WSM tonight

[BenE]

Funny game. Played like strangers in some etherial dream sequence first half. Second half put Naby centre mid and upped the tempo and WSM were chasing shadows and that merely served to highlight the problem. No proper goalscorers. Goalkeeper really only had a couple of proper saves to make other than the goal.

Looked a nailled on pen from where we were standing though.

[comrade powell]

Beaten by a better team. GO has a lot to think about before Saturday.

[stillmanjunior]

First half their back four line was like Dixon-Adams-Keown-Winterburn. Ours was as staggered as the Wario symbol (quote shamefully stolen from a mate describing my Sunday team once).

I still think we will finish in and around mid-table. Need to learn to cross, mind. It was like watching England at the Euros again.

[Beau Nash]

...Played like strangers in some etherial dream sequence first half...

Very true...City had no idea in midfield or at the back, who had responsibility for what is a question they might ask themselves.

A pity Nick was booked as first half the best player by far, strong on the ground and in the air.  

Apart from a great header to score and a very fast sprint to cover back late in the second half Marvin seems, a lot of the time, to get the ball stuck between his feet.  

Billy and Lee need to up their game as little control or creativity from midfield.  

Yet again no-one takes responsibility to have a shot, trying instead to walk the ball into the net.

A poor performance in front of one of the largest Tuesday night attendances. (was it 691?)  

So for the next game my starting eleven would be:
Phillips; Bowman, Batten, Monthe, Ball; Watkins, Rigg, Diallo, Hunter; McCootie, Hutchinson.  

How we miss Frankie Artus.

[Marc Monitor]

We looked like a team that hadn't played together tonight. I don't have much worries about the worries as they will come good. Batten stopped with his hand up for their second goal but Rigg was playing him onside. These sort of mistakes can be ironed out fairly easily.

Although the side, as a whole, did better with Chas off the pitch second half, I think this was a coincidence and am not sure that substituting him was the best idea. He seemed to be the one player, first half, who was thinking about what he was doing. He certainly was no worse than anyone else. In the second half, there were a lot of balls given away by Murphy and Diallo. Watkins played much more effectively in the second half but was poor in the first as he could not get cross in to the box. Again, I think the midfield will settle down the more they play with each other.

Upfront, I am very worried. We can't make anything stick up there. McCootie is, again, not good enough for this level. I like him but he hasn't got the skill needed - he can trap a ball further than I can pass it - and, as we know, his hamstrings won't last 60 minutes sometimes, let alone a full game. If Pratt has stayed, I am sure he would have gone and he is just out of his depth. Morgan looked the same until he scored with exactly the sort of goal that I woudl expect from him. However, if we can't get the crosses in, he will not get those opportunities. Fleetwood just looks like the sort of ex-pro at the end of his career that won't do much more for us. He is no Scott Partridge, put it that way.

On balance, I have faith in most of Owers' signings, tactics and his apparently great training but , even if we settle as I expect, I still can't see where the goals are coming from.

Personally, I would like to see a line-up of

Phillips, Ball, Batten, Monthe, Rigg, Bowman, Hemmings, Artus, Diallo, Morgan, Watkins.

[comrade powell]

I agree with most of that, Marc. I moaned on Saturday about the poor quality crossing and there was little improvement last night. Presumably Artus will walk back into the team when he is fully fit so one in the midfield will need to make way for him unless they up their game. His creativity and occasional goals will be welcome and I like the look of your suggested eleven, except that the problem up front will remain. Oh for a 6 month loanee like Weston had to score the goals.....

[the demon headmaster]

It was an embarrassing start. We were poorly organised for the first half and Weston looked very competent. I couldn't see us getting back into the game. Our passing was pretty woeful and there was little evidence that the players knew each other's game.
Second half gave me some hope. Hutchinson looked very good and much better in that wide left position than Diallo. Diallo in turn was more effective in a central position and we finally looked like we had a plan.
The worry is that despite much more height in the side we still don't look like winning much in the air, and with our obvious limitations in front of goal we still don't shoot when the opportunity presents itself.
That said Watkins looked very good once he got more service and I personally thought Fleetwood was an asset: quite like Watkins in many ways. I thought Monthe settled down and showed good pace in the second half to snuff out the odd Weston attack, especially when we went to 3 at the back.
However, it feels like the team are a long way from mid- table security, so work to be done. I can see why Havant released Morgan. On that performance it is just as well they continue to pay most of his wages.

[comrade powell]

Well said, Demon. However, it was Hunter not Hutchinson who caught your eye out wide after ht - the latter remained on the bench.

[BenE]

Certainly Fleetwood did more last night than in the entire pre-season. Can't see him scoring goals tho which is what he is here for.

[the demon headmaster]

Thanks for the correction Comrade. I like what I saw of him very much.

[richmadrid]

I agree with what has been said on this thread. I couldn't believe how slow, uncoordinated and sloppy we were in the first half an hour compared to the incisive, sharp hungry, quick-mindedness of WSM who looked to be playing 3 gears above us. Talk about desire, there was only one team on the pitch for the first period. The second half was a great improvement, although we could see that there was no real quality in our attack to break down their defence. We just need to start the games with both eyes open. The warning came within 15 seconds of kickoff and highlighted the difference between the two teams. Over the whole game they deserved to win but at least we did have them camped in their own half and were able to exert great pressure. I thought the game was entertaining though, especially when we got a good goal back. Let's hope we start games firing on all cylinders because that was the difference between the teams on Tues.

[comrade powell]

Welcome back, Rich! Is this just a fleeting visit?

[richmadrid]

Yes Comrade, took my boys to the game for the first time and enjoyed the atmosphere of the game. Best of luck to the team for Saturday and the rest of the season....

[stillmanjunior]

I've been impressed with Weston the last three times they've played at Twerton Park, even in the 3-0 defeat it was flattering on us. The 2-1 last year they seemed to have a gameplan which nearly worked to perfection and Tuesday they threatened constantly in that first half.

A far cry from six points guaranteed every season and Gurney dragging his knuckles in the dugout instructing his players to get Lewis Hogg sent off and so on.

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