Home v Stevenage - Tues Feb 11th

One of the weakest players I've seen in some time.

Hope Bowyer wasn't thinking he might play target man, that would have been embarrassing for everyone concerned.

 

Akpan was dog shit tonight but he pleased you so that's saying something.

 

Made more tackles then Akpan and covered more ground - did you decide not to go to watch the game at VP Ford?

 

There's clearly a fitness issue with him, as seen by him been hauled off early yet again. I didn't think he was that bad, delivered the one quality ball for us, in the first half and occasionally looked good

Problem is, because for whatever reason he's only half fit - he looks leaden for the rest of the time

I actually think he should lose some bulk and concentrate on been faster over short bursts

 

Misplaced passes, bottling (pretty tame) challenges, and playing at jogging pace won't endear him to Stuart - just like it hasn't endeared him to fans for the past couple of years.

Said before, I'll say it again, Akpan is an indoctrinated loser - he's been relegated three times in a row, and puts in performances that would barely stand out in a relegation threatened team in League Two.

It's a long, long time since Akpan was considered a Championship level player. Unfortunately his career trajectory with Burton, then signing for Bradford City at the wrong time have crippled him mentally.

For me, he'd be best off signing for a good National League side and chasing promotion as a key player.

 

The fact is we won. And for confidence that's the important thing. After our run, the first win was never going to be some kind of vintage McCall side type performance (i.e. Oxford at home in December 2017) and was always going to need some luck and we got it. (Thank you to Henley for crocking their centre half - who we were busy making look like John Terry at his peak!!)

I remember Paul Warne (Rotherham Manager) commenting that their great run (2017/18 season where they were about 15th in October and ended up winning the play-offs, whilst we went the other way!!) started with some kind of lucky goal and then the teams confidence built up and off they went

Hence, let's not over analyse the performance - although I admit when Henley's your best player in any half of footie then it must have been a pretty dire half (I actually thought he had a good game and has looked better under Stuart

 

Reeves is turning it around under McCall, was good against Grimsby and put a shift in tonight.

Could've had a goal if DMH played him through and has only nature to blame for not getting on the end of Connollys cross.

DMH seems good when it comes to pressing from the front, just needs to work on his decision making.

3 points though, bring on Saturday

 

Not convinced he has the fitness even for Halifax or Harrogate!!

 

He gave the ball away in dangerous areas so many times tonight.

Paradoxically that could have been a good thing. Now SM knows what Akpan is capable of and unless injuries kick in Akpan should never wear a city shirt again for me. I cannot recall one game I have personally witnessed where he has managed a decent overall performance.

 

I think it was a bit of greed with Dylan tonight. He seemed desperate to score, and do everything on his own... Especially in the second half playing towards the kop.

 

Like you, I also didn't attend Burton away - the ONLY game he ever (apparently) played well.

 

For me Novak's a fair replacement for Vaughan. I like the way he puts his effort into chasing down every course as opposed to every ref

 

Oh, I think it was.

Whether Bowyer wanted to lose Vaughan and Doyle or not, bottom line is deadline hour was drawing dangerously close and he needed a replacement so he signed someone that had at least been playing. I'll give Bowyer credit for not signing someone else's reserve, but he's thrown money at a duff forward in Guthrie.

 

Yep. His 90 minute game management is appalling. He should join a five a side league

 

He had one good crack at goal, that he had every right to take - but I agree, he played like a kid and while I wouldn't want Stuart to coach his enthusiasm out of him, he at least needs to realise he isn't going to be the best player on the pitch in a proper, first team game just yet.

He looks like a youth team player.

 

Now there is a forward who looks totally suited to the National League