| Half Term Report 11:48 - Dec 27 with 3661 views | LegendofthePhoenix |
Here are my one-liner player and manager reviews. I'm sure many see it different.
1) Palmer: C- disappointing before his injury, very nervous looking with ball at feet
3) Davis: B fairly consistent, works as hard as ever, not quite reaching previous heights
4) Kipre: A biggest nice surprise in the squad. Has nailed his place
5) Matusiwa: A- has exceeded hopes, would like to see him carry the ball forward more
6) O'Shea: C+ pretty solid defending, distribution a bit erratic, captaincy weighing heavy?
7) Burns - no grade yet, hope its an A by the season end
8) Egeli: B youngster in new league, he has improved rapidly, excited at what comes next
9) Hirst: C has toiled & been our best option at CF, but not done enough to keep the role
11) Jaden: A an A+ at home, but a B away. Terrific footballer.
12) Cajuste: D+ the occasional classy touch doesn't offset the all too casual norm
14) Taylor: B+ his best season so far, a touch inconsistent but several great games
15) Young: C+ can steady the ship, but not been at the level hoped for
18) Johnson: C+ only a few appearances, safe utility man or no place for him?
19) Furlong: C+ solid defender, but so negative with ball at feet. Slows us down.
20) MacAteer: C works hard, but ball never runs for him. Needs luck/confidence
23) Szmodics: C great attitude, but always half a yard short - is he past it?
24) Greaves: B- Mostly excellent, but too prone to a mistake unlike Kipre
28) Walton: A have been incredibly impressed - must keep the jersey now
29) Akpom: D It's his one golden season that seems to be the outlier
30) Humphreys - no grade sadly. Surely he gets game time soon?
31) Azon: D running around isn't enough. Not good enough for this level.
32) Nunez: A- first touch is often poor, but vision and effort are faultless.
47) Clarke: A- a huge threat on his day. Can be very predictable though.
Manager: B- should be doing better. In a Play-off position, but with the resources he has, it should be autos. Needs to see when it's not working and change things sooner. |  |
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| Half Term Report on 11:55 - Dec 27 with 2922 views | boysof1981 |
Funniest one has got to be McKenna getting a B-. Should be a D/E the way this team has failed to perform. |  | | |
| Half Term Report on 12:01 - Dec 27 with 2883 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
So, in summary, we are 3rd and 5 points off second with only half the side playing particularly well.
Bodes well for if we can get a few more playing well doesn't it?
For what it's worth I think there is a recency bias with Hirst and Davis. Hirst started well, Davis not so well. I wonder if Hirst was carrying a knock before he got injured. Who knows - maybe Akpom, McAteer, and a few others are too? |  |
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| Half Term Report on 23:02 - Dec 27 with 2631 views | darkhorse28 |
| Half Term Report on 12:01 - Dec 27 by Nthsuffolkblue |
So, in summary, we are 3rd and 5 points off second with only half the side playing particularly well.
Bodes well for if we can get a few more playing well doesn't it?
For what it's worth I think there is a recency bias with Hirst and Davis. Hirst started well, Davis not so well. I wonder if Hirst was carrying a knock before he got injured. Who knows - maybe Akpom, McAteer, and a few others are too? |
The ‘we get better the longer McKenna coaches’ aged like milk last season.
I’m not sure pretending all the long list of players McKenna has failed to improve, must be injured, is very realistic.., it’s a statistically significant long list now. It’s almost all this squad. All way off their level before they joined us. And for long enough that there’s clearly a BIG problem.
Cognitive dissonance.
You really can’t process that your views on McKenna might have been wrong. 65 games of evidence, screaming at you. You can’t process any of it.., ego. | | | |
| Half Term Report on 23:13 - Dec 27 with 2623 views | RobTheMonk |
Harsh on O'Shea and Furlong. We've not conceded many since we've had this settled backline.
Mcateer in no way should be better graded over Cajuste lol.
Think Clarke should be lower.
Everything else I think is fair.
Third at Christmas is okay. Performances have been dodgy at times.
Jan transfer window could be fun. [Post edited 27 Dec 2025 23:14]
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| Half Term Report on 23:36 - Dec 27 with 2547 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| Half Term Report on 23:02 - Dec 27 by darkhorse28 |
The ‘we get better the longer McKenna coaches’ aged like milk last season.
I’m not sure pretending all the long list of players McKenna has failed to improve, must be injured, is very realistic.., it’s a statistically significant long list now. It’s almost all this squad. All way off their level before they joined us. And for long enough that there’s clearly a BIG problem.
Cognitive dissonance.
You really can’t process that your views on McKenna might have been wrong. 65 games of evidence, screaming at you. You can’t process any of it.., ego. |
Definitely a big problem. Relegation to League 1 looms.
Genuine question, do you really think we are in a worse place than before McKenna started managing us? Your vitriol towards him seems to only rise when we fail to win a game. Can you name me from your long list of players that McKenna has failed to improve 3 who are playing at a level below where they were before we signed them (that means they came from playing regularly above 3rd in the Championship)?
You really can't process that 3 years ago we were a League 1 club that had finished 10th-13th in each of the previous 3 seasons. 3 seasons of progress and at the first bump in the road you are crying that we aren't competing with Premier League clubs. You can't process where we are ..., ego (whatever that actually means in this context). | |
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| Half Term Report on 07:21 - Dec 28 with 2396 views | ashtonscoffeecup |
Ashton getting a grade?
or the team that have recruited these new players? | | | |
| Half Term Report on 08:13 - Dec 28 with 2270 views | LeoMuff |
So O Shea ever present in the team that has conceded second least goals against gets the same mark as Johnson - barely played despite prem pedigree and when he did defensive liability and Macateer - done zip so far after a fair few minutes. And Greaves ?? Who can’t replace either of them at present. |  |
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| Half Term Report on 08:37 - Dec 28 with 2199 views | lazyblue |
O’Shea as C+ is ridiculous as he is our best defender this season . | | | |
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| Half Term Report on 08:45 - Dec 28 with 2183 views | ringwoodblue |
I’d agree with most of your grades and assessments except for
Nunez - I think has been good and has added some qualities that we didn’t previously have but not an A- maybe B.
O’Shea - C+ is harsh. Taking over the captaincy from Morsy must’ve been hard as they were big boots to fill (not in size terms) and apart from some mistakes, he’s been mostly solid. I’d say B
McAteer - C is extremely generous. More like a D- or E as whenever I’ve seen him live, he looks completely ineffective and frankly I can’t see the point of him being on the pitch.
J Clarke - A is too generous imho. He does pose a threat but is way too lightweight often being knocked off the ball and ends up on the ground way too easily. B-
Player of the season so far is close between Walton, Matusiwa, Kipre and Philogene. |  |
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| Agree on most of that, apart from OShea on 09:06 - Dec 28 with 2117 views | unstableblue |
Overall he’s had a strong season, as our defensive record shows, a few errors, but it’s a B |  |
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| Half Term Report on 09:11 - Dec 28 with 2098 views | LeoMuff |
| Half Term Report on 11:55 - Dec 27 by boysof1981 |
Funniest one has got to be McKenna getting a B-. Should be a D/E the way this team has failed to perform. |
We are third for goodness sake | |
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| Half Term Report on 12:57 - Dec 28 with 1928 views | TractorFrog |
1. Jaden Philogene
2. Azor Matusiwa
3. Leif Davis
4. Christian Walton
5. Cedric Kipre
6. Dara O’Shea
7. Darnell Furlong
8. Marcelino Nunez
9. George Hirst
10. Sindre Walle Egeli
11. Jack Clarke
12. Jack Taylor
13. Alex Palmer
14. Jacob Greaves
15. Sammie Szmodics
16. Ben Johnson
17. Jens Cajuste
18. Ivan Azon
19. Kasey McAteer
20. Chuba Akpom
21. Ashley Young |  |
| They'd all laugh at me if they knew what I was trying to do. To create a new strain of super-wine in half-an-hour with a fraction of nature's resources and a FOOL for an assistant. 'Bernard Black, he's mad,' they'd say, 'he's insane, he's dangerous.' Well I'll show them! I'll show them all! | | Poll: | Who should start in CM with Cajuste? |
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| Half Term Report on 13:32 - Dec 28 with 1893 views | southnorfolkblue |
| Half Term Report on 08:37 - Dec 28 by lazyblue |
O’Shea as C+ is ridiculous as he is our best defender this season . |
Hes had several shaky games tbf.
Based on this season Furlong and Kipre have both defended better than him imho | |
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| Half Term Report on 13:58 - Dec 28 with 1871 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| Half Term Report on 09:11 - Dec 28 by LeoMuff |
We are third for goodness sake |
Yes, a B- should be reserved for being second on goal difference. B+ would be clear at the top, an A would be at least 5 points clear. To get an A* we would have to have won every game by at least 3 goals and kept a clean sheet in the vast majority of those games too. After all, we spent enough money that everyone expected us to have automatic promotion wrapped up by now. | |
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| Half Term Report on 15:25 - Dec 28 with 1804 views | ITFCSG |
Not sure why people love harping on us being 3rd and "only" 5 points off being 2nd
We are also 5 points off being 10th.
And its a lot easier sinking down the table with another 2-3 crap performances than to make up the 5 point lead Boro has over us. | | | |
| You missed out.... on 15:28 - Dec 28 with 1795 views | Bloots |
.....Fans: F - Entitled.
Stadium: F - Bad Acoustics. |  |
| "The holy trinity” - TWTD User (Jan 2026) |
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| Half Term Report on 16:14 - Dec 28 with 1674 views | EddyJ |
A: Kipre
B: Matusiwa, Philogene, Davis, Nunez, Walton
C: Egeli, Taylor, Palmer, Hirst
D: Greaves, Cajuste, J Clarke, Furlong, Szmodics, Azon, O'Shea
E: Akpom, McAteer
Manager: C
Not going to rate people like Burns, Young, Johnson, Baggot, Humphreys etc... who have barely played. [Post edited 28 Dec 2025 16:15]
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| Half Term Report on 16:46 - Dec 28 with 1599 views | vilanovablue |
| Half Term Report on 16:14 - Dec 28 by EddyJ |
A: Kipre
B: Matusiwa, Philogene, Davis, Nunez, Walton
C: Egeli, Taylor, Palmer, Hirst
D: Greaves, Cajuste, J Clarke, Furlong, Szmodics, Azon, O'Shea
E: Akpom, McAteer
Manager: C
Not going to rate people like Burns, Young, Johnson, Baggot, Humphreys etc... who have barely played. [Post edited 28 Dec 2025 16:15]
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Clarke with 7 goals mainly as a sub deserves a D that's the daftest thing I think I've read on here this season. |  | | |
| Half Term Report on 16:48 - Dec 28 with 1585 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| Half Term Report on 16:46 - Dec 28 by vilanovablue |
Clarke with 7 goals mainly as a sub deserves a D that's the daftest thing I think I've read on here this season. |
It's got to be up there but it certainly isn't the daftest. There are some ridiculous takes around on here this season. | |
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| Half Term Report on 16:52 - Dec 28 with 1550 views | BouncebackIpswich |
A - Kipre, Matusiwa, Walton
B - O' Shea, Davis, Philogene, Taylor, Nunez
C - McKenna, Hirst, Clarke, Egeli, Furlong, Palmer, Greaves
D - Cajuste, Azon, Young, Szmodics, Johnson
E -
F(ailures)- Mcateer, Akpom |  | | |
| Half Term Report on 17:51 - Dec 28 with 1462 views | EddyJ |
| Half Term Report on 16:46 - Dec 28 by vilanovablue |
Clarke with 7 goals mainly as a sub deserves a D that's the daftest thing I think I've read on here this season. |
Look beyond the number of goals and analyse the goals he has scored. 2 penalties. 2 where the defender fell over and gifted him a free shot. 2 open goals. 1 good long shot. 1/7 that he did something good for.
Look at when he scores his goals. He has only been effective late in games when we are either 3-0 up and the defenders are shot or when we are piling players forward in search of an equaliser. He has been hopeless against an organised defense.
I mentioned elsewhere that our PPG when he starts is ~1.1 (relegation form). Our PPG when he doesn't start is ~2 (automatics form).
I'm sure someone will say "well he is a good sub and we need those". Except, our finishers are not really doing it for us this year. We have not yet won a game having been behind. Again, a lot of that is on Clarke, being the attacking focus of our "finishing" team.
Ultimately, we do not look like a good team when he is playing. Hence a D rating. | | | |
| Half Term Report on 18:12 - Dec 28 with 1408 views | bournemouthblue |
Not a lot of love for Furlong despite him doing very little wrong defensively
We have the second best defence in the league and yet two of our players have a C |  |
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| Half Term Report on 19:29 - Dec 28 with 1314 views | LegendofthePhoenix |
| Half Term Report on 18:12 - Dec 28 by bournemouthblue |
Not a lot of love for Furlong despite him doing very little wrong defensively
We have the second best defence in the league and yet two of our players have a C |
Appreciate that we all see the game differently. For me, Furlong is a big problem in the team, and I know that is very controversial. Every game I end up frustrated that whenever the ball gets to Furlong he passes it back or square, and the entire forward momentum just grinds to a halt. We have a superb right wing player (Egeli) ahead of him, but there is no anticipation going on, Egeli has to literally stop and face back to Furlong before Furlong passes to him, so that Egeli has his back to goal. I can't wait to see Harry Clarke as right back, so that we can play those through balls for Egeli to run on to. We might get caught now and again defensively, but that's how we played in the promotion seasons and Furlong just doesn't fit our "brave" approach. | |
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| Half Term Report on 19:37 - Dec 28 with 1296 views | TRUE_BLUE123 |
| Half Term Report on 16:14 - Dec 28 by EddyJ |
A: Kipre
B: Matusiwa, Philogene, Davis, Nunez, Walton
C: Egeli, Taylor, Palmer, Hirst
D: Greaves, Cajuste, J Clarke, Furlong, Szmodics, Azon, O'Shea
E: Akpom, McAteer
Manager: C
Not going to rate people like Burns, Young, Johnson, Baggot, Humphreys etc... who have barely played. [Post edited 28 Dec 2025 16:15]
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Clarke behind Egeli Palmer Hirst Taylor is egregious |  |
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| Half Term Report on 20:21 - Dec 28 with 1254 views | EddyJ |
| Half Term Report on 19:37 - Dec 28 by TRUE_BLUE123 |
Clarke behind Egeli Palmer Hirst Taylor is egregious |
League starts:
Clarke: 9
Egeli: 11
Palmer: 10
Hirst: 17
Taylor: 12
There is a reason all of those players have started more games. | | | |
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