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Brief Synopsis!!! (Wimbledon)
- Thread starter Mark Pedlar
- Start date
- Feb 24, 2007
- 18,860
- 5,590
xmastree":2a1mrryr said:
It wasn’t a precisely mathematical calculated figure.
Woods had a storming game before his injury.
And by most accounts the team were good first half but something gets said at HT or players attitudes change with fatigue because that second half performance was dire.
Most second half’s have been dire.
We only seem to get away with today’s performance with some saving grace because we somehow didn’t concede.
Tuggers I agree with pretty much everything you said in your last post. My only disagreement is over accusations that some aren't trying. I don't think that's the case, I don't think it's in the interests of most of them not to try, and I think it's a harsh accusation. In particular, it's unfair if anyone accuses the loanees of not giving their best - none of them are perfect but I get the impression that they are good lads who have "bought into" their Argyle experience.
Mike Charlick":1u6qn84f said:
Amen to this. And again, to say that players have 'no pride' or 'can't be bothered' is disgraceful because it is an attack on someone's character, not their playing skills, technique, decision making etc, all of which are legitimate areas for discussion.
- Feb 24, 2007
- 18,860
- 5,590
xmastree":qh19vbwh said:
And tbh it may have been too harsher statement at the time but we just don’t like like a team brimming with a game plan over 90 minutes.
The body language in both half’s are almost polar opposites. It all seems disjointed and awkward.
I’ll never turn down 3 points, naturally but sometimes I feel so deflated that I think we don’t deserve to come away with them. Almost bitter in a crazy way.
I have to agree that we were very disappointing in the second half. We seemed to lose out on 50/50 balls on a good 85% of occasions. It just seems that, collectively, our midfielders seem to lose their positivity and drop back and defend. An example of that lack of positivity was when the keeper made a mess of a clearance from wide outside their penalty area that went to Conor Grant who seemed to have a perfect opportunity to shoot at an open goal with the keeper stranded. Instead, he played a short pass to Mayor and the move broke down. This was very noticeable today and we had no outlet to rely on.
Camara seems to have lost his ‘fizz’, Grant and Fornah became too defensive and I just don’t get why our management seem to think that our 2 selected strikers cannot last for 90 minutes occasionally. Hardie had a good first half and I thought that he still looked fresh when he was replaced. Ok, he missed a couple of chances in the first half but at least he forced the keeper to make decent saves.
I don’t agree with the idea that some players can’t be bothered. If that were the case, the small proportion who could be bothered did exceptionally well not to concede a goal today.
Camara seems to have lost his ‘fizz’, Grant and Fornah became too defensive and I just don’t get why our management seem to think that our 2 selected strikers cannot last for 90 minutes occasionally. Hardie had a good first half and I thought that he still looked fresh when he was replaced. Ok, he missed a couple of chances in the first half but at least he forced the keeper to make decent saves.
I don’t agree with the idea that some players can’t be bothered. If that were the case, the small proportion who could be bothered did exceptionally well not to concede a goal today.
If you watch Lowe on the touchline in that second half l haven't seen him so animated.
As for players not trying well obviously l would word it as lack of application at times.
If you watched Jephcott he swaned around that pitch today. If you think that's unfair compare him to Hardie or Ennis and how many times they closed down and get an interception in. Jephcott got nowhere near.
And if you want more evidence look back at their chance they missed. Watch Jephcott against the crosser, Palmer. It was so lethargic. It was poor. I think today he deserves criticism about his performance.
As for players not trying well obviously l would word it as lack of application at times.
If you watched Jephcott he swaned around that pitch today. If you think that's unfair compare him to Hardie or Ennis and how many times they closed down and get an interception in. Jephcott got nowhere near.
And if you want more evidence look back at their chance they missed. Watch Jephcott against the crosser, Palmer. It was so lethargic. It was poor. I think today he deserves criticism about his performance.
Can't disagree with most of what's been said on this thread so far - a pretty mediocre performance, game of two halves, draw would have been fair. Now that it's as good as nailed on that we'll stay up and not make the playoffs, I hope we can use our remaining games to focus on ironing out the 2nd half issues we have with this team.
A pleasing win, if not an entirely deserved one.
Cooper 8 - one superb save in the first half, some more regulation ones and (again) faultless command. His kicking prevents it from being a 9.
Edwards 7 - mixed on the ball but did his job defensively and contributed at both ends.
Woods 6 - not quite getting some of the praise for him. The goal was outrageous, one of the goals of the season. However, he completely missed 2 headers in the first half and got sucked into pressing too high up on occasions, leaving space in behind. Opoku starts on Monday for me.
Aimson 8 - I worried about his lack of mobility playing on the left side of defence, but he has been really good there. Covered for Lewis really well, won his headers and won his tackles.
Lewis 6 - an unusual game, in that he was defensively much better than normal but a little wasteful on the ball in attack. Mixed crossing, and some sloppy passes. His off the ball movement in attack impresses me, especially when he drifts inside to create space for Mayor on the overlap.
Fornah 6 - a bit more like the Fornah of old, that early 2nd half chance for Wimbledon was classic pre-Xmas Fornah not being where he should be to pick up 2nd balls... however, his on the ball work was good, especially ball retention.
Grant 8 - sublime first half - he was everywhere. Tailed off a little in the 2nd, but did his job at LWB.
Camara 5 - another quiet game. Not bad, but not great.
Mayor 6 - pivotal in our dominance of the first 20, but also quiet after that.
Hardie 6 - got in behind the AFCW full backs really well, hold up play was decent, but a poor finish for his one sight of goal.
Ennis 6 - see above. His strength and hold up play continues to impress me.
Subs: Jephcott 3 (what has happened to him?!), Watts 6, Moore 6, Reeves 6.
A pleasing win, if not an entirely deserved one.
Cooper 8 - one superb save in the first half, some more regulation ones and (again) faultless command. His kicking prevents it from being a 9.
Edwards 7 - mixed on the ball but did his job defensively and contributed at both ends.
Woods 6 - not quite getting some of the praise for him. The goal was outrageous, one of the goals of the season. However, he completely missed 2 headers in the first half and got sucked into pressing too high up on occasions, leaving space in behind. Opoku starts on Monday for me.
Aimson 8 - I worried about his lack of mobility playing on the left side of defence, but he has been really good there. Covered for Lewis really well, won his headers and won his tackles.
Lewis 6 - an unusual game, in that he was defensively much better than normal but a little wasteful on the ball in attack. Mixed crossing, and some sloppy passes. His off the ball movement in attack impresses me, especially when he drifts inside to create space for Mayor on the overlap.
Fornah 6 - a bit more like the Fornah of old, that early 2nd half chance for Wimbledon was classic pre-Xmas Fornah not being where he should be to pick up 2nd balls... however, his on the ball work was good, especially ball retention.
Grant 8 - sublime first half - he was everywhere. Tailed off a little in the 2nd, but did his job at LWB.
Camara 5 - another quiet game. Not bad, but not great.
Mayor 6 - pivotal in our dominance of the first 20, but also quiet after that.
Hardie 6 - got in behind the AFCW full backs really well, hold up play was decent, but a poor finish for his one sight of goal.
Ennis 6 - see above. His strength and hold up play continues to impress me.
Subs: Jephcott 3 (what has happened to him?!), Watts 6, Moore 6, Reeves 6.
I know I’m sounding like a broken record, but after every game I can’t stop myself protesting at this stupid idea that players don’t care. Just stop and think about it. If you’re a player wanting to stay at Argyle next season you will be fighting for your place and your reputation. If you think you’re probably going to leave, of your own free will or not, then you are constantly in the shop window, and again you will be fighting for the best possible move, and again your reputation.
Will somebody give me a single reason why a player would deliberately not give the best performance he was capable of?
Will somebody give me a single reason why a player would deliberately not give the best performance he was capable of?
There isn't one. As I get fed up saying, it's just lazy and rude to attack a player's character in that way. I hope people will think twice in future before they resort to what is basically name-calling.
As for the point about Jephcott's 'lack of application', how do any of us know what's going on in his mind? Maybe he's got some worries, maybe he's lost confidence, maybe the pressure of people thinking he's a million pound player has got to him - we simply don't know. What we do know is that he's a lad of 21 and he will have good and bad days. Like we all do. They're not robots.
As for the point about Jephcott's 'lack of application', how do any of us know what's going on in his mind? Maybe he's got some worries, maybe he's lost confidence, maybe the pressure of people thinking he's a million pound player has got to him - we simply don't know. What we do know is that he's a lad of 21 and he will have good and bad days. Like we all do. They're not robots.
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There’s no reason Mervyn. Just a load of nonsense. No doubt in my mind the lads have been committed all season. We’re just a mid table team who has good and bad days, or weeks actually. I’m not sure why there’s been so much bed wetting after every result. Dig out a gritty win and the performance is unacceptable. Play well and lose and we’re soft. The lads can’t win... except they can, and did today, not that you could tell from some posts!
Maybe it’s the frustration of not being there to support the team that’s getting everyone so riled up. Maybe it’s the PTSD of two years ago being unfairly projected onto the new squad and management. Maybe it’s just the nature of the football fan. Who knows!
Good news is we are safe (practically) in what has been one of the most difficult football seasons professional clubs have encountered. Huge credit goes to the players and management for that. Performances haven’t been perfect, but signs of progress if you want to see them. Let’s hope for a positive close to the season and a busy summer :thumbup:
mervyn":19ensz57 said:
There’s no reason Mervyn. Just a load of nonsense. No doubt in my mind the lads have been committed all season. We’re just a mid table team who has good and bad days, or weeks actually. I’m not sure why there’s been so much bed wetting after every result. Dig out a gritty win and the performance is unacceptable. Play well and lose and we’re soft. The lads can’t win... except they can, and did today, not that you could tell from some posts!
Maybe it’s the frustration of not being there to support the team that’s getting everyone so riled up. Maybe it’s the PTSD of two years ago being unfairly projected onto the new squad and management. Maybe it’s just the nature of the football fan. Who knows!
Good news is we are safe (practically) in what has been one of the most difficult football seasons professional clubs have encountered. Huge credit goes to the players and management for that. Performances haven’t been perfect, but signs of progress if you want to see them. Let’s hope for a positive close to the season and a busy summer :thumbup:
Re. Jephcott, I just suspect he is absolutely knackered mentally as well as physically. He had a stellar 2020, coming from nowhere to being at one stage the league's top scorer. With that came media attention, scouts from big clubs, fantasy valuations from fans ranging from the silly to the bizarre, and talk of a full Welsh call up. He's played a lot of minutes and carried a lot of responsibility in his first year. I think he's just hit a wall. He's never been quick, but he looks like he's running in treacle and obviously devoid of confidence. I hope Lowe uses him lightly for the rest of the season, and gives Lolos an opportunity.
I hope that's all it is, and that after a summer's rest he will be refreshed and can start again with realistic expectations of him.
I hope that's all it is, and that after a summer's rest he will be refreshed and can start again with realistic expectations of him.