Lavery for Dembele bizarre

rememberlesshannon

rememberlesshannon

Well-known member
Don't get me wrong, he could have left Dembele in the dressing room at half time and I wouldn't have complained. Second half he was everything that Carey isn't, getting between the lines, turning men, threading through balls. He helps create a goal for Dougall and is immediately taken off !! We bring on a striker but take off the man who was creating things for us.
Utterly bizarre and pure Critch I'm afraid.
 
Yep 1st half he barely touched the ball as it was launched to his head. 2nd half he was good when we decided to play to his feet and it was odd that he was taken off as he set up a goal. He isn't a striker though, winger all day for me, either that or an old school number 10.
Don't get me started on Carey
 
Kouassi should have been on from the start. Instead Critchley changes him after last 2 games and puts the smallest player in the squad on against big Derby defenders. It won’t work with Rhodes and Dembele and it didn’t. Granted Dembele looks a great player but not right for this game. Plus subbing him for Lavery is just ridiculous.
 
We actually joked a few minutes before that he would do that because he watches different game than us🤷‍♂️
 
If he didn't think he could have got ninety minutes out of Kouassi, he should have at least started him. And then when he didn't why wait for 20 minutes when we are losing. Pathetic from Critch tonight with his substitutions. Carey was totally ineffective and should have been replaced as soon as went one down by Kouassi with Dembele dropping into the hole. Lavery being the first choice sub was a rank bad decision. The only thing in Critchs favour with regards to the subs is that none of them did much so maybe even Kouassi wouldn't have had any impact even if he had come on earlier.
 
20togo said:
At least he poses an aerial threat and when we play so many long balls it's best that he's on the pitch.
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It's a shitshow. You have Lavery and Ekpiteta who we all thought would be key players and kids/reserve players are getting a game ahead of them.
 
I have to say Kouassi in no way looked out of his depth in the two games before this one so I hope it was injury keeping him sidelined. Him alongside Rhodes was actually making me see some potential in the season! Nothing against Lavery, I like the lad, but Kouassi has so far looked a more threatening and complete forward.
 
A_Tense_Grin said:
Why? Kouassi is a young developing striker who is not good enough or ready yet and Connolly should never be starting at centre half.

Hope that helps.
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It’s utter shyte..

Connolly pretty much won everything that came into the box first half, but Pennington ought to be the replacement, not Ekpiteta, who is out because he’s not been up to it this season.

Kouassi has played a pivotal role in the recent wins. He may be young, but it’s been working.. No need to change that tonight.. You can incorporate Dembele without dropping him.


Lavery is competing for a place with Rhodes not Kouassi (or at least that’s how it should be)
 
A_Tense_Grin said:
Why? Kouassi is a young developing striker who is not good enough or ready yet and Connolly should never be starting at centre half.

Hope that helps.
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If you don’t get it after tonight you never will. We have been a different proposition with Kouassi, just ask Jordan Rhodes about that. The guy is a handful and we were back to hopeless again tonight without him.
 
rememberlesshannon said:
Don't get me wrong, he could have left Dembele in the dressing room at half time and I wouldn't have complained. Second half he was everything that Carey isn't, getting between the lines, turning men, threading through balls. He helps create a goal for Dougall and is immediately taken off !! We bring on a striker but take off the man who was creating things for us.
Utterly bizarre and pure Critch I'm afraid.
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Exactly how I saw but I do agree that it was probably never envisaged that he would play 90 mins. (Probably protecting his hamstrings).
But we shouldn't have taken him off when he was just starting to make things tick.
Carey is a weak link IMO, Connolly just simply had a bad game along with Dale.
That's 3 defeats now when we've had 65% possession. We just don't have the nous to break down a defensive set up.
500+ passes and more than 50% in our own half which gives a deceptively high past accuracy of nearly 80%.
Will do the stats tomorrow.
 
TimperleyTangerine said:
If you don’t get it after tonight you never will. We have been a different proposition with Kouassi, just ask Jordan Rhodes about that. The guy is a handful and we were back to hopeless again tonight without him.
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Wonder why Sutton never played him. The Derby defenders would have dealt with Kouassi all night. We have very limited options at the moment and we are clutching at straws saying this person would have made a difference over that person.
 
A_Tense_Grin said:
Wonder why Sutton never played him. The Derby defenders would have dealt with Kouassi all night. We have very limited options at the moment and we are clutching at straws saying this person would have made a difference over that person.
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No, we’re not clutching at straws. He has given us a different dimension and his positive impact can be seen in Dale, CJ and Rhodes.

However, we do have to have other options if he’s not fit, and likewise Rhodes. We don’t have the necessary depth in this preferred formation, as Lavery and Beesley are not going to impact. Things may be different when Joseph is fit.
 
A_Tense_Grin said:
Wonder why Sutton never played him. The Derby defenders would have dealt with Kouassi all night. We have very limited options at the moment and we are clutching at straws saying this person would have made a difference over that person.
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He made 42 appearances for Sutton Last Season you whopper!

He’s been effective in both our recent games and he’d have been a handful for Derby and at the very least given us options and a bit of muscle up front.
 
I think Dembele and CJ can create chances together.Little triangles,one two’s.Dembele can unlock that space ahead of CJ.I’m seeing glimpses of an intelligent football brain in Dembele and he weights a pass nicely.

If these two can get on the same wavelength they can do some damage.I think CJ needs to read openings better.If you had his pace you would just gamble at every single one even if you’re offside more often than not.
 
I Think Kouassi is tailor made to be Jordan,s minder ,taking up 1 of the centre halves. He,s a big unit and is still growing.
Tiny Dembele could be an ace penalty getter if he plays further up the field
I think he will progress. What I don't get is the Carey love-in
He,s useless ,the architect of Critch,s pass ball back sideways and very occasionally. He hides for most of every game I've seen him in. Always pointing and waving but totally inept. League 2 at best and yet he appears regularly .
Maybe I,m seeing it wrong 😕
 
zico_bamber said:
Played an excellent ball in for CJ too which has he read it would have been exquisite. I hope our coaches watch the match back because that was really poor judgement tonight. Why leave Carey on or indeed why start him. Weird
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Bang on; that ball when he dissected the two defenders was equisite.... If only CJ had a footballing brain to have read it and made the run. ☹️

Dembele was streets ahead of some of his team mates tonight in his thinking and movement. For a young lad he knows when to play the quick ball and move.
 
Insider said:
Exactly how I saw but I do agree that it was probably never envisaged that he would play 90 mins. (Probably protecting his hamstrings).
But we shouldn't have taken him off when he was just starting to make things tick.
Carey is a weak link IMO, Connolly just simply had a bad game along with Dale.
That's 3 defeats now when we've had 65% possession. We just don't have the nous to break down a defensive set up.
500+ passes and more than 50% in our own half which gives a deceptively high past accuracy of nearly 80%.
Will do the stats tomorrow.
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I liked this post but I really don't think Dale had a bad game. He constantly tried to make things happen, took a few risks and put himself about. He received zero support from Carey who spent the whole game hiding until that ball hit him on the head and failed to go in. If you wear number 10 you should have something about you. Carey just doesn't. It's unfathomable how he keeps getting chances.
 
My heart sunk when I saw Carey was in the starting lineup and my fears were confirmed. I posted about him last week and my opinion hasn’t changed.

More bizarre though is the decision to go from effectively 3-5-2 which worked well in the last two games to 3-4-3. Why?

We surrendered ground in midfield as a result and reduced the effectiveness of supply to the strikers.

Surely Weir should have played instead of Carey with Lavery up top with Rhodes not Dembele. I can only assume it was an attempt to incorporate Dembele but it unbalanced the rest of the team.
 
A_Tense_Grin said:
It's a shitshow. You have Lavery and Ekpiteta who we all thought would be key players and kids/reserve players are getting a game ahead of them.
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Lavery got injured (again) and Marv’s heads gone.

The last two games Kouassi started, we won. We miss that physical presence.

As soon as I saw Carey got the start, I was wary. He is not in the first 11 for me at the moment. His confidence has gone.
 
Ormergod said:
I think Dembele and CJ can create chances together.Little triangles,one two’s.Dembele can unlock that space ahead of CJ.I’m seeing glimpses of an intelligent football brain in Dembele and he weights a pass nicely.

If these two can get on the same wavelength they can do some damage.I think CJ needs to read openings better.If you had his pace you would just gamble at every single one even if you’re offside more often than not.
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Dembele offers the things that I'm guessing Carey is meant to possess. Carey had chances in the first half to play a simple but possibly telling pass and as per usual he fluffed it. Play Dembele behind a front two with Dougall and Norburn behind him and our forwards will get the clever passes that open up defences.
 
Wilburrabbit said:
My heart sunk when I saw Carey was in the starting lineup and my fears were confirmed. I posted about him last week and my opinion hasn’t changed.

More bizarre though is the decision to go from effectively 3-5-2 which worked well in the last two games to 3-4-3. Why?

We surrendered ground in midfield as a result and reduced the effectiveness of supply to the strikers.

Surely Weir should have played instead of Carey with Lavery up top with Rhodes not Dembele. I can only assume it was an attempt to incorporate Dembele but it unbalanced the rest of the team.
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Starting Carey was the problem not Dembele. Careys place should have gone to another forward. Hopefully lessons have been learned after last night's game. This should be the team for Charlton.
Grimshaw
Pennington Casey Husband
Lyons Norburn Dougall Hamilton
Dembele
Kouassi Rhodes

The added bonus with this lineup is it easily transforms into a 4 4 2 if needed without making a sub.
 
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BFC_BFC_BFC said:
He made 42 appearances for Sutton Last Season you whopper!

He’s been effective in both our recent games and he’d have been a handful for Derby and at the very least given us options and a bit of muscle up front.
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4 goals in League Two.

This is how shit we have become debating the inclusion of Kouassi and Dembele. Both aren't good enough yet.

You keep believing though.
 
This thread confirms my sanity. Felt my jaw drop when Dembelle got hooked.
Trying really hard to believe this season will come good under Critchley but starting to accept mid table obscurity with his constant needless tinkering. Bet he was tucked up last night studying his array of coaching manuals.
 
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Dembele has some good touches and vision but is too lightweight to play as a forward should be played in front of midfield to feed the attackers
 
65% possession means Jack Shit when you're in your own half and losing. Default pass for us is backwards, frustrating to watch at times.
 
Tangman74 said:
Dembele assists the goal and is probably the better player out there and gets taken off just as we were building up some momentum
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Dembele should have been pulled at half time. Minimal effort, ruined the press, pulled out of any tussle for the ball, albeit with a couple of neat touches.
 
BlackpoolJord said:
Possibly the most bizarre substitute I have ever seen

He was running the show second half and was linking up play between midfield and attack really well. After he went off there was a huge gap between midfield and strikers and we had to result to long balls. Should have been Lavery for Carey with Dembele dropping to Careys spot getting forward.
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'... bizarre substitution ...'
 
Switched it off on the hour mark couldn’t stand any more but thought dembele was really poor up until that point he’s too small and feeble. Kouassi didn’t impress against Barnsley I can understand why he got dropped it just goes to show what a poor squad we’ve got Neil will probably walk at the first opportunity he’s on a hiding to nothing
 
WIZARD OF TANGERINE said:
Sorry ,but CJ played well all game except when he nearly falls over the ball , and I believe he was most creative.
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So, if we can just help him with addressing this recurring problem he has of falling 'over the ball', there is time yet for him to become, albeit somewhat belatedly, the finished article as an attacking wing-back!

I simply can't wait for that moment to arrive. Do keep me posted, Wiz. The sense of anticipation is killin' me!
 
rememberlesshannon said:
And yet we waited until he was influencing the game before we pulled him, truely bizarre.
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Again, I think some of you are going a bit OTT with regard to Dembele.. He had a few decent touches (one of which was a great pass to nobody, when all said and done). I think the choice of replacement (i.e. Lavery) was ore of an issue than the fact that we brought Dembele off TBH.
 
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