Blown it (probably)

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Shoobedoo
Puberty
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Location: Behind the bike shed

Blown it (probably)

Post by Shoobedoo »

This has been on the cards since we failed to strengthen the defensive midfielder and defending positions in the January window. This is the second season in a row that Robinson has got it wrong when choosing his mid-season reinforcements; it’s particularly galling that his two marquee January signings – Baldock and Browne – both have injuries in their history and of course are both injured.

I fear a complete rebuild is coming in the summer; Brannagan, Moore, Sykes, McNally all look set to leave if we fail to go up.

Not unexpected, but bitterly disappointing.
Kernow Yellow
Grumpy old git
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Re: Blown it (probably)

Post by Kernow Yellow »

Brannagan, Baldock and Browne would transform this team. The fact they are not there is partly bad luck, partly a risky recruitment strategy. It was also bad luck that we had to play a poor team in conditions that were a massive leveller at this stage of the season. But the defensive omnishambles is entirely of our own making. We had our first choice full backs available last night, but played neither in those positions despite reverting to a back four. We had a player on the bench (Forde) that we've used as fullback/wingback plenty this season, and who we've just given another contract too, but we never play him. We didn't replace our only real defensive midfielder when we knew he was out for the season. We didn't get adequate cover for full back or centre back positions.

Oh, and Gavin Whyte - that's two games in a row when he's been one-on-one with the keeper and passed instead of shooting. He's an international forward who has just returned from scoring during an international break. What is it about playing for Us that makes him so afraid?

We've lost all the momentum we had, our manager is getting increasingly defensive and irrational post-match, and the pressure is getting to us. I'll be very surprised if we get back into the top six at any point before the end of the season, let alone stay there.

If at the start of the season you'd offered me the table looking like this now, I wouldn't be too disappointed - still in with a real chance and largely in our hands. It's the downward spiral and what could have been that is the most gutting. We looked nailed on a few short weeks ago.
Dr Bob
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Re: Blown it (probably)

Post by Dr Bob »

I posted after the Plymouth defeat that I felt our persistent failure to beat the other teams at the top would mean we would not stay in the playoff places this year. But a defeat at Morecambe surely nails this now. Defensive frailties highlighted against the top teams is frustrating, but against a team fighting relegation merely shows how true Shoobedoo and KY are in their assessments.

Trying to stand back and be objective, I am not sure how significant Baldock and Browne's absences are. We were very well placed before they came in, and it is hard to see Agyei's departure as being critical. We looked even better with Baldock in the side, but we were already there or thereabouts. Unless, I guess, their absence has meant that as the form of others has dipped, the thinness of the squad has been exposed. OK so Winnall was stopped by a truly unbelievable save last night, but overall I feel that not only has he not delivered goals, his general contribution seems to be one of running around fouling opposition players. Bottom line - injuries to key players already with us have been, for me, the key issue.

Thorniley was a big loss and whilst I was critical of Brown in his first game, I feel he has grown as a defender since. Not having a proper replacement for Gorrin, everyone seems to agree, has been a huge issue. But I would say the full back issue has now been shown to be even more significant than it was perhaps felt previously. Playing people out of position to cover full back or wing back positions is one thing, but (for example) how many goals has Sykes scored since being back there? Or assists for others? Yes he provided the assist for Matty last night - but then again he was no longer at wing back. Putting people as full/wing backs who are more effective further forward is a double whammy, weakening the defensive options and reducing the attacking options. One question - having seen that Mous still has 90 minutes in him, why did we not play our best full back at RB and have Mous in the centre?

Yes things are still in our own hands, but going back to my starting point, can we really be expected to get the wins over Sunlun, Franchise and Rotherham that we need? Donny should be dead and buried by then...but we all know our record against Fleetwood. I feel that our hands are covered in grease and the gaps between our fingers are getting bigger.
Isaac
Dashing young thing
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Re: Blown it (probably)

Post by Isaac »

Biggest reason for the last 2 games is we're missing 2 of our key players - Moore and Brannagan - they, along with Taylor make up the spine of the team. Unlucky timing definitely, but likely to happen at some stage of the season.

I'm not going to be too critical of the players/management though if we don't make the play-offs, it's a weird season points wise. We've a fair chance of beating last seasons points total (74) although we'd probably need to beat it by 6 points to get in the play-offs. Given our budget I would think we're more or less where we should be.

It was an odd defensive selection last night, but Robinson seems to have lost all faith in Seddon so presumably there's something going on there. I have some sympathy with his unwillingness to sign one position back up defenders, in previous seasons he's generally kept a settled back 4, so any back up defenders are unlikely to be used or match fit when required. Differs from midfielders/wingers that he tends to change every game. That's his strategy and there's some logic behind it, but it can fall apart with injuries/loss of form.
Kairdiff Exile
Mid-life Crisis
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Re: Blown it (probably)

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

That’s surely it now. A shame, but there was a sense of inevitability about it.

Big rebuilding job to be done over the summer given how many of this squad will now surely be poached by bigger clubs. I just hope that this time, the rebuild starts from the defence and moves forwards rather than KR spending May, June and July predominantly signing wingers…
slappy
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Re: Blown it (probably)

Post by slappy »

Although mathematically we haven't yet missed the play-offs, it is looking very tough and the top three are probably uncatchable and although Plymouth have the toughest run in, we need to make up 9 points on them. So I think we want that top 4 (or anyone else) to take points off Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland and Wycombe. Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland have a game in hand, but don't play it until the last midweek of the season.

This Tuesday's games don't involve the clubs we want to catch, so we will have to wait for the results of Friday / Saturday to see what chance we have left.
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