This writeup of Town’s win against Preston North End is a bit on the late side. I’ve been busy since the game but I’ve also held back from writing about the game because I’m still not sure how I feel about it. Before the match I’d said getting three points would be good regardless of how we played, even though an improved performance was the ideal. But it doesn’t feel like a victory and I’m almost as glum about Town’s prospects as I was before the game.
I keep telling myself that it’s too early in the season to know what’s in store for Town. The psychotically optimistic part of my brain is also desperate to cling to the fact that goal difference (already among the worst in the league) is the only thing keeping us out of the playoff spots in the embryonic league table. But I’m still concerned about what’s going on at Town.
Anyway, here’s my attempt to try and make sense of another unusual Town game…
The worst Town win I’ve ever seen
Town have played badly and won plenty of times in my years of following them but I think this game was the all-time worst performance that I’ve seen from Town that has ended in a victory. The fact we won the game without registering a single shot on target is, in a perverse way, a real achievement.
Town were wretched to watch all the way up to when they scored. Thankfully going ahead seemed to spark them into life and we managed to exploit the gaps Preston left at the back when they began to push forward more.
It takes two to tango, so it’s worth acknowledging that Preston were also pathetically bad in this game too. They did manage to play some reasonably OK football in the first half that, when paired with Town’s generous defending, meant they had a hatful of decent chances that they spurned. Then they seemed to wither as the game went on and the game became a dreary mess to watch.
Having said all this, it was still a Town win and a bad win is better than a noble defeat from a fan’s perspective. In our Premier League years we often played very well but were ultimately beaten by teams with far superior individuals. Getting a pat on the head from pundits for giving it a good go doesn’t feel great when you lost anyway, it’s much nicer to have bagged three points and being told you were unreasonably lucky to get them.
What was the plan?
During the game I had literally no idea what the plan was from Town on Tuesday night. The gameplan seemed completely nonsensical, we continued to play it out short from the back and then got completely stuck and couldn’t get the ball out of our own half. Any ball played to the midfield or forwards didn’t seem to stick and we lost possession. The few times we managed to get into Preston’s final third we didn’t look too bad but those occasions were very few, and the majority of our possession involved those heart-in-mouth passes along the backline which we seem to specialise in.
From the comments by the head coach and players after the game, I can now see that the tactics were more or less to not make mistakes above everything else. It wasn’t safety first, it was just safety and nothing else. Meaning the game was absolutely dire to watch and Town possessed no goal threat at all.
Things improved in the second half, we showed a bit more ambition and the midfield managed to get into the game a little bit more but it was still not very good. Sorba Thomas and Josh Koroma looked decent whenever they linked up with each other but we didn’t manage to get either of them on the ball enough in dangerous areas. High and O’Brien struggled to get into the game, but that was mostly because they’d been instructed to play very wide and cover the wingbacks. And Hogg was so deep that there was almost no gap between him and the central defenders behind him.
It seems odd to whinge about poor tactics in a game where those tactics contributed to a vital three points but I think it was the system rather than the players that made this game such a poor spectacle to watch. If we’d played so negatively against Fulham at the weekend it would have been understandable but against a very poor Preston team that were also struggling for form it seemed like a very unambitious approach.
Carlos’ touchline antics
Watching games in the stadium again means there’s more opportunity to see what’s going on away from the pitch and I’ve been keeping an eye on Carlos and his coaching staff this last couple of games. I’m not sure he’s quite as bad as Lee Clark for looking like a frothy-mouthed lunatic in his technical area, but Carlos doesn’t exactly project a feeling of calm certainty from the touchline. The wild flailing of his arms and incomprehensible instructions rarely seem well received by the players either.
On several occasions I saw Corberan give a hand signal or an instruction to a player and they either looked completely bemused or just ignored what they were being told. Rather than these additional bits of coaching helping the players it seems to be a mild distraction at best, or at worst it’s interfered with players’ natural game and made them freeze up.
Screaming instructions onto the pitch mid-game seems to be quite a common thing among managers these days. Danny and Nicky Cowley barely stopped talking during a game and David Wagner was pretty vocal too. My concern with Carlos is that his ideas don’t seem to be getting across to the players, or if they are then his ideas are for Town to play woeful football and make loads of basic errors.
Positives emerge after our goal
This has been one of the most negative articles I’ve written despite the fact Town won. The thing that offered a glimmer of hope was the improvement the team showed after we scored. We soaked up the minimal pressure Preston applied comfortably (barring Nicholls’ attempted punch and Sarr’s clearance straight into Turton) and we attacked with purpose and flair when we went forward. Thomas was desperately unlucky to not score when his curling shot bounced out off the inside of the post and Koroma had a chance that he’d probably have scored if he was fully up to speed.
The old footballing cliche of how goals change games was true for Town and when we had something to hold onto it gave the players a belief and drive that had been entirely absent before we scored. Hopefully the confidence boost winning this game brings will carry forward into this next few games and we’ll see and improvement in the performances.
What now?
Sometimes you have to grind out results to reverse a slump and then there’s a chance to build some momentum. While Town didn’t play well and the victory came against another poor side, it’s a win and puts us on four points after three games – a reasonable return so far.
Sheffield United away seemed like a far more intimidating game when the fixtures came out than it does now they’ve started the season so poorly. They look to be a team in the same position Town were in at the start of the 2019/20 season, struggling to adjust to a new division after getting beaten every week in the Premier League last season. However, they have a top coach rather than Jan Siewert, so it’s hard to imagine they’ll be as bad as they have been lately for too long.
It’s hard to judge Town’s prospects too much at this stage of the season with time left in the transfer window for significant comings and goings still likely. If O’Brien, Bacuna and Mbenza all leave then surely that will mean a few signings will be sanctioned to add a bit of quality to the squad. While most of any fees received will already be earmarked for debt repayment, surely a small proportion can be reinvested into the squad to give fans a bit of hope for the season ahead.
TS I think you’ve covered everything, like you I felt much less despondent at full time compared to half time. I watched the B team last night but didn’t see anyone ready to step up including Diarra, although I wonder if Harratt, might be worth a shout although he would have to edge past a pile of has-beens.
Winning without having a shot on target isn’t as exciting as getting promoted with a negative goal difference, but it made me smile.
For much of the first half I could have regurgitated mine and many others observations about needless mistakes in possession, poor marking out of possession awful passing but at least some of it was adventurous, risky even but could have been rewarded, but obviously wasn’t. Town’s press was more athletic and hyperactive, but not as efficient or effective as Preston’s leaving the impression that they had more men in midfield than us, a common occurrence in the latter half of last season.
On the balance of play and efforts on goal Town was very fortunate not to have conceded a goal in the first half, Preston more than edged it.
In the second half matters improved until frustration set in when needlessly stupid challenges and moans lead to free-kicks, bookings and more pressure (did someone say Campbell?), again reminiscent of last season post Christmas, but for a change defensively and collectively we handled problems reasonably well, although creating problems for the opposition remains depressingly elusive.
Thomas, if handled sympathetically and encouraged has the skills, enthusiasm and acceleration to be a considerable asset. His captain unjustifiably berated him for an over-hit cross, who himself duplicated the identical misdeed moments later – how could he!
The right-hand side of the defence didn’t overly impress following the pre-match withdrawal, the left-hand side was better but hardly faultless. O’Brien’s energy levels were understandably way below par. Koroma improved and had a considerable impact as the game progressed, capped by his measured through ball to Holmes who seemed panic-stricken, failed to move swiftly onto his pass allowing the defender to overtake and score for him, not convinced Holmes would have managed it on his own!
Calamity was a heartbeat away in added time, when the otherwise impressive and calming, Nicholls almost did a Schofield and Sarr almost did a Sarr.
Glory be, a win and mid-table, can this be sustained? Probably not, without the addition of a goal scorer, a midfield creator and the two returning fullbacks.
I’m afraid that it all comes down to Corberan who has little idea what to do on match days. He seems to be a good training field coach but any plans he has don’t survive long when faced with an opponent. He radiates panic and whilst he I’m sure he understands English in his head, it just comes out as unintelligible gobbledegook from his mouth. He was supposed bring Bielsa style football to Town but his approach is all wrong. Bielsa just sits on his bucket and watches most of the time, Corberan wears himself and the rest of us out. He picks players for the wrong position or picks players who shouldn’t be in the team at all. For instance Ward who is more like a trampoline than a footballer as everything bounces off him. Jordan Rhodes does hold the ball up and distribute it apart from the fact that he is more likely to score but still can’t get in the team. Koroma isn’t really fit enough to play yet. O’Brien is thinking about his future. Hogg is well Hogg. Not an attacking player by any stretch of the imagination. When there is a new season, everyone looks forward to it so much that much of last season is gone and forgotten. However Corberan is still the same coach who lost many, many matches and seems to be stuck with the same ideas as he always had. If we are to progress at all he has to go, and as soon as possible, even at the expense of using the cash received for O’Brien and Bacuna to pay him off.
Granted it wasn’t good to watch, but Wednesday morning’s paper said Town 1, Preston 0, and at this stage of the season that’s all I care about. Get players back, and everybody fully fit and then start worrying about how we play!
Spot on Glen
i too despaired over the performance,but delighted with the outcome.dont ask me to explain.
imagine how frankie mcevoy is feeling. first half chances aplenty,a strike force most of us would gladly trade places,yet they finished poorly,thankfully.
where are our positives.the covid outbreak clearly hasnt helped,individuals are affected differently,some more severely than others,three of the four were left sided players.recovery after such,will vary from player to player,but thankfully recovery is the blessing.all this affects availability,limits tactics,formations,ability to press,using up bodies energy reserves more quickly.
this will improve game by game.
worryingly pearson felt ill in warm up,ward sensed at ht he was struggling,lets hope not covid related & back fitter soon.
lees had no warning,preparation,mentally or physically,yet came through well,delighted for him.
sorba played left & is thriving on pressure,so unlucky not to score,makes a mockery of the “no shots on target” stat.it must have been a centimetre from hitting inside of upright & going in.
his crosses from dead ball situations is big plus.
love his running at opponents,fast becoming our “go to” player.deserved man of match.
i feel it can only get better,fitter,more to select from.
confidence is low,understandably,the result is massive.
players may inevitably move on,hoping team of analysts have eye on replacements.
sheff utd looked a tough opponent b4 season started,maybe not as much after their start.
no goals,plenty conceded.
can we get lucky again?or maybe we play more strongly?remember most us thought we took lead against fulham.if only.
i dont believe it will b a goal fest,if only a single goal can do it for us,on sat,or is it the hope that kills?
100% agree.
Great stuff, TS, and I totally agree with you, John Holmes, too.
I don’t understand Corberan when I listen to him in pre/post match interviews. Can’t somebody tell him that if he reduced the speed of the flow of words by 50%, we might just have half a chance of following the plot? And his touchline hystrionics surely can’t help the team.
I look back at the WhatsApps I was sending to my son during the match (being in Suffolk, I watch on iFollow) and they reflect your comments totally, TS. “Absolute garbage”; “there’s no plan”; “Ward is completely hopeless”; “Campbell is going to see a red card; he’s an idiot”. And so on and so on. I confess that, like you, I also cannot recall a worse Town display and still coming out with 3 points.
Away at Sheff Utd will provide more of a reality check. If Town perform like that again, then we’ll get murdered.
If there are any positives (and it’s a struggle to find them), I’d say:-
1. Nicholls looks so much more assured than Schofield. That’s one debate that is surely closed.
2. Danny Ward has been given lots of minutes, started most games, and he gets worse, not better. Surely now Carlos sees him as unpickable? That’s a positive because we surely won’t see Danny Ward again!
3. I’m pleased for Nabby Sarr. He’s had some nightmares but give praise where praise is due – he did well. Given that Sheff Utd are apparently vulnerable at set pieces, Nabby could be a useful weapon on Saturday.
4. Sorba Thomas continues to impress. Now one of the first names on my teamsheet.
I’m glad I listed the positives; if I’d gone for the negatives, it would have been a very long list!
“That’s a positive because we surely won’t see Danny Ward again!”
But we will, we will !!!
I’m glad there is more than just me that sees some positives.
Whilst it’s hard to see any progress in the last two performances, we have to remember that quite a few of the players are ill or have been ill with Covid and it’s looking like it’s not just something you shake off after 10 days absent from training. A number of players look tired, which should not be the case 3 games in to a season. Many can’t manage 90 minutes, and some, like Ward, can’t even play football with the state they’re clearly in. I don’t want to make too many excuses, as that was the case with the injury crisis last season, the bad form was put down to injuries, when in reality it was a mixture of poor or not enough recruitment and the wrong tactics for the team and individuals.
I have defended Carlos a lot since he started at town, but I think it’s plain for everyone to see (apart from himself) that his constant changing of tactics and screaming of instructions are not helping, they’re confusing players and making the whole thing far too complicated. Is that because the players aren’t good enough, the tactics are too complicated for any player of any ability, we have the wrong players for the supposed style or a combination of all three? It’s difficult to pin down.
We still owe DH £30million so I can’t see us spending much of anything on new players even if O’Brien, Bacuna and Mbenza go, but then again our two brightest sparks cost us next to nothing in Koroma and Thomas so I don’t think we necessarily need to spend to fix the problems we have, a decent loan signing in the centre of the park who can orchestrate the game and ignore Carlos is a must though, as without that player I can’t see us improving much. Still, let’s see what the weekend brings against another side struggling to find form. UTT
Well a win is a win but very lucky, and very tedious. Never seen a team so incapable of controlling the ball, was there too much air in it? They just stuck their leg out and hoped it might find one of our own players. Pundits talk about going through the gears, I think apart from Thomas all their gearboxes are shot ! Never seen a game so lacking in energy and movement (apart from some idiot in the technical area). Help , it was so dull. Yet again we start a season wondering if there are three teams worse than us!
Over the last few months of last season, I was saying to myself, “don’t worry Allan, once the big wage earners are off the books, Carlos will bring players in to put his own stamp on the team”.
I’ve been watching Town on and off for almost 60 years now, and ok, my memory may not be up to scratch, but Tuesdays performance is the worst I’ve ever seen from a Town team.
It got to the point at one stage, where I was wanting Preston to score (heresy, I know), so that the change in Coach would come before it’s too late. When Town (sorry Preston) scored, I reverted back to type.
If Carlos is an amazing Coach, it is palpable that we just don’t have the players with consistent skills to carry his plan forward, so Phil needs to either, (1) cough up for those players (extremely unlikely), (2) sell the club to someone who can, or (3) eat some ‘humble pie’ and replace Carlos with a Coach who can work to the skills of what we have.
I don’t know when people will finally realise that Corberan does not bring players in. He has absolutely no say on who joins or is transferred from the club. Bromby and Co decide everything. Carlos does what he’s told and has to make do with the players he is given. In fact I’ve never known a head coach/manager have so little influence on his playing staff.
I really want that win to breed confidence: in the players, the fans and the coaches, but I’m affriad it might be so fragile that our friends from the steel side of Sheffield will send it crashing down with the slightest bit of pressure…
No one on here or at the Club wants us to play dire football and be scrapping at the wrong end of the table again, so I just have to believe that CC can get us to click again and give us football that gets us out of our seats to cheer rather than to get home for Fast & Furious 7.
There is something else that upsets me each week and that is how pally and deferential the interviewers are to Corberan either at press conferences or after the match. This applies to both the Radio Leeds commentators and the journalists. I’m pretty sure that Corberan will not read any of the comments that appear here so he probably exists in a world where he thinks everyone loves him. Our only method of putting our views across is through the interviewers as none of us can do it directly. No one asks him why he plays Ward when he plays so badly, nor did they ask why he continued to pick Schofield after he makes yet another mess. No one asks him whether he thinks he personally is good enough for the job or why he continues to play a system which just does not work. There are lots of other questions waiting to be asked but it seems that the media are so scared of upsetting anybody they continue ask these banal questions – or maybe they don’t ask the questions as they can’t understand the answers!
On a similar theme, John, for the first time ever this week, I actually started to find Paul ‘Oggy’ Ogden irritating on the commentary. Don’t get me wrong, I love him really but he’s just far too ‘nice’. He has such a generous nature, he applauds & congratulates a player for the most basic skill such as successfully passing the ball to a teammate. Or saying that “Preston probably edged the first half” – edged it? Town hardly had a kick! He needs to capture the prevailing mood of his audience and I’m sure there were thousands of Town fans forlornly (or angrily in my case) shaking their heads at half time wondering what was going on out there. As there appears to be unanimity that Town were utterly rubbish for 90% of the match, Oggy watched the same game so why doesn’t he say what he sees? Is he and Radio Leeds also part of the conspiracy you suspect, John?
Yes I like Oggy and he does understand the game but he is too inhibited to say too much either from his own way of doing the job or by instruction from above. Matt Glennon does say it closer to what it is (you know what I mean!!) but he seems to have to operate in the “don’t upset anyone” guidelines. It may be that Radio Leeds only get to do the broadcast if they don’t say anything derogatory against Town and maybe the journalists won’t get into the press conferences if they ask the wrong questions.
It is now quite ironic that the Cowleys were sacked so we could appoint Corberan to bring in attacking, flowing football. A year later this simply hasn’t worked. The football now is much worse than under the Cowleys who began in defence, made us more solid and won matches. Now the defence is like a sieve, midfield none existent and we don’t look like scoring.
Compare our signings in the January window under the Cowleys (probably they were the ones to chose them as Danny was “Manager”) to those since.The signings of Ward, Rhodes, Holmes etc. have been abysmal. Not only are many of our players not good enough, the coach does not look good enough. I have stopped listening to his interviews as I cannot understand a word he says. What chance do the players have of understanding him. Not only does he have to go, so do the ones who recommend the players we sign.
I can’t see us going anywhere but down under the present set up.
And look where Portsmouth are now with the Cowleys in charge. Also if you watch any of he “Access all areas” on You Tube when the Cowleys were in charge you could see how friendly to the fans and all the staff they were. Corberan marches in without a glance to anyone. Totally without personality or man management skills. You could forgive him if he was good at anything else but up to now all I see is rubbish.
First things first – goal difference is not keeping Town out of a play off place, its points.
Second – being in the Top 6 after 3 games is irrelevant.
Third – a win is a win, and you can’t blame Huddersfield if Koroma’s defence splitting pass was toe poked past his owner keep by a Preston player. I accept it was not a forgone conclusion that Holmes would have scored in any event. Over 90 minutes it could be argued that Town would have been unlucky to lose.
Fourth – the gameplan was dour, but the Cowley’s won many plaudits for giving us exactly the same level of entertainment.
Fifth – O’Brien has not reached the standard he set in his first season in the first team. He is woefully overrated and woefully inconsistent. If we can sell him for £5m+ then that would be a massive “ker-ching” moment.
Just seen Bacuna has left, I wish him well, probably the most talented of our midfielders although frustrating at times. It wasn’t his fault the players around him weren’t up to the job. (Managers included)