Every team I've seen at SMS this year has been 'functional'. Organised, hard-working, very little talent but strong and they stick to it. I'd hope that a half decent Saints would have easily beaten them all. Preston were the same i.e. in real terms shit, but we were even worse. No movement, no energy, no working together, still taking forever to pass it from Manning to THB to Wood to Edwards to fuck off. They're set after the second pass, if not the first and we have neither the balls nor the brains to do anything. We have one player who can take others on and so break the structure, but we don't move again so that gets shut down quickly. There was at least one pass through the lines that went out because Manning didn't push up like a wing-back and look for that ball but most of the time it was pedantic crap. Joined in with "Sports Republic get out of our club" because it's time they did. I think Still can't handle the personalities in the club and was probably a bit too nice when he came in but I agree with those that we now need a Warnock/BFS type character.
Ratings:
McCarthy. Last year of contract. He now looks as though physically he's a bit slower and that first goal was fucking dire. We really need to clear out all the goalies and start again as we won't keep Ramsdale.
Roeslev. Can't dribble, isn't fast, isn't a wing-back would probably struggle against a top-end attacker with pace and power. Should have done much better when he cut inside during the second half, but bottled it with a 'cross' that was never on.
Edwards. I knew he was slow but thought he could read the game. I think if he wants to do anything more he'll have to dry to move into DM because he just won't ever cut it against pace and power and skill. Either that, or sell him.
Wood. Never rated him. Still don't. Can't pick a pass (very few of our team actually can), panics, isn't strong.
THB. Slow. Shit. One-footed. Weak. No brain. Can't read the game. Can see exactly why Blackburn didn't try to take him on permanently. Might do ok as a flat track bully when carried by others.
Manning. Can't dribble, you know he'll nearly always turn back, passing is shit, panics, makes a fuss rather than getting on with things and hides behind that bullshit. Just get rid.
Downes. Absolute nothing of a player. West Ham getting us back for JWP.
Jander. He does again, struggle against pace and power and he's ok but I've never really seen him just nullify the opposition's midfield or control that space. Need to see more from him. He can't dribble and haven't seen any early or clever passes from him apart from the one mentioned above (I think that was him).
Azaz. Seen nothing from him. Assume he'll be another who's a bit of a flat track bully.
Leo. Yep, like Leo.
Armstrong. Can't pass, gets offside, can't tackle much but does put himself about a bit, can't dribble, always looks to spin and go for the ball over the top/round the side (which we haven't done since before Gabbiadini) and just isn't a goal threat really. I'd get shot of him.
Aribo. Not on long enough but know he can play football now and again. Not sure he's really what we need now though.
Robinson. At least he moves a bit and provides energy and a spark. Looked up a bit more and did move it on quicker at times (but there's no movement and we make it so easy to mark us). Needs more game time.
Fellows. Starting to annoy me now because he has very little end product and while he runs with it he doesn't really take us forward that much and he is a bit lightweight.
DD. D for effort. D for talent. I think most of us would have made more of that golden ticket if we'd found it in that raffle. Yes, I can see the curling runs in behind that our team never will but apart from those ... well, he did kick the ball today.
Oyekunle. The one thing that he did was actually just look like more of a footballer than DD - his posture, positioning and movement were better. He didn't do very well when he had to jump for a ball but that's just part of his having to learn that the defenders he'll be up against will fight him for those so he'll have to get used to battling and losing a lot more duels.
Here's to another long day next Saturday.
