The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

diamondgeezer1 wrote:

SwildAFCRD wrote:No complaints about that, we were dreadful. If I had 50 guesses at what Wilkinson was doing for the second I probably still wouldn't get close.

What worries me the most from today is how tactically inept we were. It didn't take a genius in the second half to work out that the wind was blowing ridiculously from right to left (from the DeBanke). Royston used that really well, yet we were insistent on playing it down the right and quite often the ball went straight out for a throw-in. Had we attacked down the left more second half, like when Shanks put a great ball in across the six yard box, we might have been a bit more fruitful.

May be a controversial opinion, but of the games I've seen I haven't been convinced by Wilkinson, to be honest. He's done nothing to show me he deserves his place in the team.

I think most of this forum would agree with that!

Rushdenjim wrote:

diamondgeezer1 wrote:

SwildAFCRD wrote:No complaints about that, we were dreadful. If I had 50 guesses at what Wilkinson was doing for the second I probably still wouldn't get close.

What worries me the most from today is how tactically inept we were. It didn't take a genius in the second half to work out that the wind was blowing ridiculously from right to left (from the DeBanke). Royston used that really well, yet we were insistent on playing it down the right and quite often the ball went straight out for a throw-in. Had we attacked down the left more second half, like when Shanks put a great ball in across the six yard box, we might have been a bit more fruitful.

May be a controversial opinion, but of the games I've seen I haven't been convinced by Wilkinson, to be honest. He's done nothing to show me he deserves his place in the team.

I think most of this forum would agree with that!

The problem for me is that whilst Wilkinson has been a clear weak point since day one (don't like to name names but seems pointless not to in this case), he's generally had quality around him lesten the impact. Yesterday that quality was missing from the side. To be fair to him his overall game has improved in the last couple of months as previously all he had in his locker was an aimless long ball. He is more inclined to pass the ball these days. I doubt he'd be in Peaksy's first choice XI but with the injuries and suspensions we've been racking up we're never able to get anything like that first choice XI on the pitch, hence Wilkinson starting week in week out.

Re: Merrill, I'm pretty sure there's more to it than just recalling him, otherwise he'd have been first choice RB from the start!

TheIncognitoKid wrote: Doe's make you think if Peaksy considers recalling Joe Merrill at any time

I think if that happened it would please alot of our fans.

It was Merrill's decision to leave, as he wants to play in midfield rather than at right back, even if that means in the UCL Prem in front of 30 fans earning half as much as he probably would do with us. Poor lad never was the brightest.

I've been worrying all season what might happen the first time Wilkinson came up against a half decent left winger, and boy did we find out yesterday. It wasn't just him though, I thought the entire back four were poor yesterday.

Rushdenjim wrote:

diamondgeezer1 wrote:

SwildAFCRD wrote:No complaints about that, we were dreadful. If I had 50 guesses at what Wilkinson was doing for the second I probably still wouldn't get close.

What worries me the most from today is how tactically inept we were. It didn't take a genius in the second half to work out that the wind was blowing ridiculously from right to left (from the DeBanke). Royston used that really well, yet we were insistent on playing it down the right and quite often the ball went straight out for a throw-in. Had we attacked down the left more second half, like when Shanks put a great ball in across the six yard box, we might have been a bit more fruitful.

May be a controversial opinion, but of the games I've seen I haven't been convinced by Wilkinson, to be honest. He's done nothing to show me he deserves his place in the team.

I think most of this forum would agree with that!

That's a relief! Thought I was the only one with that opinion! Must have been living under a rock!

davealbon wrote:It was Merrill's decision to leave, as he wants to play in midfield rather than at right back, even if that means in the UCL Prem in front of 30 fans earning half as much as he probably would do with us. Poor lad never was the brightest.

I've been worrying all season what might happen the first time Wilkinson came up against a half decent left winger, and boy did we find out yesterday. It wasn't just him though, I thought the entire back four were poor yesterday.

Yes the trouble is Joe thinks he's a midfielder, but as such he's only average even in the UCL. If he accepts that he's actually much, much better as a right back I'm sure he'd be welcomed back.

Tbh, I thought their number 11 had a man of the match performance in the second half, combined with a poor performance from the team as a whole. Without Scott Joseph, we're missing that bit of pace and predatory instinct in front of goal, which at the moment is probably a bigger concern.

Mad Dog wrote:Tbh, I thought their number 11 had a man of the match performance in the second half, combined with a poor performance from the team as a whole. Without Scott Joseph, we're missing that bit of pace and predatory instinct in front of goal, which at the moment is probably a bigger concern.

I hope you are not expecting Scott to re appear soon. I am pretty sure we have seen the last of him.
Where is da Costa?

I was not at match yesterday but I believe Dolman would have pulled the back four into place.

Two games lost in the first 17 is still very much promotion form ...all teams have a blip especially us in December, its almost as inevitable as Christmas falling on Dec 25th.

I think Leslie is just a panic buy because we've lost Quigley, same reason we brought in Lawless and Kilbride in the summer.

ParcelFace wrote:I think Leslie is just a panic buy ........

Jeez, I hope we didn't pay any money for him.