Originally Posted by
FormerlyJohnnyBreadhead
Good write-up as usual Bob.
I did think Dean Smith had been at the crack pipe when he said that was a mishit pass. Bit of luck with the slight deflection, yes, but if that was deemed a pass Smith must really like his players to fizz it in.
Even against a good Norwich defence, Watters really disappointed me yesterday. I want him to do well because it seems as though he does have some useful attributes, but he just seems so much like a passenger. Reactive, rather than proactive. There was one instance where Collins got to the byline and pulled a great ball back to the penalty spot; there was yards of space there and exactly where any striker worth his salt would have made a run to. Watters didn't even make a run at all.
He seems far too nice, as well. He needs to be a lot more physical and be more of a pest. Size isn't an excuse; Isaak Davies is a good example of a small player who puts himself about and battles, which is an absolute minimum for a striker in this league.
I think everyone agrees that we need 2 strikers in, but until that happens I'd go with Harris over Watters. Again, his impact is limited, but he offers far more than Watters for me.
One other thing that I would say needs to improve is 1 (or 2) of the central midfielders getting into the box more (which, to be fair, is something Morison apparently raised at HT). We've got 2 wingers and 2 full backs who are more than willing to get beyond and whip crosses in, but it's pointless if the only target in the box is a static Watters.
I'll temper all that though by saying that it's still very early days and there's a hell of a lot to like about this new approach. I think we also have to consider the quality of opposition. Yes, we didn't create much, but neither did they. And when you consider the attacking threats in their team, that's encouraging, as a solid defensive shape is always a good platform to build on. Also, consider that we've still got Colwill and Davies to return, Philogene seems to be highly rated, and those 2 strikers are supposedly coming in. I'm definitely happy.