| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts 10:29 - Apr 11 with 927 views | unstableblue |
Well the yeee-haa hot dogtastic excitement of the takeover really had its bubble burst yesterday - but I guess we had the right for a little joy after a woeful season and recent form. But perhaps some much needed realism has been brought to the board by Cooks silence. I suspect he is not happy with being kept in the dark. But either way - we as a set of fans need to know who the CEO is, and monitor if Cook and he are going to gel, before we get truly excited about this new dawn. We’re missing a third of the jigsaw.
As for the game - well for me Rochdale away was a new low in my watching of Ipswich Town. We were so devoid of energy, intent and shape, and just basic technical play and skill.
Did we improve against the MK Dons? Significantly. Was it good enough - still some way off.
MK Dons are in some ways ridiculous and in some ways to be admired. They are so bought into their style and possession based patterns of play that it means at times they look really good, but at other times just calamitous. We should have won the game, through the gifted ‘turnovers’ provided in their defensive third. Sadly we are completely toothless and devoid of attacking intent - but we should have won given the passages of play opened up to us by their errrors. Fortunately MK Dons are similarly toothless, they had an excellent passage of play in the second half where they HAD to score on several occasions... yes there was a great Holy save, but in other moments they seemed to have no belief. One thing though, there passing out of the back (ignore the errors), was so much more technical and effective than ours, we looked like a pub team in comparison. That’s coaching I’m afraid!!! Concerning.
What positives; Downes at times was very very good, his tackling, his winning back of ball, his holding of the ball. It’s what we’ve missed. It’s a level that Skuse never achieved at this club (and I like Skuse). If there are scouts watching we are going to get an offer I think the summer. It’s an in demand ability. He did fade. I thought Dobra and Drinan had moments, I do wish Dobra has buried that chance, a great chance. But they are both still a little green, and lack that wily goal grabber trait. Sears used to have that. But it has completely left the building and he let his side down overall, despite getting in some decent shots. He should have taken or created two goals, which we needed him to step up and do.
Nydam coming back is a joy. That boy has the same engine as Downes; a tenacity and desire that this team has so desperately lacked.
I thought the defence was solid against some good probing from MK; Toto and Chambo especially. Ward and The Wolf were poor going forward, again.
But of course this was an improvement - BUT - it was miles off what Cook and the Fans need. And I also have to question the amount of tinkering going on, too many shapes and too many experiments today - on the third wave of subs, the players were visibly confused on what was expected.
Our main problem is that for all Downes good work, Bishop and Dozzell are looking tired (where was Dozzell actually playing?!)... and we have no seasoned strikers fit. We need Hawkins and Norwood back.... supported by Dobra and perhaps Edwards (he still needs to do more) on a foundation of Downes.
Cook needs to stick with a similar selection and shape as the start of the game for Tuesday night.
Yesterday was not terrible, but we need shots and goals ASAP. [Post edited 11 Apr 2021 10:51]
|  |
| |  |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 10:36 - Apr 11 with 876 views | noubledooble |
A spot on assessment. We were better and created more chances but still not good enough. With Norwood in there I think he would have finished at least one of those. |  | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 10:39 - Apr 11 with 868 views | Guthrum |
On the substitutions, I think that Cook, seeing the lack of improvement, is simply experimenting and assessing his squad ahead of the summer. |  |
| |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 10:41 - Apr 11 with 842 views | noubledooble |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 10:39 - Apr 11 by Guthrum |
On the substitutions, I think that Cook, seeing the lack of improvement, is simply experimenting and assessing his squad ahead of the summer. |
I think also it’s back to the fitness issue again. Seems we don’t have many midfielders who can last 90minutes | | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 10:49 - Apr 11 with 823 views | unstableblue |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 10:39 - Apr 11 by Guthrum |
On the substitutions, I think that Cook, seeing the lack of improvement, is simply experimenting and assessing his squad ahead of the summer. |
I was thinking the same Guthrum... it did look like a pre-season match level of personnel/system experimentation - in match!
For me it was too much. Was Dozzell really out wide?
I think judge for the ineffective Bishop, and parrot/hawkins (bird men) for Dobra/Drinan was all that was required. The system was sort of working it was the attacking three that needed a refresh.
I am for the first time a little concerned about the fact cook hasn’t got more out of the players and settled into a familiar system. You keep hearing from players - ‘we’re all still trying to impress the manager’, ‘we’re trying to understand/fit-in to how he wants to play’... like connection between new manager and squad is still not forged... I know that takes time. But everything still feels like it’s up in the air.... now further turmoil from the secretive takeover
Downes being back is huge. | |
| |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 10:52 - Apr 11 with 804 views | longtimefan |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 10:49 - Apr 11 by unstableblue |
I was thinking the same Guthrum... it did look like a pre-season match level of personnel/system experimentation - in match!
For me it was too much. Was Dozzell really out wide?
I think judge for the ineffective Bishop, and parrot/hawkins (bird men) for Dobra/Drinan was all that was required. The system was sort of working it was the attacking three that needed a refresh.
I am for the first time a little concerned about the fact cook hasn’t got more out of the players and settled into a familiar system. You keep hearing from players - ‘we’re all still trying to impress the manager’, ‘we’re trying to understand/fit-in to how he wants to play’... like connection between new manager and squad is still not forged... I know that takes time. But everything still feels like it’s up in the air.... now further turmoil from the secretive takeover
Downes being back is huge. |
Couldn’t really understand why, for much of the game Bishop seemed to be the deepest lying midfielder. For me he is the one most capable of beating players and should be one of the furthest up the pitch. |  | | |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 10:55 - Apr 11 with 782 views | Guthrum |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 10:49 - Apr 11 by unstableblue |
I was thinking the same Guthrum... it did look like a pre-season match level of personnel/system experimentation - in match!
For me it was too much. Was Dozzell really out wide?
I think judge for the ineffective Bishop, and parrot/hawkins (bird men) for Dobra/Drinan was all that was required. The system was sort of working it was the attacking three that needed a refresh.
I am for the first time a little concerned about the fact cook hasn’t got more out of the players and settled into a familiar system. You keep hearing from players - ‘we’re all still trying to impress the manager’, ‘we’re trying to understand/fit-in to how he wants to play’... like connection between new manager and squad is still not forged... I know that takes time. But everything still feels like it’s up in the air.... now further turmoil from the secretive takeover
Downes being back is huge. |
As was proven, I don't think changing the front three (with the players available) was going to make a lot of difference. | |
| |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 11:06 - Apr 11 with 743 views | unstableblue |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 10:52 - Apr 11 by longtimefan |
Couldn’t really understand why, for much of the game Bishop seemed to be the deepest lying midfielder. For me he is the one most capable of beating players and should be one of the furthest up the pitch. |
Agreed Bishop was so ineffective as an attacking outlet yesterday.
Our best chance of scoring at present would seem to be:
1. Set piece / corner header (and even our centre backs look off the boil here)
2. Bishop or Dobra breaking the lines and hitting the front of the box, pulling defenders onto them and releasing an attacker behind
3. Down the channels to a drinan/edwards and a cut back to front of box to incoming midfielder
Or just any frickin goal, and frocking way possible - or JUST EVEN A SHOT!! | |
| |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 11:16 - Apr 11 with 727 views | ElephantintheRoom |
Three 0-0s out of four is more flatlining than dead cat bounce - especially given the paucity of the opposition
BUT it does suggest a pretty tight defence - which might be handy IF Town get into the play-offs which can after all be won without winning a game or scoring a goal | |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 11:25 - Apr 11 with 699 views | jayessess |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 10:55 - Apr 11 by Guthrum |
As was proven, I don't think changing the front three (with the players available) was going to make a lot of difference. |
The front players are, more or less, what everything comes down to. I actually think the midfield 3 we had out yesterday is well-balanced and worth persisting with, especially if we can rotate Nydam in to help alleviate some of the workload.
But, I just don't see what there is to be done with any of our forward players. They are collectively just so far off what's required. |  |
| |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 11:53 - Apr 11 with 641 views | unstableblue |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 11:16 - Apr 11 by ElephantintheRoom |
Three 0-0s out of four is more flatlining than dead cat bounce - especially given the paucity of the opposition
BUT it does suggest a pretty tight defence - which might be handy IF Town get into the play-offs which can after all be won without winning a game or scoring a goal |
I couldn't decide whether it was MK Dons toothless finishing or excellent defending yesterday?!
Still its a clean sheet, and some of Toto's blocks were excellent. The nils do have some merit.
But WHERE ARE THE FRICKIN GOALS GOING TO COME FROM? | |
| |
| Reasons to be cheerful from MK Dons match - thoughts on 11:53 - Apr 11 with 642 views | billlm |
Have to agree, A very good post, |  | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
