Match Thread City vs Harrogate | League 2 | 12/10/20

I'm not sure he knows what position he's bought Evans for. Can never have enough utility players though, essential for when you need to tinker every bloody week.

 

I hope not - and hopefully that puts Evans off !

 

Usually the underdog manages to raise their game for a cup tie on TV. We weren't able to do that.

 

I would sincerely hope that Weaver is one we're looking at for our next manager role - which I don't think will be long in opening up. Whether we could tempt him, is another matter.

 

Wonder where Crawley are after he left and where Evans is?

 

He’s been tried and didn’t do much. He showed early promise, but this season he just seems to drift in games. We just don’t have any driving midfielders sadly.

 

Both full backs were exposed by the system we played. Wood had a shocker but he wasn't helped by the system, or by Evans being shoed into a role he's rarely played.

And I didn't see an even game. What was it, 25 attempts to our 9? We created 2 good chances, but otherwise we looked disjointed. They looked far more organized and on the front foot than we were. 1-0 doesn't really do them justice, they deserved to win by a couple.

 

Cant disagree with Evans having a tight hamstring at half time it was a good time to change things, through out the game we were second best, most watching the game could see that.

 

@wetherbywhaler is that the cat out of the bag regarding wood and Gillingham? Thought we were told there was nothing in it?

 

Hopefully a big wake up call to the board that we are closer to the National League than League 1. Things have to change big style and fast.

 

Not sure he'd come, his dads the owner of the club they must have spoken of where they think they could go with dad's financial input, the demographics would suggest the Championship as Burton did, I could see that over several years especially now there is a salary cap.

 

He has family ties to Harrogate,isn't his dad the chairman?.

 

Harrogate were the better team in every aspect of the game
First to the ball Foot in at every tackle won every second ball were aware of what team mates were going to do they even looked much fitter than us etc etc They came with a plan the players were played in their natural positions and knew what was expected of them anyone who saw last seasons play off games and final knew what was coming even without Jack Diamond who was arguably their best player last season
We had no answer as to how to combat them surely a manager of Stuart's experience would have something up his sleeve to stop them, not knocking him but come on even the bookies had them as favourites (they knew we had no answer to Harrogate)
He has largely assembled a team lacking flair speed width direction and a goalscorer basic things needed in any league where we go from here is a very good question negativity at the top will prevent us attracting a proven manager which has a knock on effect through to the players and it shows
Another season where it's looking like survival/mid table is the aim simply not good enough !!!
Good Luck to Harrogate they gave us a lesson on what can happen on limited budgets if you have the right personnel with the right running your club

 

That's just not how I saw it.

Stead had a header first half, then they had the goal. Lots of shots does not count for much unless you either put them away or actually look like it.

It was always ending 0 0 or 1 0 either way. Sadly their lad stole half a yard in the area and the rest is history.

Unfortunately for us I only really remember a good chance for Novak, who seems to blow a lot of chances in the first half of a game.

 

Why has McCall ditched the 3-5-2? With the players we have, it's the only one I see that gives us balance.

The diamond is a no go for me. Harrogate was the template for how to play against us if we play that way and it's far too easy to do. Press us high, force us long and it's game over. Our hold up play is poor and we have no pace to run in behind. That means the ball just keeps coming back. The width that comes from the fullbacks doesn't happen because they don't get forward due to the constant turnover in possession. And if you have a man tight and aggressive to Clarke, as Harrogate did last night, there goes any creativity through the middle too.

 

Cooke should have hit the target when Donaldson put him clear on goal. I'd have been delighted to have won by that goal but it would have papered over the cracks that team looked clueless.

 

The most balanced system I see us having is a fairly standard 442, with Pritchard left and Evans right, Watt and Cooke in the middle. But it leaves us chronically short on pace. We have some serious issues with this squad - forget promotion, but we should have enough about us to not be in danger of going down.

 

I agree about Evans and Pritchard which is why I don't personally see 4-4-2 being viable. Evans particularly has been deployed centrally more than out wide for pompey, probably because he's slowing. Pritchard has a good delivery but can't beat a man, and again is slow. It makes a mokery of re-signing DMH and not even attempting to sign a skilful wide man.

 

Its a fair point. Ultimately, I think the quality issues in our squad are such, that any system we deploy will have shortcomings.

I see a parallel with the squad Parky inherited - not only is it very poor, but there's a chronic lack of width and pace. One of the first things he did was bring in Kyel Reid and it made a huge difference, it served to remind us how much we'd been lacking in someone who could carry the ball for 30 or 40 yards and beat a full back.