Disappointing result obviously but it was unlikely we would start well with so many changes over the summer. Scrappy 1st half which neither side looked good in. I felt the wind favoured them & it could've been 1-1 with Jensen saving well from Jennings & them striking the post. We couldn't really get going with our passing & struggled to get Jennings in the game but on the rare occasions we did he looked a threat. I just began to think we were looking likely to score before Jennings got sent off. I sit in the east upper so I'd not got a great view of the incident but it seemed harsh as Jennings seemed to only push the Crawley player but if he did headbutt him then fair enough he deserved to go. I couldn't tell who was to blame for their goal but McLeod's always been a threat from set pieces so it was no surprise he scored. Fair play to Crawley they looked an average side but they set up not to concede & ended up nicking a winner even if they might've had favourable treatment from the ref. Ratings: Davies - 6 - much better than in the friendlies for most of the game, just the one dodgy moment at the end of the first half when he didn't come out & claim a ball he should've Brown - 4 - our worst performer, looked dodgy defensively & poor on the ball. He looked like what he is, a centre back playing right back. It's a big worry for me that he seems set to be our right back for the season. Crawley really should've scored from his error at the start of the 2nd half Cranie - 7 - Mr Dependable. Looked quality at this level Nyatanga - 7 - Good performance & won most of the aerial battles with McLeod Dudgeon - 7 - I'd give him man of the match, some clever early balls, solid defensively & a great tackle to save us at the end of the first half Bailey - 5 - Poor for me, didn't contribute much at all, didn't look comfortable on the wing & didn't offer any width or creativity Bailey - 7 - good performance, decent range of passing & won plenty of 50-50's Hourihane - 7 - good player, decent set pieces as well. The ball to Winnall at the start of the 2nd half was brilliant Jennings - 6 - whether he deserved to get sent off or not is irrelevant, he wasn't at his best. One good shot & a couple of good crosses was about it. Think he'll get better as he gets fitter like last season Rose - 5 - Not great but very little service. His game is running in behind & not playing with his back to goal like he did today. Winnall - 6 - pretty average really. Some decent hold up play but should've scored from Hourihane's pass. I'll give Nana & Treacy 6 each, neither were in the game much at all. I still think we'll get better as the season goes on & that we'll struggle for the first couple of months. The lads clearly need time to get used to playing with each other & in some cases at this level
so many changes over the summer, you mean like the 17 of Crawley they started with 9 new faces on the pitch today.
Sorry but Davies should of come and claimed that corner for their goal. Jensen did it all day for them when we were putting them in. I just can't find a positive. I know we will get better but it's deflated me today, never did I think that we wouldn't score today.
Brown was very very poor in his offensive work but solid defensively. Looked like a centre half playing right back to me.
To be fair Crainie is our so called best defender and he's not even solid defensively so to have a go at Brown for not dribbling down the wing seems harsh.
Crainie is too laid back, shows little urgency and needs a dominating centre back next to him to tell him where to go and what to do. Not assertive enough, not nasty enough and not a leader. You can't get by at centre half in league one by just being a nice football we, you need grit,aggeession and determination to go with it
Not particularly a criticism but an ability to cross the ball is part of being a full back. Play broke down as a result of his lack of any offensive quality as it did too often with Kennedy last season. As Brown himself says he's a centre half who can play full back rather than a specialist. We need a specialist.
I thought he put a cracking cross in in the first half but in the second half he was totally isolated because Berry was no where to be seen.
Thought Cranie was very good today, made the difficult stuff look simple. Our right side looked terrible to me, obviously it's only the 1st game but in my opinion both Brown & Berry seem better suited to central roles. I can't believe people think Brown played well today but everyone's got the right to an opinion
Brown was ****ing ***** and for folk to say Cranie was worse is ridiculous. Cranie was the best player on the pitch by a country mile.
I thought Brown had a pretty decent game. Bailey was very, very disappointing considering his pedigree. Surely he will improve. As for Berry, someone remarked that he reminded them of Mark Owen (Take That) playing in a celebrity match, which i thought summed him up spot on. He looks far too lightweight and more concerned with his fringe than anything else.
