Ethan Wheatley

and Bolton.

 

Yes. I meant to type them as well.

 

Thought he looked good today, should have done better with that 1 on 1 but looks promising.

 

As long as we don't just lump high balls up to him. He's got strength and pace. We need to use that.

 

Missed second half. Does he look like he’s the sort who is gonna be used wide, cutting in, or through middle?

 

He was played an excellent ball through the middle which with his pace took him clear of defender unfortunatly he fluffed the chance of a one on one, but we've seen Premier League players do that, he showed given the right ball he will be a hand full for defenders with his pace.

 

Would like to see him used in a 3-5-2 as he looks pretty mobile. Too many times for me the 2 in the 3-4-2-1, the game passes them by. Sarce set up two very good chances with intelligent play, drop him back into the five man midfield and not have him running his balls off in the two.

 

Sarce still our best player

 

To get the best out of him we need to have players around him, he gets isolated in the role he plays in the 3-4-2-1. Pointless having him in if we are just gonna punt long balls down the channels, thats not his game. Starting to irritate me is this long ball approach, especially in the first half of games. It makes our players look worse than they are.

 

Head and shoulders above the rest. Such an intelligent footballer. I think I’ve said it before, I wish we’d got him a couple of years earlier.

 

I was just going to post this. It feels like it's time for a change and now we have genuine options to play 2 up front it also feels like the ideal time to try it.

 

Agree NM, time GA used two up front - would like to see a Mullin - Wheatley partnership. Sick of seeing our only striker chasing long punts upfield.

 

I think I recall a Luton player fluffing a similar one on one chance in that second half, so yes, it happens to the best of them and I hope it doesn't knock his confidence.

 

Wheatley played well but unfortunately no finish, he needs to be taken out on a Pitch and given sessions with Sarsavic and Mullin to give him some training to improve his confidence

 

He just needs one to go in off his backside or through the keepers legs. Apart from his finishing hes getting better game by game.

 

Read quite a few city fans questioning his inclusion last night, if you understand Alexander and his tactics you would know why he did. An ability to press and mobility is a higher priority than being a natural goalscorer and Wheatley does that well. His one on one an great example, not sure anyone else could have made the run, at his previous clubs he's shown that he likes to run from deep. Still looks a bit raw but with the caveat its not a role he's fully familiar with, just needs that first goal now.

 

It also helps that his teammates are starting to play to his strengths.

The size of the playing area was an advantage, but there were a couple of occasions last night where he chased down and won possession where he was clearly second favourite. It takes the pressure off the defence and it also seems to free up Pointon and Sarcevic.

Yes, he should have scored when clean through, but he made 3 other chances for himself last night. He's got the pace of Nakhi Wells and the physicality of Andy Cook, just not their finishing at the moment. Hopefully that's just a confidence thing and one goal will get him going.

 

He's similar to Jackson, just not as physical. Neither of them look natural goalscorers but have a high workrate. Speaking of balls you have no right to get, what about the one from Tyreik Wright in the first half?

 

It's no coincidence that our wing backs have started to look more effective again since we've had either Jackson or Wheatley up front providing some movement and pulling defenders all over the place.

I'll take an effective team over one main man scoring a load of goals every time, more importantly so will our manager.

 

All strikers say that they only start worrying when they aren’t getting in goal scoring positions.
Wheatley is getting chances but just seems a bit too eager to get that first goal.
Last nights was so similar to the Luton chance and he probably knows he should be putting them away.
Maybe this is in the back of his mind and causing him to fluff his lines.

It doesn’t help when Sarc makes a one on one look so easy
I suppose that’s the difference between a 34 year old with 500 first class games and a 20 year old with 30 first class games

He definitely needs that goal quickly to stop the frustration that he clearly showed last night.