I think defence is the biggest problem.

[DTS]

I know we don't score enough but I think if PB can sort the defence out we have a chance.

I am sorry but the defenders we have at the moment are not good enough with the exception of Coker. Virtually all the goals we have conceded are due to woeful defending. PB does not seem to know his best defence which culminated today in playing a right back at centre back.

Thompson is young and ok as back up but I am not a fan currently. Bolger I haven't seen have a good game for us, Prosser is a woeful distributor of the ball and panics every time he has the ball. I saw Mads at AFC Wimbledon in the LDV and he looked atrocious.

The reason we made the play off last year was largely down to the Egan and Sokilik partnership. I think Bob Shaw needs to get out quick and get us two dominant centre backs. Last year he found three (Kiernan also) and he needs to do the same. Most sides can play badly and score once as we proved today and if you can keep a clean sheet you gave yourself a chance.

The last two home goals have both come from poor marking and awful defending. For my mind if you sort the defence out you can build a decent side from there. Bentley is fine and Coker more than adequate but for my mind the jury is totally out on the rest and that includes fans favourite John White.

 

[chapperzUK]

Agreed. Prosser is very good in the air and with a better partner (like Kiernan) could play a part in our defence.

I like Thompson, but he seems to have a mistake hidden in him waiting to burst out.

I think White is a good RB, better than Leonard has been doing there IMO.

Get in a CB on loan like Kiernan last season and the lack of scoring won't affect us as badly as it looks like we will concede in every game.

 

[mgh]

having paid money for Bolger and also paying Mads there is no way we need another CB in on loan. What we need is more goals from somewhere, and maybe a little bit of luck too.

 

[dannypav]

Everyone ( me included ) has been banging on about the woeful strike force but think this thread has a lot of truth to it.
Today , why play a FB at CB when we had two others on the bench ?
I actually also agree that Prosser plays better with a dominant partner.
Today he seemed to be trying to cover both White and the Williams who had an awful game today.
Usually new players take their time and grow on me , but Williams seems to be getting worse.
In the first half he was beaten far too easily on 3 occasions and his positional sense is appalling.
Prosser took a booking in the second half as Williams went walkabout.
Think Mr B has problems still both ends.

 

[wiggy]

Errr....why defend for half an hour when you are in front.....Brown out!

 

[KiwiRob]

One thing that really strikes me is that Conor Clifford - who has performed well this season in mid-field has been quietly frozen out by the management team - and the impact on the team has not been impressive. It is ridiculous he was not even in the squad for the game against Bury.

 

[OldBlueLady]

One thing that really strikes me is that Conor Clifford - who has performed well this season in mid-field has been quietly frozen out by the management team - and the impact on the team has not been impressive. It is ridiculous he was not even in the squad for the game against Bury.

No, and that worries me, I've not seen any explanation....Conor won the Player of the Month that first month and was praised by Brown for improving his game yet, we've seen little of him since.

 

[amsemp]

No, and that worries me, I've not seen any explanation....Conor won the Player of the Month that first month and was praised by Brown for improving his game yet, we've seen little of him since.

Really wouldn't surprise me if he's had a spat with Conor and left him out to make a point that he's the boss. Brown strikes me as the sort of bloke that would cut off his nose to spite his face. There's really no logical explanation for his absence. Today's game was absolutely crying out for some drive in midfield and I can't help but feel Conor would have bossed it.

Starting to get really concerned that he's lost the dressing room and usually there's no coming back from that.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Clifford is more likely injured tho.

 

[sufclee]

Sure I saw a tweet from Chris Phillips saying that he wasn't injured just left out.

 

[Mark2907]

Sokolik and Egan did well as they had an extended run of games together and so built an understanding and relationship. I can see something similar developing with Prosser and Thompson but then Brown puts White at CB. The problem is not our defence. Look at the stats - our goals conceded is top 5 form, our goals scored is bottom 5 form. Simples.

 

[Roxy]

One thing that really strikes me is that Conor Clifford - who has performed well this season in mid-field has been quietly frozen out by the management team - and the impact on the team has not been impressive. It is ridiculous he was not even in the squad for the game against Bury.

Totally agree, Conor & Payne notably our top performers early season - PB bigs them up when interviewed, then drops them in a blink - makes no sense to me. Agree with DTS our defence (excluding Dan B - thankfully) and rest of the team at the moment seem nervous and are very much playing within themselves at risk of making a mistake.

 

[buffalowolf]

I cannot for the life of me understand how Connor Clifford is not in the team let alone not on the bench,Seriously PB is starting to worry me as a manager,i really thought when RM signed him as manager ,he would be good and bring a lot of experience etc to the club, But after last season allowing SUFC to play some attractive football ,seems now he gone the opposite way,He really needs to go before the season is lost to SUFC and its relegation we are fighting off instead of promotion.

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

I have to agree with the CBs. I actually thought White had a better game than I have seen Thompson and Bolger play in recent weeks. That Willaims fella is shocking IMO.

 

[geoffmundo]

Hopefully Coker will be back soon.

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

One thing that really strikes me is that Conor Clifford - who has performed well this season in mid-field has been quietly frozen out by the management team - and the impact on the team has not been impressive. It is ridiculous he was not even in the squad for the game against Bury.

He was off the boil when he was dropped but then im sure Timlin will be able to have 15 odd bad games in a row without losing his place.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Whilst Clifford improved dramatically from last season people are mistaking him improving with him being any good.

We're still defensively more secure without him in the team and we move the ball around better without him in the team.

 

[flapjack]

Just been reading some of the tripe Brown has told the echo on the reasons for a change in defence.......he wouldn't play Thompson in case he got a 5th Yellow card, FFS Brown you tit get him booked on Saturday and then banned for the FA Cup which leaves him free for the league, also he has Bolger (not the most popular on here I admit) but still a centre half, so there was no real exscuse to play a RB at CH and a very good attacking midfielder at RB.........the plot is being lost along the way......he keeps changing the strikers around and not content with that he starts fooling around with the defence as well.

 

[Sandbach Shrimper]

You need stability and understandings in defence. Look at Man U who must have used 8/9 different defensive combinations this season and compare with Chelsea, who I think until Sunday had played the same back four in every league match. We were doing well with Prosser and Thompson at the back, who seem to have a good relationship off the field too which helps, but injuries have disrupted that.