Does anyone actually think that was an improvement?

B

B_G

Well-known member
It was great to get a much needed result last night but I can't say that last night was any better than I've witnessed under Wilder.
I genuinely think that we were better against Rotherham than we were last night.

We created very little and defended poorly in the second half. The clean sheet was a result of brum being terrible rather than us being solid.

There were a couple of positives to take from the game:
1. Hackney held is own and showed some bursts of creativity. I thought it was encouraging league debut.
2. Steffen had a better game. Looked a bit more assured from crosses.
3. Nice to see the introduction of Akpom and I think the front two held the ball up relatively well in the first half.

But apart from the above I can't see what was different. We weren't much value for our win and could have easily drew or lost that game. We were actually much more solid against Rotherham where we didn't give the a sniff at goal and actuallyu created 3 really good chances. I don't think we really created any good chances last night. The goal was a result of some sloppy defending from a set piece.

Don't get me wrong. We really needed those 3 points and I'm happy that we got them, but I'm not coming away particularly encouraged by the performance. I'm surprised at how many people are saying on social media that they thought we were great and it was a massive improvement. I just didn't see it. Gazette ratings giving all the players 7s and 8s was mind blowing for me.
 
No but were you expecting a big improvement with a team of caretakers, 2 days after the manager left? I don't care how we play as long as we get ourselves into the mix before the world cup and a few points away from the top 6. Get the deficit down from 5 to 2-3 and it will be easy to be optimistic about the second half of the season.
 
Did you genuinely expect a huge transformation given that Wilder only left 48 hours earlier?

As you rightly say we needed the 3 points. We got them. Leo won't be our Manager this time next month so don't over analyse the performance. Here's hoping we can get a similar result this weekend however we play.

Once the new man comes in that's the time to start expecting to see big changes.
 
Not really sure what people were expecting with less than 48 hours preparation. We won the game. Leo's remit is to get as many points on the board as possible whilst he Is in charge. Nothing else really matters until the new Guy comes in.

It's only then we will see the differences in my opinion.
 
The players did appear to be working that little bit harder during the first-half and didn't look as nervous on the ball I felt.

We worked hard to create some good openings down the right but it was just the final decision/ball which let us down.

2nd half was a tough watch but I felt we looked more solid defensively overall. Think not having centre halves overlapping and actually concentrating on their defensive duties helped.
 
I wasn't expecting a massive improvement. It's more the reaction on social media and the gazette that suggest it was an improvement
 
I have a nagging sense we may have buckled previously and dropped another two points. I think Steffen, Fry, Bola and especially Forss were all much, much improved on where they’ve been for much of the season. Hackney was very promising.

It’s just one of those ones where the value of the win overrides everything else. They needed that and they needed a clean sheet.

I think the defenders can be encouraged by the way they handled two very seasoned strikers. Their midfielders were decent, mobile. I’m just chuffed we’ve won, and very encouraged by Forss’ performance.
 
I did, certainly in terms of effort and application. We also made fewer errors so that's an improvement too.

How we set up and tactics employed were as expected, so all I was looking for was to see them trying a bit harder and that was definitely the case.
 
No different to the rest of the season so far.
Didn't really create any more or defend any better, just avoided being punished for our mistakes for once.
Half the goals we've conceded this season have came about from situations like that Dijksteel mistake in the first half, luckily Steffen did well to prevent Hogan scoring.

Can't expect much of a change in 48 hours though.
 
Diego said:
Not really sure what people were expecting with less than 48 hours preparation. We won the game. Leo's remit is to get as many points on the board as possible whilst he Is in charge. Nothing else really matters until the new Guy comes in.

It's only then we will see the differences in my opinion.
Click to expand...
I know crazy isn’t it

We won

I’d have snapped your hands off for a point at kick off and we bloody win
 
viv_andersons_nana said:
I have a nagging sense we may have buckled previously and dropped another two points. I think Steffen, Fry, Bola and especially Forss were all much, much improved on where they’ve been for much of the season. Hackney was very promising.

It’s just one of those ones where the value of the win overrides everything else. They needed that and they needed a clean sheet.

I think the defenders can be encouraged by the way they handled two very seasoned strikers. Their midfielders were decent, mobile. I’m just chuffed we’ve won, and very encouraged by Forss’ performance.
Click to expand...

I thought Forss was good when he came on. Was his goal offside? Haven't seen it back on TV yet.. was at the other end of the ground.
 
sherlock1969 said:
Yes I do.

I thought the attitude was much improved and I thought we looked more solid at the back. For some reason even as the game entered stoppage time I wasn't anxious and didn't have that awful feeling of inevitability that is usually present. We also looked more positive in midfield with Hackney in there.
Click to expand...

I think I agree about the solidity at the back.

This has been something that has surprised me during both Warnock and Wilder's reigns, how shaky we've looked despite the fact that, as individuals, I like most of our defensive players.

Maybe I shouldn't like them: if the managers change and the defence doesn't improve, maybe it's the players are the problem. However, far more than attacking, defending is about playing as a unit rather than individuals, so I do think the manager/head coach has to take responsiblity.
 
A couple of people said we looked more solid at the back... I don't think we did at all. Looked nervey and thye had a few chances second half. We won the game because they finished poorly.
 
I was encouraged more by the pragmatic nature of the performance. Too often during wilders reign it was his way constantly without allowing the players the freedom to deviate away from the game plan for fear of reprisals, think Howson petrified to just lump it against Cardiff when under pressure so holds onto possession and gets tackled resulting in the killer 2nd goal

Many a time last night we played percentages and kicked into touch or went long from a goal kick rather than play short like we would have done under wilder. We looked much more solid.

When we have Jones back at Wing back I'd like that back 3 to stay a little more compact as a unit, the midfield isnt athletic enough out of possession to get back and cover, or press high up the pitch when we lose the ball and are out of shape
 
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