LCFC v Sunderland

[poopbutt]

replaced by who? david bent?

[Onions]

John, Verma & Chambers coming on.

Would LOVE Ashley to score, really rate the kid

Dyer, King and Dudley off

[Onions]

Parkes on for Hobbs

[davieG]

WTF is going on the OS has the match report up and the game isn't even finished.

http://www.lcfc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10274~2107403,00.html?

[Jay]

John, Verma & Chambers coming on.

Would LOVE Ashley to score, really rate the kid

Dyer, King and Dudley off

you must be one of the only ones left then because he has disappointed everywhere he has been so far

[AoWW]

WTF is going on the OS has the match report up and the game isn't even finished.

http://www.lcfc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10274~2107403,00.html?

They must have somebody keen there on work experience.

[Guest NGoloMode]

Pictures here http://www.lcfc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10274~2107472,00.html

[milan_foxes]

Just got home, was a really enjoyable game tbh. Dudley looked quality all the way through, especially in the first half.

My Ratings:

Weale: 6

Lamey? : 7.5

Hobbs: 8

Morrison: 7.5

Berner: 7.5

N'Guessan: 7.5

Oakley: 7.5

King: 7

Dyer: 8

Fryatt: 8.5

DJ: 9.5

Subs: Neilson: 5, Parkes: 8, Kennedy: 7.5, Wellens: 8, Verma: 7, John: 7.5, Chambers: 7, Howard: 6.

Can't wait for Palace now! This time next week I should be coming back on the Fox Travel a happy guy

[lcfcbradyboy]

just got back from the game DJ played realy good. and yh who was lambey played realy good for a RB position just wat we need

[lcfcadam]

A different set of player ratings: instead of scoring them based on today, it's whether or not they looked a good enough player to be part of a Championship promotion-chasing squad...

-------------

Weale: Yes

Lamey: Yes

Hobbs: Yes

Morrison: Yes

Berner: Yes

N'Guessan: Yes

Oakley: No

King: Yes

Dyer: No

Fryatt: Yes

DJ: Yes

Subs: Neilson: No, Parkes: Yes, Kennedy: Yes, Wellens: Yes, Verma: No, John: No, Chambers: Definitely No, Howard: Yes.

[lcfcbradyboy]

A different set of player ratings: instead of scoring them based on today, it's whether or not they looked a good enough player to be part of a Championship promotion-chasing squad...

-------------

Weale: Yes

Lamey: Yes

Hobbs: Yes

Morrison: Yes

Berner: Yes

N'Guessan: Yes

Oakley: No

King: Yes

Dyer: No

Fryatt: Yes

DJ: Yes

Subs: Neilson: No, Parkes: Yes, Kennedy: Yes, Wellens: Yes, Verma: No, John: No, Chambers: Definitely No, Howard: Yes.

i agree with that just i thought jorrin john actualy played well when he came on and dyer is somthing great for coming on in the second half and sprinting past tired defenders

[lcfcadam]

Oh and by the way, the situation with Waghorn and our fans (and our trusty radio commentators apparently) was just embarrassing; okay, give the lad a decent reception - he did do alright for us on loan for a season and definitely put his heart into it - but for fook's sake, getting your cock out and wanking publicly every time he came near the West Stand was just way too much for me.

He played well for us, and for that we thank him by being gracious, but as far as we're concerned he's now a player for the opposition - what must the City players have been thinking when they walked down the tunnel at the end of the match to a wall of blank faces, only to see the same people jizzing themselves when Waghorn came over?

And it would seem that Stringer and co. presented the match as if it was Barcelona vs. Martyn Waghorn - christ, some people really need to get over ex players. Iain Hume wasn't even that good, and yet still I hear people banging on about him as if he was God's gift to the Shire...

[CosbehFox]

Alright going forward shaky at the back.

How many times were Hobbs and Morrison out of position? 'lamey alright on the ball but his defending looked dodgy.

Actually thought the system suited Oakley too. Played very well.

Campbell I am staggered to say looked a different player and linked up well with Fryatt.

[Milky]

I saw Liam Rosenior at the game today. Parked in the stadium car park and entered via the media entrance. Notice he's a free.

[Pete_foxes]

Some positives to take out of todays performance, the difference in style between Nigel and Paulo's style of play is clear to see, we appear to be playing a good passing game, looking to build from the back and on occasions Morrison and Hobbs appear to be venturing forward a little bit further up the pitch in search of a forward pass. Special mentions should go out to Campbell, a great performance from him, great direct running, and above all a willingness to run and graft and run on occasions the opposite of what we have seen from him in the past in a city shirt. Lamey the trialist at right back put in a good performance aswell and on that showing would be a good signing in the championship. I think we need to work on the defence abit though, we were easily cut open by a through ball that one of Frazer Campbell or Darren Bent were able to run onto. Overall a good workout though.

[Thracian]

Sousa says he'll need two seasons and he's not kidding on this performance.

Yes, his footballing approach offers some hope, not just of making progress towards becoming a Premiership club, but of sustaining that level should we ever get there.

But he'll not succeed with pass-and-move football if he continues to field so many ponderous, slow-thinking players who seemed to have as much ball control as blocks of concrete.

Let me cite one glaring example. DJ - by far our best player - works the space to cross from the right, delivers a perfect ball across the goal and no-one was hitting the box to apply the finishing touch. Nor even trying.

There should have been three or four people thirsting for a goalscoring freebee but they didn't show the energy or alertness.

Just like last year, this isn't a team that attacks and defends as a unit at all. It has individual compartments which are occasionally linked.

Several of our players looked less than fit for a start and what a condemnation that is with a week to go til the season starts. Cos, again, you don't play pass-and-move til you get the ball and that means closing down quickly, consistently and with a bit of tenacity. In fact our closing down was casual and our commitment to moving forward and backwards as a group disappointing.

There's some have given our defenders decent marks but I fail to see why. Berner and Morrison in particular looked so sluggish at times with Sunderland getting goal-side far too easily and on far too many occasions. Fast closing down would have prevented both their goals.

The pluses were that Sousa has clearly got his message across about passing - that much is obvious throughout the team. DJ looked by far our most dangerous strike option and Steve Howard, for all his look of being an oil-tanker on the turn, linked play quite well and so nearly scored a wonder goal with a snap shot on the turn of immense power.

At least I found the football watchable, which is heartening, but there's a long, long way to go with this squad and the need for at least four good signings, perhaps as many as six or seven.

[OutFoxing-Cov-Since1884]

Don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but I am surprised Conrad wasn't thrown on after that HOWLER from Weale.

WORSE than Rob Green's at WC imo.

He just watched it go in...at least Rob tried to make emmends for his complete cock up!!! <_<

On The Whole Though...v. impressed (and Paulo showed some passion on the touchline) AT LAST A MANAGER WHO HAS A GO!

[Lillehamring]

Alright going forward shaky at the back.

How many times were Hobbs and Morrison out of position? 'lamey alright on the ball but his defending looked dodgy.

Actually thought the system suited Oakley too. Played very well.

Campbell I am staggered to say looked a different player and linked up well with Fryatt.

[Guest ttfn]

Ok for what it's worth I was impressed first half, not so in the second.

Those who played a decent chunk of the game:

Weale 4 - Never looked at ease throughout the game, making several ill-advised rushes off his line. Made one good close range stop but a real howler for Sunderland's second.

Lamey 6 - Did ok, other than being massively out of position for Sunderland's first.

Hobbs 6 - Made one good block but was otherwise too often caught out by Bent and Campbell's movement.

Morrison 6 - Same as Hobbs really. I was particularly concerned by the distance at times between the two centre halves throughout the game.

Berner 7 - Typical Bruno

N'Guessan 7 - Interesting. Typical N'Guessan really, kept threatening to do something brilliant before producing something generally competent.

Oakley 6 - Did fine, won't be a regular starter

King 8 - Man of the match for me. Took his goal superbly and seemed to revel in being given more responsibility. In this new style he'll be constantly on the ball and will no longer go missing.

Dyer 6 - A bit like N'Guessan but never as threatening.

Fryatt 7.5 - Cracking pass for the goal, but didn't seem as fit as he should be.

DJ 7.5 - Missed a very presentable second half opportunity but was otherwise pretty good - some decent crosses and a couple of sublime bits of skill. But for every chip over a defender's head which went well, he lost the ball three times. Extremely reluctant to pass (makes Fryatt look unselfish).

[Bugg]

Don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but I am surprised Conrad wasn't thrown on after that HOWLER from Weale.

WORSE than Rob Green's at WC imo.

He just watched it go in...at least Rob tried to make emmends for his complete cock up!!! <_<

On The Whole Though...v. impressed (and Paulo showed some passion on the touchline) AT LAST A MANAGER WHO HAS A GO!

lol

[OutFoxing-Cov-Since1884]

At least someone found that funny

[Sk4]

Thought we played well going forward ,defensively we were not good at times apart from Hobbs and lamy , D j was excellent and was unlucky not to score ,Steve Bruce was the more vocal and animated coach ,don't think we should worry about this season I definatly think we will be in the mix by next April

[lcfcadam]

Also think Paolo's little rant at the ref at the end was worth a mention - regardless of the importance of the game the officiating should still stick to standards and as per usual those standards were a long way short of what is necessary...

[Cropwellfox]

Anybody know whether Adams has picked up a knock? Am wondering whether with one right back on trial and another one seen at the ground today PS has decided the Adams RB experiment hasn't worked and doesn't fancy him in midfield either?

[Corky]

Thought it was an entertaining game where many positives were gained. The new style is good, very swift passing in the midfield and brings the wingers into the game. Attack looks very lively, especially with Campbell and Fryatt. Defensively I felt we were shaky, Bent and Frasier Campbell tested out the defence which will have shown Sousa what needs to be done to improve.

Positives- The new right-back looks very promising, showed good strength and composure on the ball. DJ Campbell was very lively, neat touches of the ball and a fantastic hit which brought a great save. N'Guessan was quick, sent in a couple of fabulous low crosses and had very nimble feet which allowed him to beat his marker. Oakley looked a different player from last season, didn't give the ball away as often and played some assured and probing passes. The goal was a flowing move well finished off by King.

Negatives- Chris Weale had a mixed bag. Made a couple of good blocks from Bent, looks to roll the ball out more as opposed to hitting it long which keeps possession, but at times he charged off his line and was lucky not to give away a foul. Slightly suspect on crossing and from my view could've done better with the second goal. The defence was pulled apart a bit today, lost a decent amount of headers and the Sunderland strikers were always dangerous. The officiating, from the linesman in front of the West Stand in particular, was poor.

Good to see some youngsters given a run-out, which will bring valuable experience. It was a test, and a good one at that, so all worthwhile overall.