Ratings v Wednesday (2 Viewers)

Sheffield Sky Blue said:

Rushworth is a great keeper but showed why he isn't in the England reckoning. His distribution is extremely erratic - once again he booted the ball straight out of play at kick off, as he so often does. And he was extremely fortunate not to concede in the first half when he gifted the ball to a striker, with another in attendance. Fortunately, he is good at making tackles.

He slowed the game down in the first half (shades of Arsenal). Why?

He's a huge, huge talent, but he really needs to work on aspects of his game.

FTT's form has really dipped. Is he exhausted? Work needed on his fitness over the summer? Is his lack of game time in the first half of the season having an impact?

BTA is a great player, but he doesn't fit the Sakamoto role. He kept drifting infield, meaning we were too narrow. On the other wing, EMC was marked out of the game by Fusire, although I thought Markello did better against him.

MVE needs to learn to get back more quickly when we lose the ball (Dabo, although less skilled, was very good at that). He'll leave us very vulnerable in the PL if he doesn't get back down the pitch more quickly. He was our best attacking threat though.

Wright - another insipid performance. Simms offered a lot more when he came on, but then lacked the composure / skill to convert chances. We Will need a conventional striker who can bully defences and take chances. That is not going to be easy to find.

Rudoni was bizarre. Against Derby he occupied the spaces between the lines of defence brilliantly. Yesterday, he didn't (same against Hull).

Grimes remains pure class, but can only do so much on the pitch.

Overall, it was a bizarre performance, in reality extremely complacent (as some of us predicted in the match thread). Hopefully, we can relax now, but if we play like that then Friday could be another disappointment. Blackburn need a win, which will help, but a good tactic from them will be a low block and breaking at pace. The very large away crowd could get impatient, which will aid them. A point is far from guaranteed unless we up the game a lot.

We are so much better when we start with real intensity (e.g vs Middlesbrough). That must be the plan on Friday, surely?

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Sheffield Sky Blue said:

Agreed - I said "He was our best attacking threat though."

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clint van damme said:

Why?
He's been an amazing signing and I'd say a major reason why we got our season back on track, but he's been poor last 2 or 3 games.

Don't see anyone arguing with that.

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Grendel said:

Although it was a cameo of sorts Markelo looked ok

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Essexrobbie said:

The only piece of skill for me was Eccles header that just went past the upright. He had to work really hard to get it even where it went and IMHO is the best headerer of the ball in the club. He anticipates it, attacks it and then by design steers it where he wants it to go. You compare that to Simms or Wright who have no anticipation, or plan 'b' incase of a deflection. Hate attacking it because they are not natural headerers of a ball and if by miracle, they make contact, if it lands on target it is usually by pure luck. If Eccles was a few inches taller he would make a marvelous Centre forward. Not Prem standard but he'd get a hatful in the lower leagues.

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Sky Blue Pete said:

Been plenty

interestingly I think a half time change taking him off and going two up top would have been a good move yesterday

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