Conclusions against Derby

Written by kirsikka

Derby County v AFC Bournemouth – Match Report – Click here

– It gives me no pleasure at all to eviscerate the players, the team or the management but a serious wake-up call is needed. The season is seeping away unless the slide of the last month is arrested. Win their game in hand tomorrow and we’re eleven points behind Norwich. Win their games in hand and we’re eight points behind second place. These aren’t negligible gaps. Results are needed.

– My tactical nous is rudimentary but I think I could set up a team to get a draw or win against Tindall’s Bournemouth at the moment. He’s been found wanting as every team is doing the same thing and we haven’t managed to look dangerous against any team that sets up like this. It isn’t like we’re missing a plethora of chances, we have created next to zilch in almost all of these recent matches.

It’s time for a serious rethink. I said early on in the season I thought our most effective looking games were when we played three behind Solanke in a 4-2-3-1. It gave us another body in the gap between the opposition lines and created problems, allowing link ups out wide and in the middle and players to swap around.

If we’re going to see teams line up against us like this then I think we have to return to that. Junior may be out but Wilshere could be an ideal candidate to fill that central position.

– I’m starting to wonder about Brooks. How can his form be so bad? Dare I say it, it’s almost Fraser-esque at times and that isn’t something I say lightly. Tindall has to show strength in management and show the whole squad nobody is undroppable. That was half the problem last season, even if injuries contributed to it. I hope we give Anthony a start in that role on Saturday and, if he does well, that he gets to start the next league game as well.

– Hoary fans of a certain vintage will say I’m being ridiculous if I think this is bad. What about the team in this season or that. The difference is in those seasons the AFCB team had been built from waifs and strays on a limited budget. You expect shockers at times when that’s the makeup of your team and you accept it as part of supporting a team like us.

This side has more quality and technical ability than almost any in our history and so they can do better. They should do better. However, the failings tonight were both from numerous individuals and on the touchline.

I’m not by any stretch saying that’s the worst I’ve ever seen a Bournemouth side play. However, I think it’s right up there as among the worst performances relative to ability. That’s the difference and that’s why it’s so disappointing.

At no point did I think we were going to score. That’s an incredibly depressing realisation when I look at the wealth of attacking talent we had available.

– Off-field questions are raising their heads. Oforborh and Billing have both made points on social media recently about team selections. Is everything really all sweetness and light in the squad?

— Player Ratings —

Begovic – 7
Can’t fault him. A couple of good stops and not a lot he could do about the goal.

Carter-Vickers (off on 45) – 7
Either he was injured or JT thinks he can’t play in a 4, otherwise, I don’t understand the sub. He was the most promising of the CBs in the first half, even if left stranded at times by his team mates.

S Cook – 8 and Man of the Match
Brilliant tackling, blocking and intercepting. Tried to take the game by the scruff of the neck with forward dribbles when those in front wouldn’t. I felt sorry for him tonight.

Kelly – 5
Poor challenge cost us the goal. No sugar coating it, it’s a goal conceded that rests solely on his shoulders.

Stacey – 7
He did get forwards and get a few crosses in but too often was ignored for a safer ball.

Lerma – 5
Like a yeti, was never where you expected or wanted him to be. I don’t mean that in a good way.

L Cook – 6
Indecisive. Should have been doing what the other Cook had to take on but never did. Good clearance off the line saves his score a little.

A Smith (off on 45) – 5
Again we’re back to the problem of having him on the left. Sometimes he can make it work, sometimes he can’t. Tonight he couldn’t.

Brooks (off on 78) – 3
If this performance had been from a certain Scottish player the forum would be in meltdown. I’m interested to see what you all have to say after I post this since I isolate myself from the forum from kick-off until after the match report is up.

Possibly the worst I’ve seen from a Bournemouth player since I had the misfortune to witness Marcos Painter play for us live. My cat could have muscled Brooks off the ball tonight.

Solanke – 6
Fluffed his only real chance. Worked hard but it’s difficult to judge a performance when you get better service in a self-service restaurant.

Danjuma (off on 63) – 6
Someone sit him down and explain the offside rule. Very rusty but that’s hardly his fault.

— Subs —

Mepham (on from 45) – 5
Looked an accident waiting to happen at times, but again maybe the coming back from injury thing. I’m unsure why he was brought on unless CCV had a knock.

King (on from 45) – 5
After the all-action return at the weekend, this was back to looking disinterested again.

Surridge (on from 63) – 5
After looking like a super-sub that can change things earlier in the season he’s disappeared in his recent performances.

Wilshere (on from 78) – 6
I think he touched the ball and given how long he’s been without playing I’ll give him a pass.

Overall Grade: E
I think that’s the worst we’ve seen from a Tindall team. Steve Cook was a bright point and a couple of others individually weren’t too bad but overall it was an absolute stinker.

Derby set up a certain way and worked their socks off. We did nothing to discourage them from thinking it would succeed.

Time to start being brave and attacking teams decisively rather than always taking the safe ball. By that, I don’t mean hoofing it over the top and hoping. I mean hitting some of those runs that players are making that keep getting ignored for the easy % pass. I mean stepping past players with the ball out of midfield to open up the pitch. I mean gambling and overlapping past your wide player more. And so on.

On to Saturday and hopefully the sight of some of the kids in the cup. I only hope they don’t succumb to the same level and give you know who a reason to go on about how he has exacted revenge on the club.

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