my crewe review

[fosters headband]

I agree L.I but we were at home today and need to push home the advantage. We need to be playing to win more home games with a formaton that gives us a chance. Not many teams only play with one up front at home? Whats next from MM no strikers at all away from home?

 

[London Irish]

LI, are you going to 'Ull?

If yes, can you bite the bullet and sit next to me, so that we can watch the game together and I can get an insight into the game, as seen through your eyes, and you can talk me through the game as it pans out and the job that your lovechild is doing........just a thought

I am probably going to Hull, but I'd like to see you groom me a bit better than this on NSC before we cement our first date

 

[Dancin Ninja BHA]

I am probably going to Hull, but I'd like to see you groom me a bit better than this on NSC before we cement our first date

Poof

 

[Dave the OAP]

I think you're overplaying a very good 10-minute period they had Dave. I thought we did well to dig deep and finish the stronger team - if the game had gone on another five or ten minutes, I'd have backed us to win.

I think you may be right in that, however I thought it was a bit longer than 10 minutes. the big guy who scored is the first player this season I have seen who kept beating McShane to the ball. Tank hasn't got the pace to cover him and that is where I think we may be found out.

tank is excellent with the ball coming at him in the air, someone running at him is a different matter.

I have altered my opinion of Dodd BTW, I though he looked Ok today

 

[London Irish]

I agree L.I but we were at home today and need to push home the advantage. We need to be playing to win more home games with a formaton that gives us a chance. Not many teams only play with one up front at home? Whats next from MM no strikers at all away from home?

Maybe, but the harsh facts of the season thus far are that we've had two good decent performances playing 4-5-1 and one below-par one playing 4-4-2. Winning the midfield battle is the key.

 

[dwayne]

Maybe, but the harsh facts of the season thus far are that we've had two good decent performances playing 4-5-1 and one below-par one playing 4-4-2. Winning the midfield battle is the key.

yes but we don't have that 1 player that can lead the line on his own. We have to play 2 upfront. I feel sorry for CKR at the moment, wayyy too much responsibility on his young shoulders.

 

[London Irish]

yes but we don't have that 1 player that can lead the line on his own. We have to play 2 upfront. I feel sorry for CKR at the moment, wayyy too much responsibility on his young shoulders.

But he was given a partner up front on Tuesday, a player who played at exactly the same level on the pitch. Were you convinced?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Why did he stick only one up front?

 

[London Irish]

Why did he stick only one up front?

It was meant to be a fluid 4-5-1/4-3-3 to match Crewe's system and beat them in midfield. It worked until near the end.

Own up, everyone, you were pretty happy at half-time, yeah?

 

[Scotty Mac]

Own up, everyone, you were pretty happy at half-time, yeah?

i wasn't - at half time it had been a match that was being played by 2 sides that were looking like they would struggle to stay up

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

How did Leon and Turi play?

 

[Happy Seagull]

Oatway is not fit to wear the stripes. Running around like a headless chicken is not what we should expect from our captain. When he has the ball he doesn't have a clue what to do with it. And don't get me started on his crossing ability

As for CZR, i think he was great upfront. Him coming off is probably one of the main reasons we didn't win the game.

 

[London Irish]

How did Leon and Turi play?

I thought Leon was excellent in his creative work and took his goal really well. Would have liked to have seen more commitment on occasions on the 50/50 tackles, but there you go, you can't have everything.

El Turi, had some very good touches, his close control is very good, but we played too direct to him late on, he is not a player who competes well in the air. Still very promising overall I think.

You can see how tough it is for Jake to get his chance with these guys ahead of him.

 

[Gerbil]

It was meant to be a fluid 4-5-1/4-3-3 to match Crewe's system and beat them in midfield. It worked until near the end.

Own up, everyone, you were pretty happy at half-time, yeah?

Happy maybe but you could still see us being put under pressure.

Sorry but Carpenter was rubbish today as he was on Tuesday.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I thought Leon was excellent in his creative work and took his goal really well. Would have liked to have seen more commitment on occasions on the 50/50 tackles, but there you go, you can't have everything.

El Turi, had some very good touches, his close control is very good, but we played too direct to him late on, he is not a player who competes well in the air. Still very promising overall I think.

You can see how tough it is for Jake to get his chance with these guys ahead of him.

\


I agree on the last thing - some people just want to drop players to see jake play even if the rest of the team is playing well.

 

[rool]

I can only judge on feedback from the commentary but it seems that McGhees subs, inparticular Nicolas on for Oatway, swung the game in Crewes favour. It just seemed from the comm that as soon as CKR and Charlie went off Crewe took the ascendency.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Subs normally do that.

 

[Scotty Mac]

I can only judge on feedback from the commentary but it seems that McGhees subs, inparticular Nicolas on for Oatway, swung the game in Crewes favour. It just seemed from the comm that as soon as CKR and Charlie went off Crewe took the ascendency.

it was when the froggy went off - with nicolas on we just seemed to give away a ludicrous amount of free kicks in midfield - one from which they scored

 

[goldstone]

Here are my thoughts.

During the first half when we controlled the game we should have had more shots on goal and really tested their goalie. As it was there was too much build up play and not enough shooting. If we'd used our superiority to get more shots on goal we would have had a second and I don't believe Crewe would have then got back into the game.

The comments about Chippie are a tad unfair. Yes, he has played better, but he was not anywhere as bad as some people on here have said. Charlie was Charlie. Some good stuff, some poor. If Nicolas is the central midfield answer, then he really didn't show it when he came on today. He was OK, but didn't appear to be the solution. Maybe with more games? Hammond in central midfield is certainly worth a try.

Henderson I am really not impressed with. He said in a radio interview that his strength was his distribution. Haven't seen it in the last two games. His distribution was poor today and on Tuesday. Too many balls to Hammond which went way over his head and too many aimless hoofs upfield.

Dodd was good today after a poor game on Tuesday and a great start against Derby. Pace though is his problem.

McShane was excellent again. A class player, but at fault for their second goal.

I thought Butters played very well again after a shaky (for him) display on Tuesday.

Reid is class. Played equally well at left back and some excellent attacking moves in the first half. My MOM together with McShane.

CKR played OK, but for me he's still missing something. A couple of great moments, but frustrating some of the time.

Leon played well and deserved the goal. Maybe we'll see a decent goal tally from him again this season.

Carole played well for his first start for the club, but the effusive comments of an earlier poster were a bit over the top.

Turienzo did almost nothing when he came on. Pity, because he impressed me on Tuesday.

Jake was very impressive again. Maybe McGhee is right not to start him, but he deserves and needs more than five minutes. 20 minutes should be a minimum.

Overall disappointing. We should have translated our first half superiority into more goals and we should have had, and needed, all three points.

 

[Easy 10]

It was the subs that swung it. I thought we were looking very comfortable at 1-0. Crewe were struggling to make inroads, had created very little, and looked to be running out of steam. As soon as Kaz and Carole were subbed, we lost our shape and Crewe took full advantage with a couple of subs of their own. Suddenly they seemed to have space, they had runners, and they put us on the back foot for a short spell and got two bloody goals.

Credit to the team for rallying and clawing it back, but that was a couple of points tossed away against pretty poor opposition - we're not going to have many better chances of 3 points this season. Still, there were plenty of positives today. Liked the look of Carole, great to see Leon getting off the mark (in open play), Kaz did ok, Hammond again showed what a threat he is, and McShane, once again, showed what unbelievable class he has, incredible for one so young. That lad looks like an absolute STAR. Make the most of him - he's not going to be with us for too long unfortunately.