Huddersfield were playing for a 0-0 draw from the first minute, and got it. Their fans seemed to have similarly low expectations as well - they didn't sing a chant once until the 93rd minute, while even one of their players so much as winning a header brought a small cheer from them, what a shockingly abysmal atmosphere. The game itself wasn't really much better. Andrews had an alright cameo off the bench and we were marginally the better side (as is often the case). The ref also too often bought what seemed like their clear instructions to fall over at any opportunity (except for Thomas' atrocious dive in the first half). Can't really say much more than that. Would have been good to have seen Martins on a bit earlier, and for Lewis instead of Sema.
Found it impossible to get interested in that game. Had to listen to Huddersfield commentary (who were fine, to be fair). A tedious match where we dominated possession but created bugger all chances. I even cleaned the kitchen for a period to avoid drifting off. Huddersfield seem to be delighted with the result. Rating for players is “meh”.
Ismael is turning out to be the very limited Head Coach I spent all summer boring the forum by predicting so. Seems the only thing he’s really any good at is imposing his own brand of discipline, often then to the detriment of the starting eleven. He’s over-passive, his subs are either pre-planned, inexplicable or made too late. His tactics are often bewildering. He’s not been a total disaster, he’s done a few good things but he’s generally been as average for us as he has been through much of his managerial career. Today summed him up really. Dull football, average performance, going nowhere. We are reaping what we sow.
After consulting a lot of fans sitting through 97mins of superb football, crunching tackles, amazing shots and blood, sweat and tears from both sides, I then remembered I was watching a different game. This game had nothing, even that is a big statement. Did we even have a gameplan today? Was it a staring contest out there about who blinks first? We actually began to grow into the game a little after the 83rd or so minute but we never went even close to a chance. Granted we spent most of the afternoon fouling their players instead of playing football. Only positives we can take is we didn't lose and now unbeaten in five games, but even that is being very, very generous. That was painful to watch for any fan regardless of a fan of either side. I feel very sorry for the travelling fans and I do hope they have a safe journey back tonight. Refunds should be in order after that tripe. I get it, both sides are bottom half and my word did it show. Shout box was the most entertaining part of that game, and even that was hard to raise a smile from. Rotherham up next, who drew 1-1 with QPR today. My god, please next week can we remember to play football again? No player earned any merrit and I can see why so many Udders' fans are so unhappy with Moorre so far. Both teams played for a point and they got it. But we could and should of won that if we remembered to mount any sort of attack. Dreadful.
I'm on the train. I'm cold. I'm wet. There was literally nothing to cheer about all game. Not one moment where the crowd got excited. Nothing. Dull. Uninspiring. Numb. Tepid. Pointless performance. No teeth. No creativity whatsoever. Played like they'd all met just before kick off. No plan. No structure. No format. No idea. What are they doing in training? Its increasingly difficult to justify the cost and effort to attend games for me. Pozzo out songs were muted but growing.
That was quite possibly the worst game of football I've seen for many, many years. Neither side did anything of note going forward or defensively. Huddersfield were happy to sit back and we were happy to play it sideways where they were not stretched. Wretched display and greatly concerning that we didn't come close to making them feel uncomfortable.
That is easily one of the worst games I've ever seen in my 35+ years of watching football. What was even the point of this game? They could have just ended it after the first 5 mins. "Will you be happy for us to have the ball?" "Yes" "Will you come out of your own half, even if we pass it around the back for 90+ mins?" "No." "Okay we won't attack unless you come out, so 0-0, then" This is the stuff you saw in World Cups in the 80s, before the 3 points per win and back pass to the goalkeeper rule was invented. I don't understand it - the 3 points were literally there for the taking and after Rotherham we play Leicester, Norwich, Hull, Southampton, Ipswich in quick succession which surely won't yield many points given how we rolled over against the likes of Leeds and Sunderland. We could be deep down in the mire again after 20 games or so.
They made 4 fouls. Simple proof that we didn't really get at them in any way that forces hem to try and stop us. We made about 20, which at least shows we were trying to force something. We just didn't know how to do it. Imagine playing us at home and being so boringly negative
They played for a draw apparently due to missing so many players and we obliged very tamely. Disappointing indeed . Apparently a few Pozzo out songs and booing at the end .
Bit harsh on walking football there Lloyd, even that would of been ten times more entertaining than what we witnessed today.
To be fair he’s just delivering par for the squad Pozzo and his ghastly cronies delivered. A bottom 8 finish.
Very very very dull! We don’t have the guile to open teams up when they sit deep .Asprilla can do it but he was disappointing . I’ve seen enough of Chak now to conclude he doesn’t really create anything for us .He looks a bit better from the bench . But I don’t understand why we don’t just get the ball wide and try to whip it in .We only did it on about 2 occasions. Ken hardly saw the ball . I’m less worried about us going down than I was a few weeks ago as we appear more solid but we look like a lower mid table side.
After Rotherham a tough fixture list until the next transfer window. A few quid at 33/1 for us to be relegated may ease the pain as I think we will be in trouble come the turn of the year. Hope I am wrong.
Watched the last 20 minutes and absolutely nothing happened. Can only assume someone at both clubs stuck a huge amount of money on it being 0-0 and made the players from both sides see our the game without threat.
No! It’s a squad he would have you believe he had a big say in shaping. And not he has very little or no idea how to get the best from it. Pozzo takes the ultimate blame but Ismael cannot be exempt from criticism too. He’s a very limited as a coach. We knew it when he joined.
As long as we're still within touching distance of the playoffs, we've got 30m sitting in a war chest to boost the squad
IV has seen where our problems were defensively and has resolved this issue for now but it has made us toothless in attack. We need to be more direct and faster with our attacking play. There isnt any chemistry between the players in the final 3rd. Its 5 unbeaten and i hope that we can build on this run turning draws into wins. Id like to see some quality additions in January, players that VI wants and can improve our starting 11.
Instead of following the football today, I decided to plant some bulbs in my garden in the rain, before giving the kids dinner. Then we headed out to see some fireworks in the rain and ankle deep mud. Whilst there, my 2 year old son soiled his nappy, which we couldn’t change until getting home, stinking out the area around where we stood much to everyone else’s delight, not. However, it looks like I made the correct decision now I’m finally catching up with how our beloved yellows led by that Knight in shining armour Gino Pozzo did.
