the pitch and 1st half confusion.

[3London]

What is the obsession with saturating the pitch just before kick off? yesterday it seemed that the instruction was to flood the away end almost right up to kick off. then we win the toss and switch ends? baffling...the close control of our defenders and goalkeeper yesterday was shocking esp Ned i am sure the pitch has something to do with it.

the first half yesterday was one of the strangest i have seen in a long time. it was almost as if the team had had a massive barny in the dressing room before hand as they all seemed ratty with each other ..no communication..Bidwell seemed to be so confused as to what his role was that he kept coming over to get instructions form the sidelines..at one point he was almost part of a front 3. then scowen came accords then Robinson ...and as for Pawel ...he has got a clue how to be a wing back ...if hollway insist on playing this formation then sadly i would rather have perch because at least he can defend.

the less said about the 2nd half the better...but once the 3rd went in Holloway completely lost the plot!

[Romford Hoop]

Holloway lost the plot years ago.

[Alanwycombe]

What is the obsession with saturating the pitch just before kick off? yesterday it seemed that the instruction was to flood the away end almost right up to kick off. then we win the toss and switch ends? baffling...the close control of our defenders and goalkeeper yesterday was shocking esp Ned i am sure the pitch has something to do with it.

the first half yesterday was one of the strangest i have seen in a long time. it was almost as if the team had had a massive barny in the dressing room before hand as they all seemed ratty with each other ..no communication..Bidwell seemed to be so confused as to what his role was that he kept coming over to get instructions form the sidelines..at one point he was almost part of a front 3. then scowen came accords then Robinson ...and as for Pawel ...he has got a clue how to be a wing back ...if hollway insist on playing this formation then sadly i would rather have perch because at least he can defend.

the less said about the 2nd half the better...but once the 3rd went in Holloway completely lost the plot!

Bidwell going to the bench is probably WHY he was confused. Half of them don't appear to take any notice of him and the rest look totally bemused as you say. Washington was on the end of some 'instructions' at Bramall Lane and just held his hands out not knowing what to do. Decent managers don't go mental like Holloway, they have a picture in their minds and convey it to the players in a measured way - and they don't change it every few minutes because someone else on the bench has had another idea. He can't see how to change things so he tries anything hoping to get lucky.

[WeAreQPR12]

Nedum has always had a poor 1st touch hence why he is always rushed, we can't blame a wet bowling lawn for that

[Joe90]

What is the obsession with saturating the pitch just before kick off? yesterday it seemed that the instruction was to flood the away end almost right up to kick off. then we win the toss and switch ends? baffling...the close control of our defenders and goalkeeper yesterday was shocking esp Ned i am sure the pitch has something to do with it.

the first half yesterday was one of the strangest i have seen in a long time. it was almost as if the team had had a massive barny in the dressing room before hand as they all seemed ratty with each other ..no communication..Bidwell seemed to be so confused as to what his role was that he kept coming over to get instructions form the sidelines..at one point he was almost part of a front 3. then scowen came accords then Robinson ...and as for Pawel ...he has got a clue how to be a wing back ...if hollway insist on playing this formation then sadly i would rather have perch because at least he can defend.

the less said about the 2nd half the better...but once the 3rd went in Holloway completely lost the plot!

100% agree, something seemed very odd yesterday. Had the feeling of a training match. I think the idea was to play the advantage first half - with the Forest keeper playing with the Sun in his eyes. The problem was don't score easily or quickly and we got exposed at the back and Forest killed us on the break against the run of play. That threw game plan out the window. We got two goals which was part of plan but we weren't expecting Forest to score 5! The problem with our set up is iit requires players to constantly cover and move but we were not good enough and don't talk to each other. Other teams know to sit back and just catch us on the break and when they do we often just have 2 at the back. Also, the Sun was still up second half so our first half game plan was pointless. Should've just given Smithies a cap.

[corbray]

most pitches are watered before a game. i do a bit of lawn work at the stoop from time to time and the reason why the pitch is watered is to help with grip and also to stop the pitch getting ripped up when people slide around on it.

most pitches are like 85% sand so the water soaks through pretty quickly and doesn't sit on top

[rodman]

Bidwell going to the bench is probably WHY he was confused. Half of them don't appear to take any notice of him and the rest look totally bemused as you say. Washington was on the end of some 'instructions' at Bramall Lane and just held his hands out not knowing what to do. Decent managers don't go mental like Holloway, they have a picture in their minds and convey it to the players in a measured way - and they don't change it every few minutes because someone else on the bench has had another idea. He can't see how to change things so he tries anything hoping to get lucky.

This comment sums Olly up 100%.

He has no idea of his strongest team or the way they should be played to their strengths. None whatsoever. Zilch.
This has been plain to see since the very day he returned ( for some of us anyway).

All that waffle at the end of last season about trying youngsters and finding his best team and tactics was pure fantasy.
Holloway would struggle to pick his best 11 players in a squad of 12 cos he is totally inept and clueless.

Week after week we see him bumbling along with bizarre teams and formations without any meaningful purpose to his decisions.

What naffs me off is every time the chips are down and it looks like TF is gonna have to do the right thing Olly goes and gets a result or two and so we have to endure another couple of months of dross and TF telling us to be patient.

If Olly showed any sign of learning about his team, win or lose, then we could maybe be patient but there has been nothing and I mean NOTHING to suggest the bloke has a single clue about what he is doing. Yesterday just highlights it for all to see.

It's just a shame TF won't get on and do the decent thing and put this sorry excuse of a football manager out to pasture where he belongs.

[HertsHoops]

For me that wasn't far off being our best 11 yesterday

Maybe a fit Silla instead of Smith ?
Maybe Furlong instead of Lynch and go 4 at the back ?

Never an 11 that I'd expect to concede five to anyone in this division

We've been better all season, even when we had seven defenders out, which does point to something going on - maybe the much derided defensive coach wasn't as cr@p as we thought ? Or they've got their flipflops packed already ?

[Hitman34]

100% agree, something seemed very odd yesterday. Had the feeling of a training match. I think the idea was to play the advantage first half - with the Forest keeper playing with the Sun in his eyes. The problem was don't score easily or quickly and we got exposed at the back and Forest killed us on the break against the run of play. That threw game plan out the window. We got two goals which was part of plan but we weren't expecting Forest to score 5! The problem with our set up is iit requires players to constantly cover and move but we were not good enough and don't talk to each other. Other teams know to sit back and just catch us on the break and when they do we often just have 2 at the back. Also, the Sun was still up second half so our first half game plan was pointless. Should've just given Smithies a cap.

#sunout