Beware! Slightly negative post alert!!
We are seeing the same issues that we saw at the beginning of last season, but it's not quite as simple as some are saying.
In the first dozen games last season we generally played well. We created lots of chances but didn't take them. It took Taylor several games to find form and our build up play didn't give us the end product it should have. Because we wasn't scoring when on top of games, the pressure increased on the defence knowing that one mistake, would cost us.
Fast forward to this season and we're in doing the exact same thing. Too many errors, too many bad decisions, not enough leadership in both boxes. The difference is that in the spells when we are dominating we look a really classy side, and that has given us enough to double our points total so far, bit the negatives remain.
Robinson spoke about being stronger as a team, and in general we do have more physical players. But I don't think that's where the problem lies. It's the mental strength that we are lacking. The ability to see out games, to make the right decisions at the right times, that desire to put your body on the line to get the result. We're far too quiet. I love Elliott Moore, but as
@Ricky Otto said, he is too quiet. Senior players like Taylor, Henry and Gorrin barely say a word. We're missing the likes of Sam Long, and (don't shoot me!) Jamie Mackie, and Sam Winnall to a certain degree. They scream and shout and demand 100%. I really don't mind seeing players bollock each other on the pitch if it stamps out mistakes and gets everyone focused.
Cam Brannagan would be the natural choice as captain but I worry that it impacts on his game and he hasn't done as well when given the armband. As someone else has said, Kane looks a more natural leader, but I don't think it would be fair to add the captaincy to someone who will be trying to get his game back. So maybe it's more a case of getting the rest of the team to step up rather than expecting Elliott to rally the troops.
We need to get right back to basics. Defending corners and set pieces, and the general organisation of the defence. We need to look at our strengths at the top of the pitch. Loopy balls in from the wing will never work. Look at how many assists Long and Ruffels got last season by getting to the byline and driving the ball across the goal. Winnall gets dog abuse, but Taylor is offering no more at the moment. Holland caught in several minds yesterday, Whyte previously. Even Henry who was wonderful last week seems to get caught between when to shoot and when to pass. Sykes has turned his game around but has made errors if judgement himself in both boxes too.
This week I'd have the team working on defending and attacking set pieces much better and working on our strengths in the final third. But I'd also get them away off the pitch and getting the mindset strong individually and as a team. And that includes the management team too.
No one will be surprised to see a bit of a defence for Robinson, but I'm not sure that the substitutions yesterday were that bad. Holland side foots the ball home and we win 2-1. The formation had us creating chances for fun against Bolton and it was not unreasonable to think that the game was there for the taking. It didn't work, and as much as Holland fluffed his chance, Robinson needs to reflect on the same.
The good news is that we're far from being a poor side. When we tick we look as good as any team I've seen in league one over the last few years. We will beat far more teams than we get beaten by. But being an entertaining top 8 side isn't the objective. We need to have the ugly winning mentality too. We need 11 leaders on the pitch and we need to know when we go through the gears and when he shut up shop. Get that right and we can get the success we all crave.
away fans are allowed to come on here and be facetious but we're not allowed to be facetious back?
