I wish it was only strike power that was the problem but Jesus we’ve got serious issues all over the pitch infact i honestly can’t see what’s really changed from last season , we still can’t control or kill a game off and always look like conceding.
Today was indeed a "problems all over the pitch" day. The forward line looked the least of our problems tbh.
I'm not even sure I'd say game management was the issue. We were comfortable at 2-0 and looked like the only side who were going to score again. There was a lengthy delay for injury and they scored straight after out of nothing really. Defensively, we still have a mistake in us, regardless of the personnel. I'll have to watch it back, but the first isn't closed down anywhere near quick enough, and the second is a keeper error.
Their first goal wasn't "straight out of nothing". It started from Josh Earl's overestimating his dribbling ability again and getting dispossessed. He can look classy at times, but overall he's a liability. He wouldn't be in my starting line-up.
Clarkes fault today. Houruhane a mile off being ready for first team action. We ended up with centre halves as full backs, wing backs playing up with Cosgrove. Connell playing left side then centre. He changed Watters from playing in a front 2 where he was causing problems for Northampton to playing him out of position on the left then took him off. Passing was terrible and midfield and defence were disjointed. Lot of work to be done it can be turned round but today was a bit of a shambles.
Earl at one point was in the centre attacking mid position. Mael looked lost and Pines didn't improve things..Missed Craig and Lofthouse needs to start.Id look at Lopata for Mael and play Cotter and Lofthouse in a 5-3-2.
4 centre backs on the field, not looking like they actually knew what their job was possibly one of the issues? Lofthouse needs to start IMO.
Clarke’s basically doing what many critics of Collins were calling for Collins to do last season in picking & playing players out of position. It’s mental to have De Gevigney at RB, Earl at LB or LWB & Cotter on the right in a front 3. I don’t think Clarke’s daft enough to think this is the right way of doing things. Instead I’d like to think he’s trying to send a message to the board. It is ridiculous that even after losing Williams & Cadden & having the chance to recruit some wingers & do something different we still don’t have a winger at the club & there’s no obvious system that suits the personnel other than 3-5-2.
Absolutely. Clarke is deliberately picking players and playing them out of position, and trying to have us lose games. His message to the board is - "I'm an idiotic manager and need sacking. Oh, and I'm mental by the way"
Obviously I’m not saying that. It’s the last week of the transfer window. He wouldn’t be the first manager to try & send a message to the board.
He can probably just talk to the board and share his thoughts in interviews rather than deliberately put out teams and players he thinks will underperform. He strikes me as a a good motivator and man manager and setting up people to fail by pushing them into roles you know they aren't ready for is a terrible way to build a team. Doesn't necessarily mean I think he got it right, or that we don't need strengthening.