yankfan

Id guess we line up: Kamenski Carter Ayala Hyam Pickering Travis Morton Hedges Markanday Diaz Dack Don't particularly like Dack as a false 9 and would rather see BBD through the middle but options are limited.

Understand his contract is up at the end of the season. If that’s the case and he hasn’t signed a long term deal, could be a trail then a free if he works out. Edit- just seen Sharpes post on his new deal. Loan with option

Also the Ref was shite

Should have had a penalty and the ref twice stopped play when we were in on goal.

Deserved a point, but played so poorly in the first half can’t really complain about the result. Kamenski should have done better on their goal, but to be fair Stoke should have had 2 or 3 in the first half. Wharton looks a real player, Dack still has something left. Hedges finding good spaces. So some positives. need a left back and a right back. JRC isn’t cover and Buckley might be behind Wharton on todays performance

We deserve at least a point with our play this half.

Hedges playing great. Wharton looks at home in the middle

much worse. Minus 2 players in the first division in BBD and Rothwell and 2 players to championship sides and depth with championship experience. Added 2 players from league 2 + one from championship and kids with no championship experience to fill the squad

As long as we dont have matched behind closes doors due to a global pandemic, we shouldn't have the need again.

Not sure what to make of this Celta Vigo link for BBD, but surely having multiple teams submit bids is only going to increase the sales price. We all knew he was likely to be sold this summer and it's in the best interest to get the business done now as opposed to deadline day.

Ayala is worth as much as this lots sans BBD

Or want to get it over the line before Leeds and others push the price higher

Waggot has a plan…Vale

Yes and Ash has been solid enough. But it certainly helps if the defender can win the ball and find a teammate instead of play it out to touch and give possession away

Agree. I’m by no means writing the kid off. Very bright future but he’s currently not up to the standard in sone areas of his game. It will come.

He’s been great for a 17 year old but he has yet to develop an ability to play the ball forward. It’s all very safe…good enough as you don’t want to give it away but far from the finished product or the technical ability Wharton possesses. The play in the middle is decisively restricted with him and Ayala vs Ayala and Wharton.

Wharton out has been a massive blow. Ash has done fantastic for a 17 year old, but his limitations are obvious. JDT had clearly asked Buckley and Trav to provide cover. Also neither Ash or Ayala look to play the ball forward and into feet. Both go sideways, backwards or root 1. As poorly as we’ve played the last two league games a part of it is directly related to missing Wharton’s distribution from the back.

Buckley and Travis have both been poor in the last two matches. I wonder if part of the reason is Ash. Certainly it would be wise to sit deeper to help provide cover, but also he is not yet ready or willing to play the ball forward. Everything is safe, sideways and backwards. Not unexpected since he’s 17, but a fact that his game defensively is much more advanced that his technical ability. In fact today there was a foul, he jogged over to the ball, tried to play it to Kamenski and missed him by about 10 yards. It’s difficult to get involved when the back line can’t or won’t even attempt to play the ball into you.

Certainly grinder out at WBA and Swans. The issue with depth is highlighted by the fact we had 2 senior center halves to start the season 1 and his replacement is out injured. So we’re relying on a 17 year old amatory on a scholarship to play the last 4 matches. We have no senior reserve player at right back. Our left back is best suited to be a reserve. Playing our false 9 from last year as an 8. Hopefully the youth players will grow but this yea the current squad is like far from a championship quality side.

We’re only about 7 players deep.

Or at sone point decide playing without a center forward isn’t working. Change the formation. Put Gally central, Markanday and Diaz wide, Dack in behind. The last two matches proved we had no ability to get forward against a quality side in the current set up.

FFS. If we had 15 on we would have continued to be run ragged. Finishing with 10 wouldn’t have changed a thing.

We could have usain bolt speed up top and it wouldn’t have mattered. If no one can connect a pass or move into space it doesn’t matter. Szmodics so far has sone nothing to retain his place. Surely Dack should be given an opportunity. It’s the only position on the pitch we have alternatives to try

What’s more worrying is that Dack is either seen as, or not as good as, Szmodics. It’s hard to believe he’s behind such a poor player

I’d guess there’s 75 or more frees that would be a massive improvement over all but a handful of our current squad.