Complaints of 31/10/2007
O'Dea wasnt on the bench.
Infact no defenders were on the bench.
That is bad planning.
After watching Hesselink last night I would infer that he is a couple of weeks away from starting - I dont know how aparent this would have been in the training field to our coaches, but Im surprised after the level of his fitness that he showed enough to get a start.
We started okay mainly because we were doing well down the left with Aiden and Lee looking very sharp and lively, with Hartley ontop of everything in the centre. As soon as Lee came off, we lost Hartley from the middle of the park. Albeit he looked out of place at left back (and certainly not capable of Naylors 45 in that position, it was his void in the middle of the park that was our biggest loss. Clearly Sno was brought in to anchor and let Donati float forward, but along with leaving Hartley indeed, all at sea at leftback, the balance and position of our midfield handed them an oppurtunity to push 1 of there 5 midfielders on to drive (r) at our defense to support the hardworking Elliott.
I suppose its worth mentioning that Caldwell doesnt help proceedings, by giving away possession to their midfield with every clearance, but then, should we not just expect this now?
More worringly from my perspective, is, where does this leave us? Out of the CIS cup - yes, im sure we'll live. But who is available for Saturday and Wednesday, and infact more pressing, who will Gordon deem justifyable of a green and white jersey. Worrying enough that Gary Caldwell, Chris Killen, and Evander Sno were all looked upon good enough to knock Hearts out of the cup, are they they players Gordon feels are his best option. With Jarosik (and even O'Brien) an unused sub, Teddy Bjarnsson adding Tuesday's Rangers reserve game to his website man of the match pile, Riordan, Dianbobo, and Darren O'Dea all fit and raring to go - will Gordon stick with the players he knows didnt, and even cant perform against Hearts in the positions he played them.
Gordon, preseason and aftermatches (on the occasions he fancies a chat) makes alot of noise about knowing what is wrong and how to change it, and even how we should/could change system for each match. Thats all well and good, and surely we should seen signs of this before, lets for the moment forget about the past - Gordon has a duty to now change things. Players, formations, systems. Not for a minute do I think he or the players at his disposal are not capable of adapting, but there has to be a willingness to accept that what you have done and chosen in the past might not have been the best decision, and that you personally as manager made wrong decisions. The stubborness that keeps Gary Caldwell in my team, that keeps Stephen McManus as my captain, that kept Lee Naylor in my team at the start of the year (when he needed to be taken out as he couldnt have been playing worse), the stubbornress that wont play Jiri Jarosik in his chosen position, nor Riordan is a position he is proven in (whether its his favourite or not), this stubborness has to go, or else team 3 will go.
It will go from top of the league, it will go from Europe, but i'll tell you what won't go. Our dismal away form (champions league and defensively even domesticly).
PS - I heard the boo's coming out for young Evander last night - totally out of order. Yes he was poor, and indeed has had a noticeably poor start to the season, however at NO point last night did he hide. If he is put on the pitch, all you can ask is he does his best. If his best isnt good enough - its up to the manager not to put him on until his best is befitting of our starting lineup...
Infact no defenders were on the bench.
That is bad planning.
After watching Hesselink last night I would infer that he is a couple of weeks away from starting - I dont know how aparent this would have been in the training field to our coaches, but Im surprised after the level of his fitness that he showed enough to get a start.
We started okay mainly because we were doing well down the left with Aiden and Lee looking very sharp and lively, with Hartley ontop of everything in the centre. As soon as Lee came off, we lost Hartley from the middle of the park. Albeit he looked out of place at left back (and certainly not capable of Naylors 45 in that position, it was his void in the middle of the park that was our biggest loss. Clearly Sno was brought in to anchor and let Donati float forward, but along with leaving Hartley indeed, all at sea at leftback, the balance and position of our midfield handed them an oppurtunity to push 1 of there 5 midfielders on to drive (r) at our defense to support the hardworking Elliott.
I suppose its worth mentioning that Caldwell doesnt help proceedings, by giving away possession to their midfield with every clearance, but then, should we not just expect this now?
More worringly from my perspective, is, where does this leave us? Out of the CIS cup - yes, im sure we'll live. But who is available for Saturday and Wednesday, and infact more pressing, who will Gordon deem justifyable of a green and white jersey. Worrying enough that Gary Caldwell, Chris Killen, and Evander Sno were all looked upon good enough to knock Hearts out of the cup, are they they players Gordon feels are his best option. With Jarosik (and even O'Brien) an unused sub, Teddy Bjarnsson adding Tuesday's Rangers reserve game to his website man of the match pile, Riordan, Dianbobo, and Darren O'Dea all fit and raring to go - will Gordon stick with the players he knows didnt, and even cant perform against Hearts in the positions he played them.
Gordon, preseason and aftermatches (on the occasions he fancies a chat) makes alot of noise about knowing what is wrong and how to change it, and even how we should/could change system for each match. Thats all well and good, and surely we should seen signs of this before, lets for the moment forget about the past - Gordon has a duty to now change things. Players, formations, systems. Not for a minute do I think he or the players at his disposal are not capable of adapting, but there has to be a willingness to accept that what you have done and chosen in the past might not have been the best decision, and that you personally as manager made wrong decisions. The stubborness that keeps Gary Caldwell in my team, that keeps Stephen McManus as my captain, that kept Lee Naylor in my team at the start of the year (when he needed to be taken out as he couldnt have been playing worse), the stubbornress that wont play Jiri Jarosik in his chosen position, nor Riordan is a position he is proven in (whether its his favourite or not), this stubborness has to go, or else team 3 will go.
It will go from top of the league, it will go from Europe, but i'll tell you what won't go. Our dismal away form (champions league and defensively even domesticly).
PS - I heard the boo's coming out for young Evander last night - totally out of order. Yes he was poor, and indeed has had a noticeably poor start to the season, however at NO point last night did he hide. If he is put on the pitch, all you can ask is he does his best. If his best isnt good enough - its up to the manager not to put him on until his best is befitting of our starting lineup...
posted by Michael__67 at 8:44 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home