Ricardo's Report v Hartlepool

[ricardo 7,412]

It was very parky at fortress CR this afternoon but  25.5k turned up to see the home run record extended to eleven games. Ricardo was more than pleased to press the thermal pants back into action as the afternoon progressed because the on field events rarely succeeded in raising the temperature.To report that the first 25 minutes was a non event is to do dis-service to non events. Hartlepool got in our faces from the off and most of the early action was in the middle of the field. We had a couple of forays into their box that amounted to nothing and they did the same at our end while the crowd seemed strangely quiet. The defence seemed solid enough but a creative spark from midfield was distinctly lacking. Wes was totally annonymous and nobody else was prepared to pick up the baton.Hartlepool won a couple of corners and you could sense that they were growing in confidence. A half cleared ball fell to Austin who slotted a fine drive into the corner from just outside the D.  The goal seemed to electrify City as straight from the restart the ball was worked up to Cody who swept it wide to Martin and then got on the end of his pin-point cross to head a fine equaliser at the far post. Very Holtesque I thought but in truth we were definately lacking the aggression up front that the big man brings to the game. Within five minutes we took the lead, Chris Martin picked the ball up inside the box a side footed a pass into open space for the galloping Michael Rose to crash a low thunderbolt into the far corner. All now seemed right with the world but to Hartlepool''s credit they didn''t crumble and the rest of the half slowly drifted into a stalemate.The second period opened much more brightly with City moving the ball a lot quicker but 15 minutes of pressure failed to bring a third goal. Again all credit to Hartlepool, they continued to battle and Wes was still getting the double marking treatment. Chances were few and far between as the game descended into a war of attrition but Forster had to make one fine block when Pool made the best chance of the half. Cody went off and Oli came on but nothing really changed the pattern of the game and I for one was grateful to hear the final whistle.The King of Spain was my MOM nominee because he was all action throughout although some of his set pieces were a bit below standard. Of the rest, Smith and Rusty came strong towards the end and Chris Martin did a lot of unselfish running. Cody and Oli were o.k but they had little real service from the creative part of the midfield. I am sure Wes will have better days than this but we can''t expect a Roy of the Rovers performance every week. Doc and Nelson again very solid and restricted Pool to very few efforts on target.All in all I''m well satisfied with the 3 points from a dour old game that won''t live long in the memory.

[LinkNR9 0]

[quote user="ricardo"]It was very parky at fortress CR this afternoon but  25.5k turned up to see the home run record extended to eleven games. Ricardo was more than pleased to press the thermal pants back into action as the afternoon progressed because the on field events rarely succeeded in raising the temperature.

To report that the first 25 minutes was a non event is to do dis-service to non events. Hartlepool got in our faces from the off and most of the early action was in the middle of the field. We had a couple of forays into their box that amounted to nothing and they did the same at our end while the crowd seemed strangely quiet. The defence seemed solid enough but a creative spark from midfield was distinctly lacking. Wes was totally annonymous and nobody else was prepared to pick up the baton.

Hartlepool won a couple of corners and you could sense that they were growing in confidence. A half cleared ball fell to Austin who slotted a fine drive into the corner from just outside the D.  The goal seemed to electrify City as straight from the restart the ball was worked up to Cody who swept it wide to Martin and then got on the end of his pin-point cross to head a fine equaliser at the far post. Very Holtesque I thought but in truth we were definately lacking the aggression up front that the big man brings to the game. Within five minutes we took the lead, Chris Martin picked the ball up inside the box a side footed a pass into open space for the galloping Michael Rose to crash a low thunderbolt into the far corner. All now seemed right with the world but to Hartlepool''s credit they didn''t crumble and the rest of the half slowly drifted into a stalemate.

The second period opened much more brightly with City moving the ball a lot quicker but 15 minutes of pressure failed to bring a third goal. Again all credit to Hartlepool, they continued to battle and Wes was still getting the double marking treatment. Chances were few and far between as the game descended into a war of attrition but Forster had to make one fine block when Pool made the best chance of the half. Cody went off and Oli came on but nothing really changed the pattern of the game and I for one was grateful to hear the final whistle.

The King of Spain was my MOM nominee because he was all action throughout although some of his set pieces were a bit below standard. Of the rest, Smith and Rusty came strong towards the end and Chris Martin did a lot of unselfish running. Cody and Oli were o.k but they had little real service from the creative part of the midfield. I am sure Wes will have better days than this but we can''t expect a Roy of the Rovers performance every week. Doc and Nelson again very solid and restricted Pool to very few efforts on target.

All in all I''m well satisfied with the 3 points from a dour old game that won''t live long in the memory.
[/quote]

A fair summary, Ricardo, although I think that Nelson may be replaced by Whitbread next week - his distribution was awful again and he got dragged all over the place by Behan (and then Boyd). A very good debut by Rose, although Smith and Russell were excellent again.

We really miss Holt up front.

[Robert N. LiM 4,545]

Missed the game today Ricardo, so your report was even more appreciated than usual. Hope the Peronis are warming you up.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Excellent balanced summary Ricardo. I bet the exiles really appreciate your match reports which are spot on and very much through the eyes of a supporter.

[ricardo 7,412]

Somehow I failed to mention Michael Rose (other than his goal). I was quite impressed with him, strong in the tackle and obviously has a very strong left foot. I was also pleased to see he has an exellent long throw which is a very useful weapon that we have lacked for a long while.

[Gibbo 131]

Were his throws actually Delap-like then, or just pretty long? Bet Holt can''t wait to get on the end of some of them if so! :)

[YankeeCanary 0]

Thanks Ricardo. I know it''s difficult for anyone to explain but why do you think the crowd was strangely quiet? I''m assuming you mean from the off. Without getting into the old chicken and egg of the situation one would tend to think if the crowd is pumped and singing in the first half hour or so, in particular, that it would lift the team.

[MyGodWeArePoorToWatch 0]

Thanks Ricardo

You seem to always tell it like it is.

And for an excile in germany, much much appreciated !!

[ricardo 7,412]

[quote user="YankeeCanary"]Thanks Ricardo. I know it''s difficult for anyone to explain but why do you think the crowd was strangely quiet? I''m assuming you mean from the off. Without getting into the old chicken and egg of the situation one would tend to think if the crowd is pumped and singing in the first half hour or so, in particular, that it would lift the team.[/quote]No Yankee, it was pretty quiet from the first whistle. Its almost as if they wait for a lead from events on the pitch. In fact it took a Harlepool goal to stir them this afternoon. In our defence however, apart from the goals and a bit of argy bargy between Rusty and one of their guys, there was very little action to get excited about.

[GJP 79]

[quote user="LinkNR9"]

 although I think that Nelson may be replaced by Whitbread next week

[/quote]

Not unless he''s injured.

[Beauseant 0]

As ever, an excellent summary form Ricardo. I think we looked very jaded today (hardly surprising) and needed them to score to fire us up. I really expected us to run away with it after taking the lead, as every time we had attacked at speed they''d looked panicky, but credit to Hartlepool , they never gave up, and we really couldn''t have moaned too much if they''d nicked a point.

 Very pleased with Rose, who''s long throw could be a real weapon.He likes a tackle and has a thunderbolt shot. I have to say that Nelson''s lack of pace seemed more of a worry against an opposition getting the lion''s share of possession, and I wonder whether Whitbread may be close to starting. Lappin, Rusty and Korey did a great shift in the middle, but Wes just couldn''t quite get it right today. Chris Martin worked his nuts off and held the ball well, but despite the goal Cody disappointed me again.He doesn''t read the game at all well and consequently is on his heels too often when the ball comes to him. Oli had a couple of silky runs, and the incident in injury time where he held off three or four players in the box and nearly played Martin in was of the highest class.

At this stage of the season results are everything and today''s was vital, even if the performance was lacklustre and we spent the afternoon on the edge of our seats!

[YankeeCanary 0]

Thanks Ricardo. I was not being very clear in the point I was trying to make, which was it seems to me that I have heard reports in at least some of the previous games that there was a great atmosphere and singing even before the games had commenced. This tends to fill the environment with an atmosphere that is difficult not to respond to. Who knows why that atmosphere is there at the outset sometimes and not at others.  

[First Wizard 0]

As ever Ricardo, many thanks.[Y]

[Shack Attack 0]

Cheers Ricardo, an excellent report as usual.On the subject of Wes, do you think that he struggled today due to the fact that neither Cody or Chris Martin are natural leaders of the line? I just wondered whether the fact that they would both be more comfortable playing as second striker off a big man means that they take up some of the space that Wes likes to operate in. Plus they wouldn''t be making the same type of runs they would if they were playing alongside Grant Holt.

[ricardo 7,412]

[quote user="Shack Attack"]Cheers Ricardo, an excellent report as usual.On the subject of Wes, do you think that he struggled today due to the fact that neither Cody or Chris Martin are natural leaders of the line? I just wondered whether the fact that they would both be more comfortable playing as second striker off a big man means that they take up some of the space that Wes likes to operate in. Plus they wouldn''t be making the same type of runs they would if they were playing alongside Grant Holt.[/quote]Possibly Shack, but take nothing away from H''Pool, they never gave him time to operate today and he was by no means at his sharpest. He is capable of magic at times but if he could do it every game he wouldn''t be playing for us or anyone in our league so its swings and roundabouts.I''m pleased they''ve now got a week without a game because 3 hard games has left them a bit stale in my opinion. Lambert will have them back up to speed for Millwall, of that I have no doubt.

[GJP 79]

[quote user="Beauseant"]

Chris Martin worked his nuts off and held the ball well, but despite the goal Cody disappointed me again.He doesn''t read the game at all well and consequently is on his heels too often when the ball comes to him.

[/quote]

Didn''t think either of those two played particularly well.

Thought Martins two highlights of the game were the pass to Rose for his goal and then just after the 80th minute when he came back to help defend and launched the ball down the pitch. Other than that I thought he swanned around a fair bit and didn''t do much overall. Very static at various points in the second half when we needed some movement. Miles off the effort he put in against Brentford last weekend.

As for Cody...you know what you''ll get from him. He''ll run and chase and he''s got a goal or two in him but he''s not much more than that.

If you could combine Chris Martins ability with Cody''s raw pace...

 

[Diesel Doris 130]

Thanks Ricardo, great as usual. I''m just glad we got the 11th successive home win as I''m sure after all the talk about it this week it was playing on their minds a bit. If any team was going to stop them getting the record it would have been a team you would least expect, like Hartlepool.

[Good Evening Neil 0]

Your reports Ricardo are always brilliant [:)] only one i ever bother to read (no offence to the other "reporters" among us", have you ever considered a career in journalism? lol.

[Erik the Viking 0]

[quote user="ricardo"]It was very parky at fortress CR this afternoon but  25.5k turned up to see the home run record extended to eleven games. Ricardo was more than pleased to press the thermal pants back into action as the afternoon progressed because the on field events rarely succeeded in raising the temperature.

To report that the first 25 minutes was a non event is to do dis-service to non events. Hartlepool got in our faces from the off and most of the early action was in the middle of the field. We had a couple of forays into their box that amounted to nothing and they did the same at our end while the crowd seemed strangely quiet. The defence seemed solid enough but a creative spark from midfield was distinctly lacking. Wes was totally annonymous and nobody else was prepared to pick up the baton.

Hartlepool won a couple of corners and you could sense that they were growing in confidence. A half cleared ball fell to Austin who slotted a fine drive into the corner from just outside the D.  The goal seemed to electrify City as straight from the restart the ball was worked up to Cody who swept it wide to Martin and then got on the end of his pin-point cross to head a fine equaliser at the far post. Very Holtesque I thought but in truth we were definately lacking the aggression up front that the big man brings to the game. Within five minutes we took the lead, Chris Martin picked the ball up inside the box a side footed a pass into open space for the galloping Michael Rose to crash a low thunderbolt into the far corner. All now seemed right with the world but to Hartlepool''s credit they didn''t crumble and the rest of the half slowly drifted into a stalemate.

The second period opened much more brightly with City moving the ball a lot quicker but 15 minutes of pressure failed to bring a third goal. Again all credit to Hartlepool, they continued to battle and Wes was still getting the double marking treatment. Chances were few and far between as the game descended into a war of attrition but Forster had to make one fine block when Pool made the best chance of the half. Cody went off and Oli came on but nothing really changed the pattern of the game and I for one was grateful to hear the final whistle.

The King of Spain was my MOM nominee because he was all action throughout although some of his set pieces were a bit below standard. Of the rest, Smith and Rusty came strong towards the end and Chris Martin did a lot of unselfish running. Cody and Oli were o.k but they had little real service from the creative part of the midfield. I am sure Wes will have better days than this but we can''t expect a Roy of the Rovers performance every week. Doc and Nelson again very solid and restricted Pool to very few efforts on target.

All in all I''m well satisfied with the 3 points from a dour old game that won''t live long in the memory.
[/quote]

Agree with the report Ricardo other than the highlighted paragraph.

 King of Spain MOM no way Jose!, cant tackle loses every 50/50 ball plus cant head also his famed left peg was poor. MOM was the debutant Rose or Rusty who holds the team together at times. Doc & Nelson were very abject as per their performance at Walsall on Weds, Lambert needs to change this before it ends up costing us as for me Nelson has to make for Whitbread who is a far superior player.

Rode our luck totally in the last two games so the six points is welcome but two away games at Millwall & Brighton will require far better............ 

[dazza 0]

The King of Spain was my MOM nominee because he was all action throughout although some of his set pieces were a bit below standard. Of the rest, Smith and Rusty came strong towards the end and Chris Martin did a lot of unselfish running. Cody and Oli were o.k but they had little real service from the creative part of the midfield. I am sure Wes will have better days than this but we can''t expect a Roy of the Rovers performance every week. Doc and Nelson again very solid and restricted Pool to very few efforts on target.

 

agree with this totally.... lappin was definitely not his best by a long way today.... had plenty of people at half time saying to take him off..... couldnt do a lot and passing/crossing was poor and right near the end when he crossed it and CLEARLY didnt look if anyone was there as there was no one in the box with a yellow shirt on !....

nelson as said before was giving the ball away with his passing ALOT as well.... and slow....deff need to get whitbread playing asap.........

as a few said thought hartlepool were very gud in midfield and crosses (a bit like how exeter were gud on the ball when they came the other week)

russel was all over the pitch today looked the only midfielder wanting to want the ball.....korey wasnt bad either..... hoolahoop had a bad day at the office too.....

rose looks very gud at left back....amazing long throws especially when holt comes back ! and has a great shot on him (and also a dead ball specialist ;) )

by the end of the game could see korey/lappin/wes/even russel just starting to tire and a weeks ''rest'' will do them good as millwall are coming back to form again witha  few gud wins ...

overall not the best performance but a win is a win ! :)

[fonejacker 0]

Whitbread would be a good call for next week definitely, especially against his old club. He was by some distance the best defender in Div 3 last season and I would like to see him push for a start.

[Yelloow Since 72 54]

I always look forward to your reports Ricardo and the responses they get. They bring out the flavour of the match in ways that Archant articles can''t match in their flat description.

Well done!

[Bexley 0]

I actually don''t bother with the main Pink Un report, preferring this more condensed version after every home game! 

[ricardo 7,412]

[quote user="Gazza"]

[quote user="ricardo"]It was very parky at fortress CR this afternoon but  25.5k turned up to see the home run record extended to eleven games. Ricardo was more than pleased to press the thermal pants back into action as the afternoon progressed because the on field events rarely succeeded in raising the temperature.To report that the first 25 minutes was a non event is to do dis-service to non events. Hartlepool got in our faces from the off and most of the early action was in the middle of the field. We had a couple of forays into their box that amounted to nothing and they did the same at our end while the crowd seemed strangely quiet. The defence seemed solid enough but a creative spark from midfield was distinctly lacking. Wes was totally annonymous and nobody else was prepared to pick up the baton.Hartlepool won a couple of corners and you could sense that they were growing in confidence. A half cleared ball fell to Austin who slotted a fine drive into the corner from just outside the D.  The goal seemed to electrify City as straight from the restart the ball was worked up to Cody who swept it wide to Martin and then got on the end of his pin-point cross to head a fine equaliser at the far post. Very Holtesque I thought but in truth we were definately lacking the aggression up front that the big man brings to the game. Within five minutes we took the lead, Chris Martin picked the ball up inside the box a side footed a pass into open space for the galloping Michael Rose to crash a low thunderbolt into the far corner. All now seemed right with the world but to Hartlepool''s credit they didn''t crumble and the rest of the half slowly drifted into a stalemate.The second period opened much more brightly with City moving the ball a lot quicker but 15 minutes of pressure failed to bring a third goal. Again all credit to Hartlepool, they continued to battle and Wes was still getting the double marking treatment. Chances were few and far between as the game descended into a war of attrition but Forster had to make one fine block when Pool made the best chance of the half. Cody went off and Oli came on but nothing really changed the pattern of the game and I for one was grateful to hear the final whistle.The King of Spain was my MOM nominee because he was all action throughout although some of his set pieces were a bit below standard. Of the rest, Smith and Rusty came strong towards the end and Chris Martin did a lot of unselfish running. Cody and Oli were o.k but they had little real service from the creative part of the midfield. I am sure Wes will have better days than this but we can''t expect a Roy of the Rovers performance every week. Doc and Nelson again very solid and restricted Pool to very few efforts on target.All in all I''m well satisfied with the 3 points from a dour old game that won''t live long in the memory. [/quote]

Agree with the report Ricardo other than the highlighted paragraph.

 King of Spain MOM no way Jose!, cant tackle loses every 50/50 ball plus cant head also his famed left peg was poor. MOM was the debutant Rose or Rusty who holds the team together at times. Doc & Nelson were very abject as per their performance at Walsall on Weds, Lambert needs to change this before it ends up costing us as for me Nelson has to make for Whitbread who is a far superior player.

Rode our luck totally in the last two games so the six points is welcome but two away games at Millwall & Brighton will require far better............ 

[/quote]Well we all see the game differently and I don''t pretend that my view is any more valid than yours. But if the Doc and Nelson were as abject as you claim I''m left wondering why their. forwards had so few real chances on goal. Some people think Hartlepool deserved a point but I don''t buy that theory because apart from their goal and a good block by Forster they seldom looked like getting a shot on target let alone scoring an equaliser. I am not a great fan of Nelson but he won everything in the air and the Doc had their forward in his pocket.It was not an A1 perfromance today but it was plenty good enough to deserve the points.As to changes for the Millwall game, it''s fun to speculate but I''m happy to leave that to Lambert. He has more than proved that his judgement is far superior to us armchair managers.

[Erik the Viking 0]

[quote user="ricardo"][quote user="Gazza"]

[quote user="ricardo"]It was very parky at fortress CR this afternoon but  25.5k turned up to see the home run record extended to eleven games. Ricardo was more than pleased to press the thermal pants back into action as the afternoon progressed because the on field events rarely succeeded in raising the temperature.

To report that the first 25 minutes was a non event is to do dis-service to non events. Hartlepool got in our faces from the off and most of the early action was in the middle of the field. We had a couple of forays into their box that amounted to nothing and they did the same at our end while the crowd seemed strangely quiet. The defence seemed solid enough but a creative spark from midfield was distinctly lacking. Wes was totally annonymous and nobody else was prepared to pick up the baton.

Hartlepool won a couple of corners and you could sense that they were growing in confidence. A half cleared ball fell to Austin who slotted a fine drive into the corner from just outside the D.  The goal seemed to electrify City as straight from the restart the ball was worked up to Cody who swept it wide to Martin and then got on the end of his pin-point cross to head a fine equaliser at the far post. Very Holtesque I thought but in truth we were definately lacking the aggression up front that the big man brings to the game. Within five minutes we took the lead, Chris Martin picked the ball up inside the box a side footed a pass into open space for the galloping Michael Rose to crash a low thunderbolt into the far corner. All now seemed right with the world but to Hartlepool''s credit they didn''t crumble and the rest of the half slowly drifted into a stalemate.

The second period opened much more brightly with City moving the ball a lot quicker but 15 minutes of pressure failed to bring a third goal. Again all credit to Hartlepool, they continued to battle and Wes was still getting the double marking treatment. Chances were few and far between as the game descended into a war of attrition but Forster had to make one fine block when Pool made the best chance of the half. Cody went off and Oli came on but nothing really changed the pattern of the game and I for one was grateful to hear the final whistle.

The King of Spain was my MOM nominee because he was all action throughout although some of his set pieces were a bit below standard. Of the rest, Smith and Rusty came strong towards the end and Chris Martin did a lot of unselfish running. Cody and Oli were o.k but they had little real service from the creative part of the midfield. I am sure Wes will have better days than this but we can''t expect a Roy of the Rovers performance every week. Doc and Nelson again very solid and restricted Pool to very few efforts on target.

All in all I''m well satisfied with the 3 points from a dour old game that won''t live long in the memory.
[/quote]

Agree with the report Ricardo other than the highlighted paragraph.

 King of Spain MOM no way Jose!, cant tackle loses every 50/50 ball plus cant head also his famed left peg was poor. MOM was the debutant Rose or Rusty who holds the team together at times. Doc & Nelson were very abject as per their performance at Walsall on Weds, Lambert needs to change this before it ends up costing us as for me Nelson has to make for Whitbread who is a far superior player.

Rode our luck totally in the last two games so the six points is welcome but two away games at Millwall & Brighton will require far better............ 

[/quote]

Well we all see the game differently and I don''t pretend that my view is any more valid than yours.

But if the Doc and Nelson were as abject as you claim I''m left wondering why their. forwards had so few real chances on goal. Some people think Hartlepool deserved a point but I don''t buy that theory because apart from their goal and a good block by Forster they seldom looked like getting a shot on target let alone scoring an equaliser. I am not a great fan of Nelson but he won everything in the air and the Doc had their forward in his pocket.

It was not an A1 perfromance today but it was plenty good enough to deserve the points.

As to changes for the Millwall game, it''s fun to speculate but I''m happy to leave that to Lambert. He has more than proved that his judgement is far superior to us armchair managers.
[/quote]

Too true Ricardo!, enjoy your evening.....

Onwards & upwards.................

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

[quote user="dazza"]

The King of Spain was my MOM nominee because he was all action throughout although some of his set pieces were a bit below standard. Of the rest, Smith and Rusty came strong towards the end and Chris Martin did a lot of unselfish running. Cody and Oli were o.k but they had little real service from the creative part of the midfield. I am sure Wes will have better days than this but we can''t expect a Roy of the Rovers performance every week. Doc and Nelson again very solid and restricted Pool to very few efforts on target.

 

agree with this totally.... lappin was definitely not his best by a long way today[/quote]

So are you agreeing with Ricardo that he was MOM or not?

[Tangible Fixed Assets anyone? 0]

Ricardo,

I enjoy reading your match reports but for the first time I have to disagree with your opinion. I wasn''t impressed with Lappin today.

 

[ricardo 7,412]

[quote user="Tangible Fixed Assets anyone"]

Ricardo,

I enjoy reading your match reports but for the first time I have to disagree with your opinion. I wasn''t impressed with Lappin today.

 

[/quote]Fair enough Tangy, I thought he was the only one who looked lively in the first 20 mins. Everyone else seemed way off colour. He''s been in the top 3 or 4 for me for the last few home games and I thought he deserved it today for consistency alone. However opinions come in all shapes and sizes and I don''t pretend mine is any bigger or better than anyone elses. Perhaps we can agree that Wes had his poorest game for sometime and looked only a shadow of the player we all know he can be.The sponsors thought Rose was MOM and I suppose it was the goal that swung it for them. Neil Adams picked Korey Smith while I heard plenty mentioning Rusty. There was no real standout performance today so its no wonder that the opinions are well spread.

[ZLF 275]

It seems that the way to stifle us is to man mark wes, work as hard as we do and get tackles in;  the latter we do not cope with very well.  I thought Hartlepool came today with a decent game plan, delivered it well and unlike a lot of teams lasted at that pace for the full 90 mins.  They were the team that was most committed, got to the first and second ball first most often, won most 50 /50 by being more committed and off the ball moved well and played one touch football around our midfielder.

I disagree that our midfield looked good.  I agree with Ricardo when he says they looked jaded,  Rusty sat so deep in the first half it was like having a back 5 and he Smith (best of the three) and lappin spent far too long in the game chasing shadows or coming out of tackles without the ball.  When they did win it the distribution and creativity was poor giving the strikers v little to work with - it took over 10 mins for Oli to have anything to work with.  Lappin, as against Brentford, expressed his frustration verbally and aggressively but it dod not help his game.  Scarily I worry how we would change the midfield on days like today in the future, although Hughes should have had a run out.  I dont think McNamee was the right choice today so was pleased he did not appear. We had three chances, scored too and Nelson failed with the one part of his body that can play football, his head, from a clear chance from a corner.  We were poor today. 

Our whole season has been built on hard work;  today the midfield three in particular did not give that effort and committment and but for some poor finishing we could have been 2/3 down by half time. It felt like we expected the win and so simply failed to get started. 

Up front the Martin Cody partnership does not work (good goal by cody);   Cody was not able to hold the ball up and too often he, hoolahan and martin ended up in the same area of the pitch leaving too many attacks resembling schoolboy football football where the players all follow the ball to one area of the pitch.  Once Oli was involved he held the ball up well and was the most creative player on the pitch - in just 9 mins.

The positives were Forster again - a schmichelesque 1 on 1 block secured us the points yet again - Rose for a combatative debut a a firece shot that the keeper shoudl have done better with to be honest, and Doc who was again solid at the back.

I do agree its time to get Whitbread in,  Nelsons passing put us under a lot of extra unnecessary pressure too and the little I have seen of whitbread he is far better on the ball

[ZLF 275]

Before they took the lead they already had several decent chances but again the difference was how clinical our finishes were- we only had three and scored from two.  They had several before they deservedly took the lead,  shooting over the bar and wide of the post from v clear shooting chances that I have no doubt Martin would have at least got on target.

It was very reminiscent of last season;  the midfield, lead by rusty, sat far far too deep and did not track their runners,  their number 11 bossed rusty all game and the strikers did pull our defence out of shape,  mainly because the midfield was allowing theirs far too much space in the middle. Smith was the best midfielder on show, but none were competetive enough, forward enough or used the ball when they finally got it well enough.  

Like last season the defence is being criticised for an ineffective midfield performance. Nelson was the weak link in the back 4,  and doc, as I am sure Nutty will make the point, was trying to cover the large gaps appearing in front and beside him. - but he still had a better game than rusty, lappin or smith.