Where do you start after a match like todays? Five goals are always good to see but not when four of them end up in Wayne Henderson's net. The omens were not good as it seemed to be often pointed out that we hadn't beaten Crewe since 1969 and early signs didn't look like that would change. The Albion started out again with four at the back (Reid, Santos, Lynch & Mayo), Chippy just in from of them, Hammond and Stokes in front of him, Cox and Revell out wide and Gary Hart as the target man! Crewe won an early corner and when it came over their guy headed it over with hardly a challenge being made to him. This was a familiar pattern that we would see more of later on. Both sides tried to pass the ball about, but the Albion had little penetration and seemed to suffer from the formation as often the ball was played amongst the back four or lost in the narrowness of the midfield three. Crewe were their usual neat and tidy selves and it seemed difficult to understand why they had not won all season. However, after 40 minutes, Chippy had a shot on goal from outside the box, it was heading wide but pleasingly ended up at Dean Cox's feet and he put it away with ease and the first decent noise erupted from the Albion faithful. However, a lead at this time wasn't really justified as it the best chances had fallen to Crewe, but the next five minutes were to prove decisive. They got a free kick just outside the box and when it went straight through to Henderson he could only parry it out to their left back who put it away with ease. Soon after, and just into injury time, one of them got behind Kerry who only succeeded in bringing him down in the box, resulting in a penalty and a harsh red card from Mr Singh. The spot kick was put away with no messing and all of a sudden things were looking very bleak. With us being 2-1 down at half time, the interval talk in the toilets was that Henderson should learn to catch the ball or put it round a post rather than just push it out to any onrushing opponent. Things were to get worse for Wayne soon after a good chance for the Albion early in the second half when the ball ended up hitting the post after a good shot by Revell rebounded off their keeper and a defender. The resulting long clearance by Crewe came to Henderson but his attempted clearance only cannoned off their onrushing forward and he ran free to put the ball into an empty net. Many of the crowd were calling for Henderson's head but he made a number of fine saves during the rest of the game and certainly saved us from a much heavier defeat. A number of substitutions came about with Robinson, Loft and El Abd coming on which resulted in much switching of formations. Gary Hart started as a striker, went back to right back and then ended up as a centre forward again before finishing out wide. This final change was due to Joel Lynch moving from Centre Back to Left midfield and then to Centre Forward as he was carrying an injury and all of the subs had been used. The crowd was incensed that Alex Revell was taken off as he'd tried hard but looked tired to me by the time he came off. Doug Loft looked lively while he was on but the passing game of Crewe proved decisive by the end against our tiring ten men and a fourth goal was put away with ease. Many people left after the fourth goal but made sure that they made their views clear to Mark McGhee as they passed the dug out. For sure, the Albion were very poor today and something needs to be done if this season is to have any promise.
Ratings:
Henderson - 5 - some excellent saves but at fault for two goals
Reid - 6 - would be better used in midfield
Santos - 5 - started well but seemd to lose concentration or desire
Lynch - 6 - started well but got injured later on
Mayo - 4 - typical Kerry game of the last few seasons
Carpenter - 5 - struggling with his game
Hammond - 4 - looks lost in this formation - subbed off
Stokes - 5 - ineffective and subbed off
Cox - 7 - kept buzzing about
Hart - 6 - always kept going
Revell - 6 - surprisingly subbed but was tired and fading
Robinson - 5 - one or two good runs
Loft - 6 - injected some energy
El Abd - 5 - didn't add anything to the team
Labels: Crewe, David Snowball, League One
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1 Comments:
It remains to be seen whether Wayne Henderson will reach any goalkeeping heights in the game.
He is still relatively young for that position and his inexperience and naivety are evident.
Unfortunately, when things go wrong for a goalkeeper, there's no hiding place, and with two bloopers in the 4-1 capitulation to Crewe, the Albion faithful are on his back big time.
The reality of his performance, though, was that he also made at least three stunning stops which prevented a complete rout.
Because of Henderson's Eire call-up, Kuipers will start against Bristol City, and I hope he gets the opportunity to do enough to keep his place for a decent run.
McGhee claimed in his post-match interview that he didn't think Crewe were three goals better than Albion, but the evidence suggested otherwise. The consolation of Mayo's dismissal, even if it did seem harsh, is that we'll have a different left-back playing at Ashton Gate - hopefully making that side of the defence look tighter. But there needs to be other changes too, because, as your author says, Hammond is totally at sea in the new formation. Might now be the time to bring back Alex Frutos on the left side and give the energetic Cox a go playing just in front of Chippy in a diamond midfield? And Doug Loft has done enough in two games coming on as a sub to start ahead of Hammond. I think Alex Revell probably needs to drop to the bench for a couple of games, and that may well happen anyway if we succeed by Thursday in bringing in the much-talked-about target man.
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