon this?

[ShireBlue]

IMO LJ got the subs completely wrong - If Forte is not cutting it for what ever reason (Kuqi syndrome or injured) you've got Poleon,Turner,Winchester or Dayton on the bench that can come on and keep the system as it was. By bringing Tisder on (a holding midfielder) you change the whole dynamic of the system. Tisder, through what he is used to, kept dropping back and sitting along side Kelly leaving the left hand side of midfield completely empty. If he is a winger then I'm the Duke of Edinburgh. This leaves us with two holding which forces him in taking our captain and rock at the base of the diamond off to get another attacking player on which should have been done at half time.

 

However they offered nothing going forward and due to complacency from Rachukba dropping Wilson in it they scored and at half time they set out their stall and parked the metaphorical bus. They had their plan, came for a point and got it due to throwing themselves at everything that moved whether it be ball, player or turf.

 

As much as I am a Danny P fan I do feel he has a problem with trying to walk it and and I think that he needs to either get it out of he feet and put his foot through it or pass to someone. However I think that as a collective all were at fault for that and we needed to have a few more long range shots when they started to camp on the edge of their area.

Agree with a lot of this. Although I've nothing against Tidser, I'd have expected to see another forward on to replace Forte. Poleon came on eventually but seemed to get stuck out wide.

 

Like said before, we need to be killing off games against the likes of Crawley. More goals please.

[mikeroyboy]

A poor performance by recent standards but by no means poo. A team with no desire to win is difficult to beat at any level. Delivery into the box, from any position was poor today. The debacle with their goal is hardly likely to be repeated any time soon. But, we didn't lose and after our defeat at Bristol we are back on another unbeaten run - they all start with two.

[TheBigDog]

A poor performance by recent standards but by no means poo. A team with no desire to win is difficult to beat at any level. Delivery into the box, from any position was poor today. The debacle with their goal is hardly likely to be repeated any time soon. But, we didn't lose and after our defeat at Bristol we are back on another unbeaten run - they all start with two.

 

For me this was more disappointing than poor - however there are many teams in this division who will come to Boundary Park and play the same way as an obdurate Crawley did yesterday.

They were determined in their closing down, dogged in the tackle and defended in numbers - all eleven players in the box when we had a corner showed their intent. They were also reasonably adept at the counter attack with one or two pacey forwards.

 

But they should have been beaten. We had an early goal and then numerous chances to get the second which would have killed the game. As others have said, too many wasted crosses (Brian Wilson) and too many misplaced passes. Philliskirk was hugely involved but wasted a number of opportunities by wanting that extra touch. Their goal apart we defended well.

 

LJ is doing well and we are on an upward trajectory but we are too narrow in our play, over reliant on the fullbacks to get forward which means the middle of the park then becomes overcrowded. Johnson started with two mazy runs, the second ending with the early goal, but then seemed to slip into a more circumspect display. His goal had shown the way but we failed to build on it.

 

Three games coming up that will show if we have the right stuff to mount a serious challenge.

Edited November 16, 2014 by TheBigDog

[Chaddy_Ender]

What are peoples thoughts on the early kick off ? Personally think it was a bit of an own goal and Id be suprised if we do it again, everthing seemed a bit flat yesterday from the fans in the stand to the players on the pitch, we could of just had an off day yesterday but cant help feel that draws against teams like Gillingham and Crawley may come back to haunt us, we have to find a way of beating these teams and turning draws into wins especially at home, Im sure after yesterday we will see a striker come in this week, Forte doesnt look comfortable at the moment and you can see his confidence draining Poleon and Turner have offered nothing or arent even being given an oppurtunity and Jabo struggled to bring others into the game yesterday, theres no need to panic but the players really need to step up with three huge games coming up next week.