The Blobster
Prediction Champ
5 more rubbish minutes to endure!
Can we put out 2 convincing performances on the trot ?
- Thread starter The Blobster
- Start date
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
Can we please trade Fisher for the Rotherham keeper. Throw in a stick of rock and bus fare and a gallon of Joe’s ice cream.
Victoria Swan
Key Player
Well, didn't get that did we! Unacceptable.
Victoria Swan
Key Player
Thank you Southampton for scoring a 90' + 9' goal to beat Watford and put us up to 14th!
Of that lot I'd keep Cooper and Cullen on the basis that they're local lads, care about the club and do put in a shift. Hopefully they'd be more effective with better players around them. I'd also keep Grimes but not as captain and I'd make sure that he played through passes as often as the situation allowed rather than the safe, easy backwards and sideways stuff that he favours. As for Joe Allen (not mentioned), he'd have to show that he's fit enough to play on a regular basis otherwise I'd let him go as well. A fit Joe would be an asset but we need many more minutes from him. We pay him to play not sit on the treatment table.
As a PS to the above I think I'd keep Ronald as well because he is our player. My hope is that he's been finding his feet so far and will be much better when he's had more time to work with the squad - preferably under a better coach who could properly develop his talent.
KVetch
Key Player
Wrexham making a historic climb aren't they. Wonder how far they will go. Credit to their owners, Canadian and American owners I believe. Getting Paul Mullin to sign with them, renovating the grounds, making a difference in the community. No fan of Wrexham but fair play. I would rather see Newport County earn promotion.
What will our owners do to help our club thisnmext transfer window? I like the players we have but we could replace them all.
What will our owners do to help our club thisnmext transfer window? I like the players we have but we could replace them all.
CroJack
Key Player
Promotion from the League One to the Championship is much more difficult than promotion from the League Two to the League One. They will need to strengthen massively. But who knows? Phil Parkinson have a lot of experience, he's promoted both Colchester and Bolton to the Championship.
CroJack
Key Player
I'm just pissed off.
I used to root for Newport but not since Judas Jenkins took over there. Wrexham are doing just fine which I'm very pleased about. They have caring, enthusiastic owners and they should be rewarded for their efforts,
A poor game in terms of return and we should have done better against a team with nothing to play for. Some stats:
POSSESSION: 71-29 SHOTS: 16-4 OT: 6-0 CORNERS: 12-0 FOULS: 10-9 GOALS: 1-0
As can be seen we bossed the stats and the game but we couldn't score a 'proper' goal against them. That's not good and I'm looking for better in the games that remain. Williams says we played with good intensity but I can't comment as I didn't watch the whole game. I reckon not from our posts here.
POSSESSION: 71-29 SHOTS: 16-4 OT: 6-0 CORNERS: 12-0 FOULS: 10-9 GOALS: 1-0
As can be seen we bossed the stats and the game but we couldn't score a 'proper' goal against them. That's not good and I'm looking for better in the games that remain. Williams says we played with good intensity but I can't comment as I didn't watch the whole game. I reckon not from our posts here.
Behindthegoal
Key Player
Pass backs to goalie were at a minimum, a last resort. Is that because Darling is more spatially ware than Wood.
And on the other side Cabango showed a turn of speed tracking back that I didn’t know was in his locker. So, yes, more intensity. Cullen and Cooper joint masters of runs in vain.
And on the other side Cabango showed a turn of speed tracking back that I didn’t know was in his locker. So, yes, more intensity. Cullen and Cooper joint masters of runs in vain.
KVetch
Key Player
I honestly thought they would have a harder time of it in League Two. It's good for Welsh football in general.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
I believe Williams stated that this was a good performance considering the previous mid-week match blah, blah, blah.
To me it was team auditioning for next season's relegation positions.
There are going to be technical gaps between each division. But what I saw on Saturday, as in too many previous matches, was a chronic failure to execute what should be basic skills with quality. For example, at this level players should be able to cross with accuracy especially when not being subject to an immediate tackle. This is not an advanced skill. It is a fundamental skill, being just a variant of the basic pass.
I expect to see the players play with urgency, with a high tempo, with movement off the ball. There is too little of that.
I am going to wait until after the last game to do a post-mortem on this season. But you play as you practice. You can't possibly play in a match any better than you perform in practice. I am seeing matches where we stroll and play rather lame attempts at attack and defense. Against a team clearly not qualified to play in this league; this does not auger well for next season. Yet again, we owned the ball, but could have ended up drawing the game or worse still losing towards the end.
To me it was team auditioning for next season's relegation positions.
There are going to be technical gaps between each division. But what I saw on Saturday, as in too many previous matches, was a chronic failure to execute what should be basic skills with quality. For example, at this level players should be able to cross with accuracy especially when not being subject to an immediate tackle. This is not an advanced skill. It is a fundamental skill, being just a variant of the basic pass.
I expect to see the players play with urgency, with a high tempo, with movement off the ball. There is too little of that.
I am going to wait until after the last game to do a post-mortem on this season. But you play as you practice. You can't possibly play in a match any better than you perform in practice. I am seeing matches where we stroll and play rather lame attempts at attack and defense. Against a team clearly not qualified to play in this league; this does not auger well for next season. Yet again, we owned the ball, but could have ended up drawing the game or worse still losing towards the end.
CroJack
Key Player
This ^^^
Absolutely agree and what I've posted many times. Our basic skill levels suck and I can't believe that so-called professional footballers are so poor at them. I remember at Ponty when a bunch of us would clock in for extra 'fun' training a couple of nights a week and continued this through the close season in summer. One of our favourite drills was to have a wide man on each flank putting in a variety of crosses, either from dead balls or off a short run for the strikers to attack and keeper to take in competition with each other. When numbers allowed we also had some defenders in there, all done to replicate match situations.
Despite being a striker myself I had to take my turn putting the ball in, which happened to be a strength of mine in any event. The extra practise improved me further and I could cross an accurate ball better than most at the club. This was a huge irony as because of this, along with my pace, playing as a winger really suited me. Two things meant that I didn't. I just loved scoring and always played as a striker because of it and the second reason was that by the time I got to Ponty, I'd lost a yard of pace - the reason I eventually gave up the game.
But all this taught me one thing. Continous practise makes you better, far better, which is why, when I see our lot play, I question the quantity and the quality of what we do in training. I just don't see consistent evidence of it in games, which highlights the point @Yankee_Jack is making.
Yankee_Jack
Key Player
It's funny the things that stick with you over the years. Many, many years ago, in a galaxy far, far away .... I was in a preseason training session short sided game with Haverfordwest in Singleton Park. I was out on the left side with the ball, pulled it to my right foot and crossed right onto the #9's forehead. Ronnie Rees who was playing against me, gasped "f%$k you put it right onto his head". Why?
I didn't think it was that tough to do. Was it what he said or the look on his face that was so amusing.
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