While we could / should have signed Bradley and/or Reach, can we remember that we had a completely different background team in place. These players were signed with Dodds vision and style in mind, not Duff’s. We removed all the leadership from the dressing room and we were screaming out for experience. As for Jan, we did what we needed to do, lower the squad number and wage budget while filling gaps that we needed.
Lets just start looking at rebuilding for next season, lets start the shopping list now and stop doing our business on the last day
Duff has to be involved in the player signing conversation in the summer, even if Rice has the final say when it comes to the financials he has to listen to Duff as to what’s needed on the pitch to achieve the OGs ambitions for the club.
Thought we played well first half, but fell apart second half. Was worried at half time we hadn’t made the most of performance and even more so as soon as Boyd-Munce didn’t reappear as thought he had a great 45 minutes.
Maybe not next week at Huddersfield, but really hope we get to see some of the youngsters in the last few games.
Challenging summer ahead, think we have a lot of really talented individuals but balance of the squad hasn’t been right all season for me and don’t think that will be an easy fix without lots of changes. Not sure that would be ideal either after the numbers we’ve had coming in and out over last 3 windows,
For me, the first goal aside, I thought there was actually quite a bit of huff and puffing going on and our front three not causing them too much problems.
Our front three seemed isolated from each other and the rest of the team (maybe Harvie and Vidi not so much) but other than isolating our front three, Bradford didn’t actually do anything to worry me.
“We then shot ourselves in the face again” could be the name of the post season DVD as it sums up so many games, this one included.
Anyone criticising Duff is either on a wind up or hasn’t a clue.
When dodds was sacked post Peterborough we were in the relegation zone (deservedly) and looked absolutely clueless with a bonkers approach to League 1 football.
Duff came in, simplified things, really got us motoring at home, but he was clearly hampered. A complete lack of a number 9, a dreadful keeper with no interest in playing for us, then a swathe of injuries at the worst time as we started to challenge the top 6.
If he is allowed to sign his own targets this summer (and we should have the budget for this), I very much look forward to next season. Would very much like more physicality across the pitch particularly through the spine of the team and I think Duff knows that.
That scene when Woodrow lays of a cross with his head for Lowe. All Lowe has to do is take a step towards the ball and he can smash it in from 4 yards out but he just waits for the ball to get to him and the defender is jumping in front of him and clears.
Looks like Duff is taking all the confidence from all the strikers.
Kept thinking during Friday’s game that Stockport looked like a side where the manager has chosen the players he wants and we looked like a side where the manager is having to work with players he had no say in. Dunno how true that is, but Stockport’s side was balanced, creative, pacy, experienced, and most of all willing to put in some effort.
CBM made a huge difference today, as did Vidigal. Everyone else was on the beach.
Duff has done a pretty good job , taking over from the tactical mess that Dodds had left. The only criticism of him was why he kept the floundering Leahy in the team for so long, when CBM was impressing every time he played. I suspect the number of appearences Leahy has made this season has triggered his contact extension, in the same way it did with Macleary, and like GMAC dont expect him to be here next season.
Totally second this point as well. We are so depleted and it shows. Everything really has just come at the wrong time unfortunately. It feels weird knowing we could still qualify for the playoffs yet it would seem that we are still so far off. Let’s just focus on performing at our best in these last 4 games and we will go from there.