Yeovil (H) BFTG

[Winnershroyal]

Yeah, yeah, yeah but what is that fu**ing song?

Decent noise, but as always our lot wouldn't dream of singing it as it would be copying other clubs... Bizarre when we are one of the least imaginative and uninspiring bunch of supporters around.

Agree, you could see that song galvanising them towards the end, pretty hypnotic.

[Nameless]

Overall pretty dire.

Thought we started quite well but just like last week we missed out on some early opportunities and then just seemed to lack any ideas. Also don't the players analyse the game they are in - it was blatantly obvious to the 18,000+ fans that you can't hoof a long ball and expect to win it when the main plank of their defence is over 6'6". How many headers did Pog win (how many does he ever win)?

Getting more impressed with Guthrie - thought he started the season really well but went so much off the boil in Nov/Dec/Jan. Now he's back he seems better. Drenthe had the best game he's had this season. Blackman wasn't great, McCarthy had a shocker - time for Feds to have another start maybe.

Seriously though - for 20 mins we were 2 players up and we couldn't score?

Thought the cards were fair but really thought there should have been another second yellow - wonder whether the ref got scared that he'd have to make a big decision.

He clearly did and really should get a bollocking for doing so. Wouldn't surprise me if one of the pundits picks it out tomorrow. However, no doubt he will get away without anything been said by those that matter.

I really wouldn't have been surprised to see the penalty not given - the way I saw it, it was no way clear cut and I think Drenthe did 'win' it. Would be funny if Yeovil appealed the first two reds and trumped our two successful appeals in two weeks with two in one!

It was a very clear penalty, not even a question mark. Their centre back put his arm round Drenthe and pulled him over. I'd question if it was a clear scoring opportunity but only because I'm not sure Drenthe had the ball under control, there was no covering player and it was a very clear foul though.

If they appealed the second card then heaven help us. If the appeal won then the world has gone barmy.

[RoyalBlue]

And there is the crux of the matter and exactly why we got our tactics wrong! Our thick players compounded the problem by crowding the box themselves! The majority of our players should have stayed out of the area and played it around the outside of the box, which would have created openings for shots. That would have forced their defenders into making tough decisions as to when to stay put or when to move out and close down. Our players made it easy for them by all going to stand in the midst of the giant defenders!

Moving the ball around 30 yards from goal would have just been stalemate as Yeovil would have continued to defend basketball style with 4 on the 6 yard line and 4 at the top of the box. They would have stood and watched us play it around. We did have shots from distance but Yeovil threw bodies in the way of the ones on target. With them happy to take a point it was always going to be tough, but we should have been up to it. We mixed up the crosses - we hit low balls from the byeline, whipped crosses from out wide and ran at defenders. When we did get half chances their keeper was inspired or we snatched at them.

Who said anything about moving the ball around 30 yards from goal?! 1-5 yards around the outside of the box is where the movement should have been. That gives you an awful lot of shooting options which couldn't have been defended merely by standing on the 6 yard box. Instead our players made life easy by standing amongst the defenders and making the box even more congested. They got in each other's way when trying to head the ball or shoot and at least two of our efforts took a touch off our own players. We didn't mix it up anywhere enough. Far too many crosses were hit forward onto the heads of the defenders, rather than being pulled back with pace from out wide.

[Libertine]

Are you shitting me? I had to work today and just got home. I just read the match thread. We couldn't defeat a very poor Yeovil team, at home, that was reduced to 8 men? Really?

HAHAHAHA...that is horrible, we suck! People can analyze this to their heart's content. Bottom line is it is completely inexcusable...





I really can't see us finishing in the top 6...not if this is the best we can do.

I am usually very angry when I have to work on game days. I wasn't happy, initially, having to work today. Right now I am fucking chuffed that I had to. At least I won't have to buy a new laptop now.

[SCIAG]

The ref bottled the biggest decision of them all! A second yellow for Lawrence (for the bad foul on McCleary on the left edge of their area), which would have seen the game abandoned.

That isn't quite correct. You need 8 players to start a match. The minimum number of players a match can be played with (once it has kicked off) is left to the discretion of the competition- rather like the maximum number of subs on the bench.

I couldn't find anything about the FL's regulations on the matter on their website, but I did find the raw law (well, the 2004 version): http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/L ... 32,00.html

That includes the IFAB's recommendation that matches should be abandoned if one side has fewer than 7 players. It seems likely, therefore, that the FL accept IFAB's recommendation and the match would have continued without Lawrence. IFAB have not revised that recommendation, though they have revised upwards the number needed to start a match.

[P!ssed Off]

It was a very clear penalty, not even a question mark. Their centre back put his arm round Drenthe and pulled him over. I'd question if it was a clear scoring opportunity but only because I'm not sure Drenthe had the ball under control, there was no covering player and it was a very clear foul though.

I was about as close to the 'penalty' incident as you could get.
Either Royston dived or he just fell over. He certainly wasn't 'pulled over'.
I didn't think it was a penalty. Neither did the majority of the other people around me.

[the taphouse]

to all the negativity KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON And the North Stand pissed all over the East Stand in terms of Support today

[3points]

Back to playing with no tempo. The way Gunter jogs up to take a throw in and then waits to throw it to a marked player is so frustrating. If Gunter isn't going to offer anything going forward, then he shouldn't be in the team. I like Gunter, but think he's been dross for the past two games. He has been the prime idiot of hoofball as he should be doing better. Gorkss I understand as he's not our most skillful player ( ), but not Gunter who really should be doing better. Thought Obita was similarly brain dead in his continual long ball today, but has been pretty much our best player for the past 10 games since starting at left back

Long ball can be effective, but you have to set up to win the second ball. We basically had no midfield in the first half. I don;t think we won a single second ball throughout the first half. Not a Guthrie fan generally but thought he made a difference today, but clearly Williams doesn't like playing alongside him and disappeared in the second half. I think we look weaker defensively with Guthrie though.

Pog also has been poor the past 2-3 games. He and Alf started playing well together but there seems to be almost no understanding between them again and are playing a long way apart.

For Brighton I'd go back to a 5 in midfield, with ALF on the bench, with a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Akpan alongside Guthrie in the two, with Williams pushed further on and supporting Pog.

[Elm Park Old Boy]

And there is the crux of the matter and exactly why we got our tactics wrong! Our thick players compounded the problem by crowding the box themselves! The majority of our players should have stayed out of the area and played it around the outside of the box, which would have created openings for shots. That would have forced their defenders into making tough decisions as to when to stay put or when to move out and close down. Our players made it easy for them by all going to stand in the midst of the giant defenders!

Moving the ball around 30 yards from goal would have just been stalemate as Yeovil would have continued to defend basketball style with 4 on the 6 yard line and 4 at the top of the box. They would have stood and watched us play it around. We did have shots from distance but Yeovil threw bodies in the way of the ones on target. With them happy to take a point it was always going to be tough, but we should have been up to it. We mixed up the crosses - we hit low balls from the byeline, whipped crosses from out wide and ran at defenders. When we did get half chances their keeper was inspired or we snatched at them.

Who said anything about moving the ball around 30 yards from goal?! 1-5 yards around the outside of the box is where the movement should have been. That gives you an awful lot of shooting options which couldn't have been defended merely by standing on the 6 yard box. Instead our players made life easy by standing amongst the defenders and making the box even more congested. They got in each other's way when trying to head the ball or shoot and at least two of our efforts took a touch off our own players. We didn't mix it up anywhere enough. Far too many crosses were hit forward onto the heads of the defenders, rather than being pulled back with pace from out wide.

And we needed players to play quick passes and drive into the box, either getting chances or drawing fouls. Not just clip it brainlessly onto defenders' heads repeatedly.

[EverHopeful]

Poor, poor , poor. Ratings irrelevant as if you can't beat the bottom of the league team with -25 goal difference then there is no hope of playoffs. Add in 8 men etc it shows how far we are behind the other average teams in this league that sadly the above us and will remain so. We have a hugely difficult run in and the next week will probably determine another year in this league (probably not a bad thing until we have a credible owner). Still positive, is a trip to Bournemouth to come

[paultheroyal]

The ref bottled the biggest decision of them all! A second yellow for Lawrence (for the bad foul on McCleary on the left edge of their area), which would have seen the game abandoned. IIRC only a few minutes earlier Lawrence had also fouled one of our players on the opposite side of the area and got away with it!

You are embarrassing yourself. Please, never post again!

[brighton_royal]

Very frustrating game. Credit to Yeovil for hanging on for a deserved draw.

Guthrie and Drenthe looked good when they came on. Everyone else was having a bad day at work although Gorkss and Gunter had a few moments of class.

[Victor Meldrew]

Agree with most postings and Royal Blue in particular.
We were reminiscing about the game at Elm Park when Stoke went down to 9 men and we, under McGhee passed them to death and ended up winning 4-0.
Today we were without direction when their players had been sent off and the criticism has to be levelled at the manager.
Even in the first half we were back to just lobbing the ball forward and there was one short period where we lobbed the ball forward 5 times and each time just headed away by their defenders.

I nearly went home at 3.00 when I saw Robson-Kanu_lining up in front of us-how many chances is this moderate player going to get as he strolls around in every game that he starts, bottling any serious challenges and then gets substituted?
He isn't a novice and is older than half of Yeovil's side today.

Also Dellor didn't ask Adkins again why ,for these past 2 games, we lump the ball forward against 2 commanding centre-backs.
Away at Rangers we played at a quick tempo all over the park and yet after that impressive win we have lost it when we should have been flying.
What on earth do they do in training, the same training sessions where Adkins says that the likes of Kanu and Blackman do so well?
Presumably it is non-contact stuff as the moment Kanu in particular sees a defender getting anywhere near him he wilts.

May be after today we can settle for a season of consolidation as it is ridiculous to think of this squad being in the Premier League when the ordinariness seems even to have got to McCarthy.
Two other things-how did their midget no. 20 beat Obita in the air?
Secondly a well done to some in the East Stand for applauding Yeovil for their gutsy performance against a team that were 2 divisions higher than them last season,
one of whom was my mate from the row in front who was about to share a train journey with them to the West country.

[grey_squirrel]

I think I have officially given up on this season.

In every possible way.

[RoyalinBracknell]

Thought a lot of our problems were emphasised today when up against 8 men. Too much hit and hope, too little precision in crossing, and an inability to take control of the game in possession which I thought is what Adkins was brought in to introduce.

For much of the game it seemed our aim when in wide positions was just to get the ball into vaguely 'promising' areas rather than to have the ability to pick out specific players. It was frustrating that we continued this percentages approach even when up against 8 men.

I'd have liked to see Drenthre go off Pogrebnyak/Le Fondre when they went down to 9/8 with McCleary and Blackman (not ideal) holding the width. I thought we needed something more through with the middle and a player who could do something a bit different and beat a man - forcing their defenders to move across to cover would have been particularly beneficial considering their lack of numbers. Why we had so many players sitting deep barely in their half I'm not sure.

Again a complete lack of imagination and tactical understanding when playing against 8, with it all becoming too condensed. Why not spread out from free-kicks/corners for instance with a few on the edge of the box and so on? They can hardly man-mark you! But we just weren't good enough on the ball to pass it around them and get in behind.

Before that though another poor goal given away, which really hurts us considering our woeful record when behind under Adkins. The play-offs look difficult now with Wigan and Brighton away, and Leicester, Derby and Burnley still to come here.

Thought the referee was one of the best we've had for a while though. Low-key for the first hour with good advantages and then the 3 red cards looked reasonable decisions, though will have to see the first one again to make sure. Only real decision I thought he got wrong was not sending Lawrence (?) off for a second caution late on.

I know Yeovil needed to go down to 6 for the game to be abandoned - what would have happened if that had happened?! I know West Brom were awarded their win against Sheffield United though they were 3-0 up I think when the game was abandoned. Maybe they'd have kindly awarded us a point!!

[leon]

I sometimes wonder if these players have a brain. Doing the same thing thing over and over again ( hoof mainly the defence) and expected different results. McCarthy, Pearce and Gorkss are the clumsiest players with the ball at their feet I have ever seen.

Watch the game. Gorkss ended up with the ball with very little options on and being closed down. Our movement is shocking. Midfield seem incapable of making space. So he was always launching it.

Guthrie came on but even then he plays so far back he tends to pass sideways or cross field which slows play up.

We really missed Mcanuff today. He supports Obita defensively and gives us attacking possession.

HRK was dreadful. As was Mcleary.

[Gunny Fishcake]

It defies belief how this football club can continue to astound in the most awful way, complete utter clueless shite the lot of them

[3points]

Watch the game. Gorkss ended up with the ball with very little options on and being closed down. Our movement is shocking. Midfield seem incapable of making space. So he was always launching it.

Very true Leon. When he does go short to Obita, Obita then had no-one in space to pass to, but nor did he try to take on the defender. Their No.20 was poor, yet Obita just didn't have a go at him today

[RoyalBlue]

The ref bottled the biggest decision of them all! A second yellow for Lawrence (for the bad foul on McCleary on the left edge of their area), which would have seen the game abandoned.

That isn't quite correct. You need 8 players to start a match. The minimum number of players a match can be played with (once it has kicked off) is left to the discretion of the competition- rather like the maximum number of subs on the bench.

I couldn't find anything about the FL's regulations on the matter on their website, but I did find the raw law (well, the 2004 version): http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/L ... 32,00.html

That includes the IFAB's recommendation that matches should be abandoned if one side has fewer than 7 players. It seems likely, therefore, that the FL accept IFAB's recommendation and the match would have continued without Lawrence. IFAB have not revised that recommendation, though they have revised upwards the number needed to start a match.

Interesting but my son is a qualified ref and another qualified ref contacted BBCRB after the game. Both were of the firm opinion that the game would have been abandoned. Have the regulations and/or guidance changed since Warnock's cheating?

I sometimes wonder if these players have a brain. Doing the same thing thing over and over again ( hoof mainly the defence) and expected different results. McCarthy, Pearce and Gorkss are the clumsiest players with the ball at their feet I have ever seen.

Watch the game. Gorkss ended up with the ball with very little options on and being closed down. Our movement is shocking. Midfield seem incapable of making space. So he was always launching it.

Guthrie came on but even then he plays so far back he tends to pass sideways or cross field which slows play up.

We really missed Mcanuff today. He supports Obita defensively and gives us attacking possession.

.

Not according to the footballing ignorant boo boys on twitter who were celebrating his ommission and feel we are far better without him and that we lose more than we win when he plays!

Agree with most postings and Royal Blue in particular.
We were reminiscing about the game at Elm Park when Stoke went down to 9 men and we, under McGhee passed them to death and ended up winning 4-0.
Today we were without direction when their players had been sent off and the criticism has to be levelled at the manager.
Even in the first half we were back to just lobbing the ball forward and there was one short period where we lobbed the ball forward 5 times and each time just headed away by their defenders.

I nearly went home at 3.00 when I saw Robson-Kanu_lining up in front of us-how many chances is this moderate player going to get as he strolls around in every game that he starts, bottling any serious challenges and then gets substituted?
He isn't a novice and is older than half of Yeovil's side today.

Also Dellor didn't ask Adkins again why ,for these past 2 games, we lump the ball forward against 2 commanding centre-backs.

The only thing that Adkins can be fairly blamed for is not dealing with the thick as shit players who fail to use their brains and/or follow instructions. I'm sure I heard Adkins moaning afterwards about the way we hoofed it forward onto their massive defenders' heads. If that was the case, then it would clearly suggest that they weren't following Adkins instructions and coaching.

[paultheroyal]

Explains why they ref Sunday league then or the standard of refereeing is so poor these days! You need to have a word.