Millwall (H) 01/10/16

[SoccerHQ]

They were awful and a shadow of the team that fudge us in February.

Great 3 points. Happy days.

Just shows you how much losing in the play offs can really hurt a team/club.

Millwall haven't actually lost that many players have they?

Mind you the league is a logjam in mid table...two wins and they'll be just outside the play offs.

[Gripper]

They were awful and a shadow of the team that fudge us in February.

Great 3 points. Happy days.

Just shows you how much losing in the play offs can really hurt a team/club.

Millwall haven't actually lost that many players have they?

Mind you the league is a logjam in mid table...two wins and they'll be just outside the play offs.

Yeah! Looking at the table is still realistically useless for another few games yet IMO because of such issues.

No idea about how many players that have left mate. However one thing I would say is that in Feb I said they'd win the play offs, I also said the same about Barnsley in early March! So I suppose I predicted the final.

In Feb they just tore us apart...bearing in mind we were probably top/2nd at that point?

I've also noticed how small the match threads are when we win/draw in comparison to when we lose....

[Guest]

https://youtu.be/qw28B3tEDLY

[Soton Saddler]

Excellent win. Is that 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat in the last 5? Only losing to the league leaders (of which we played two versions in that period...). Need to sort a few aspects out but on that basis were doing alright indeed!! - well done whits.

[Wragbyred]

I've also noticed how small the match threads are when we win/draw in comparison to when we lose....

Also, who does/doesn't post when we lose/win!

[scott_powell]

Relieved with that win. As per usual, I don't go and we win.

[The Bosted Slab]

The result could easily have been different, so really happy with the win.

We were again poor in central defence, but got away with it.

We actually played some decent stuff in spells and most of the team did okay.

Special mentions for Jackson, Oztumer and Chambers, who stood out for me.

Although I was happy to see it hit the bar, the Millwall quick free kick from miles out was inches from being a fabulous goal.

Gregory looked a very good player again, but thankfully couldn't take his chances.

Poor in central defence, really?
From where I was sat, O'Connor got in numerous blocks and interceptions and both him and Toner won countless headers in the second half.
Strange how the game can look so different from 2 different seats...

I agree that in the second half they both played a little better, but overall it is the numerous failed blocks and interceptions owing to poor positional play, together with countless lost headers, on which I make my observation.
If you are happy with them that's fine.
O'Connor is currently performing way below the standards he has set and Toner to date has produced nothing in all round terms to suggest that he is any better than Preston. His only asset so far appears to be that he is left footed and in theory provides some balance to the partnership
It is indeed strange how the game looks from different seats.
I don't want to be proved correct long term in my observations, I want us to improve and become a solid unit forming the platform for a sustained rise up the league.

[ShyTallKnight]

I've also noticed how small the match threads are when we win/draw in comparison to when we lose....

Also, who does/doesn't post when we lose/win!

Me when we lose/win :roll:

[WarsawPact]

Millwall had 14 shots, of which 9 were off-target, 3 were on-target and 2 were blocked.
This suggests to me that we're over-reliant on the opposition being a bit rubbish.

[Harry]

I agree that in the second half they both played a little better, but overall it is the numerous failed blocks and interceptions owing to poor positional play, together with countless lost headers, on which I make my observation.
If you are happy with them that's fine.
O'Connor is currently performing way below the standards he has set and Toner to date has produced nothing in all round terms to suggest that he is any better than Preston. His only asset so far appears to be that he is left footed and in theory provides some balance to the partnership
It is indeed strange how the game looks from different seats.
I don't want to be proved correct long term in my observations, I want us to improve and become a solid unit forming the platform for a sustained rise up the league.

I totally agree. You do not judge a defence just by its crisis management with desperate tackles and blocks, but how well it contains the opposition generally. I am glad that Millwall failed to take advantage of their dominance, but that does not mean that our central defenders played well.

[bleed_red_n_white]

Consistently inconsistent, there was definitely a reaction there had too be after Tuesday, the midfield still worries me too death, Osbourne and Flo we are heavily reliant on but we seem to made out of rice paper.

We still IMO lack width which isn't a bad thing but we don't have fullbacks making lung busting runs up and down the pitch anymore too add width, we also can't get a settled team on the field because of injuries and until we can we are going too carry on being as inconsistent as we are.

Onward and upwards now, hopefull but in January me, personally, would be looking too get a out and out winger in.

[Exile]

3 points? Thanks very much! Well done the lads.

[reedswood sadler]

Not a great performance but a win is a win.

The defence was yet again very poor we cannot seem to win any ball that is put into the middle of back four and fail to clear our lines.A better team would have taken their chances and it could have ended up same as scunny.

Good games by Jackson even though service chronic why high balls against 6 footers. Ozy brilliant not best game but still MOM to see him take on those two giants towards end of game and come out with ball deserved round of applause he got.

As bad as we have played so far last 5 games gives us hope and only 4 points off playoffs or how I look at it even last season 37points to safety.

[El_Nombre]

https://youtu.be/qw28B3tEDLY

Any chance Ethridge can be a little more awake for these long distance efforts. Yeovil was one thing I just thought he was day dreaming but that would have been a joke.

[Darth Vader]

I guess all keepers have faults at this level and to be fair to etheridge he has been outstanding recently !

Good three points. Grim day cack attendance, hopefully this is the start of something positive

[Mazza01]

We were crap!! Poor finishing from Millwall is the only reason we came away with points.

[Well-bRed]

The result could easily have been different, so really happy with the win.

We were again poor in central defence, but got away with it.

We actually played some decent stuff in spells and most of the team did okay.

Special mentions for Jackson, Oztumer and Chambers, who stood out for me.

Although I was happy to see it hit the bar, the Millwall quick free kick from miles out was inches from being a fabulous goal.

Gregory looked a very good player again, but thankfully couldn't take his chances.

Poor in central defence, really?
From where I was sat, O'Connor got in numerous blocks and interceptions and both him and Toner won countless headers in the second half.
Strange how the game can look so different from 2 different seats...

I agree that in the second half they both played a little better, but overall it is the numerous failed blocks and interceptions owing to poor positional play, together with countless lost headers, on which I make my observation.
If you are happy with them that's fine.
O'Connor is currently performing way below the standards he has set and Toner to date has produced nothing in all round terms to suggest that he is any better than Preston. His only asset so far appears to be that he is left footed and in theory provides some balance to the partnership
It is indeed strange how the game looks from different seats.
I don't want to be proved correct long term in my observations, I want us to improve and become a solid unit forming the platform for a sustained rise up the league.

Fair enough.
The way I see it, Toner has played 17 first team games in his career and is obviously a work in progress.
O'Connor hasn't been up to the high standards he set last season but playing as part of a new pairing was always going to be tricky.
I happened to quite like Downing during his time with us, I still think he was harshly criticised at times.
However, I'm more than happy to cut a young bloke learning his trade a bit of slack and be patient whilst the partnership blossoms.
Again, I might be the only one in the ground with this opinion...
UTS!

[BathSaddler]

Any win will do at the moment so pleased with the 3 points!

[El_Nombre]

We were crap!! Poor finishing from Millwall is the only reason we came away with points.

And the two goals we scored probably helped...

[SoccerHQ]

I guess all keepers have faults at this level and to be fair to etheridge he has been outstanding recently !

Good three points. Grim day cack attendance, hopefully this is the start of something positive

4.5k is roughly par for the course....was getting that for a promotion challenge last season.

How many did Millwall bring?

[Mazza01]

We were crap!! Poor finishing from Millwall is the only reason we came away with points.

And the two goals we scored probably helped...

:roll: nob

[El_Nombre]

We were crap!! Poor finishing from Millwall is the only reason we came away with points.

And the two goals we scored probably helped...

:roll: nob

Genius :roll:

[Gripper]

Just thinking...

We scored 2 goals yesterday from crosses out wide and Dobson sprayed it around oh so well.

Reminds me of around the time of Wembley when we couldn't cross a ball for cack after playing some great football.

Hopefully can work on such stuff, can't beat a bit of end product...

[Darth Vader]

I guess all keepers have faults at this level and to be fair to etheridge he has been outstanding recently !

Good three points. Grim day cack attendance, hopefully this is the start of something positive

4.5k is roughly par for the course....was getting that for a promotion challenge last season.

How many did Millwall bring?

Just under 600 so not a great home attendance, looked less especially in the home end

[Leatherman]

Where's Welshie's preamble?

Everything ok? :(

Everything's fine, and I was about to get round to it (honestly!)....but I've been usurped. :shock:

:D :D :D

I can still produce one if you like......

Thank fudge for that ! :D I was beginning to think you had been run over or something. :(

Reading your pre-match summary is something I look forward to leading up to every match day.

Cheers Welshie's for taking the time and trouble.

[Leatherman]

There was still some chaos at the back and too many incidents of two or more of our lads going for the same ball.

Still, little Ozzie was a stand-out player for us and we looked a lot better going forward. McCarthy at Right-back looked good and got a few crosses in.

Improving! :D

Whitneyin.

[SaddlerSteve]

https://youtu.be/qw28B3tEDLY

Any chance Ethridge can be a little more awake for these long distance efforts. Yeovil was one thing I just thought he was day dreaming but that would have been a joke.

Didn't help us that the ref stopped the ball for the Millwall player to take his quick pot shot.
At the game I thought Etheridge had got back and pushed it on to the bar but in the highlights looks like he got lucky and it hit the bar straight from the shot.

I think Neil is too eager to come rushing out when it's not required. Maybe he's not confident of the defenders in front of him?
He was almost lobbed against Scunthorpe and was saved by the bar again then.

[chunkster]

https://youtu.be/qw28B3tEDLY

Any chance Ethridge can be a little more awake for these long distance efforts. Yeovil was one thing I just thought he was day dreaming but that would have been a joke.

Didn't help us that the ref stopped the ball for the Millwall player to take his quick pot shot.
At the game I thought Etheridge had got back and pushed it on to the bar but in the highlights looks like he got lucky and it hit the bar straight from the shot.

I think Neil is too eager to come rushing out when it's not required. Maybe he's not confident of the defenders in front of him?
He was almost lobbed against Scunthorpe and was saved by the bar again then.

someone must be watching videos of his keeping. Seems strange that a couple of players have tried it :|

[Well-bRed]

https://youtu.be/qw28B3tEDLY

Any chance Ethridge can be a little more awake for these long distance efforts. Yeovil was one thing I just thought he was day dreaming but that would have been a joke.

Didn't help us that the ref stopped the ball for the Millwall player to take his quick pot shot.
At the game I thought Etheridge had got back and pushed it on to the bar but in the highlights looks like he got lucky and it hit the bar straight from the shot.

I think Neil is too eager to come rushing out when it's not required. Maybe he's not confident of the defenders in front of him?
He was almost lobbed against Scunthorpe and was saved by the bar again then.

someone must be watching videos of his keeping. Seems strange that a couple of players have tried it :|

The irony was certainly not lost on several of us when Millwall equalised with a header inside the 6 yard box and NE rooted to his line!

[SWS1]

Looked good to me on the highlights. I must get to more games. :(