Hampton
Vital Football Hero
Lots of those points should (but aren't) being asked of post match or mid week.I watched it on bet 365 - for anyone who didn't see it you didn't miss much.
Liecester were comfortable throughout without having to get out of first gear. We started decent but gifted them a needless own goal and then a soft shot was deflected in off Dunkley so Liecester had 2 big slices of luck but they really didn't need it - if we posed more of a threat or the goal didn't come you felt they could easily have stepped up a gear but just didn't need to. Liecester obviously have better players than us but we never really made them show it and that was disappointing - we lacked the energy and intensity of the cup run of 2 years ago. Our lads didn't rise to the occasion or really look like they had belief they could cause an upset and you if you don't have that faith in yourself to defy the odds you've got no chance.
It was a pretty laboured and toothless display from us offensively. We tried to play the ball out from the back again which is good - there is a clear method again after abandoning it for maybe the better part of a year. But everything fades away after we get the ball over the half way line - there is a lack of method to our attacking play. When you compared us to Liecester the biggest visible difference was their organisation - the method to their play, movement and transitions. When they attacked or broke their players were creating space and options with simple movement and getting men up in numbers. These are things any team can do - and things we are poor at and need to improve on drastically and that comes from the training ground. There were occasions where Windass would try and break and no one was anywhere near to supporting him while when Liecester broke they had players busting a gut to give them overloads. Big difference in desire to get a goal.
We got away with some very poor set piece marking - there was one completely unmarked free header that was wasted. These set pieces will 100% send up down if we don't get a grip on them.
I felt the starting line up hurt us, too many square pegs in round holes - Williams is a good player but he's not a number 10, Windass has a lot to offer but he's not a lone striker, Dowell is meant to be a no10 but was on the left to limited effect and Massey isn't up to it at all. We need a Garner / Moore type to lead the line and be the foil with a Windass / Gelhartd playing just behind them or with them. Also I don't think 2 def mids covering for full backs is doing us any favours - would like to see us have 1 def mid with less aggressive fullbacks so have the extra mid can get involved in attacks with the wingers providing the width. Maybe even completely move to a 4-3-3 of a 4-1-4-1 or something to try and get more attacking threat. Williams seemed to be struggling but was kept on until he had to leave the pitch injured after all subs used - terrible decision he wasn't one of the lads replaced to avoid risking an injury.
Cook said at the forum Gelhartd can't play up front on his own and lead the line and I agree with him - so why bring him on and ask him to do that? We all want to see Joffy get game time but we know as a lone striker it almost certainly won't work - is that protecting him? Ruining his confidence and starving him of service.
I think Garner is clearly on Cooks bad list to not get on when we were crying out for a striker and he went without one completely all game. Cook doesn't half seem to fall out / stop using a lot of players - not good management to constantly limited your options by choice.
I'm not bothered we are out of the cup - we have enough to worry about without distractions or extra games as it is but would've liked us to have given a bit of a better showing of ourselves on the night. Go down as valiant losers heads held high rather than with a bit of a whimper. We've shown in the past what can be done but we didn't show our best and against a team like Liecester that gives you zero chance.
Maybe you should ask the WEP if you could do a guest reporter pressie !