Player ratings - Rotherham (H)

[aolstudios]

After a bright start I thought we were flat last night & got away with it. Just.

Stockdale 6
Bruno 8 Did his job & our most creative player going forward by far - MoM
Greer 6.5
Uwe 6
Bong 6
Kayal 7
Stephens 6 Nicely taken goal but as Gazwag mentioned, several silly errors prior to that
Murphy 6.5
March 5
Hemed 6.5
Baldock 6.5 still lacking confidence in front of goal after last year but twice the player

Ince 5.5 Sloppy. Which is why he starts on the bench
Zamora 6

 

[fleet]

Greer was the better out of the 2 centre backs. Some people will slate him how ever he plays

GG was class last night. His reading of the game was outstanding and that meant he was always at the right place to head off any danger.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Stockdale 6 - didn't have a lot to do, conceded a goal and his kicking was astray, can't give a GK a high mark if he barely has a save to make...

Bong 7 - lively and most of our good stuff came from him and Murphy
Greer 6 - occasional poor passes and a bit of panic, but defended well enough
Uwe 6 - largely commanding, but a few errors crept in
Bruno 7 - played well, but couldn't impose himself going forward as March didn't really offer enough linking up

Murphy 7.5 - attacking, confident, quick, got dangerous balls in. pleasing performance.
Stephens 7 - grew into the game and imposed himself more as the game went on. good finish.
Kayal 6 - did well, but know there is a lot more from him, lacked a bit of sharpness
March 4 - didn't want the ball second half, he looked drained of confidence and didn't really try anything

Baldock 6 - running his heart out, his pace is worrying people, needs to work on holding it up when he needs to
Hemed 7 - getting better with every game. winning lots of headers, and getting in the box where it hurts

subs
Zamora 6 - getting better with each minute he is on the pitch. for his short spell I thought he held it and kept it well
Ince - 5 got on and blocked and tackled, but his lashed clearances when he had a bit of time lacked composure
Rosenier - too little time to comment.

 

[amexer]

Stockdale 7
Bruno 8 Defence again restricted opposition to no more then 2 chances which I would be happy with in any game
Greer 8
SFG 8
Bong 8
Kayal 6 Very good
Stephens 6 Very good
Murphy 5 Promising but lacking shots on target
Hemed 6 Because of positioning always looked like scoring
Baldock 5 Far Better then aimless running around by CMS but should be getting more shots on target
March 3 Final ball dreadfull, unable to use right foot and last night pulled out of tackles

Have marked midfield and forwards down by 1 because they have to take responsibility for us not killing game of earlier

 

[brightonrock]

Stockdale 6
Bruno 7.5
Greer 6.5
Uwe 6.5
Bong 6.5
Stephens 7.5
Kayal 7
March 5
Murphy 8
Hemed 7
Baldock 7

Ince 6
Zamora 6
Rosenior N/A

Worth noting, anyone who thinks Stockdale's booking was "daft" or "pointless" is either demonstrating textbook observation bias, or genuinely doesn't understand football. Knock him for his dodgy kicking last night (usually his strength) by all means. But that was a classic time wasting yellow which disrupted their tempo, and a pinpoint perfect kick into touch about a yard from the corner flag to box them into their own half. If I had to pick one player to take a tactical yellow it would always be my keeper - unlike an outfield player he's unlikely to pick up many yellows in a season as any foul he makes is probably last man and going to be a red anyway, so it's not like he's going to rack up 5 yellows. He did that to perfection and it is BAFFLING to me that people think he didn't do it deliberately. It's Sunday league stuff ffs.

 

[Pevenseagull]

I was 2 when he made his debut.

You didn't miss much

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

GG was class last night. His reading of the game was outstanding and that meant he was always at the right place to head off any danger.

Sorry but he wasn't, he got shakier as the game went on. Uwe saved him quite a few times, especially in the second half, his passing was woeful.

All of that said, he has started the season really well.

 

[Iamapen15]

Amazing how people see the same thing so differently!

I thought it was a good performance. Yes there were a few errors that on another day might have been more costly. That said, we certainly should have been out of sight an not looking to hang on in the bizarre amount of 'added on time'.

With affective partnerships building all over the pitch the future looks very promising.

Stockdale 6 - No outstanding saves tonight, but then again didn't need to. His distribution was solid. Not at fault for the goal. Yellow card for time wasting, but the whole team were guilty of that. I'm certainly not going to mark Hemed down for walking off slowly when substituted.

Bruno 8 - He's scored a volley like that before, a really difficult skill especially when under pressure from approaching defenders. Somebody else mentioned the word 'reborn' and I agree. Always looking to get forward and is amazingly talented.
Greer 6.5 - Played a real hospital ball to Hunemier last night. Looked comfortable in possession. Struggled in the air. Nothing outstanding from him, but there didn't need to be.
Hunemier 6.5 - He's good in the air, made some good challenges and put his body on the line with some blokes. However, a couple of times in each half he almost gave the ball away and was lucky to recover.
Bong 7.5 - You can see his class. Best left back since Bridge. Good going forward, although didn't look as affective tonight as when he plays with LuaLua.

Kayal 7.5 - He is the engine room of the team. Box to Box, winning challenges, keeping possession, making passes. He is the complete midfield. Had a good game - he's international class.
Stephens 8 - His partnership with Kayal has brought the best out in him. Looks so calm and collective when on the ball. Unfazed and a well taken goal. Ran Murphy close for my MoM
Murphy 8.1 - My MoM - the sponsors got it right for a change! Ran with the ball, looked to go inside and out. Rotherham ended up doubling up on him every time. Set up the first goal but with a better final ball and/or better finishing from our strikers and he could have set up 3 or 4. And to think, he could have stayed at Sheff Utd, who lost at home, again.
March 5.5 - I thought he'd start despite Rosenior playing well on Saturday. Had a poor game though. Looks like he's lack confidence. He had the ability to beat his man last night but didn't. His finishing was woeful. When Manu gets up to speed, perhaps a loan beckons?

Hemed 7 - Scored a great goal. Got himself in some real good positions and should have added to his goal. Particularly an effort in the second half where he took a touch instead of shooting first time. Not his best game but he keeps on scoring. If he could only play with a goalscorer we would be formidable!

Baldock. 6 - Ermm. Needs to offer more for me. If there was one place in the team where I could bring somebody in then it would be for him. He simply doesn't do it for me. Hemed is the 'target man' so Baldock needs to be the goalscorer. Didn't really notice him. Did he have a shot last night?

Subs
Bobby 6 - Looked isolated when up on his own. Held the ball up well. He just makes me smile seeing him in a Brighton shirt (he is my man crush)
Ince 6 - With the Stephens/Kayal partnership going so well chances are a premium. He's big, broke up play but sometimes looked awkward and/or like he's going to lose the ball.

 

[Acker79]

My enjoyment of the game was marred somewhat by people around me who were never satisfied with what we did, always wanting the opposite. If we were playing it on the left, they wanted it played on the right where there is an open man, if we were playing it on the right they wanted it played on the left where there is an open man, not understanding he is open because the ball is on the other side, and by the time we get the ball over to them, they won't be open. When we kept possession and played it back because there were no options up front, they wanted it to go forward, when they were booting it forward, there were complaints about not holding on to it. Very frustrating. Is it possible to change seats midseason?


I thought at times it felt like a training ground game, including the lack of killer instinct, which is why I am perhaps a little less generous with my marks. I think Greer, Stockdale and Huenemeier all had a notable mistake each, but otherwise were generally fine. I noticed Bong covering all over the back four, including being in the right back position a couple of times. I think it's better that people complain about Stockdale's time wasting and complain about opponents doing it, than complain about opponents doing it and laughing it up when we do it, but I'm not going to mark him down for it.

The 6 minutes of added time wasn't so remarkable. You get an average of 30 secs per substitution and per goal - if people take longer more time gets added on. That's 3.5 minutes right there. Then there was treatment for a clash of heads, Kayal had attention for a trip, Evans had a talking to. That all adds up, then some refs are stricter on time wasting and add those extra seconds with slow throw ins and goal kicks etc.

Stockdale - 7
Bruno - 7
Greer - 7
Huenemeier - 7
Bong - 7.5

March - 6
Stephens - 7.5
Kayal - 7.5
Murphy - 7.5

Baldock - 7
Hemed - 7

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Stockdale 7
Bruno 8
Greer 7
Hunemier 7
Bong 7
Kayal 7
Stephens 8
Murphy 7
March 6
Hemed 8
Baldock. 7

Ince 6
Zamora 7

 

[Sheebo]

Thought we saw the game out very well and can't see that they had any chances last half hour apart from the set piece they scored? Bit sloppy overall but dominated the game... Absolutely battered them tbh... Some of the passing moves were slick, direct & a pleasure to watch..

 

[dazzer6666]

Stockdale 6
Bruno 7.5
Greer 6.5
Uwe 6.5
Bong 6.5
Stephens 7.5
Kayal 7
March 5
Murphy 8
Hemed 7
Baldock 7

Ince 6
Zamora 6
Rosenior N/A

Worth noting, anyone who thinks Stockdale's booking was "daft" or "pointless" is either demonstrating textbook observation bias, or genuinely doesn't understand football. Knock him for his dodgy kicking last night (usually his strength) by all means. But that was a classic time wasting yellow which disrupted their tempo, and a pinpoint perfect kick into touch about a yard from the corner flag to box them into their own half. If I had to pick one player to take a tactical yellow it would always be my keeper - unlike an outfield player he's unlikely to pick up many yellows in a season as any foul he makes is probably last man and going to be a red anyway, so it's not like he's going to rack up 5 yellows. He did that to perfection and it is BAFFLING to me that people think he didn't do it deliberately. It's Sunday league stuff ffs.

Agree on the yellow, 100% deliberate. No chance he'll reach enough for a suspension so very 'professional'. I also think the subsequent punt to the corner flag was deliberate as well.

 

[goldstone]

Agree on the yellow, 100% deliberate. No chance he'll reach enough for a suspension so very 'professional'. I also think the subsequent punt to the corner flag was deliberate as well.

More like 100% stupid. If in every game where we're holding on to a one goal lead with minutes to go Stockdale picks up a yellow for time wasting, then he'll reach suspension quite quickly. He had absolutely no need to time waste to the extent he did. It was quite obviously going to be a card and he had no need to do it.

 

[bhawoddy]

Thought we saw the game out very well and can't see that they had any chances last half hour apart from the set piece they scored? Bit sloppy overall but dominated the game... Absolutely battered them tbh... Some of the passing moves were slick, direct & a pleasure to watch..

The last 10 minutes we panicked all over the park. Not sure how that constitutes seeing the game out well IMO.

 

[Withdean11]

Stockdale 6.3 - had nothing to do, but his poor kick led to their goal.
Bruno 7.7 - Showed his quality, again.
Greer 7.4 - Great captains performance. Proving doubters wrong.
Uwe 7.5 - Won everything in the air. He's better, and more relieble than Dunk IMO.
Bong 7.4 - Quality left back. Gets forward well.
Stephens 8.2 - MOM. Even if you ignore his goal.
Kayal 7.8 - Was everywhere tonight, should of scored early with the header though.
March 6.3 - Just not in the game. Few chances where he seemed to pass it to the keeper.
Murphy 7.8 - Fantastic player. Kaz will have to continue his form or Murphy will fill in.
Hemed 7.0 - Did not do that much, but good positioning and another goal.
Baldock 7.1 - Really playing with confidence, deserves a goal.

Ince 6.7
Zamora 6.8
Rosenior N/A

 

[Machiavelli]

Stockdale being moaned at for timewasting. Couldnt make it up. A booking which will Mean very little in a game where we just needed to see out a few minutes but out defence failed to keep hold of the ball and instead launched it straight back to Rotherham. Followed by a free kick which was put out by there corner flag.

Seriously WTF? Just get on with it and take it like Ankers did against Leeds a few years ago. Take the booking slow down play job done.

As for the ratings:

Stockdale 7
Bruno 8
Greer 7
BFG 8
Bong 7
March 5
Stephans 9 MoM
Kayal 8
Murphy 9
Hemed 8
Baldock 7

Ince 6
Zamora 6

Agree with your comments and more-or-less with your ratings, although I'd give March a 4, and Hemed a 7.

 

[worthingseagull]

March was very poor, doesn't look interested. Rosenior did more in his 8 minutes

 

[Acker79]

Average Ratings

Highest Rated:
Stephens 8.18 (97mins, 32 votes)

The Rest:
Murphy 8.06 (97mins, 32 votes)
Bruno 7.80 (97mins, 32 votes)
Kayal 7.60 (97mins, 32 votes)
<Hemed 7.28 (81mins, 32 votes)
Bong 7.22 (97mins, 32 votes)
Huenemeier 7.17 (97mins, 32 votes)
<Baldock 6.97 (70mins, 32 votes)
Greer 6.84 (97mins, 32 votes)
Stockdale 6.46 (97mins, 32 votes)
>Zamora 6.34 (27mins, 23 votes)
>Ince 6.05 (16mins, 23 votes)
>Rosenior 6.00 (7mins, 2 votes)
<March 5.06 (90mins, 32 votes)


Squad average: 6.93