***Official Unofficial Match Thread***

[Ken Hairy 3,760]

1 minute ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Header from Gilmour. And no, I did not make that up.

That's him getting MOTM and universal praise from the media and Chelsea fans who didn't even watch the game then... 

[cambridgeshire canary 6,676]

2 minutes ago, ron obvious said:

Game changed completely when PLM & Rupp came on. If we'd have started with the energy levels & commitment those 2 showed from the start it would've been a much closer game.

Normann & Rashica were both so lethargic it looked to me they were ill. I wonder if they were?

I must say that i think Williams was under the weather too; he looked like he was trying to force the pace but his legs weren't having it.

Can't help but wonder if Normann has other things on his mind given his parent clubs location..

[Mengo 821]

4 minutes ago, Capt. Pants said:

Defeat at home to Brentford next week will be the ultimate humiliation from this shambles of season.

We have nothing up front and the worst midfield in the league.

I feel sick after that no fight toothless inept performance  tonight. 😢 

[Capt. Pants 4,195]

Just now, cambridgeshire canary said:

Can't help but wonder if Normann has other things on his mind given his parent clubs location..

No. He's just not as good as some people like to think he is.

[ron obvious 1,501]

10 minutes ago, Herman said:

With dog**** subs to make things worse. Playing to lose for some reason.

No they weren't. We were far far better when they came on.

[BroadstairsR 2,138]

Probably the most Championship we've looked this season. They were certainly a league better than us.

Oh well!

[Fiery Zac 1,066]

1 minute ago, Helsinki canary said:

Agreed, it was blatantly obvious our game plan and set up was totally flawed after 20min, the manager and coaches need to take alot of the flack for that shamble’s tonight, they had plenty of time to change formation but did nothing 

And that’s one of the most (if not the most) disappointing aspect of tonight. Not only was the team on the pitch a shambles, but there was no response from the manager. A manager who has shown he could get this squad to at least compete, and get some results. It was always a massive ask to keep us up but we weren’t the embarrassment that Farke (unfortunately) was making us.

To be fair to Smith he has no quality on the bench and so little on the pitch there was virtually nothing he could do. But the lack of a change or instilling any energy or fight, is a big worry.

[Herman 9,716]

1 minute ago, ron obvious said:

No they weren't. We were far far better when they came on.

I have no problem with the two he brought on.....

[cambridgeshire canary 6,676]

1 minute ago, Fiery Zac said:

And that’s one of the most (if not the most) disappointing aspect of tonight. Not only was the team on the pitch a shambles, but there was no response from the manager. A manager who has shown he could get this squad to at least compete, and get some results. It was always a massive ask to keep us up but we weren’t the embarrassment that Farke (unfortunately) was making us.

To be fair to Smith he has no quality on the bench and so little on the pitch there was virtually nothing he could do. But the lack of a change or instilling any energy or fight, is a big worry.

Taking off Rashica and sticking Rupp on stank of Farkes last matches with us..

[Mengo 821]

9 minutes ago, ron obvious said:

Game changed completely when PLM & Rupp came on. If we'd have started with the energy levels & commitment those 2 showed from the start it would've been a much closer game.

Normann & Rashica were both so lethargic it looked to me they were ill. I wonder if they were?

I must say that i think Williams was under the weather too; he looked like he was trying to force the pace but his legs weren't having it.

Hindsight a wonderful thing. We were utterly mince tonight. 

[Mengo 821]

23 minutes ago, ricardo said:

Lucky to get away with only two.

Without a doubt. Very lucky. Did we have covid in the team or what? Lethargic non performance. 

[ron obvious 1,501]

9 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Taking off Rashica and sticking Rupp on stank of Farkes last matches with us..

Rashica, who has been our best attacker by far lately, was hopeless tonight. I strongly suspect he was ill.

[Mengo 821]

9 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Taking off Rashica and sticking Rupp on stank of Farkes last matches with us..

Rashica was not at the races tonight and I'm really struggling to think who was. Worst performances by just about everybody apart from Gunn.

[Capt. Pants 4,195]

1 minute ago, Mengo said:

Without a doubt. Very lucky. Did we have covid in the team or what? Lethargic non performance. 

Well if we did it probably wasn't a good idea to let them mix with the rest of the team.

We were poor, we were off the pace against a fitter, faster more skillfull team.

We're not good enough for this league sadly, not even close.

[ron obvious 1,501]

10 minutes ago, Mengo said:

Hindsight a wonderful thing. We were utterly mince tonight. 

How does that comment work? I don't understand. 

We were indeed mince until the subs. We were much better afterwards - Pukki & Max got revitalised too once they had some support.

Edited February 25, 2022 by ron obvious

[ron obvious 1,501]

5 minutes ago, Mengo said:

Without a doubt. Very lucky. Did we have covid in the team or what? Lethargic non performance. 

That occurred to me too.

[Mengo 821]

1 minute ago, Capt. Pants said:

Well if we did it probably wasn't a good idea to let them mix with the rest of the team.

We were poor, we were off the pace against a fitter, faster more skillfull team.

We're not good enough for this league sadly, not even close.

Can't fault anything you say

 I feel totally drained disappointed.  Have I resigned to going down.

WE ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH. 

[Capt. Pants 4,195]

2 minutes ago, ron obvious said:

That occurred to me too.

Well surely we are still testing??

[canarybubbles 1,915]

26 minutes ago, Helsinki canary said:

Agreed, it was blatantly obvious our game plan and set up was totally flawed after 20min, the manager and coaches need to take alot of the flack for that shamble’s tonight, they had plenty of time to change formation but did nothing 

I know many people will blast me for this, but I still have my suspicions that Smith is totally overrated. Yes, he has made us harder to beat and more streetwise, but I just can't see him putting together an offensive team that can play attractive football and take control of games, which is what we will need to do next season. He didn't exactly set the Championship on fire with Villa despite having Grealish and a few other top class players. Is he really better than Farke? For me, that game reminded me of so many games of two seasons ago where we were just swept aside. 

EDIT: I'm not saying this because I think Farke shouldn't have been fired. His time was over.

Edited February 25, 2022 by canarybubbles

[Mengo 821]

3 minutes ago, ron obvious said:

How does that comment work? I don't understand. 

We were indeed mince until the subs. We were much better afterwards - Pukki & Max got revitalised too once they had some support.

Ron I'm totally deflated with what I saw tonight. Why was it like that. I've no idea. No fight. Southampton not so good either but we were utter mince. The score flatters us. We are not good enough for this league.

[Fiery Zac 1,066]

1 minute ago, canarybubbles said:

I know many people will blast me for this, but I still have my suspicions that Smith is totally overrated. Yes, he has made us harder to beat and more streetwise, but I just can't see him putting together an offensive team that can play attractive football and take control of games, which is what we will need to do next season. He didn't exactly set the Championship on fire with Villa despite having Grealish and a few other top class players. Is he really better than Farke? For me, that game reminded me of so many games of two seasons ago where we were just swept aside.  

Didn’t he take over after Bruce’s f***up that left Villa mid-table and then take them on a run at the back end of the season that would comfortably have seen them win the league had he been in charge for the whole season? Seemed he just needed a bit of time and then he really got them firing.

Might have got that totally wrong but I remember them really lighting up the league at the end of that season.

He also then kept them up, albeit with some technological ‘help’

[Alex 26]

I was feeling optimistic after the Liverpool match but then the game started. It was evident after the first ten minutes that we wasn't going to get anything from the game as we could barely get a kick of the ball unless it was to clear the ball to a red and white shirt. I am feeling low after that. I don't mind losing but it really stood out that we just are not good enough for this level tonight we got outclassed from start to finish all over the park, not only did we get outclassed but we were soft. I had lost count of the amount of times one of our players was just pushed off the ball with ease. 

[Yellow Wal 314]

5 minutes ago, Fiery Zac said:

Didn’t he take over after Bruce’s f***up that left Villa mid-table and then take them on a run at the back end of the season that would comfortably have seen them win the league had he been in charge for the whole season? Seemed he just needed a bit of time and then he really got them firing.

Might have got that totally wrong but I remember them really lighting up the league at the end of that season.

He also then kept them up, albeit with some technological ‘help’

But you can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear.

Edited February 25, 2022 by Yellow Wal
Clarity.

[Bovril 219]

Southampton were very impressive tonight with their constant high press and use/spread of the ball. Many have perhaps forgotten they absolutely pummeled us at Carrow Road too. How we won that match is anyones guess.

[Hank shoots Skyler 2,094]

55 minutes ago, Mengo said:

Rashica was not at the races tonight and I'm really struggling to think who was. Worst performances by just about everybody apart from Gunn.

Hanley was good too

[paddycanary 538]

44 minutes ago, BroadstairsR said:

Probably the most Championship we've looked this season. They were certainly a league better than us.

Oh well!

That was my takeaway from the performance too. Looked like a Champo team playing in the Prem. 

 

14 minutes ago, Alex said:

I was feeling optimistic after the Liverpool match but then the game started. It was evident after the first ten minutes that we wasn't going to get anything from the game as we could barely get a kick of the ball unless it was to clear the ball to a red and white shirt. I am feeling low after that. I don't mind losing but it really stood out that we just are not good enough for this level tonight we got outclassed from start to finish all over the park, not only did we get outclassed but we were soft. I had lost count of the amount of times one of our players was just pushed off the ball with ease. 

Other than a brief spell when we pushed up & went for it in the second half, we were easily outclassed tonight, emphasis an 'easily.' No midfield to speak of. Virtually no press. Possession ceded again and again, long (and short) aimless balls straight back to Southampton. Walker-Peters & Livramento played like wingers with all the time in the world, yet we couldn't capitalise on the vast amounts of space they left behind them. Why play the same Idah-friendly approach if he's not on the pitch??? Sargent is an impact sub at best, yet we've no one else. I can't see what Gilmour offers. Normann & McLean not much better. Rashica completely off it tonight. So many negatives. 

Southampton are decent, but they're nothing special. We're just not good enough. That looked like the performance of a team who believe they're already down. I hate to say it, but my little glimmer of hope was almost completely extinguished after watching that.

Gunn & Hanley can hold their heads high, Gibson decent for the most part, good to see Rupp back (and hopefully Sorensen soon) but if we continue to leave Aarons & Williams so over-exposed while bypassing the midfield with no one there to make it stick, we'll do well to finish 20th. 

[shefcanary 2,388]

1 hour ago, Fiery Zac said:

And that’s one of the most (if not the most) disappointing aspect of tonight. Not only was the team on the pitch a shambles, but there was no response from the manager. A manager who has shown he could get this squad to at least compete, and get some results. It was always a massive ask to keep us up but we weren’t the embarrassment that Farke (unfortunately) was making us.

To be fair to Smith he has no quality on the bench and so little on the pitch there was virtually nothing he could do. But the lack of a change or instilling any energy or fight, is a big worry.

Agreed, Smith's worst game so far.  Must do better.

[hepphep 175]

9 hours ago, Hank shoots Skyler said:

I was being sarcastic it was an absolute rocket I thought it would’ve been obvious. No keeper in the world saving that, let alone catching it ffs

👍 my sarcasm radar failed here.