Post sit down, pizza and ale Match Report

For the first 10 minutes it looked like it was going to be our day. We were sharp and had a few promising attacks, but Vale gradually got back into it and there had been warnings before they took the lead. We’d let them in a couple of times down our right channel before Austin was comprehensively outpaced and we found ourselves 1-0 down. Their second was a complete farce. We won a free kick just inside the Vale half. As usual we took an idiotic short free kick to a man under pressure. Shuker quickly gave it back to Hassel, also under pressure, who then played a poor ball straight to a Vale player and they were once again clear down our right channel. Fortunately the striker fluffed his shot only for Colgan to allow the ball to creep under him and into the goal. Stupid free kick, poor positional play from the defence and a shocking goalkeeping error. To be fair to Colgan, that’s the first goal he’s cost us this year.

For the rest of the half we were truly abysmal.

Ritchie has got to hold his hands up and admit his mistakes. Richards and Wright were an ill thought out strike partnership, who delivered exactly what we thought them capable: nothing. It seemed an even more bizarre decision when Hayes did enter the play and showed his class. Hassle and Austin were also in the wrong positions. Hassle reads the game very well at centre half. Austin proved today that he doesn’t. Obviously Ritchie knows this as he switched them round at half time. Bit late by then though Andy. The players must also take some blame for that poor first half showing. There were periods that Vale were stringing together upwards of 20 passes without a Barnsley player even making a challenge. That’s not good enough. 2-0 down was exactly what we deserved.

Second half was a different story. For the first 25 minutes, particularly after the introduction of Hayes, we were magnificent. A 20 yarder from Burns and a coolly executed tap in from Carbon, after their keeper had saved a point blank header by Wright from an excellent Devaney cross, had brought us level. We looked certain winners, but Vale found themselves 3-2 in front with their first attack of the second half; a cross-shot diverted into our goal that completely wrong footed Colgan. I still believed we could get something out of it, but then everyone panicked. Ritchie brought off Wright, who still looked full of running, and in doing so completely extinguished our aerial threat and strength in attack, while at the same time the team stopped playing the fast pass and move football that had drawn them level and resorted to the big boot up front. It didn’t work.

Very disappointed at the final whistle as for 25 minutes in that second half we looked better than anyone else in this division is capable. However, a game of football lasts 90 minutes. I can’t remember the last time the team performed for anywhere near that long.

 

You really need to

go to more away matches and write up the report. Site Admin should appoint you official "Reds on The Road" match scribe.

Good to read a rational report.

Would a decent centre half make the difference, or is there something 'else' lacking?

Baffling team selection with Richards and Wright up front. Have we still got what it takes to finish top 6?

too many questions so late at night.

 

Spot on!

When we're good we're not just very, very good, we're far and away the best footballing side in the division.

When we're bad, we're distinctly average. Swapping Austin and Hassell was a good move, even though Oz has more experience as a centre-half than Bobby does.

We should have won it, I would have taken a draw (especially at half time) but losing was disappointing considering the first 20 minutes and most of the second half.

 

Not too late to tell us how it went......

I didn't go but I am sure we would value your outlook?

 

jesus good that i think ..(seestars) ..you're after knowles job aren't yeah ????probably not life on the sofa'' ..can't be true can it .i could though given chance ..(dancin)

 

RE: Not too late to tell us how it went......

what'' ..you arse licker getting well in with board leader jay ..brownie points all round..nutkins ..(2gay)

 

I agree,,,,,,,,,,,,...........(((((******))))))%%%%%%%

you are correct in your assumption. Jay is the unofficial board 'leader'. I am sure he is pleased with your acreditation of his skills............</p>

Nutkins leaves a sour taste in your mouth doesn't it stevie?</p>

Why? I have been nothing but nice to your text. Why so disrepectful?</p>

 

RE: I agree,,,,,,,,,,,,...........(((((******))))))%%%%%%%

me i would never be disrespectful to you ..i think your err err..ok good wit ..???? good wit that's it ..(Y)

 

Excellent Jay.
Can't argue with any of that.
Hayes is truly inspirationalw and as class when he came on so why didn't he start from the onset? HE IS OUR BEST PLAYER.
It seems to me that Ritchie is 'tinkering' with the team and not always to our best advantage unfortunately, as you just have to question some of his team selections/decisions and tactics..
Richards was abysmally poor, the travelling fans soon lost patience with him and he was roundly booed for his poor positional play and sloppy passing.
It was a relief when he went off and Hayes came on as Wright and Richards do not work as a pair.
Why disn't Hassel start at Centre back? A shocking and costly decision to leave Austin there.
Heartbreaking at the end as we could have gone on to win it after drawing level.
Too much sloppiness and a totally abysmal first half cost us today and we slip out of the playoffs.

 

hayes should be played in midfield as he certainly aint a striker he doesn,t score enough goals he,s certainly creative though!

 

One of the best players for assists in the League - I'm sure Paul D can come up with some stats.

 

One thing I am sure of...

We'll beat Walsall on Tuesday - as long as we play like we did in the second half!

 

RE: One thing I am sure of...

Aah, but will we?</p>

Which Team will turn up for the game?</p>

Our consistency is a grave cause for concern</p>

 

RE: One thing I am sure of...

Recogise that but I think (hope!) the fact that it is a cup game will mean we play like in the second half - like at Bratford.

 

RE: One thing I am sure of...

True but we didn't play like that at home against 'em.
It just appears to me, that of late, the team have lost a little bit of their hunger and desire.

 

Ritchie's Tactics

Especially in away games, he seems to see the match in blocks of time. Not the first time that the starting eleven with Wright and Richards up front was designed to soak up the pressure, contain the opposition in the first phase and have two players up front who could hold the ball up - I think that was the theory, rather than the reality. He'd then be thinking of the later phase in which he would have Hayes and/or Nardiello to bring on to go out and win the match. The theory isn't a bad one - you can't legislate for the poor defending which sent us in 0-2 down at half time. It is good that we've got class players like Hayes to bring on and change the course of what would have been a non-event defeat and turned into an unlucky defeat. Rotating the players, especially up front, also keeps them fresh. Just one problem - I wish the strikers would actually start striking!!!

 

RE: Ritchie's Tactics

Mmmm an interesting theory. I'd never thought of it like that. I suppose us fans always think in terms of 'games' as opposed to the set blocks of time you mention. The time we want changes is when the tactic clearly isn't working as in the first half yesterday.

 

RE: You really need to

First thing we've got to do is stop taking those stupid quick free kicks that land our players in trouble. They achieve nothing other than putting our players under pressure and all too often we end up either giving the ball away or finding ourselves in a much worse position than we were to start with. That needs sorting NOW!

In my opinion we stil need a centre half. We've got 3 good uns in Kay, Reid and Carbon, but unfortunately Carbon is injured for much of the time, while Reid is hardly the most Robust player. Ritchie gambled on the fitness of Carbon for the season, but the gamble failed. We're having to send out a different back 4 almost every game with players constantly having to change position. I believe a settled back line is key to success and it's about time Ritchie bit the bullet, admit that as good as Carbon can be he simply can't be relied on to stay fit and invest in another centre half. Maybe we can't afford to do that, but I think it will make the difference between a play-off spot or just missing out.

I still think a top 6 finish is within our grasp, although, in my opinion, our inconsistency rules out automatic promotion. Maybe this won't be our year, but at least Ritchie has improved the side considerably and with the amount of young players in the squad we should be set up for a decnt crack at it next year.

 

Very accurate posting.

Howard looked class when he came on and should be in the team instead of McPhail in my opinion.

 

I agree

I've had enough of McPhail now. He's OK and he's got some nice touches but he just doesn't get involved in the game. He's had enough chances to become that play making midfielder we've been crying out for, but he's failed to do it. That's not to say he's crap because he isn't, but he just doesn't do enough. Nowhere near enough.