Just seen them and is it only me who's going to pretty firmly blame Kennedy for both. Goal1: Woods and O'Brien have a mare, especially O'Brien - that's never been a tackle. Frimpong's left marking two in the middle because Woods has been pulled wide. He certainly can't mark 3 though and if you freeze frame it as Maynard recieves the ball, who's Kennedy marking? Should probably be Maynard. More worryingly, even if their winger had pulled it back to one of the other two - he's still nowhere near it. Jennings had got his man btw. Effortless and slack marking. Goal2: We get tore apart down the left. Not sure it's McLaughlin's fault as he gets a little unlucky. I'd look at O'Grady and O'Brien who seem to have little interest in tracking no11. Anyway he's got all the time in the world to pick his cross, which to be fair is an absolute beauty, and here we see another example of typical Kennedy defending. Cowers away and doesn't even attempt to head the ball. He's marking the right man this time at the back stick but he gets probably the gentlest of taps and because he's so lightweight, he's batted off like he's not even there and its effectively a free header. The ball is really good and it's a difficult one to win but he's got to do more there to put him off. Feel free to tell me I'm being harsh but it's just appalling to me.
Have to agree sadly. I know Kennedy has improved a little, but he has the same defensive flaw of Wiseman. That he seems incapable of marking people at the far post when crosses evade the 2 centre halves and his general awareness of attacking movement. I'm equally concerned by our general shape. We often get overrun with 4 in midfield, but we lack goal threat with just one up top. 3-5-2 could be the answer, especially with Hunt at RB, but i don't think Kennedy can play wing back. Worrying times.
I'm with you on the 3-5-2 system especially as you say with Hunt as RWB - Didn't Reuben play LWB earlier this season?
I thought Steele should have come off his line for both. It's never good to conceed two inside your own six yard box. Keepers get so protected by refs that it's a case of just coming off your line to get the ball from inside your own six yard box and if the opposition make any contact with you it's likely going to be a foul on the keeper.
I've advocated 3-5-2 all season, but gave up suggesting it ages ago when it became clear that Flitcroft nor Wilson were going to use it. In response to Zemaj, my mate went last night and he reckoned Frimpong, Kennedy and Shea were a disgrace. But until this thread, I've not seen anyone say owt bad about TK last night. So I assumed my mate had had too many jars (he usually does).
Kennedy I thought was average myself. The goals were just poor from all concerned. Defensive shambles springs to mind. Other than Jennings and Paddy's cameo we were uniformly average to *****.
Jeezus Dreamy do you have to assassinate Steele for every goal. First one he is covering front post and second one is a whipped in cross at pace arcing away from goal. If Wigan played in slow mo and Steele was at full speed then maybe you might have a point.
Probably picked on the same basis as it is at Oakwell... I believe O'Brien was also mentioned and he was very poor. Jennings was our best player by some distance as some others who were there have said throughout various threads.
I've noted of late that the commentators just seem negative and despondent however we seem to play. They were highly critical of the performance at Doncaster and having watched it back, I thought we actually did pretty well and were nowhere near as bad as the picture they painted.
Just my view Not every keeper can command a penalty area but every keeper should command their six yard box. Butland did.
Don't know if I'm permitted a say on the matter here as I really only see the team on recorded highlights but TBH from what I have seen our defending all season comes into the "Schoolboy" category. There lies our problem. Is Danny Wilson tactically aware? Did he have the finance to make the necessary changes in the window as the players at his disposal don't appear to be up to the mark. If he could have and didn't make changes to our defence them I'm afraid a lot of the blame must lie at his door. Can't really add to the squad now so we have what we have. Let's hope the directors whether we stay up or go down see fit to open the purse strings and allow DW to bring in suitable and reliable defenders.
I think it's a little harsh to blame Kennedy although I only saw it in real time last night. The issue for me was at right back and in all honesty I think Wilson is to blame as there is no way McLaughlin was fit. Wigan sensed this within 5 minutes and basically tore him a new one from that point. We had 3 let offs before the goal and although it's impossible to know if the outcome would have been different Wilson should have acted sooner. I think he was hoping for a clean sheet to half time. Because of this weakness, the back line were being pulled all over so can't really blame our left back when the issue was at the other side. What does concern me above everything else is that Wilson continues to employ players who are just not fit and teams at exploiting this. We have only completed one game with the same player at right back (Donny) and it's cost us points. If we don't have a fit right back then either play 3 at the back or move Cranie there and put M'voto in the middle. Also we have to stop waiting for the last 30 minutes before trying to make an impression on the game. Bit of a rant (first post I'm afraid) but I think Wigan were there for the taking and a half decent team would have got something out of the game. It upsets me that I have to admit that we are not a decent team. Last chance on Saturday for 3 points or I think it is all over.
He was just an example. Would rather put my mother in there tbh, was making the point that playing cricked right backs is costing us in every game. And for that only Wilson can be held accountable. My preference is 3 at the back - Crainie, Ramage and Nyatanga but we still don't have anyone fit on the right hand side to play as wingback and Kennedy would turn back towards his own goal once past halfway. I think defensively we are fcucked.
You're right. I've said it all season, 3-5-2 is the answer. But all three managers (DF, MM and DW) haven't gone that way. Scott Wiseman's getting rave reviews at PNE...
Not sure about the 2nd but to blame kennedy for the first is very harsh, Obrien stupidly dived in and got neither the ball or the player who then got to just short of the near post without a single player going to him before crossing to a admittedly unmarked player. Should kennedy have been closer to maynard ? yes Was he to blame for the goal ? no, sadly yet another one has to go in the jim obrien clanger department
Didnt he try that and got a slating for moving Cranie over and playing M`Voto in the middle, when he dropped Wiseman. Cranie was gash at fullback, I do think he aint all that in the middle either like, but I may have only seen his bad games.
The Barnsley player who initially runs away from the crosser for the second goal then decides to run towards him just before he crosses with all the room in the world to pick out waghorn is either naive and that's putting it mildly or unprofessional. It wasn't as if he was marking anyone or had any other duty to perform totally inept imo
