by andrewjohnsmith » Thu Sep 17, 2020 12:30 pm
While the performance was disappointing and we would have liked a good run, there's no reason to be setting off alarm bells over one game
It was our second string against their first team (granted our players should be good enough). It was the first time many of them had a full game (no preseason, no U-23 football). The lack of chemistry was clear. Give some these players chance after they've dropped down and played a few U-23 games and they'll come back looking a whole lot different.
Casey and Cresswell probably looked another season off doing a job for the first team, but if you'd taken any one of the players last night and dropped them into Saturday's line up they'd look different. Bogusz for Klich, Shackleton for Ayling, Davis for Dallas, with the other 10 around them and they'd look a different player.
No knocks on Rodrigo. He did a lot of work dropping back into midfield. Did anyone see that pass he sent from right back all the way over to left back? Showed his quality and showed his work rate. Last night juts showed the lack of chemistry and cohesion that will come with time - he's only been at the club for 8 days. It showed that Bamford gets the #9 for a while, but also that Rodrigo might be playing #10 or on the wing at some point.
I expected much better from Alioski, Roberts, Douglas. It's hard to judge given the lack of game time and preseason. If we did sign an attacking mid, Roberts would probably need a loan deal. Douglas is 3rd choice LB. Alioski does a job.
Overall, no reason to panic about lack of depth. Schedule ahead is pretty easy now. We only need 14-15 1st teamers. Over the next 6 months, we should see considerable development from the youngsters that will back up the first team in the longer run (Gelhardt, Casey, Cresswell, Bogusz, Gotts, Davis, Greenwood, Summerville, McCalmont, Stevens, Drameh}. Give it time. We'll be fine. In Bielsa we trust.
While the performance was disappointing and we would have liked a good run, there's no reason to be setting off alarm bells over one game
It was our second string against their first team (granted our players should be good enough). It was the first time many of them had a full game (no preseason, no U-23 football). The lack of chemistry was clear. Give some these players chance after they've dropped down and played a few U-23 games and they'll come back looking a whole lot different.
Casey and Cresswell probably looked another season off doing a job for the first team, but if you'd taken any one of the players last night and dropped them into Saturday's line up they'd look different. Bogusz for Klich, Shackleton for Ayling, Davis for Dallas, with the other 10 around them and they'd look a different player.
No knocks on Rodrigo. He did a lot of work dropping back into midfield. Did anyone see that pass he sent from right back all the way over to left back? Showed his quality and showed his work rate. Last night juts showed the lack of chemistry and cohesion that will come with time - he's only been at the club for 8 days. It showed that Bamford gets the #9 for a while, but also that Rodrigo might be playing #10 or on the wing at some point.
I expected much better from Alioski, Roberts, Douglas. It's hard to judge given the lack of game time and preseason. If we did sign an attacking mid, Roberts would probably need a loan deal. Douglas is 3rd choice LB. Alioski does a job.
Overall, no reason to panic about lack of depth. Schedule ahead is pretty easy now. We only need 14-15 1st teamers. Over the next 6 months, we should see considerable development from the youngsters that will back up the first team in the longer run (Gelhardt, Casey, Cresswell, Bogusz, Gotts, Davis, Greenwood, Summerville, McCalmont, Stevens, Drameh}. Give it time. We'll be fine. In Bielsa we trust.