ROTHERHAM

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
We should have been out of sight because, as I posted, when you're only one goal ahead, anything can happen. And it fucking did! TWICE!! This was a lesson that shouldn't have needed to be learned. We had them reeling and down but it seems that we faffed about with our chances and kept them in the game long enough for them to win it. I bet Potter is bouncing mad because I sure am. :mad:

It might be a fundamentally basic thing to say but our lads need intensive practise in finishing. It's taken for granted that professional footballers can do this but it's surprising just how many don't have a clue. And I know that nothing like enough time is devoted in training to shooting practise. It comes naturally to some: players such as Bony. Lee Trundle was another whom I often watched at Llandarcy. It was effortless. But others such as Dyer, for instance, were abysmal. Curt was there rolling balls for them to hit and practise was confined to the last 20 minutes before they all trooped in to hit the showers. I don't know what they do now but obviously it's not enough.

Three points thrown away today and I hope that it won't come back to haunt us at the end of the season. BTW, when I say shooting practise I mean ALL aspects of finishing; one on one with the keeper for instance and there are a dozen different drills that should be run until the players can do them in their sleep. As for our first choice stopper, I hope that Potter now realises that Mulder is the one.
 

Victoria Swan

Key Player
Can't agree more @ivoralljack. Game after game we create golden chances and then miss. We need every session to have shooting practice as the #1 priority. And another thing, when James is going down the wing where are the men in the box for his inevitable cross? Time and again in the first twenty minutes he was beating his man and crossing to an almost empty box or (except for the goal) McBurnie sliding in too late.
 

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
Good points, VS. That's something else we too often lack - bodies in the box. And it's been a failing of ours for a number of seasons.
 

Jackflash

Midfield General
Staff member
If Nordfeldt ever sees the field for us again it's inexcusable. How many points and goals can the man cost us before he isn't first choice? Especially with the way Mulder has played this season
Is it possible Nordfeldt has ex amount of game time in his contract,and possibly Potter is getting it done in one hit to then have a free run with Mudler for the rest of the season.I can't really think of any other reason why he's continually first choice.
 

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
We need another goal to kill them off I think as one mistake from us or a flash of brilliance from them could rob us of 2 deserved points.
Graham Potter said much as I did in his post match comments. As it turned out we were robbed of three points.

It can be a mistake from a player, it can be a mistake from a referee or a moment of brilliance.
 

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
Here are the stats from the game and given the result do not make good reading. Rotherham first.

Possession: 28-72 Shots: 7-12 OT: 4-4 Corners: 3-2 Fouls: 17-12

One thing stands out by a country mile and it is our usual failing. Rotherham had the same number of shots on target from considerably fewer chances and if we are to progress in this division OUR SHOOTING ACCURACY HAS TO IMPROVE.

Graham Potter has said as much having been pretty gutted at our players throwing the game away after having dominated every other aspect of the game, something the Rotherham manager also said. Rotherham were allowed to stay in this game because our players are total shit at what should be one of the basics of the game. I'm not saying that every shot should result in a goal obviously but having worked damned hard to create opportunities, for God's sake don't squander them like confetti.

Me? In another life, if I were the manager, I would split the squad into small groups and have an extra hour's intensive practise after every training session, which would eat into the player's own time, until I saw a marked improvement. They would quickly get the message.
 

CroJack

Key Player
Me? In another life, if I were the manager, I would split the squad into small groups and have an extra hour's intensive practise after every training session, which would eat into the player's own time, until I saw a marked improvement. They would quickly get the message.
Shooting practice is not enough. It's more what is going on in your head. Japanese and Zen Buddhism use to say "No mind" which means no distraction. My 20 years old son is a pro handball player. He used to struggle with scoring goals, but after just a couple of hours of mental training with me, he is now a top goalscorer in the first division at his position. It's actually a pretty simple trick. You must exclude the physical part of the movement and your surroundings, otherwise you'll panic, and that's exactly what our players do - they panic. It's not how you hit the ball, it's about imagining the ball go there where you want it to go. The body will follow your mind. Natural goalscorers do that instictively, but every football player can be taught to do that.
 

Ladygargar

Fox in the Box
Staff member
Well, I’m just back from half term in Scotland so listened to the first half on my way to Sainsbury’s and planned a swift shop to catch the second on my way home - WTAF happened??? I was talking in the store to a chap whose something to do with the unders - don’t know his name but he was waxing lyrical about the changes under Mr Potter - despite everything I have to agree they look like a side re-born so no complaints from me - I’m enjoying the football so much more without the PL pressure - this guy was saying that there was abject devastation in the air in May last year and now you wouldn’t recognise the place - that’s got to auger well for the future in my book - shame about the silly mistakes yesterday but we learn from them and we move on - COYS
 

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
Two softer penalties you couldn't hope to see. Given the way this so-called referee allowed Rotherham to boot us at will, you could be forgiven for thinking that he had his own agenda which had nothing to do with applying the laws of the game. I thought that Premier League officials were poor but this lot in the Championship set new levels in incompetence. Not fit for purpose springs to mind. For those who didn't see the game here are some highlights....... if you can bear to watch them.

 

Jackflash

Midfield General
Staff member
There must surely be some ruling in the referee's book allowing for a handball claim to be dismissed if it was committed to avoid personal injury as in Fer's case. in this case it seemed only the referee saw it as an offence, there were no claims from any Rotherham players.
 

lliwt yr lavac

Key Player
Both penalties harsh in my opinion. This is what you get in the Championship from biased Yorkshire referees when playing against Yorkshire teams. He allowed Rotherham to foul continuously and we ended up with 4 yellow cards, unbelievable.
 
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lliwt yr lavac

Key Player
Well Curt is still rolling the ball for the players shooting practice pre-match warm up. He was there with the players in front of the away stand at Rotherham and most shots were on target against Mulder. Shame they suddenly forgot how to shoot during the match.
 
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