Ratings thread

[RedDwarf 1881]

5 to everyone but JMD who put in some good crosses. A weak 6 for him.

That's just the thing, lots of good crosses did go in today but we had nobody on the end of them. That's why I've said we're. missing Angol and Wilkinson.

[Top of the JES]

It's all a bit too comfortable for the players. Crap performances week in week out from at least three or four, no one taking responsibility on the ball, no leadership or forward drive and yet never benched or dropped. I like our young management team but I would love to see Neil Warnock given to the end of the season he wouldn't stand for what we saw today.

Keep it real , there's no way we could get Nail Warnock.

No I haven't said he would come here but someone of his type would kick a few up the backside and get performances where others couldn't, might be what we need at the moment.

[Nad2008]

Agree ling was our better player.

Clay needs dropping for a couple of games at least. It's now the one position we are fairly well stocked. Either of Marsh or Gorman to go in for me for next game.

[RedDwarf 1881]

It's all a bit too comfortable for the players. Crap performances week in week out from at least three or four, no one taking responsibility on the ball, no leadership or forward drive and yet never benched or dropped. I like our young management team but I would love to see Neil Warnock given to the end of the season he wouldn't stand for what we saw today.

Keep it real , there's no way we could get Nail Warnock.

No I haven't said he would come here but someone of his type would kick a few up the backside and get performances where others couldn't, might be what we need at the moment.

Yes, point taken.

[essexfootball]

Brill - 6 - hard to rate, no chance with the first, second looked a good finish
Ling - 6 - Not great, not awful, didn't offer much going forward, meh
Coulson - 5 - got caught for pace a few times
Epeitka - 5 Pondered a few times
Happe - 3 Not a left back, unless you're planning to defend for 90 minutes, felt a bit sorry for him
Brophy 5 - Didn't realize he was playing till the 30th minute then got into a bit more, was okay, nothing to write home about
JMD - 7 - Best player by miles, created a fair bit with crosses, looked dangerous, the formation changed killed him though, he has to have a run of starts on the wings, he is going to lose the ball a few times but he is by far the most two-footed, creative player in the squad who can score the odd goal too
Wright 5 - You could see he was trying, didn't amount to much though, he needed to be deep and acting as play maker rather than the CB's
Clay 5 - Looks scared, almost like he doesn't want the ball
Harrold - 5 - Tough ask against McArdle, didn't get much change from him, to be expected
Dennis - 3 - Not a striker, not in a million years, he is a winger and at that I'm not sure what he is, he is the kind of player that looks dangerous due to the runs and step-overs but amounts to nothing, he had a great chance at 1-0 second half and basically passed it to the keeper.

Alabi - 1 - Missed an open goal
Angol - 4 - Not a winger and it showed, needs to be in the middle on the end of the crosses and to score "goal scorer" type goals

[RedDwarf 1881]

Agree ling was our better player.

Clay needs dropping for a couple of games at least. It's now the one position we are fairly well stocked. Either of Marsh or Gorman to go in for me for next game.

No matter who's in our midfield for the next game, I can't see us getting much change out of Forest Green.

[O my gawd]

Clay was atrocious, should've been subbed at half-time yet played the whole match. Says it all.

Can't believe we've had to put up with no midfield for three years now, excruciating. JMD only player who showed any sign of quality, need to be getting onto the end of his crosses.

Not disputing recent performances, but how did we win the League with no midfield.

[F*ck The Poor & Fat]

Agree ling was our better player.

Clay needs dropping for a couple of games at least. It's now the one position we are fairly well stocked. Either of Marsh or Gorman to go in for me for next game.

No matter who's in our midfield for the next game, I can't see us getting much change out of Forest Green.

Or our next few fixtures

[Mr. Peanutbutter]

It appears from Travis comments neither did Fletcher though.....wanted to increase training intensity and rid of several players in January.

People didn't like it. At another club the manager might be backed and new players brought in prepared to do it the new boss's way. That is why most managers last more than a month, even the crap ones.

Fletcher's reputation was actually enhanced today without him doing a thing, I don't think he was wrong but perhaps underestimated how he wouldn't be backed.

While we are keeping the same structure we might as well get the players and coaches to interview the next manager.

Ultimately I think Fletch is kinda right, out of today's 18 there are at least 7/8 who should not be here next year.

Where are Travis' comments? (Not doubting you, just not seen them)

That's bonkers. It's blatantly obvious we need new players and we're carrying some deadwood, including players we've extended contracts for recently.

[RedDwarf 1881]

Agree ling was our better player.

Clay needs dropping for a couple of games at least. It's now the one position we are fairly well stocked. Either of Marsh or Gorman to go in for me for next game.

No matter who's in our midfield for the next game, I can't see us getting much change out of Forest Green.

Or our next few fixtures

That's why we need an experienced manager brought in to sort things out ASAP

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Clay was atrocious, should've been subbed at half-time yet played the whole match. Says it all.

Can't believe we've had to put up with no midfield for three years now, excruciating. JMD only player who showed any sign of quality, need to be getting onto the end of his crosses.

Not disputing recent performances, but how did we win the League with no midfield.

A really solid back line and Bonne and a Koroma up top.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Brill - 6 - hard to rate, no chance with the first, second looked a good finish
Ling - 6 - Not great, not awful, didn't offer much going forward, meh
Coulson - 5 - got caught for pace a few times
Epeitka - 5 Pondered a few times
Happe - 3 Not a left back, unless you're planning to defend for 90 minutes, felt a bit sorry for him
Brophy 5 - Didn't realize he was playing till the 30th minute then got into a bit more, was okay, nothing to write home about
JMD - 7 - Best player by miles, created a fair bit with crosses, looked dangerous, the formation changed killed him though, he has to have a run of starts on the wings, he is going to lose the ball a few times but he is by far the most two-footed, creative player in the squad who can score the odd goal too
Wright 5 - You could see he was trying, didn't amount to much though, he needed to be deep and acting as play maker rather than the CB's
Clay 5 - Looks scared, almost like he doesn't want the ball
Harrold - 5 - Tough ask against McArdle, didn't get much change from him, to be expected
Dennis - 3 - Not a striker, not in a million years, he is a winger and at that I'm not sure what he is, he is the kind of player that looks dangerous due to the runs and step-overs but amounts to nothing, he had a great chance at 1-0 second half and basically passed it to the keeper.

Alabi - 1 - Missed an open goal
Angol - 4 - Not a winger and it showed, needs to be in the middle on the end of the crosses and to score "goal scorer" type goals

Your take on the back four is scandalous.

[gshaw]

Clay was atrocious, should've been subbed at half-time yet played the whole match. Says it all.

Can't believe we've had to put up with no midfield for three years now, excruciating. JMD only player who showed any sign of quality, need to be getting onto the end of his crosses.

Not disputing recent performances, but how did we win the League with no midfield.

A really solid back line and Bonne and a Koroma up top.

This, we won the league in spite of CM not because of it. By end of the season our best midfielder was a 37 year old winger.

We then sold the two critical assets who not only scored the bulk of our goals but carried the threat and took pressure off the back line. Replaced them with two of potential but not in the same mould then expected them to do the same job... is it surprising it hasn't worked?

Both Angol and Wilkinson seem to be more of the Koroma role, Angol the closest match. Neither are the tireless running type Bonne was and without any effective cover you lose all mobility upfront.

Harrold try as he might can only do so much before 35 y/o legs start showing their age. He's the most effective target man we have but can't start two games a week. Alabi can't hold a ball up or pass full stop.

The (lack of) recruitment has a lot to answer for. Having now seemingly paid off Fletcher I somehow doubt there's going to be a spending spree in January either, more likely player departures if anything.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Christ we miss Bonne.

[O my gawd]

Not disputing recent performances, but how did we win the League with no midfield.

A really solid back line and Bonne and a Koroma up top.

This, we won the league in spite of CM not because of it. By end of the season our best midfielder was a 37 year old winger.

We then sold the two critical assets who not only scored the bulk of our goals but carried the threat and took pressure off the back line. Replaced them with two of potential but not in the same mould then expected them to do the same job... is it surprising it hasn't worked?

Both Angol and Wilkinson seem to be more of the Koroma role, Angol the closest match. Neither are the tireless running type Bonne was and without any effective cover you lose all mobility upfront.

Harrold try as he might can only do so much before 35 y/o legs start showing their age. He's the most effective target man we have but can't start two games a week. Alabi can't hold a ball up or pass full stop.

The (lack of) recruitment has a lot to answer for. Having now seemingly paid off Fletcher I somehow doubt there's going to be a spending spree in January either, more likely player departures if anything.

So Craig Clay wasn't our Player of the Year last season then ?
He was excellent last season, let's not forget that.
He just hasn't reproduced that form this year. If I were to pick the team I would have Marsh playing with Wight & Gorman either side in a 4-3-3.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

He wasn’t my player of the season. Nowhere near.

[DonaldRocks]

Clay was atrocious, should've been subbed at half-time yet played the whole match. Says it all.

After last week's performance, I couldn’t believe he was starting today. I just thought it was Fletcher who hadn't a clue but clearly he wasn't the only one.

[Thor]

Clay was poor, again, no doubt. But Wright was worse.

I doubt anyone in the stands was surprised to see us fail to match them in the middle of the park with those two in there on their own. It was obviously going to happen.

Like i said yesterday we will not win too many matches with those two as your centre midfield pairing, both were extremely poor yesterday. Thinking about it he has been all season, don’t be blinded by Josh’s goals either, he needs a tough tackler next to him and be pushed a little further forwards with a brief to find the openings and to stop passing sideways and backwards all the time and to press and move it forwards more often than not. His ball retention and rotation is decent, just that 99% of the time it’s not an incisive forwards pass that he makes.

[LeighO]

You mention ball retention, I feel that our passing success rate yesterday was atrocious.
I don’t think that level of statistics are easily accessible to the public,but the club will have them. It appeared to me there were far too many unforced errors and misplaced passes.

[Disoriented]

Agree ling was our better player.

Clay needs dropping for a couple of games at least. It's now the one position we are fairly well stocked. Either of Marsh or Gorman to go in for me for next game.

Clay needs dropping and not coming back.

[Jman]

As good as Clay was last season, he’s been bad this. It’s so obvious to see the issue with this side, we’re losing far too many battles in the middle of the park. I actually quite like Josh Wright, he can pick a pass, will get you the odd goal and is a leader. The issue is you need someone next to him who can provide the engine room, a bit of cover for Wright as he’s not the most mobile. Clay is nothing of the sort, yesterday he ran around like a headless chicken for 90 minutes, put in one great goal blocking tackle and shirked every other challenge. We’re absolutely crying out for a pivot for this team to build from, someone that can be trusted in front of the back 4. Clay isn’t that person and I’m really beginning to wonder what else the guy contributes because it ain’t goals nor assists either. In fact, for a central midfielder with the amount of game time he’s had here, his goal record is atrocious

[gshaw]

As good as Clay was last season, he’s been bad this. It’s so obvious to see the issue with this side, we’re losing far too many battles in the middle of the park. I actually quite like Josh Wright, he can pick a pass, will get you the odd goal and is a leader. The issue is you need someone next to him who can provide the engine room, a bit of cover for Wright as he’s not the most mobile. Clay is nothing of the sort, yesterday he ran around like a headless chicken for 90 minutes, put in one great goal blocking tackle and shirked every other challenge. We’re absolutely crying out for a pivot for this team to build from, someone that can be trusted in front of the back 4. Clay isn’t that person and I’m really beginning to wonder what else the guy contributes because it ain’t goals nor assists either. In fact, for a central midfielder with the amount of game time he’s had here, his goal record is atrocious

Could live without goal record if he was running box to box controlling CM and enforcing himself on the game. Clay is doing none of those things this year. Either doesn't have the legs or the will to do it so just ambles around complaining at things instead. Some of his passing was atrocious too.

With Adams playing next week I think we'll need to go back to 3 in CM. For me that's Marsh (holding), Gorman and Wright. Brophy and JMD either side and Harrold or Angol up top.

Got to keep the ball on the floor in that setup though, no point whacking it long and putting crosses in from deep as we were doing yesterday. Far too easy to defend against.

[Thor]

All sensible points.

[Jman]

As good as Clay was last season, he’s been bad this. It’s so obvious to see the issue with this side, we’re losing far too many battles in the middle of the park. I actually quite like Josh Wright, he can pick a pass, will get you the odd goal and is a leader. The issue is you need someone next to him who can provide the engine room, a bit of cover for Wright as he’s not the most mobile. Clay is nothing of the sort, yesterday he ran around like a headless chicken for 90 minutes, put in one great goal blocking tackle and shirked every other challenge. We’re absolutely crying out for a pivot for this team to build from, someone that can be trusted in front of the back 4. Clay isn’t that person and I’m really beginning to wonder what else the guy contributes because it ain’t goals nor assists either. In fact, for a central midfielder with the amount of game time he’s had here, his goal record is atrocious

Could live without goal record if he was running box to box controlling CM and enforcing himself on the game. Clay is doing none of those things this year. Either doesn't have the legs or the will to do it so just ambles around complaining at things instead. Some of his passing was atrocious too.

With Adams playing next week I think we'll need to go back to 3 in CM. For me that's Marsh (holding), Gorman and Wright. Brophy and JMD either side and Harrold or Angol up top.

Got to keep the ball on the floor in that setup though, no point whacking it long and putting crosses in from deep as we were doing yesterday. Far too easy to defend against.

Yes exactly. Personally I think it’s Clay’s legs, just not there. Quite frankly we should have gone back in for Adams, he’d be an absolutely first rate addition to this side

[EastDerehamO]

We started poorly yesterday, but for a long period after then we seemed to be the better team, but lacked the ability to create anything, save a couple of second half chances – Alabi should have buried his header, albeit it was too late by then anyway. We’re missing Angol and Wilkinson up front, so good to see the former get on the pitch yesterday, one decent run down the left, needs match fitness of course. I’m a fan of Happe but he isn’t a left back, and looked out of position.

Scunthorpe didn’t look that good to me, yet deserved their win on chances created, and they also looked more secure at the back than we did.