Reaction to the Burton defeat
By Nathan Jackson
January 28 2010
Despite losing at Burton, there aren't actually that many things I can complain about. City enjoyed the better chances and on another day, and with a striker that could actually put away a chance, we could have even won the game, but alas as City suffer their first failure to gain a maximum haul of 2010.
This game showed exactly what City are lacking. We've got a good goalkeeper (although I don't recall him actually making a save during the entire game), we've got a relatively decent defence and a midfield that creates chances....therein lays the problem. It's no good creating all these chances when there will be strikers on the other end that can't score goals. Don't get me wrong, I think Delroy does an excellent job in terms of holding the ball up and bringing other players into play, but can you see him scoring more than five a season? Or even Connor or John-Lewis? If I'm honest, I can't see that lot scoring five between them, let alone five each.
It is frustrating that we're creating these opportunities now and yet don't seem to have one natural finisher up front. Don't get me wrong, if you're midfielders are scoring goals then chances are you'll get quite a few points, but there has to be a time where you have to say enough is enough. There is not one striker at this club that I could see getting more than five goals a season, and that must change over the summer.
However, despite losing, I am actually quite pleased. I'm obviously not chuffed that we lost, but we carved out chances. It seems a far cry from the side of just two months ago and we're making progress, we just came up against a well organised Burton side, whom I fully expect to finish in the top half this season.
Peschisolido seemed to have us well scouted. The through-balls that have proven deadly in recent weeks were snuffed out easily by the Burton defence. He seemed to know our weakness is being counter-attacked, and although Burch didn't have to make many (if any) saves, Burton always looked dangerous on the occasions they did get forward. There won't be many teams that get the better of Burton on a regular basis.
But anyway, back to City and onto Clark Keltie. For someone who isn't match fit, I thought he had a decent debut and his passing was excellent. Infact, the midfield as a whole had a decent game, although Herd did seem a bit selfish on the ball and tried to beat a lot of players at once without looking for a pass, but other than that it was the usual energy filled performance that we've come to expect.
Overall, I can't really complain as I thought the performance was good enough to get something out of the game, but it just wasn't our day, but we do seriously need a striker soon.
THEIMPS.TK MATCH RATINGS | ||
PLAYERS | SCORE | COMMENTS |
1 - Rob Burch | 5 | Couldn't do anything about the goal, but his lack of urgency about getting the ball forward was a bit of a worry. |
2 - Paul Green | 7 | Not bad from the former Villa man, however, true form continues as the goal came from his side.....some things never change. |
5 - Moses Swaibu | 6 | Sutton was going mental at him in the second half. Passing was decent but positioning was shocking. |
9 - Paul Connor | 5 | Didn't really do a lot after coming on. |
11 - Scott Kerr | 7.5 | Good game from the skipper and should have scored when put through. |
14 - Lenell John-Lewis | 5 | Barely touched the ball after coming on. |
22 - Adam Watts | 5 | Distribution wasn't the best and looked very nervy at the back. |
23 - Clark Keltie | 7 | Not a bad debut and was able to pass quite well. |
25 - Cian Hughton | 7 | A quieter game by his recent standards but broke forward well, although he needs to make sure he doesn't wander offside. |
33 - Nathan Baker | 6 | Average before going off, assumably the injury picked up in the first half. |
34 - Chris Herd | 7.5 | Not a great game by the usual standards, but is still arguably the best player we have at the club. |
35 - Brian Gilmour | 7 | Well Gary Simpson doesn't rate him after writing "Quick but crap" on his scouting notepad. He had a decent game and linked up the midfield reasonably well. |
36 - Delroy Facey | 6 | Can't question his effort and is a good link up player, but he won't score many goals at all, which is what he's here to do. |
38 - Joe Anderson | 8 | My Man of the Match, mainly because it's nice to be able to say we have a player who can actually take a set piece. Improving all the time and is arguably the most valuable outfield player we have a permanent basis. |
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1) We were generally good except when we got near the opposition penalty area.
2) While I like Herd, he was increadibly one footed yesterday and kept running into cul-de-sacs because if he went to his left he couldn't find a way to release the ball with his left foot, so he kept running until he lost it. I would prefer him on the right to in the middle.
3) Facey is a bit like Stanley Matthews; give him the ball at his feet and he looks good, if he has to take two steps in any direction, forget it, he won't get there in time.
4) When we approach the box the attackers either run away from the player with the ball in a straight line, or stand still behind a defender. There are very few angled runs, or players coming past the ball, hence there is no effective attack.
5) I'm concerned at our lack of left footed players. Hughton did not look as effective to me playing on the left side of midfield.
6) Keltie had a good first game.
7) Anderson impressed with his free kicks.
Even though we lost I thought we passed well and players had more confidence in each other than I have seen before. We need more upfront and better balance in midfield, other than that I was happy with the display.
Its a bit worring that once we go behind we might struggle to equalise if other teams adopt this approach. We need a plan B just in case.
Wright/Dorrian are playing a risky game, yes we had a couple of 2-1 wins , but analyse those and we were fortunate against C'field, missed pen. Bradford battered us for 45 and Barnet had their moments.
If we do not strenghthen up top, 19 goals says it all, then I will stick by my prediction in August on this board, that we will be relegated to the BSN.
If you look at our scorers this season the top is Howe with 5 which for a club with asperations is really quite disheartening. so with Howe leaving that makes Clarke and Fagin on 4. then you look at other clubs and they nearly all have players in double figures . i wont go as far as to say we will be relegated
But unless we get a good 15-20 goal a season striker i see medocre seasons to come