Just Back

I've not seen any evidence that Waterfall is even too slow! He's obviously not rapid, but I've always thought he was quicker than some think. I didn't go today but it's disappointing that we apparently conceded the first half goals in the way in which we did.

The BBC report reckons we had almost 60% possession which indicates we were more than in the game, but we're certainly not creating many opportunities at the moment. Perhaps not surprising, given all the injuries in attack.

I wouldn't be too down at all chaps. I'm not in anyway gloating here by the way. You're a good side. Genuinely. Better than most I've seen so far.

Bearing in mind that was far and away our best performance of the season, and we could start pretty much our best team for the first time, and it clicked for the first time too.
You were better than Walsall and Doncaster by a distance. We weren't out of sight at two nil or we didn't feel it was anyway. The folk around me (I was opposite you) were nervous. I wasn't comfortable either as you did dominate in periods but lack the final pass to cut through us.

All the best for the rest of the season, bar against us!

Hate wrexham but today they took the mickey simple as that far superior in every department also like to add & again not a fan of his but mullin is superb at this level so is elliot lee but prob on 5 even 6k a week

All about opinions and there’s a wide range tonight which probably indicates we weren’t that bad.  

You're rarely that bad if you've managed to have 60% possession. Just a pity about the lack of a goal threat.  

We were very deep first half. They let us have possession, which skewed the stats, and picked us off in the areas that matter. They also looked more rounded as a team and every player knew their roles, yet we probably visited the final third as much as they did. The difference was they were more decisive, moved the ball quicker, had better deliveries and more attackers in the box. Lee, Mullen and Fletcher are players we can only dream of. They're on a different trajectory to us, but if we had a full squad available like they did and not played five at the back, I reckon it would have been a lot tighter game and maybe we could have exploited one or two vulnerabilities they have defending. I watched 45 minutes of Notts County last night, they impressed me a lot more than Wrexham, but still had one or two defensive frailties. I don't think we're as far away as some think, Khan showed that in his cameo today. A frustratingly understandable defeat due to injuries in all honesty..

Quoted from Maringer

You're rarely that bad if you've managed to have 60% possession. Just a pity about the lack of a goal threat.  

It depends where you have possession. No good if most of that 60% is passing sideways and backwards.

Useless fckers...can't even manage to lose 4-0 to bring my predictions in. 😄
Not bothered about the result in all honestly as didn't expect anything else.
Have to look at a bigger picture....more possession yet probably less goal threat......pattern emerging.
Rose injured....why? Overplaying him ? Making him flog another 15 -20 mins out of his body for several weeks maybe a factor?
Pretty much no attacking alternative in the squad...why?

One game like this against well backed opposition won't define our season...but the emerging patterns undoubtedly will.

Frustrating indeed. 90 mins before we had a shot from insde their box I think (slow back header into Howards arms). Because of set pieces he goes 3 at the back and we let in 2 headers so that worked well.  Good defensive planning, Maher (smallest of our centre backs) following Palmer about and usually Waterfall (our slowest defender) following Mullen??. It was so simple how Wrexham worked it. A Reds fan on train said he was inline with play for first goal and thought it was just offside. First 2 goals almost identical, set piece cleared to 35 yards wide and our whole defence stands on 6 yard line waiting for the cross again instead of pushing out (its hard to score headers from edge of the box). Still 2 down, Wrexham corner on 71 mins and we had all 11 players in our own box defending and I mean literally in our box, not stood just outside even, what is that about. We had some really good spells and put them under pressure but nowhere near and end result, No one played badly we just don't seem able to open up defences despite all the possession. I expect the Xs for not saying well they get paid more, better players, etc. but if you don't win whoever it is thats 3 points more than us that the other team have.

By definition, a lot of retained possession is backwards and sideways. You can't kick the ball forwards all the time. Tiki taka was backwards and forwards and the likes of Man City often have the ball going forward to the wings before working it back into midfield multiple times before putting it into the box.

Now, I'm not claiming that we're anything like Barcelona or Man City, but keeping a high level of possession is certainly something which will stand us in good stead against teams which don't have expensive former internationals playing for them...