Douglas Higginbottom wrote:john@staustell wrote:Douglas Higginbottom wrote:Was out so missed it live and now just finished watching the recording. To be honest I think we were quite poor tonight and got through with 2 good goals and really tenacious play.
Some bits and pieces of thoughts:
Can't believe how sloppy we were for almost all the first half and on occasions in the 2nd as well. Giving the ball away far too easily.
One of ther culprits was Davenport who for a while was having a mare. Messing up passes , missing tackles and just getting into the wrong positions for the role he plays. fair play to him that he got a lot better and found the form I have seen from him most of the season as he has been excellent.
Our midfield just couldn't get it right in that first half.I look for Garcia to help us retain possession, a la Silva but he doesn't often have that in him. He was of course very key to both our goals but that aside I was a little diappointed with him. Maybe Wilcox was too as he took him off!
Brahim is a diamond.Not at his best tonight but tireless as ever and always looking a threat. Just a few occasions where his choice of play wasnt quite right but a pleasure to watch him play.
Tosin should be in the 1st team squad on merit instead of you know who. I thought he was good tonight even though there might still be a mistake in him he has what it takes.
Strange decision to play the two full backs on the wrong wings to start with.It did show up and the lack of a natural attacking full back was quite a big miss for us in the attacking play.
Nmecha and Nemane surely must be wondering what a defender has to do to them before a foul is given! I really like Nmecha and he was unlucky not to score and well done Nemane with that cross for the first goal when we really needed it.
We should fill the academy stadium if the leg is held there.
Every time I see this lot they are sloppy - albeit I can only see the TV games. The number of times we gave the ball away first half especially was beyond belief. They so remind me of the first team - struggling to win games they are in total control of.
That goalie was a mistake waiting to happen - not in the actual keeping but that error with his feet was the 2nd or 3rd time he'd tried to be flash instead of just doing the simple thing.
Diaz - like so many of his type brilliant but gives the ball away as he runs into 3 or 4 players - a better team would have scored 3 or 4 on the break. He's only 16 but we've seen it all before of course.
That said it's only frustration because they are so good, so slick and should be walking this whole tournament, much better than Arsenal.
On the goalie thing and giving the ball away I do know what you mean but it's part of the way they are encouraged to play. It's about passing the way forward rather than lumping it and inevitably mistakes will be made that they need to learn from. Good opposition know this and inevitably press high to try and catch us out but we still try to play. Maybe the occasion makes us a little nervous and 3 games in a row now we have looked very dodgy in the first 20 minutes or so. 2 games v Arsenal and the league game v Chelsea. Each time an early goal given away before we strated to get it right and go on to win.
Grimshaw is as confident a goalkeeper with the ball on the floor as I have seen. And then he goes and makes that mistake near the end which would have haunted him if he hadn't made the save from the free kick. It clearly was misplaced confidence in the match situation which should have seen him clear it to the opposing corner flag!
I was pleased to hear Wilcox say harsh words were spoken at half time as they were clearly warranted. They got the right response too as we were better in the 2nd half even if still way off perfect. Perfect would have seen us score a few more goals but what we did see was a team closing a tough game out which I seem to recall somewhere folk saying is an important feature of players and team development.
I would have been one that has gone on about the game management side of things, coming into play a little more at 18's age and upwards. I was quite encouraged by what I saw last night despite the flaws.
Yes there is the same sloppy start and the odd lapse of concentration, that is probably inevitable at that age. Yes the end was far more nervy than it needed to be, but I definitely think our 18's are getting progressively better at seeing a difficult game through. Everyone of this batch are comfortable on the ball. Some are exceptional.
With Nacho, Gunn and Denayer possibly in the squad next season and at least three more of last night's kids in contention for the odd inclusion, not to mention those in the EDS, I'm encouraged that the talent is there if the right manager has the will to blood them.
If the sixteens coming up are even better, I do think next year's 18's will be something to look forward to.
Edit: Forgot, isn't Gunn going out on loan. Anyway, you get the gist of what I'm saying. I see positive signs.
