by Kitsondinho »
05 Dec 2016 09:15
Elm Park Old Boy Was I the only one who found it embarrassing how much of a hero's send-off our fans gave Danny Williams? He had just got himself sent off, letting down the team. They had a pretty tough, unlikely, but not impossible task trying to come back from 2 down. He went and we completely subsided.
I was furious with him too! It isn't the first time he has reacted like that either. He was damn lucky at Barnsley not to get a straight red for his sly stamp on Hourihane, shortly after GMac's red. I know at both Barnsley and Fulham he got kicked first....but teams know he is a hot head and are clearly keen on winding him up. His discipline is definitely an issue and Stam needs to address it.
On a more general point, I'm tired of reading about how awful Obita and Samuel were. I really don't agree about either of them being dreadful. Beerens offered Obita no protection and he was doubled up on for most of the game. He is clearly much better as a wing back, so I can't understand why Stam didn't start Cooper and have Blackett play LB if he wanted 4 at the back. Both Obita and Gunter have looked far more effective with 5 across the back, because of the chance to be a bit further forward and the extra protection behind them.
Equally, Samuel suffered from the fact we were just lumping it away most of the time. He can't win headers and he isn't great at holding it up. However the few times he had quick ball into his feet, he did something with it. He worked 2 defenders and crossed it just after Gunter's OG, sadly no-one was quick enough to meet it. He flicked a short pass for GMac soon after and GMac trod on the ball as he ran past the Fulham defender. Finally he worked that space 2nd half.....yes he should have squared it to Kelly, but hopefully he'll learn. Now I'm not saying either of them had a particuarly good game, but I feel both of them had their weaknesses exposed by the way we set up and subsequently played. Obita isn't a left back and Samuel isn't a lone striker.