Goals from today..

It's on youtube, Paul. Keep up, old timer.

 

Aye just noticed the club put it up. So that's alreight then intit?

 

No doubt we'll concede a lot of goals like that this season. Every team in the league will.

Any team that has a player who can consistently put in a free kick like Ricketts did for their second is going to score a number of goals from set pieces this season, at whatever level they play. The marking was poor, but the ball in was superb and extremely difficult to deal with even if we'd marked well. For their first the Wolves striker got in behind his marker. It happens. We'll do that to the opposition plenty of times over the course of next season and score a few goals from it.

On the plus side I thought both our goals were first class, but you can bet your life the Wolves fans will be blaming their defenders.

From a personal point of view I wish that Flitcroft had signed a more dominant centre half, who could help us deal better with these types of goals, but I do understand when he said to get that type of player who can also run will cost you you a fair whack and is maybe beyond us.

I think Flitcroft should have more faith in Bobby Hassell, particularly when playing a back three, but he clearly doesn't rate him. I reckon the decision to re-sign him was probably taken out of his hands. Not sure what I think about that. Bobby deserved a testimonial year, but there seems little point in him being here if the manager picks every single fit professional at the club to play in the two high profile friendlies apart from Bobby Hassell, and sends Hassell out to play with the kids in the 'B' friendly.

As for McNulty, I don't rate him, but we all have players we think are great and others not so much. I certainly don't intend to spend the season slagging him off.

 

Off topic, but have you not thought about doing some art of the 4th of May 2013?

This particular image I think you'd make a grand job of, and I'd buy a copy for sure:

 

To change the subject a bit I thought that Mellis and O'Grady linked up very well today and I think that as long as these rumours of Mellis leaving come to nothing we have a very, very strong connection between midfield and up front there. Exciting times. This is why I said to the poster the other day (I forget who) we Mellis is irreplaceable at the money we would get for him at this stage.

 

Great post, agree with most of it. All except the McNulty bit, because I do rate him. But not as much as I rate Bobby or Cranie.

On the situation with Bob, I'm guessing the injury he sustained in Spain was the reason he wasn't involved against Brugge, and was instead sent to Gainsborough? As for today, I've no idea. There was no Reuben either, despite impressing last Friday I felt.

 

Didn't RNL play last night too?

 

He did, yes. But I find that strange as for me he should be with the first teamers. He's better or at least as good as Cywka and JOB, in my opinion.

Personally, I'd have sent McNulty and Scotland to Gainsborough to get 90 minutes. And Jennings.

But I'm not the manager and so I trust he knows what he's doing and I'm just speculating.



*Twas Thursday though wasn't it?

 

Nah, it's an iphone job not a painting. I'll do it but the prints will cost £3k each.

 

Just a suggestion.

 

I agree, I thought it was more a great free kick, really hard to defend against.

Super goals by us

 

1st goal:

If you want to blame McNulty for looking a bit ineffectual, you need to blame Kennedy (for being shoved out of the way) and Crainie (for not getting to the cross) first.

 

Re: Doesn't alter the fact

I don't have the same opinion as you I'm afraid, I thought that although McNulty wasn't quite assured with the aerial threat, he was very good when the ball was on the floor, good positional sense and assured on the ball.

I think that unless we do get in a big old fashioned defender then although we will be fine against the passing game on the floor, we will suffer at set pieces and high balls/direct football.

 

Re: Doesn't alter the fact

I don't think he played badly either. There was one particular moment when a long ball was played over the top of him, he managed to control the ball on the run, hold off the attacker, turn him and play a simple pass into midfield. Cool as you like. Of course, everyone will focus on the negatives with regards to McNulty.

 

I'm not wanting this to sound

As if I'm getting on McNulty's back, nor Kennedy's for that matter. I'm not one for player character assassination and name calling, I simply feel he played poorly yesterday. Although, in the lad's defence, he played very little football last season due to injury, the game was only a friendly, he's bound to be rusty and there's plenty of time to get him and others up to speed. It's important to keep both the team's performances as a whole, and that of individual players, in context when debating pre season.
What I'll never understand is the need of some to criticise folk for passing comment on their particular favourites, but see nothing hypocritical in doing exactly the same with other players they don't rate/like.

 

Re: I'm not wanting this to sound

Pass comment by all means but i just dont see the need for numerous individuals, not you, moaning he was at fault for both goals.

 

For me

The defence as a whole was at fault for the two goals, they didn't work as a unit for either. To pick out Jim McNulty as the one to blame is both unfair and inaccurate, in my opinion.

 

Re: Doesn't alter the fact

Personally I think McNulty did ok and saved Kennedy's blushes a couple of times. None of this cut any ice with the McHaters who were at it at half time in the smoking section outside. Apparently I'm F'ing blind and/or a stupid t*** if I couldn't see McNulty at fault for both goals yesterday. I hope they watch the vid and have the decency to apologise come Thursday night. I won't hold my breath because I'm convinced they have made their minds up about him already. The reason we looked better in the second half wasn't because McNulty went off but because Nyatanga is a better/ more confident header of the ball than any of the three that started the 1st. It'll be horses for courses imo come the real thing and that's all over the park. We have a squad now that not only has some depth but some variation. We should be able to compete with any kind of opposition rather than just one that suits. The key to this is the midfield and the flexibility of the 532 or 352 system. Midfield is our strength imo and being able to play a grafting one as well as a crafting one will be a real bonus. Really good defenders are rare at this level and don't come cheap. It will be the case that the best defences will have a solid midfield in front and be able to work as a cohesive unit. That's the secret at this level. We signed a defender from a club relegated from this division and it is up to him and the coaching staff to ensure come the end of the season he looks like one from a club near the top. Defending is an art in that sense because you rely so much on each other.
I'm cautiously optimistic about the coming season, hopeful for the new signings and genuinely excited about the midfield. But this year it's time we got ruthless. Too many times in the past we have bossed games only to draw or win by one or even lose (leeds A). I want to see us put these games to bed early on, to stick 3 or 4 past teams when we are so on top. That way we can rotate players better in a game and not be hanging on to a 2-1 win with 20 mins to go when we should have been out of sight at HT.
Lets get behind them. All of them! and make 2013/2014 a season to remember.

 

Thought the delivery for their second was quality, really difficult to defend. Unless you want to be like Alan Hansen and find a fault in the defence for every single goal.