Crewe today.

[lizard]

Firstly i'd like to say this is my own opinion of todays match. If you disagree i don't care, please excuse the spelling i've been driving all day and i'm knackered!

Secondly, i'd like to congratulate M.A. for his winning start. (And the team!)

The team appeared to look a lot sharper than i remember last season. Fewer stray passes and a little more composure on the ball. I thought the back pair of Elphick and Hawkins worked pretty well and seemed comanding in the air, after a few more matches i can see them being the established pair at the back.
Whing seemed a little behind the pace in the early stages of the game but improved later on, overlapping well with McLeod.
Richards for me had a good game, Zola looked offside when he scored from where i was and it would have been harsh for it to cost us 2 points.

I wasn't too sure about us re-signing Virgo at the time but today i think he was class in midfield, he supported the defence well, sprayed the ball out wide, most of the time well and was unlucky not to score a second when he hit the base of the post early on in the second half. He was my man of the match. Who needs Hammond!
Thomson got forward well and generally had a decent game, possibly a bit quiet.
Cox was for the most really good. Put some killer crosses in and didn't seem to mess about and lose the ball like he did a lot of the time last season.
McLeod for me seemed sharp and skillful, but at times seemed a little slow in getting forward. He will get better under Adams.
Forster was a real handful, went close on a few occasions during the match and took the winner well, ran his arse off for the full 90 mins and comanded the field well, a worthy captain.
Murray looked lively and had some good touches and runs but didn't look his best today.
Oh yeah, Kuipers. Didn't really have a hell of a lot to do. Caught a couple of crosses, punched one and stopped a couple of shots that were straight at him. Shame he didn't win the one on one he was presented with but not really his fault.

Kuipers 7
Whing 7
Elphick 7
Hawkins 8
Richards 7
Cox 8
Thomson 7
Virgo 9
McLeod 7
Murray 7
Forster 9

I might have been a bit generous on the scoring but you get the idea.

We were pretty good today, looked a lot more creative and held shape better as a team. We should have been 3 or so up when they scored as we had dominated 80% of the match.

We've got to bare in mind though that this was at Crewe. It'll be interesting to see how we fair against more formiddable opposition, Leeds, Leicester, Southend etc. But what i saw today makes me optimistic for the coming season.

Many thanks for reading, i hope this helps those that weren't there and those that were please feel free to comment/critisize!

 

[Da Man Clay]

All a game of opinions, I thought Forster was ok in the first half and woeful in the second. Well until the goal at least which was quality. Would have had Hawkins as my MOM and though Virgo was a bit lost for large periods in CM today.

Still a bloody good result and would agree with the rest of your ratings, maybe put McLeod up to 8 as well.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Kuipers - 6
Whing - 8
Elphick - 7
Hawkins - 7
Richards - 7
Cox - 7
McLeod - 8
Thomson - 6
Virgo - 6
Forster - 7
Murray - 7

 

[Zesh Rehman]

Mike - 7
Whinge - 7
TommyE - 7
COLIN - 10
MattR - 6
D C Ox - 7
Big Kev MC Loud - 7
Stephen Tommo Son - 6
AV - 6
Nicholas - 8
Glen - 6

 

[severnside gull]

I'd say Virgo was the only weak link in that team today. . He was good in our box (probably because that's where he should be playing), and good in their box (hence the goal), but I'm far from convinced he's up to much in the middle.

Hmm.

Now let me be clear on this.......able to control the space in front of the back four
.......scores a good goal and hits the post

"not up to much in midfield"?

Well I for one will settle for his limitations and am prepared to bet he scores more goals than Cox or McLeod this season

 

[RM-Taylor]

Kuipers - no rating as he didn't have f*** all to do

Whing - 8
Elphick - 7
Hawkins - 8
Richards - 6

Cox - 7
Thomson - 7
Virgo - 7
McLeod - 8

Forster - 8
Murray - 6

 

[Easy 10]

I thought Virgo did pretty well. He worked his bollocks off, closed people down, tackled well, didn't try anything flash and as a result he rarely conceded possession. And what he did, on the whole he did bloody well (including a sublime, perceptive, perfectly weighted pass in the 2nd half to pick out an intelligent run inside from the wing from Cox).

One of my eyebrows began climbing my forehead when I heard Adams was putting Virgo in central midfield, but after today - I can certainly see why. He has a real presence there.

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

despite not seeing the game, i am hereby proclaiming the adam virgo is infact the lower league fabrice muamba

 

[Turkey]

My dad had Virgo as his man of the match (I went with Hawkins) and I don't think he was a weak link at all. He was very useful when Crewe lumped it forward as he could help the defence out challenging in the air. He looked good going forward (goal and the shot pushed wide) and he made some good challenges defending. What really suprised me was his range of passing. Massivly improved since he left in that respect I think. Sprayed some perfect balls across the park, noticibly out wide to Coxy.

 

[saltash seagull]

I thought Virgo did pretty well. He worked his bollocks off, closed people down, tackled well, didn't try anything flash and as a result he rarely conceded possession. And what he did, on the whole he did bloody well (including a sublime, perceptive, perfectly weighted pass in the 2nd half to pick out an intelligent run inside from the wing from Cox).

One of my eyebrows began climbing my forehead when I heard Adams was putting Virgo in central midfield, but after today - I can certainly see why. He has a real presence there.

thats is how i saw it.can see why he got the nod over both el abd and livermore with his presence.

 

[Mackenzie]

Firstly i'd like to say this is my own opinion of todays match. If you disagree i don't care, please excuse the spelling i've been driving all day and i'm knackered!

Secondly, i'd like to congratulate M.A. for his winning start. (And the team!)

The team appeared to look a lot sharper than i remember last season. Fewer stray passes and a little more composure on the ball. I thought the back pair of Elphick and Hawkins worked pretty well and seemed comanding in the air, after a few more matches i can see them being the established pair at the back.
Whing seemed a little behind the pace in the early stages of the game but improved later on, overlapping well with McLeod.
Richards for me had a good game, Zola looked offside when he scored from where i was and it would have been harsh for it to cost us 2 points.

I wasn't too sure about us re-signing Virgo at the time but today i think he was class in midfield, he supported the defence well, sprayed the ball out wide, most of the time well and was unlucky not to score a second when he hit the base of the post early on in the second half. He was my man of the match. Who needs Hammond!
Thomson got forward well and generally had a decent game, possibly a bit quiet.
Cox was for the most really good. Put some killer crosses in and didn't seem to mess about and lose the ball like he did a lot of the time last season.
McLeod for me seemed sharp and skillful, but at times seemed a little slow in getting forward. He will get better under Adams.
Forster was a real handful, went close on a few occasions during the match and took the winner well, ran his arse off for the full 90 mins and comanded the field well, a worthy captain.
Murray looked lively and had some good touches and runs but didn't look his best today.
Oh yeah, Kuipers. Didn't really have a hell of a lot to do. Caught a couple of crosses, punched one and stopped a couple of shots that were straight at him. Shame he didn't win the one on one he was presented with but not really his fault.

Kuipers 7
Whing 7
Elphick 7
Hawkins 8
Richards 7
Cox 8
Thomson 7
Virgo 9
McLeod 7
Murray 7
Forster 9

I might have been a bit generous on the scoring but you get the idea.

We were pretty good today, looked a lot more creative and held shape better as a team. We should have been 3 or so up when they scored as we had dominated 80% of the match.

We've got to bare in mind though that this was at Crewe. It'll be interesting to see how we fair against more formiddable opposition, Leeds, Leicester, Southend etc. But what i saw today makes me optimistic for the coming season.

Many thanks for reading, i hope this helps those that weren't there and those that were please feel free to comment/critisize!

I concur.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

I would say Cox was the weakest of our four midfielders. It was obviously a tactic to hit the ball into the box early but I would prefer him to take his man on more often. Personally my ratings would be:

Kuipers 7 - Impossible to give more as he had little to do. The goal was in no way his fault and he made a smart clearance from a short Whing backpass.

Whing 7 - Looked troubled by Grant in the first half but much better in the second. Great run and shot which almost got a goal.

Richards 7 - Solid. Did not look in any trouble. Hope we sign him permanently.

Elphick 7 - Good game. Solid at the back.

Hawkins 8 - Very good. Kept Zola quiet and also unlucky not to score when hitting the post. However, Zola did score at the end and miss a free header early on.

Cox 6 - As I said the quietest of our midfielders. Frustrating game but I am sure he will improve. Adams should tell him to take on the full back sometimes.

McLeod 8 - Decent game improved by a fantastic 20 minutes on the right. Great cross for Virg's goal and another great cross in the second half which almost led to a another goal. Looks a great signing.

Virgo 8 - Considering I would never think of him as a midfielder I thought he did really well. Good on the ball and took his goal well.

Thomson 8 - A very good game. He is getting much better every time he plays for us. We ran the midfield today I thought which rarely happened last season with any of the combinations used.

Forster 8 - He never stopped running and was rewarded in the end. Two great runs in the first half almost led to goals. Even at 90 minutes he completely outpaced the centre half for his goal.

Murray 7 - Unlucky to hit the bar and good flick on for Forster's goal. He worked hard but sometimes needs to do simple things rather than clever touches around the area. I think he will get a lot of goals this season.