Men against boys

[Type high]

The Oven ready Turkeys basted our little chickens, team selection lost us the game before a ball was kicked

[DrWindy]

Of course you’re right but I can understand RW’s dilemma. It was a clearly a risk we were going to struggle physically against their game.

However, difficult to drop any of that team against Cambridge. Nobody deserved that.

Beckles was the obvious pick but he hadn’t been playing well. We actually started ok and should have taken the lead. That changes the game.

RW has put his hand up and acknowledged he got it wrong. That experience might not have done some of the young lads any harm.

[BiggsyMalone]

Of course you’re right but I can understand RW’s dilemma. It was a clearly a risk we were going to struggle physically against their game.

However, difficult to drop any of that team against Cambridge. Nobody deserved that.

Beckles was the obvious pick but he hadn’t been playing well. We actually started ok and should have taken the lead. That changes the game.

RW has put his hand up and acknowledged he got it wrong. That experience might not have done some of the young lads any harm.

Spot on.

Beckles has hardly covered himself with glory in terms of physicality this season either. He’s been pushed around and bullied every time he’s played.

[Max Fowler]

Beckles was too strong for Reid. As soon as he came on for Turns, Reid stopped winning everything, as he had done up until that point. He also physically controlled Sweeney at set-pieces, which Ed just couldn't do.

It's also true that Omar smashed a couple of passes into touch, I accept.

[Max Fowler]

Of course you’re right but I can understand RW’s dilemma. It was a clearly a risk we were going to struggle physically against their game.

However, difficult to drop any of that team against Cambridge. Nobody deserved that.

Beckles was the obvious pick but he hadn’t been playing well. We actually started ok and should have taken the lead. That changes the game.

RW has put his hand up and acknowledged he got it wrong. That experience might not have done some of the young lads any harm.

It wasn't a case of 'dropping' anyone. It was a case of rotating the squad to best deal with our opponents.

Richie has admitted he got it wrong. I'm not sure why others are still disputing that.

[DrWindy]

Yes and no. We let them dictate the game and play on their terms. If we had played on our terms, kept the ball and kept the set pieces to a minimum we could have won with that team. We got beat comfortably as we didn’t do any of it.

[Max Fowler]

Yes and no. We let them dictate the game and play on their terms. If we had played on our terms, kept the ball and kept the set pieces to a minimum we could have won with that team. We got beat comfortably as we didn’t do any of it.

The reason we let them dictate the game was because we had boys out there against men.

They pressed hard - really hard - literally going man for man at goal kicks. We needed to be braver, putting the ball down and playing out despite the intense pressure. The central 4 responsible for getting the ball out - Brynn, Turns, Happe and Brown - gave up too easily. Turns or Happe should have taken the goal kicks, playing the ball to Brynn then moving away. Their forwards then have to make the decision to leave their man and press Brynn, or let Brynn come out unchallenged.

We didn't do it because they're all boys.

[DrWindy]

Yes. Piergianni (sic?) highlighted that perfectly. Didn’t give Theo a kick and caused mayhem in our box. Beckles at his best might have done the same.

[The Reverend]

Yes. Piergianni (sic?) highlighted that perfectly. Didn’t give Theo a kick and caused mayhem in our box. Beckles at his best might have done the same.

That Piergianni bloke must absolutely love playing us.

[Hedmans Header]

Of course you’re right but I can understand RW’s dilemma. It was a clearly a risk we were going to struggle physically against their game.

However, difficult to drop any of that team against Cambridge. Nobody deserved that.

Beckles was the obvious pick but he hadn’t been playing well. We actually started ok and should have taken the lead. That changes the game.

RW has put his hand up and acknowledged he got it wrong. That experience might not have done some of the young lads any harm.

Absolute spot on assessment

[Max Fowler]

Yes. Piergianni (sic?) highlighted that perfectly. Didn’t give Theo a kick and caused mayhem in our box. Beckles at his best might have done the same.

Then for goal kicks, when they made us go long, instead of lumping it down the middle to Ford against their tiniest of the 3 centre backs, we whacked it out wide to Theo up against Pierluigiwotsit.

I can't believe how naive we were - Richie/Terry/Harold should have had more about them to 1)expect this would happen and plan accordingly and 2) react to it earlier and change things up, not wait until we're 2-0 down after half time.

[Hedmans Header]

Super Ritchie Wellens owes us absolutely nothing
in the way of apologises for getting it wrong
yesterday..
After the 2 years we’ve enjoyed under his
management, going to be plenty of bumps
in the road for the season going forward..
No way he could dropped anyone from there
performance a week earlier, always hurts losing
to be a side managed by Evans ..
We’ve come along way from where we were
6 years ago crowds are up, quality of player
on the park far better than we’ve had previously,,
Enjoy the ride for the 40 games going forward

[FrankOFile]

The Oven ready Turkeys basted our little chickens, team selection lost us the game before a ball was kicked

Calm down dear …

[Chief crazy horse]

Super Ritchie Wellens owes us absolutely nothing
in the way of apologises for getting it wrong
yesterday..
After the 2 years we’ve enjoyed under his
management, going to be plenty of bumps
in the road for the season going forward..
No way he could dropped anyone from there
performance a week earlier, always hurts losing
to be a side managed by Evans ..
We’ve come along way from where we were
6 years ago crowds are up, quality of player
on the park far better than we’ve had previously,,
Enjoy the ride for the 40 games going forward

Sorry Hedman, but the past has got nothing to do with yesterday's performance.

[Give it to Jabo]

No team likes to be outmuscled..

[Give it to Jabo]

Often though that footballers should bulk up a bit, especially in the lower divisions where the game can tend to be more of a battlefield..

[Story of O]

When both teams walked out, the difference in size was obvious

[Max Fowler]

When both teams walked out, the difference in size was obvious

Disagree.

Stevenage were not massive. Two of their three CBs were tall but that was it.

They were just men. It was strength, not height, that cost we lost out on.