Frustrating night, I agree we'll be fine but that game exposes our weaknesses
Frustration from the WBA and Stoke games is they're basically the same game played out twice where we've found ourselves up against a well organised team with a solid defence and a decent goal keeper and we've had no answer once plan A has been exhausted.
Burnley seemed to suit our setup as it allowed our wingers and Toure space to get in behind, when they don't have that we look easily nullified, and our options of the bench despite being better a lot stronger than last season are variations on the same theme.
I think we'll improve, I trust PC not to keep making the same mistakes. I don't think we'll continue to lose those games, but it gives teams a pretty good template for how to play us. We need to be wiser and have more variation in our dynamic rather than repeating the same play over and over.
Some observations
- In those kind of games we are super open in the middle. In the first half yesterday even when we were well on top, it took one misplaced pass or loss of possession for them to have a run on us.
- We miss a good tempo player like Fox. McLean slows the game down far too much, and plays too deep when we're losing. Mattsson doesn't have the range of passing, or look suited to those kind of games.
- Field whilst I liked what he did last season seems like a pointless signing, backup only, and not going to be a player that will turn a game around last night. With Wright, does PC trust him? Overall our midfield options are really quite limited and I don't think Topic coming back changes much.
- Hopefully Maghoma's injury isn't serious. We need our 10s to discover a bit of form.
- We miss Ahmed's ball carrying, and line splitting paces. Musaba looks decent, but reminds me a bit of Onel. Brooks I think will be an excellent signing - i'm glad he's the one we got on a permanent.
Posted By: 51eve on September 2nd 2026 at 08:47:18
Message Thread
- A bit of a negative overreaction. We lost to a fluke deflection, missed a couple of (NCFC) - BINMEN8R, Sep 2, 08:20:43
- 💯 (n/m) (NCFC) - JurgenColin, Sep 2, 13:48:08
- Yep (n/m) (NCFC) - Charles21, Sep 2, 09:45:17
- I think had we not lost 2 league games, then the reaction may be slightly less negative (NCFC) - seminated_woolly, Sep 2, 09:41:54
- I’ll go easy on Brooks as he has been great (NCFC) - tim berry, Sep 2, 12:09:10
- Not much we could have done about the goal (NCFC) - tim berry, Sep 2, 09:31:33
- Not much Vlad could have done about the goal (NCFC) - SimonOTBC, Sep 2, 09:33:25
- Just need to be more clinical in front of ghoul for me. (n/m) (NCFC) - DrDublin, Sep 2, 09:10:28
- We didn't create anything to be clinical with really (n/m) (NCFC) - trafford_canary, Sep 2, 09:12:43
- I was thinking of the one where there keeper saved, really should have put that a way. (n/m) (NCFC) - DrDublin, Sep 2, 09:16:56
- Yes, you’re right. That was a sitter and goals change games, as they say (n/m) (NCFC) - SimonOTBC, Sep 2, 09:27:40
- Hey ho, we try again Saturday. Can we do it on a Saturday against Sheffield. (n/m) (NCFC) - DrDublin, Sep 2, 10:08:43
- thei (n/m) (NCFC) - DrDublin, Sep 2, 09:17:47
- Yes, you’re right. That was a sitter and goals change games, as they say (n/m) (NCFC) - SimonOTBC, Sep 2, 09:27:40
- I was thinking of the one where there keeper saved, really should have put that a way. (n/m) (NCFC) - DrDublin, Sep 2, 09:16:56
- We didn't create anything to be clinical with really (n/m) (NCFC) - trafford_canary, Sep 2, 09:12:43
- sort of true but our passing was shocking at times (NCFC) - big member, Sep 2, 09:09:54
- The main concern for me is how shit we are with the ball (NCFC) - SimonOTBC, Sep 2, 09:06:58
- Agree with all that. The first half there was lots on the left that wasn't connecting (NCFC) - trafford_canary, Sep 2, 09:11:19
- We're pinning a lot on Maghoma being the one to have that creative spark (NCFC) - jamesward, Sep 2, 09:21:20
- We could have done with the same three across we had Saturday (NCFC) - phrankin, Sep 2, 09:24:40
- Also, my feeling from last season is that we scored fewer with maghoma at 10 (NCFC) - SimonOTBC, Sep 2, 09:24:19
- Yeah, he looked a different player in his purple patch (NCFC) - jamesward, Sep 2, 09:26:57
- Yes, schwartau is similar (NCFC) - SimonOTBC, Sep 2, 09:30:29
- Yeah, he looked a different player in his purple patch (NCFC) - jamesward, Sep 2, 09:26:57
- We're pinning a lot on Maghoma being the one to have that creative spark (NCFC) - jamesward, Sep 2, 09:21:20
- Agree with all that. The first half there was lots on the left that wasn't connecting (NCFC) - trafford_canary, Sep 2, 09:11:19
- I feel like Ali is unfortunately our most effective player against that kind of set up (NCFC) - jAC, Sep 2, 08:51:37
- We were shite (NCFC) - SCC 28, Sep 2, 08:47:54
- Frustrating night, I agree we'll be fine but that game exposes our weaknesses (NCFC) - 51eve, Sep 2, 08:47:18
- I remember the criticism of big Phil from previous clubs (NCFC) - seminated_woolly, Sep 2, 09:51:11
- If we had scored early yesterday it would have been a stroll (NCFC) - JoeyDeacon, Sep 2, 08:47:12
- WBA saw us similarly timid in front of goal. Need to address that (n/m) (NCFC) - MonkeyPuzzle, Sep 2, 09:29:47
- Not sure it would’ve been a stroll, but yeah we seems to be having a right old go at their (NCFC) - Augustus Pablo, Sep 2, 08:56:30
- To score early you need to create early (NCFC) - SCC 28, Sep 2, 08:48:52
- No and we really should have done, Stoke started terribly (n/m) (NCFC) - jAC, Sep 2, 08:52:34
- Similar to West Brom game (NCFC) - inutero, Sep 2, 08:44:34
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