Just back from Saturday, so my take on it

It's a long way home to Gloucestershire. Here's my take - maybe for old time's sake.

Well, it was my first visit back to Oakwell for a good many months, with various health issues and a long old road haul from Gloucestershire. I should dedicate both the visit and the report to the memory of my friend in sport, John, originally from Wombwell and nephew of Stuart Manley, past stadium manager at Oakwell. John died just over a year ago and I have so many memories of being with him at Reds games home and away over the years. Rest in peace, John. He would have loved the occasion and the result.

There is little point in writing to old style match report, as the game is so well reported on web pages these days, so just a few observations and the traditional player ratings.

I thought that we started brightly and could have had three, or four goals in the first half, with Devante Cole denied twice by the outstanding Sol Brynn, who was to blot his copybook a little later on with our equaliser, but, in truth, he had already saved his team several times over by then. I also noticed evidence of training pitch practise coming into reality on the pitch – a back heel from Cadden to give Cole a shooting chance wide left and a quickly taken free kick almost getting Phillips in, Brynn just arriving in time to smother. At the other end, we looked both nervous and vulnerable, especially down the right hand side of our defence. We were set up so that Cotter was pretty much playing as an out-and-out right winger, so leaving a large space behind him which Williams had to fill. Cotter has to have been playing to instructions, so that is a potential built-in weakness which needs looking. There were at least two opportunities to clear the ball, or to make a tackle, but we were powder-puff again, Moncur got in and created the tap in pretty well.

It was good that our heads did not drop and we kept going through the rest of the first half and the second. In truth, Leyton Orient gave us a hand, as they dropped deeper and deeper, relying on a rapid counter-attack to catch us out, but conceding most of their half of the pitch and a lot of possession. I saw them at Cheltenham earlier in the season and they don’t play the containing game well at all. They are a huge threat when they attack, especially with the likes of Ford and Agyei on the front foot. It took ages for us to break them down, but, scoring the two goals late on meant that they didn’t have enough time to go back into their more threatening attack mode. We deserved the win and it could have been by a wider margin.

PLAYER RATINGS

Liam Roberts 7: in truth, he did not have a great deal to do, so I am not marking him down. It says something about how we dominated that he wasn’t greatly extended and could not be faulted with the goal.

Jordan Williams 5: it has already been said, but proved again by the evidence of yesterday, that the very effective right wingback just isn’t the same quality of player as a central defender where more physicality and upper body strength is key. We all know that and I would reckon so do the management team. He was at fault with the goal and looked lacking confidence through a lot of the game. His confidence should return in bucket-fulls if he is moved to right wingback again. In fairness to him, playing Cotter so far forwards gives him a huge territory to cover.

Mael de Givenchy 7: he was one I could have identified as man of the match, although he did slip up in the build up to their goal. Otherwise, he has come on in leaps and bounds, looks confident and assured with ball both on the ground and in the air. I loved his carrying the ball into the opposition half during the second half in particular and there was a clue in this for us for future games. Having wingbacks, we stretch the opposition wide, especially in midfield, so we could be a greater threat by playing more directly through the middle, as Mael did at times. A very competent player in the making and one who looks assured of a future at League One level, or higher. Brilliant pass to set up Phillips for our equaliser.

Josh Earl 7: like Mael, very assured and looked to have more time on the ball than other players, mainly due to a good first touch. Seldom gave the ball away and always looked in control. Good signing who should benefit from playing in a better team than struggling Fleetwood.

Barry Cotter 5: just not quite a threat and too far forwards to be considered as a defender. His best feature was the long thrown, which did cause problems, but that’s probably not enough on its own to earn a start each week. He was subbed straight after missing controlling a superb fifty yard pass from left to right and it summed up some aspects of his performance. He seemed to lack concentration and the game, as well as the ball, passed him by too often.

Nicky Cadden 6: had lots of space on the left due to the way in which Leyton Orient were set up. I thought that his legendary crossing ability was not quite as good as usual. He had plenty of space at times, but still managed to hit the first defender. I like Cadden as a player. He is really competent and clearly a very good professional, but he would admit, I would think, disappointment with some of his crosses. Make it us against Shrewsbury and Fleetwood.

Adam Phillips 6: Orient didn’t make it easy for us in midfield and we were snuffed out and closed down quite a lot. I liked the quick free kick routine which nearly got him in in the first half. Clearly a training ground routine which nearly worked and he was very alive to the possibility with his quick run into the area. Took both his goals well and it is a joy to see a midfielder get beyond the strikers to be in scoring positions. His first was no easy tap in, with the goalie coming out hard and Phillips having to keep his eyes on the ball and direct it goalwards. Good finish, as was his near post volley for the winner.

Herbie Kane 6: rather stifled by the Orient midfield. He clearly has a footballer’s brain, but such players need to receive the ball with enough space and time to work out their next three, or four chess moves. He was rather starved of that on Saturday, which limited what he could do, but he is one of the impressive brains behind our midfield and will continue to come good and win us games when he gets the time and space.

Luca Connell 8: and my man of the match in spite of the pointless sending off. Such a good touch on the ball and carries it and uses it well. It seemed to me that Orient recognised his importance in putting two men on to mark him, but he still managed to impose himself. Unlucky with that strike from distance in the first half. There were a couple Dubliners sitting behind me in the West Upper and I told them to watch out for Luca. He only disappointed with the sending off, but some of the close marking was a little over the top. Needs to keep his focus and his temper.

John McAtee 7: terrific work rate and pressing the defenders. He covered loads of ground for sure. Just the one howitzer from distance, but straight at Brynn. Really puts himself about, but a little short of scoring chances on the day.

Devante Cole 7: he was close to being my man-of-the-match. He is infinitely better as a player than the callow youth we recruited on loan from Manchester City all those years ago. He is so inventive these days off the shoulder of the last defender. Terrific turn of pace and good close control. Lots of evidence of training ground routines to get him into scoring positions and he was unlucky not to score at least one on the day. Only stopped by an outstanding save from Brynn in the first half and went close on other occasions too.

Corey O’Keeffe 6: looked somewhat more effective than Cotter and produced a great free kick for the winner. Got stuck in and looked focussed.

Sam Cosgrove 5: had one good header, which he kept down well, but straight at Brynn. Disappointing that he didn’t hold up the ball that well and didn’t win many headers against the Orient defence. We have been spoilt in the past with the likes of Aylott and Shipperley, so know what to expect with this style of player. I am convinced that he will come good and start doing the business, but cameo appearances are the best he is likely to get until his game really integrates into the team style.

Conor Grant 5: hard to tell with not many minutes, or touches. At least we scored when he was on the pitch and with ten men for the last six or so, so he didn’t do anything wrong and probably had to cover for the missing Connell as well. Hope he comes good. The videos of him suggest that he will and he is still young.

So, there you have it (catch phrase). We always set up with the same 3-5-2 formation (or 5-3-2 away sometimes), so the opposition know what they are up against. Tactical changes, therefore, seem to have more to do with changes players like-for-like more than changing formation. If we play with wingbacks, we might find more joy with incursions down the centre of the pitch and Mael in particular showed that on Saturday.

Will we get promoted. On that performance we will be in the mix, especially having kept our key players through the window. Will I get to Oakwell again? Well, I hope so, but it is a haul these days. I am hoping that my health lasts out and, if it does, I’ll be back.

COYR In memory of pal John (Tank Tyke, who occasionally wrote on this board)

 

Always enjoy your write ups, good to see this one!

Don't think we'll ever know if Cotter is playing to instruction or not, he's so wildly out of kilter for a pro footballer. I'd love to see him come good because his enthusiasm is infectious, but most of the time it just looks like he doesn't have a clue!

I showed my footballing nous on Saturday when I called Phillips as the player to be replaced by Cosgrove. Very glad he wasn't. You've a tough man to please if his subsequent 2 goals keep him at a 6/10!

 

Actually thought it was one of Cosgrove's cameos.

5 is generous for Cotter's Saturday performance

 

Good write up though score for Luca seems to be based more on sentiment than achievement as I thought by his standards he was very average.

 

As the former Gloucester Red on here I know all about that schlep up the M5/A38/M1 and I’m not sure that I would manage many home matches these days. It’s nearly 20 years since my trips from Gloucester and it was easier then! Whereabouts in the county are you by the way?

You certainly picked a good one last Saturday anyway. Good football even though we were a bit too slow in the buildup play for my liking but it all came good in the end.

 

I felt exactly the same mate, Luca is a fantastic player and is often the stand out player for us but he was disappointing on Saturday especially with his ball retention and passing.

 

Agreed it wasn’t one of his better games but his floating through ball to McAtee in the second half was a thing of beauty. Absolute perfection.

 

2 goal match winner - 6
Sent off for being daft - 8
Ice cream and sunshine - 5
A punch in the face - 9

 

Glad you enjoyed your day at Oakwell and you're doing ok health wise.
On the football I thought Cotter did well to last half hour after taking a bad tackle then limping through his minutes on the pitch.Williams had by far his best performance at Peterborough when he played with O'Keefe in front of him.
I hope you get to Oakwell again soon.

 

I'm with you on this one regarding Adam Philips, as I was hoping he'd be hooked off - good job I'm not managing! But up to the point of his goals he'd had a lack of involvement, as has been the case much of this season. For whatever reason, he hasn't yet reached last season's high standards.

He also should have scored when their keeper parried out Devante Cole's shot which fell to him, in space and close in, but he rushed it, snatched at his shot, and the opportunity was gone.

But his two goals were so well taken, showing bravery, giving us those magic moments, so let's hope this will raise his confidence and overall performance.

 

Since the enigma that is Barry Cotter doesn't know what he's going to do the opposition certainly don't!!!