Mon Aug 09, 2010 1:05 pm
The main problem, I believe, was the lack of movement....principally from the full-backs, the wingers, Taundry and Nicholls. Whenever we had the ball, we had no options, apart from Byfield making some kind of move and being followed by a couple of MK defenders, and Richards generally offering himself for the pass, but of course he has to be discounted because several well-known posters say he's rubbish!
One other point to note - having read a report of the game yesterday, it came as no surprise to read the paper making a huge point about how brilliant Hamman was. I just knew they would. They made the point that he "didn't waste a pass all game". Errmm, that would be because he only made about 10 passes all game, and the match pretty much drifted past him. I'm not saying he won't come good for them, and that he won't be a superb addition to the coaching staff, but he reminded me of latter-day Merson the way he stood motionless for much of Saturday afternoon.
An excellent assessment of the defenders by somebody further back as well - all put in decent individual performances, but they weren't a unit. Not surprising perhaps, it will take time. I think they have the makings of a decent back four. And for those saying McDonald should have played, I'd say Lancashire did nowt wrong after the first 10 minutes or so (when he looked very nervous) and the speed on the turn of the MK Dons forwards would have destroyed McDonald. There will be other games where he should play, I can understand why he was not chosen on Saturday,