I think one of the most fitting comment I've read so far is from Jeff saying one of our worst performance was from Paul Cook. Tactics, team selection, subs and the time wasting were very disappointing in what will be the easiest three points we couldve had all season.
First half we looked ok - i fear most of it was Reading being quite poor but fair play to our lads as Preston and Millwall were poor but we were so much worse we got battered by both. We were comfortably the better side, even though it wasn't great it felt like a small step in the right direction as we were trying to play out the back a little more again and not going as long. But in the second half when we needed to step up a gear as the clock ticked down we started to take our foot off the gas more and instead of trying to throw the kitchen sink at them we held on for a draw.
We've moved into a 4-4-2 reccently and are playing it very poorly. When we played the old 4-2-3-1 it gave us almost 4 layers and allowed us to play in between the lines easier both offensively and defensively not we've only got three layers and we play that midfield so narrow and flat we are getting easily played through both the middle and out wide and struggling to play out. You can play 4-4-2 very effectivly if you do it right but what we are doing isnt. It's like Cook has been replaced by Warren Joyce - I've been shocked at how he's managed us recently, it's been so negative. I know there are injuries and while they certainly dont help there have been serious issues with how we've approached games. I'm finding it hard not to start asking questions of Cook. I'd like to think he showed his quality in the early games and we'll bounce back but what we are seeing now is unrecognisable and it's hard to reconcile such a deterioration. Today was a day to put down a marker and kick start our season again and Cook ended up playing for a draw against a team there for the taking. That is not who i thought Paul Cook was and I'm very disappointed to see it from him.
Cook was giving Walton the thumbs up for his time wasting at the end and the fans were going mad so he was following instructions. In his post match Cook said he knows fans are frustrated we didn't go for it in the final stages, throw McMannnaman on and try and win but the time to win games will come again soon. I was quite taken back by that comment as this was as good as a home banker, must win, relegation 6 pointer as we will get all season and the easiest game we've had in months - if this wasn't a game to try and push for 3 points I don't know what is! He talked about stopping the rot but this disappointing result and cowardly playing for a 0-0 at home against a poor side who were vulnerable is keeping the rot going as far as I can see.
I normally don't advocate booing (but would never tell anyone they don't have the right to do it) as I don't think it helps. But they deserved booing off for the complete lack of passion, urgency and negative approach in the final stages in a crucial game for us. We started the season fearless willing to swing for the fences and our bravery was rewarded now we have become Joyce-esq were a goalless draw to one of the worst sides in the division is the limit of our ambition.
If we go all out for the win and cant get the 3 points fair enough you are gutted but you gave it your all and can't moan I much. Today we didnt give it everything we had - we took our reccently aquired cowardice to a new level. In the relegation battle we've dragged ourselves into you need intensity and urgency in your team and players to step up and take responsibility and you need your manager to be brave and bold - both players and manager failed to do that. Quite frankly it was disgraceful given the circumstances.
Individually:
Walton made a couple of decent saves but he refuses to release the ball quickly and kills all chances of us breaking. It's an opponents dream.
Burn and Kipre did fine but was rather straight forward for them. Hopefully the clean sheet will give them some confidence back.
James was his usual excellent sel. I think that a few of our lads give him the ball now expecting him to take responsibility as he always does when they don't want it.
Naismith did really well going forward but he didnt have to do much defending where he is so suspect so he had a largely easy afternoon. But he put in some superb crosses that should've been converted so he deserves some credit after some deserved criticism lately.
Morsy certainly wasn't at his best but he was dropping back deep like he used to and it allowed us to play out a little more. Also glad to see him starting to drive us on towards the end and trying to take some responsibility. We desperetly need the old Samy back and we saw few glimpses of it but need more.
Gibson is too slow to close down player, too immobile to make himself available for a pass plays so many bad blind passes that squander a great chance or put us in danger. We need the 2 def mids being water carriers and he stands still and just points most of the time rather than actually making himself useful. He's been at fault for 2 goals in our last 2 games and we always look worse with him in instead of Evans. It's a joke he starts ahead of Evans if he is fit and available. Gibson had a good debut against Sheffield Wednesday and one or two decent sub appearances early on and has been crap the rest of the time - I can see why Sunderland didn't rate him. I'd give MacDonald a game before i picked him again.
Connelly is utterly garbage and the choice to bring him on was beggars belief (I suspect a clause could be in his contract). Send him back in January if possible. Both Connelly and Gibson are no better than Power who we let go - in fact I'd say they are both much worse.
Nathan Byrne is simply not a winger, he might have played there in the past but he's clearly not suited to it. He's a great attacking full back with the energy to get up and down and is good at making the most of the extra space advancing right backs are afforded without having a direct marker. But as a winger he has to go head to head with the full back and while he is very tidy in possession and works hard he's just not got the skill to beat his man in one on ones or the attacking instincts to get goals and assists. He looks every bit as full back out of position despite his best efforts. It's not right McMannnaman is not even getting on as a sub but we are using Byrne out of position (even if Nathan says he's a winger). That game was crying out for McMannnaman and again Cook won't give him a chance - he's our best chance of a match winner and we bring on anyone but him. Cook is cutting off his nose to spite his face.
Roberts gives you what he's got but he's not up to being a regular at this level. I think in his prime he could've been a good player at this level but it's hard to make the step up when your legs have already started to fade.
Windass complained he couldn't play on the wing after being so poor there - but since he went down the middle he's overall not been much better. He had the West Brom game where he looked good but has been varying degrees of poor otherwise. I know we don't exactly play to his strengths but I'm not sure his strengths are that strong tbh. He doesn't look anything like a player worth 2.5m. Rangers robbed us blind.
Powell up front has become something of a necessity since we keep going long and none of our other strikers can head or hold up a ball. But he's much more effective playing deeper and creating. I'm not sure if he's carrying knocks but he's a shadow of the player who was ripping up trees a few months ago. He seems to have lost his pace and mobility like he's afraid to fully sprint for fear of a hamstring going or something. I cant remember him having a good game in a while and we are redicolously over dependent on him.
I've been very underwhelmed with Garner, he is marginally better at getting up for headers than our other out and out strikers but he's just too small to be an effective target man. All he ever seems to do is get in confrontations, you appreciate he's trying to be combative but it comes across more petulant.
I didnt see any point bringing on both Garner and Grigg as we had stopped creating chances and neither was going to create a chance for themselves. We took of Roberts and Powell who were more likely to create than finish chances and replaced them with finishers who need service to score but wouldn't get any.
One thing thats been annoying me for a while that i feel is growing into an issue is our throwins and it was really obvious again today. Every time the opposition take a throw we are so casual we stand way back and give them time and space to comfortably play the ball out. But when we had a throw no one was showing for it, no one wanted responsibility. It got us in trouble a few times again and it will cost us if we don't sort it out. Reading were marking us and making it tricky and we need to be doing that.