[Official Site] NEILL COLLINS ON BLACKPOOL DEFEAT

NEILL COLLINS ON BLACKPOOL DEFEAT
Interviews

Our Head Coach spoke to iFollow Barnsley after the Reds were defeated 2-1 by Blackpool in EFL Trophy action.

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"We were well in the tie until we parked up in Blackpool"

 

"We just got details wrong defensively which culminated in being behind." This from a coach who was a defender in his playing days. It begs the question as to what he's doing with the players on the training ground to improve their decision making and defensive qualities. Either he's a poor turd polisher or we've recruited turds that can't be polished.

 

I was a fan of Williams at centre back but it doesn't work he's too weak in the air he Never jumped for their second. The problem he's got is if he doesn't play him central we have zero pace in gne back three, massive problem which weakness will cost us most.?

 

Yup.

Pretty much what Collins intimated on Monday night.

Williams has to be there for the pace and cohesion, but lacks aerial power and is new to that position. I think this affects the rest of the r team too - not confident in the defence to see out a game.

Not sure if January will solve it, but it needs another window to put right.

 

I honestly not heard what he said ,winds me up too much if he trys to a too positive spin on it. I think anyone with a pair of eyes can see it, my opinion is chalk stuff on this season this lot arnt going to get us promoted. There will be big changes in the summer hope recruitment is good then the only question is do they trust Collins to get the best out of them,hope I'm wrong it's a opinion not fact.

 

Stop playing players who aren’t performing. Sorry but if they haven’t shown up for you yet they aren’t going to.

 

Crikey that's most of the team lol.

 

Again easy.. its because the players aren't up to it.. I dread to think where we'd be if Roberts hadn't played the first dozen games.

 

We’re obsessed with playing JW in the centre because of his pace. It’s not really working and to be fair who had pace in the back 3 last season? Now Lopata is back I’d play him with Mael and McCart. Williams is our best option at wing back for me.

 

To be fair we had a Back three who all are at least championship standard not sure we are in that position this season. The three you name are probably the strongest option we have but i fear the ball in behind them will be their undoing.

 

Then we need to cut out the ball in behind. The ball in behind was always the weakness of the previous 3 CH's. This really is a structural issue.

 

All teams let soft goals in and I'm sure Blackpool weren't happy conceding the goal last night but I just think our whole shape and patterns of play aren't consistent or good enough, especially against the better teams where we have plenty of players in our own half but still look easy to create chances against.
Maybe the best form of defence for our players is to attack.

 

Thing is if you know the position, pace isn’t a prerequisite.
There have been many really good centre backs who weren’t blessed with a lot of pace but they could read the game and compensate for it.

 

He basically said rebuilding an entire back 3 or 4 and also a keeper is a challenge for any team, especially when the previous lot were £10m pounds worth.

He knows Williams is mainly a RWB, but has had to shoe in players in defence to make it work. Also that Jordan is learning the position as well.

He wants to play attacking football, but also needs results, and sometimes the two can’t go together (and linked the new defence to this).

He is guarded in what he says (he has to be), but you can sense he knows the issues, and perhaps with time or tweaks in Jan, it may work.

We’re 1 point better off compared to last year, with a weakened new defence. That has to count for something - but agree, recent performances have been poor and stale.

For me, he has to stay and be given until Feb at least.

 

Poor and stale is one way of describing them.

 

I maybe being too pessimistic crickey look at 15/16 season but I just don't see any desire . Other than the defensive problems the midfield other than the return of Connell is a problem too Styles looks like he doesn't give a sh#t, the player you would think to be alternative in Phillips looks like he's forgotten he's a pro footballer. He can't find a partner for Cole I would put Watters in the same category as Phillips maybe Cosgrove if he can get up to full fitness. Then there's the keeper situation Killips not good enough and Robert's not our player and we know what that might mean, problems in all areas. Hopefully January can right some of the problems but it's a very hard window to do good business.

 

Problem is, the squad is too big already. We’ve got loads of centre halves and wing backs. Surely we need to offload a few and I doubt there’ll be many takers.
It’s a big ask to sort out in a January window.

 

I totally agree.

 

He seems to be talented in the art of deflection but did he offer anything positive or ideas on how he can get our better players up to last season's standards?
I agree that he deserves longer but I can't help feel that he's holding us back.