YoopEyes

Think Iorpenda was the only serious contender tbh. He persevered, gives you 90 mins of effort and there were glimpses of quality. After the opening 25 mins or so few, if any others offered much (Palmer, maybe?) until Bennetts and Tangen appeared. Collectively poor but too many blatant individual errors. Very bad night for Bedeau, Ness, Tsaroulla, Norburn and Jatta!

It looks and sounds horrendous but we seem to be punished for petulance whilst opponents get away, unpunished, with thuggery. There is some mitigation, in my view, particularly in recent games. Norburn was, arguably, an tad unlucky v C’field, his 1st yellow seemed harsh and he was fouled himself a few seconds prior to his challenge. The “boot” business was daft & he should have been more careful, given his card. Tonight, he was just irresponsible and incredibly dim. Ndlovu’s red was ludicrous, simply a dreadful decision. Both players had their foot in the air challenging for the ball, 1 made contact, the other didn’t, end of story. That’s never a red card in a million years, crazy decision. The data does suggest we have a problem & it is costing us, so players need to sort themselves out and the management/coaching staff need to address it with a degree of urgency.

Shocking night all round. When we get it wrong, we really mess up. Manager not at his best but starting XI looked ok. You have to take a serious look at the goals and Norburn. I’d never start Jones, certainly not ahead of Bennetts - who is far more direct and purposeful. You get 10 or 15 mins out of Jones and a couple of decent crosses, if you’re lucky. He’s a cameo sub, all day for me. Tangen looks comfortable on the ball, if a little lightweight, but at least he’s likely to last 90 mins! Jatta’s 1st touch is a complete lottery and he misfired, badly, tonight. We’ve dumped Dennis, when he was top scorer & he’s lost confidence but he’s a damn sight better than Jatta or Ndlovu. The latter looks like a fish out of water tbh.

That’s an absolute disaster tbh!

Ndlovu on. Bennetts should be on asap, Norburn is a risk the longer it goes…….. Tangen could well make ab appearance, or maybe Luker?

Re: Fun fact - that’s exactly what it is. As you know, you can show anything with data - what was the wind direction, did we kick off, were we drawing when he scores his goals? Those stats prove nothing really - they are not cause & effect. Players tend to score goals when they are in and around the opposition’s box, it’s nothing to do with where a player starts a game, it’s where they are at the time. I’d still maintain that Norburn and Palmer (or Robbo and either of them) is always going to produce a platform for the more adventurous and creative players to perform. There will, clearly, be games where we might only need 1 of them, but personally, I’m comfortable seeing them together - even if it’s the first hour or last 30 mins. The bonus is that we have the likes of Grant, Iorpenda, Bennetts, Tangen, Tsaroulla, Hall, Luker and Jones to complement them. Not a bad group to choose from tbh. The version of Palmer that turned up yesterday certainly provided “vertical movement”! Grant is creative, mobile and alert, Iorpenda (and a fit Luker) are similar but will probably score more often. Fortunately, we have quite a few players who are capable of scoring, maybe not prolifically, but we seem to find the back of the net quite a lot without the recognised strikers.

Agreed. We were doing ok but the introduction of Norburn & Bennetts, in particular, made a significant difference. Iorpenda was able to get forward and be more productive - which he, clearly, relished. We looked better balanced & regained the shape we needed. The fact that we scored almost immediately after making changes, as opposed to conceding as we often do, was a big help too.

The reality was that we were sloppy for both of their goals. They both came down our left flank, where Jones doesn’t provide any cover or support for Bedeau. Theax marking and awareness were shocking for the first and beyond credibility for the second. Other than that, we fought and battled well again, tge balance and shape was generally good but a bit wobbly at times. We engineered great opportunities but either moving the ball quickly or having people prepared to take on opponents. It was Jones, Tangen and Grant in the first half and more of Iorpenda, Bennetts & Hall in the second. If you are clinical in front of goal, you win matches. We scored from 5 well worked and cleverly constructed chances today. 2 of those goals were simply spectacular, the fifth was a superbly created and neatly finished. The other 2 were well earned on the back of a solid team effort. The lack of marking aside, this was a very impressive display from a squad that has developed the art of winning whatever the line up. To be missing the likes of Robbo, Platt, Dennis & Ndlovu yet scoring 9 goals in 2 games at this stage of the season is encouraging, to say the least. The introduction of Norburn and Bennetts was the critical factor today. Jones was running out of gas and ideas and we freed up Iorpenda to play further forwards - he created havoc. Best I’ve seen of Bennetts, he’s improved over the season for my money. He was unplayable today. He’s better defensively and far more robust than Jones - so, if he can go round defenders & cross like he did today then he becomes a viable option as a starter as well as a sub.

For his pure commitment and the sensational 2nd half, it probably should go to Iorpenda - but, as I’ve not always been convinced by Palmer, I’m going for him. Without his influence, I’m not sure we’d have won that game as convincingly tbh. When Norburn came on to play alongside him it freed up Iorpenda to push forward - which he did, with spectacular results. (That’s the best team for me, start with Norburn, Palmer, Grant & Iorpenda - I’d play Bennetts too on today’s form.)

Still thinking tbh. Palmer was steady and solid all game, plus he made some good challenges/tackles and pinged some lovely long passes around. He scored a screamer and could have another 2 tbh. Iorpenda had an incredible 25 mins in the 2nd half, all crafty touches, fierce challenges and mazy runs, culminating in a spectacular goal and another good set up for the og. Hard to split them - Palmer, cool, driving force & Iorpenda, industrious, creative and lethal. Both worthy 9/10 today.

Intriguing - he looked sharp and lively early in the season, the best of the loaners. The bad news that he’s been out for a very lengthy spell and others have progressed. If he’s fit he could be a handy addition to the squad but I can’t imagine he’s going to displace Grant, Iorpenda or Bennetts in the pecking order at this stage tbh..

Very bad news, particularly for him! Hope he recovers well and quickly. The injury didn’t occur because he was being played out of position, it happened when he was trying to recover from pushing forward and losing possession. He chased back and tried to challenge for the ball and fell awkwardly. Unfortunate, but a genuine, accidental incident. From the squad perspective it’s a blow but we still have 4 quality defenders at this level - so, hopefully they will stay fit for the rest of the season (and beyond).

Superb team performance which featured some impressive individual contributions. I thought McDonald was his usual composed self and he hit a couple of great long balks and a “winger’s” cross. Bennetts was busy, good on the ball, bagged a goal & worked tirelessly. Iorpenda got better as the game progressed and excelled when we started to tire a wee bit. No passengers at all, some good input from the subs and a couple of tremendous saves from Belshaw into the bargain. The standout performance came from Grant - the subtlety, quality of control, awareness, an assist, a goal and the usual energy, work rate & persistence shone through tonight. He gets my vote, unequivocally.

Fabulous display, terrific performance. Without a recognised striker, we had all tge footballers on the pitch tonight and we played fluently. A lot of crisp, sharp passes and touches. No passengers - some outstanding individual contributions and a superb collective effort. The contributions from all were good but the energy, awareness and effort from Grant, Iorpenda, Bennetts and McDonald were exceptional. To the Grant “dissenters”, that’s what he gives to the team. He has vision, great touch and he never stops working. That was a truly scintillating performance from him.

Grant should start every game if he’s fit. He is, technically, the most gifted & creative footballer we have and whatever he lacks he makes up for with energy, effort and awareness. He should have been in ahead of Palmer and Tangen on Sat for me. He should certainly have come on straightaway in the second half.

Agreed. Our line up didn’t look right. We were unbalanced. I think MP was hoping that Iorpenda & Tangen would chase around and pressurise them, Norburn would give Oslmer time & room to operate and we’d be solid at the back and “repel all boarders” in the air. None of that worked really - Dennis remained isolated, the ref came on their bus & sends Norburn off butvalkies them to get away with thuggery. We responded brilliantly, twice, to going behind but that was it - we didn’t sustain any control of the ball and we struggled to create anything in the second half. We looked “done” after an hour but Bennetts did provide some spark going forward & Iorpenda produced a cross that might have been converted. Overall, Cook out thought us and they got away with provocation and physicality that we didn’t match or counter.

McDonald - without a shadow of doubt once Platt went off. He didn’t put a foot wrong all game, commanding, assured and physically strong enough to keep their strikers quiet. Not directly at fault for any of the goals. I like Iorpenda, a lot, and he was his usual busy self but I simply don’t get how he could be MOTM yesterday. He started brightly and showed a few glimpses of quality on the ball in the second half, great ball across the box - but that was it. Not a telling pass, nothing creative or imaginative just a genuine, hard working display. I thought he, together with Tsaroulla and Bedeau were the pick of the rest but McD (& Platt) was head and shoulders above them for composure, quality and effectiveness.

I’d say that going down to 10, Cook out thinking Patto, Platt going off and putting Jatta & Hall on were the main contributory factors today. Tactically, we got caught out by the cheating, skulduggery and deviousness of Cook and his bunch of uninspiring but annoyingly effective yobs.

Hall & Jatta had no impact or influence on the game at all. Agree that Grant should have come on rather than Hall. Massive blow to lose Platt, he had a couple of wobbles but was generally sound again. McDonald was outstanding, I don’t think he put a foot wrong all day. Chesterfield reflect Cook, dour, unimaginative, underhand and nasty. They won, we didn’t. That tells you something. Continuing to rely on Jones is still baffling me, I expect him to do more than bang in a couple of decent crosses - he just doesn’t look sharp, confident or robust enough for my money. Bennetts, whose final ball has let him down thus far, looks far more dangerous - and he offered more in 35 mins than Jones did in 77. Top 3 place is starting to look some way off - Cambs banging in 5 today & MKD winning leaves us off the pace a wee bit. Onwards and upwards.

There was very little positive about the return of Jatta! He touched the ball twice at best and looked very rusty. Palmer was ok on the ball, but tired and was non existent in the 2nd half. They are both some way off match fitness. We did well in the 1st half but the extra man told in the end and we sat back a bit too much & too early in the 2nd half. The main frustration was that the 3 goals were all pretty soft and didn’t result from waves of pressure. At least 2 were completely avoidable & the 3rd looked ropey too, I’ll need to see that again. Credit to MacDonald, he was outstanding. Thought Bennetts was the most impressive & effective of the subs.

Maynard couldn’t organise & motivate here, he was extremely 1 dimensional too. Tactically naive. Until he’s proved himself at league level, I wouldn’t get too excited about him tbh. Nice bloke but still learning his trade. I’d take Paterson over him every day of the week.

The key is that Paterson can organise and motivate a team - I don’t think Maynard could do that, certainly not convincingly anyway. He didn’t seem to get the best out of players, either individually or collectively. Paterson seems to be sharper, quicker to change strategy and tactics too. Generally, he utilises players in more natural roles than Maynard did. Thus, we are far more effective as a team unit and we have cover for every position now, which helps enormously, of course.

That’s a tremendous win - great result, not a bad day after all. Gordon gets 98th min equaliser for Crawley v Swindon & Cambs held to a draw.

Still young and improving. The basics are in place - so, I see potential in him. He has talent and vision/awareness. I’d like to see him get some game time on loan and he could be a handy squad player next season, even if we go up. If he does well elsewhere & we get a decent offer, then we have the option to cash in. Thus, good move all round in my view.

I go for Platt - solid, as usual, and wins his challenges. Very effective defensively, uses the ball well too. Macari & Bedeau did well,to be fair. Iorpenda was lively and combative but faded, I thought, and wasn’t as busy in 2nd half. Tsaroulla was good for the most part. We take Grant off and never look as good out of possession. Robertson was weak today, as were Kouhyar & Jones, who rarely takes a man on let alone beats one. He had a neat little run and got a couple of crosses in but that aint enough for me tbh.