Individual Player Ratings and Report Posh vs AFC Wimbledon

Christy Pym

Game in numbers:

1 Error leading to goal

1 Save

1 Catch from cross

3 Clearances

41% Pass success rate

Saturday was probably Pym’s worst performance of the season and definitely his least convincing display since opening day against Fleetwood. His howler cannot be excused even if the ball did bounce and he may have been distracted by Beevers stretching a leg to block. That goal at the start of the second half changed the flow of the game and made the game far trickier than it overwise should have been. His highlight was probably one excellent claim from a dangerous whipped cross under his bar in the second half. His kicking over short and long distances was good in the first half, but he clearly struggled when kicking into the wind second half posting his third worst pass accuracy of the season and sending too many kicks direct into touch.

Rating: 4.5/10

Niall Mason

Game in numbers:

6 Tackles

4 Clearances

1 Dribbled past

2 Key passes

Easily Posh’s best defender as he put in his joint best display in a Posh shirt thus far (level with game against Rochdale). Has been suspect in previous matches defending 1v1 but much improved body position and success rate in this game is reflected in his season high 6 tackles and only being beaten once. His much improved defensive performance was vital as Wimbledon targeted their attacks down the Posh right. His game defining moment came when he saved Posh with a crucial tackle against Appiah with the game poised at 2-1 just before Posh broke away to score the third. Good attacking output as his side had most success attacking down their right and got forward especially well in the first half.

Rating: 8/10

Frankie Kent

Game in numbers:

4 Tackles 

3/5 Aerial duels won

87% Pass success rate

1 Clearance 

1 Block 

1 Interception

Kent had a couple of shaky moments in the second half but generally passed efficiently and battled well. Coped better than expected against the strength and height of Pigott. Has excelled in the past couple of games when defending 1v1 which is reflected in his 100% tackle success rate.

Rating: 6.5/10

Mark Beevers

Game in numbers:

6/6 Aerial duels won

8 Clearances

2 Blocks

1 Interception

Dominant in the air as always but never looks as assured when defending the ball on deck. He is improving in possession as he adapts to the demands of his new club which are at odds with what was expected of him at Bolton. That being stand, he is still sometimes guilty of taking too many touches and not moving the ball quickly enough and was almost caught out in possession in a dangerous area on Saturday. A decent performance but not as commanding as was hoped when he was signed and yet to do anything which suggests he is an upgrade on Tafazolli. 

Rating: 6.5/10

Frazer Blake-Tracy

Game in numbers:

1 Tackle

1 Block

3 Fouls

1 Time dispossessed

3 Unsuccessful touches (possession lost)

68% Pass success rate

Great to have him back from injury but unfortunately Posh’s surprise package put in his least convincing display in a Posh shirt. Relatively untroubled defensively as Wimbledon targeted the opposite side but failed to display any of the attacking influence seen in previous matches. Gave the ball away too frequently including in the build up to the first Dons goal and virtually no impact in the attacking third. 

Rating: 5/10

Louis Reed

Game in numbers:

Pass success rate 68%

31 Total Passes

2 Times dispossessed

6 Tackles 

1  Interception

1 Clearances

A battling performance out of possession but failed to assert early season influence on Posh’s build up play. Decision making of when to play long and short was not the best and this is reflected in his season low stats of 68% pass success rate, 31 total passes and 2 successful long passes. Can also sometimes slow moves down by taking too many touches and did not demonstrate the forward drive seen in games against MK Dons and Southend. That being said his effort and importance out of possession at the base of the Posh midfield cannot be overlooked. Has, can and will play much better than this.

Rating: 6.5/10

Josh Knight

Game in numbers:

1 Assist

2 Key Passes

11 Aerial duels won

1 Interception

1 Clearance

Put in another high quality performance full of energy and commitment which have become his trademark. Is vital to the balance of the Posh midfield and excellent attacking output with 1 assist and 2 key passes. His assist for the Posh third goal was sublime as he married a storming forward run with an inch perfect pass. The decision to play him on the right of the Posh midfield is looking inspired.

Rating: 8/10

George Boyd

Game in numbers:

1 Assist

1 Dispossession leading to goal 

5 Shots

4 Tackles

Posh really missed Boyd in the last two games and his importance to the side was reinforced in this game. Won the ball back high up the pitch in the build up to the first goal and excellent pass set Eisa away on the counter for the second. Always works hard out of possession and essential to Posh’s ability to link defence with attack. 

Rating: 8/10

Marcus Maddison

Game in numbers:

1 Goal

8 Shots

4 Key passes

2 Successful crosses

3 Time dispossessed

50% Pass success rate

Another quality performance from Posh’s enigmatic attacking midfielder. Demonstrated his game changing qualities as his right footed thunderbolt broke the deadlock for Posh. Noticeably dropped deep more frequently than in the game against Doncaster in an attempt to help link play and hit a number of sumptuous long passes to Toney. It was not all good from the Posh talisman however. He always looked for the Hollywood pass, sometimes to the detriment of his side when a simple pass to retain possession would be more effective. Wasted a number of clear cut chances in the second half, much to the anger of his manager, and this led directly to him being subbed late on.

Rating: 8/10

Mo Eisa

Game in numbers:

2 Goals

1 Assist

6 Shots

5 Successful dribbles

3 Key passes

Spent less time on the ball than any other player on the pitch (1.7% total possession share) but did more with less than anyone else. Is absolutely lethal in the opposition area and unlucky not to come away with a hattrick as he was denied a third goal by a fine diving save. Demonstrated excellent footwork to wriggle past two defenders for his first goal and a clinical finish for the second. He is now joint top of the League One goalscoring charts with 8 goals alongside teammate Ivan Toney.

Rating: 9/10

Ivan Toney

Game in numbers:

4 Shots

4 Clearances 

1 Interception

Toney, alongside Maddison, is fast becoming the player Posh can least afford to lose. The vast majority of Posh attacks seem to revolve around him as Reed and Maddison regularly look for Toney as an outball. No goal but with excellent chest control, strong in the air and good with ball at feet his link up play was vital in this Posh win and his impact but in defence and attack cannot be overstated. Had a big part to play in both the second goal when he started the Posh counter and third goal as he got a crucial interception to turn the ball over in the Wimbledon half. Only downside was that he appeared to switch off in the build up to the second Wimbledon goal and probably should have been the one to track Wordsworth as he found himself in acres of space to score. Outstanding nonetheless.

Rating: 9/10

Serhat Tasdemir

Game in numbers:

16 Minutes played 

3 Key passes

2 Successful dribbles

100% Pass success rate

His impact on proceedings in such a short space of time was remarkable. Laid on chances for his teammates with three excellent passes and looked tremendous carrying the ball forward. Demonstrated impressive strength for someone so young and looks a more than capable understudy to Maddison. Need more evidence to see if he has the defensive skills and work rate to play on either side of the Posh diamond and he may struggle for regular game time if he is unable to convince Fergie that he possesses these qualities. Posh fans should be excited to see him play against Arsenal U21s Tuesday night as looks a real prospect.

Rating: 8/10

Alex Woodyard

Game in numbers:

16 Minutes played

1 Interception

1 Clearance

Was a surprise to see the former skipper in the matchday squad but didn’t let anyone down when he came on. Was brought on to help shore up the Posh midfield and did just that. Will be interesting to see if this was just a fleeting cameo or the start of an unlikely renaissance as he seems to lack many of the attributes Fergie would demand from a player in his midfield.

Rating: 6/10

Why Tranmere are the archetypal side to expose flaws in this Posh team and why I’m expecting Posh to bounce back against Doncaster

A lot has been made of Posh’s failure to convert a second half 2-0 lead into 3 points in the midweek game at Tranmere. As is the nature of football many took Tranmere’s comeback as evidence that a side who had won 4 league games on the bounce without conceding a goal suddenly had no chance of promotion.

The truth, as is often the case, is a little more complex. Tranmere are the archetypal team that Posh will struggle to beat this season. Direct, hard-working and with a packed midfield they exposed pre-existing flaws in this Posh side.

Posh are much happier playing against sides who like to build from the back. They have become adept at setting traps, pressing high and then quickly exploiting the space in transition to create chances. Tranmere did not allow Posh to play like this. They played direct up to Stefan Payne who proved a constant nuisance to the Posh back four. This posed two key challenges to Posh that they have not had to face much of in recent matches:

1                  Could they play out from the back regularly and create chances from deep?

2                  Could they defend against long balls and directness of Tranmere?

The answer to the first of these was a resounding no. Against a packed and compact midfield Posh failed to find space between the lines and build from the back. Whether pre-planned or as a result of their failings to build attacks from deep, 94 of Posh’s 355 passes were hit long, while their average move lasted just 3 passes. It must be said that Toney performed gamely winning 8 of his 14 aerial duels as Posh’s main, and at times only outlet. However, their dependence on long balls to Toney was a huge shortcoming especially as these passes lacked the accuracy and consistency of recent matches. Moreover it made Posh predictable in attack as they appeared to have only one way of transferring the ball up the pitch.

In truth it is no surprise Posh struggled to play through Tranmere. They struggled to build from the back against both Fleetwood and Oxford in their two opening matches, although admittedly playing with a different formation and personnel in midfield. Moreover, the recent victories have largely been built around exploiting space in transitions through quick counters. In two of Posh’s recent victories against Southend and Rochdale, Posh had just 37% and 36% possession, while against Sunderland they also had under 40% prior the red cards. The difference in these matches was the more open nature of the sides gave plenty of opportunities to counter and Posh were clinical in exploiting the space and chances presented to them.

There is nothing wrong with Posh being a counter attacking side. Many teams in League One are now exponents of possession football and Posh have found a formula which works for against these sides. What’s more in Maddison, Toney and Eisa they possess a quick, skilful and clinical front three who will thrive on this approach more often than not. It is just on Tuesday night, against a side only interested in getting the ball into the opposition half quickly and building attacks from there, chances for quick counters and a high press/block were limited. Although Posh forged two good chances on the break, they were denied the opportunities to win the ball high up the pitch which they’d had in previous matches. Resultantly, Posh looked short of ideas in attack for large periods and all the available evidence this season suggests Posh will struggle to find a winning formula against sides who sit deep and play direct this season.

This is something that Fergie will surely look to address. He will want his side to look to build through the lines as plan ‘A’ and save long balls to Toney as a back up/variation tactic, as opposed to the ONLY approach. They will have a chance to address this against similar opposition AFC Wimbledon in a week’s time, but for now I would have doubts about whether Posh currently have the requisite skillset to dominate such a game.

The answer to whether Posh could defend against a side happy to hit a large number of long balls is ‘better than against Fleetwood, but still not perfect’. Stefan Payne up front for Tranmere was a constant thorn in Posh’s side. He targeted Kent winning half of his 8 offensive duels and on occasions bullying Kent. His strength and presence up front allowed Tranmere to create 14 shooting opportunities from open play and enjoy a large share of possession in Posh’s half. Indeed more play took place in Posh’s defensive third (38%) than any other part of the pitch.

That said Posh showed vast improvements when defending long balls compared to their performance against a Fleetwood side that went direct against them. Beevers now appears close to totally dominant in the air and won all of his aerial battles on Tuesday. There were also no glaring errors when defending long balls as there were against Fleetwood. It is just that in Kent, they have a classy defender who is not best suited to defending against strong, physical forwards. He did however battle gamely and Posh will be hoping that over time he will mature and become more comfortable in this regard.

It is crosses that remain Posh’s Achilles heel defensively. Posh must get better at both stopping crosses from coming into the box and defending them when they do. On Tuesday night Tranmere’s first goal came from a cross which was too easily converted, while the home side also had a whopping 6 shots from set pieces. Again this will be an area of concern for Ferguson and one he will look to address imminently.

In such circumstances despite surrendering a 2 goal lead I would argue that a point away to Tranmere was a largely positive result. That Posh found a way to score twice despite not playing particularly well speaks volumes for the quality the side has in attack. Moreover, Tranmere put in a display full of energy and spirit and had a coherent plan of how to cause Posh problems.

Looking forwards to tomorrow’s game I fully expect Posh to get back to winning ways against Doncaster. Doncaster are a side who play short far more frequently than they play long and as the home side, their fans will be expect them to attack. This should present far more space for Posh to exploit in transition and Maddison should be able to exert a greater influence on the game than he did on Tuesday night. My prediction is for Doncaster to enjoy more possession but Posh to create the more dangerous opportunities and storm to a 3-1 win.

Player Ratings: Posh v Rochdale

Posh delivered a superbly disciplined tactical performance combined with clinical finishing to dispatch a slick passing Rochdale side 6-0 on Saturday. Here is how The Posh Report rated each player:

Starting 11

Christy Pym: A relatively quiet day for the Posh stopper who didn’t face a shot on target for the third time in four league matches. Handled impeccably and did everything that was asked of him. 7

Niall Mason: A strong performance in and out of possession. His decision to press high up the pitch in the build up to the second goal was crucial. Only dribbled past once and got forward well. 7.5

Dan Butler: Had the hardest task of the Posh back four defensively containing Rekeil Pyke. Got to grips with his winger as the game progressed and was a key outlet for Posh down the left. 8

Frankie Kent: A composed performance from a player who rarely looked troubled. His long passing was key as Posh struggled to get Reed into the game. 8

Mark Beevers: A dominant performance from the Posh skipper who also delivered his best display in possession thus far. Irreplaceable. 8.5

Louis Reed: Rochdale had a plan to stop him picking the ball up from deep as he was constantly marked or blocked by Henderson and Camps. Battled gamely nonetheless. 7

Josh Knight: Another performance full of energy and running. Got up and down the pitch and gave excellent support to mason as they contained Rochdale’s dangerous fullback Norrington-Davies 7

Joe Ward: Has the skill-set to excel in the role on the side of the Posh midfield although his and Fergie’s post match comments suggest he is not confident in the role. A good performance from the stand-in on Saturday, ensured Posh did not miss Boyd’s work rate and excellent burst into the box and cross for Posh’s second goal. 8

Marcus Maddison: Another excellent display from Posh’s magic man! 2 goals including a third consecutive goal of the month contender and one sublime assist. His importance to this side cannot be overstated. 9

Mo Eisa: Another goal for the million pound man, this time a precise and powerful header. Was tactically disciplined out of possession as he, Toney and Maddison made it hard for Rochdale to play forwards from defence. 8

Ivan Toney: A hattrick and superb all round performance for the big man. Was dominant in the air as Posh went direct due to Rochdale marking Reed out the game. His all round ability is key to providing posh with versatility in attack. 9.5 MOTM

Subs

Nathan Thompson (on 59): Looks a very accomplished right back and will be looking for an opportunity to make the position his own now that he’s match fit. 7

Siriki Dembele (on 73): Brings pace and trickery to the Posh attack. Unlikely to break into the starting 11 any time soon but his contribution off the bench could be crucial in tight matches. 7

Serhat Tasdemir (on 74): Neat, tidy and busy. Good on the ball and an excellent passer. Another who will have to be satisfied with appearances from the bench due to the irresistible form of Marcus Maddison. 6.5

Match Preview: Posh v Rochdale

Posh Preview

Posh head into the Rochdale game on a run of four wins to nil in all competitions and should be well rested having not had a competitive fixture for 11 days. Gaffer Darren Ferguson will be hoping the extended break will not dent the momentum his side had gathered and looking forward to the match said:

“They know what they are doing in possession and when they haven’t got the ball. They will be tough opponents.

“We will obviously be confident, but I’ve already spoken to the players about not treating Rochdale any differently to Sunderland.

“There cannot be a case of believing ‘ah it’s only Rochdale’ because there will be times when they have good possession of the ball and they are capable of hurting us if we let our standards drop.

“I also watched Rochdale’s last win at Southend and they were again excellent. They play through the lines and every player knows their job.

“Obviously I would have preferred to have a game last Saturday as we had some good momentum after three wins in a row. The lads look in great nick though and they should be fresh and raring to go at the start of a big week.

“The good thing about having no league game is being able to see the players who haven’t been in the side in action in other matches, and I’ve been pleased with them.”

Team News

Frazer Blake-Tracy remains unavailable following a calf injury picked up in the week building up to Posh’s last league game against Sunderland. Despite a few unnamed players picking up ‘niggles’ it is expected that the remainder of the squad should be available for selection. Ferguson’s biggest selection headache is likely to be at right back where Nathan Thompson is pushing his first league start after playing 60 minutes against Northampton in the Leasing.com trophy.

Rochdale have no fresh injury concerns going into the game and are likely to name a similar side to the one which won 3-0 at Southend United having made wholesale changes to the side which lost a midweek fixture to Manchester City U21s in the Leasing.com Trophy.

Opposition Report

Rochdale have enjoyed a promising start to the season and are currently sitting just two places below Posh at 11^th in the table having won 2 and drawn 3 of their opening 6 fixtures. ‘The Dale’ have also earned themselves a reputation for playing an eye-catching brand of short passing, attractive football with some commentators now referring to them as ‘Guardiola’s Rochdale’ with only a slight hint of irony.

Likely 11

Robert Sanchez

                Jimmy Keohane   Jimmy McNulty     Eoghan O’Connell   Rhys Norrington-Davies

Aaron Morley          M.J. Williams

Stephen Dooley   Callum Camps        Matt Done

   Ian Henderson

Style of play characteristics

Short Passing

Maintain Possession

Work ball into box

High press

Play with width and focus attacks down the flanks

Attacking fullbacks

Weak aerially

        

Danger Man

Experienced forward Ian Henderson notched his 100^th League goal for Rochdale during their 3-0 win against Southend United last time out. Now 34, Henderson may not possess searing pace however his link up play is key to Dale’s possession based style and he remains their most potent goal threat when in and around the area.

Ones to Watch

Attacking fullback Rhys Norrington-Davies is a major threat down the Rochdale left. Good in possession and keen to dribble forwards, Norrington-Davies is vital to his sides width and attacking impetus, often taking up positions as an auxiliary winger in advance of a slightly narrower attacking midfielder. The left back has already put up some impressive numbers this season with 1 goal and 2 assists. He also averages a whopping 1.7 key passes per game alongside 1 successful dribble and 5.2 crosses each match.

Defensive midfielder M.J. Williams is the backbone of the side. Strong in the tackle and excellent in possession he is key to both breaking up opposition attacks and starting his own sides build up play. In possession he averages 53.2 successful passes per game and has impressively connected with 2 out of every 3 long passes he attempts.

Key Matchups

Ivan Toney v Jimmy McNulty: For all their positive characteristics this season Rochdale have struggled to deal with aerial attacks. Expect Posh to look to capitalise on this with long diagonal balls aimed in the direction of Ivan Toney. Both McNulty and O’Connell have been far from dominant in the air. McNulty especially, who is 5cm shorter than Toney, has won an average of 3 aerial duels per game, losing 1.3. For contrast Beevers has won an average of 6 aerial duels losing just 0.8. Expect Toney, who himself averages 6.3 successful aerial duels a match, to target McNulty in the air and how McNulty copes Posh’s human bulldozer will be a key dynamic of the game.

Callum Camps v Louis Reed: Attacking midfielder Camps is arguably Rochdale’s most in form player. He is vital to their attacking drive and has 2 goals and 3 assists to his name already this season. Often arriving into the box late and pushing up into a second striker role alongside Henderson, Camps has taken more shots than any other Rochdale player and also averages a very impressive 1.5 key passes a match. Reed, as Posh’s deepest midfielder, has demonstrated much improved defensive skills this season and how well he marshals Camp we be vital to Posh’s hopes of nullifying Dale’s attacking threat.

Head-to-Head record

Won 25 Drawn 16 Lost 12

Last Time Out

Steve Evans’s Posh side secured a 2-1 win in a January confrontation most notable for Lee Tomlin scoring his first goal since returning to the club on loan 12 days earlier. 10 of the 17 Posh players who featured in the matchday squad that day have since left the club with Toney and Maddison likely to be the only 2 players who started that game in the first XI tomorrow.

Score Prediction

3-1 Posh. Although Rochdale are a hugely impressive side, Posh are bang inform. Rochdale’s open and expansive style of play should also suit Posh perfectly as they will look to win the ball high up the pitch before attacking at speed to exploit the space available. Expect a hugely entertaining game between two sides exhibiting very modern playing philosophies.

Why Sunderland Fans Should Not Panic After Heavy Defeat to Posh

Many Sunderland fans are not happy, they have not been happy for a number of seasons. Moreover, they have every right to be angry as a combination of mismanagement and poor decision making at boardroom level has seen the club plummet from the Premier League to League One via back to back delegations. One man who has had to cop much of this frustration is manager Jack Ross. Indeed the sight of him turning round to take abuse from a Sunderland fan located in the Directors’ box was as bemusing as it was funny to watch last Saturday and a quick look at Twitter further highlights the anger and frustration seeping out of Sunderland fans following the result on Saturday, with the Jack Ross out bandwagon was back in full swing among certain sections of the Sunderland fan base. Ross is not a manager without flaws, and indeed his natural conservatism is frustrating given the talent he has at his disposal, but he does not deserve most of the harsh criticism and vitriol which comes his way. To his credit he is a man who never shirks his critics and will always front up to poor performances as he did on Saturday.

Ross is also not the main culprit behind Sunderland’s rapid decline. He was not the man who burned through vast sums of Premier League money until there was nothing left to burn, nor was he the manager at any point as Sunderland slid down the divisions. In fact, despite the disappointment of failing to win promotion last season, Ross deserves credit for curbing Sunderland’s alarming slide and reaching the playoff final in his first season. Ross inherited a side plagued by systematic failings and an air of toxicity. Although Sunderland were favourites for promotion with many last season, there is precedent to suggest a 5^th placed finish is what should have been reasonably expected from a side of huge stature but struggling both on and off the pitch. Take Leeds for example. Following relegation to League One in 2007 they finished 4^th and 5^th, losing in the playoffs both times, before eventual promotion in 2010. While in 2009-10 Southampton, even had they not been deducted 10 points for entering administration, would have only finished 5^th in their first season in League One, before securing automatic promotion the following year. While Sunderland’s points total of 85 also far exceeded Leeds’s first season total (76) and pipped Southampton’s adjusted total (83 without 10 point penalty).

On top of this, there are signs to suggest that Sunderland are well placed to challenge for automatic promotion this season and it is likely the loss on Saturday will be more of a blip in the road as opposed to start of a permanent decline. Sunderland’s summer recruitment looks shrewd and they have addressed their failings at centre back last season. Moreover, the result against Posh should not undermine a fine start to the season which saw them head to London Road unbeaten and on a 5 game winning run having just achieved a very credible win away to Burnley.

Furthermore, the game at the Weston Homes Stadium was far closer than the 3-0 score line suggested, until the double sending off stripped Sunderland of any feint hope of recovery. The first half was an incredibly tight affair between two well matched and organised sides. It took a moment of supreme quality from Marcus Maddison to break the deadlock while. Sunderland, could easily have gone in level at half-time had McNally taken the best chance of the half. At half-time Sunderland were also ahead on a number of performance metrics including possession (56%-44%) time spent in attacking third (60%-40%) and passing accuracy (73%-67%). Furthermore, Posh’s second goal, which was the key turning point in the game, came on the counter as Sunderland dominated the opening exchanges of the second half and were exerting a near constant threat to the Posh box.

This is not to say that there were not tactical and mental flaws on display on Saturday. Ross’s decision to start with McCloughlin, rather than Hume, at left back was an error. Hume, a natural left footer who is keen to attack from full back, would have enabled Sunderland to overload Posh’s right back area where Mason, despite playing well, again demonstrated his shortcomings defending 1v1 as he was too easily beaten by McNally racing through for a 1v1 in the first half. The switch to a 4-4-2 formation, with two relatively immobile central midfielders at the heart of it, was also a glaring mistake as Sunderland were unable to match the energy and work rate of the Posh midfielders as the game wore on.

One can also draw worrying conclusions about the mental resilience of Sunderland’s players from their actions on Saturday. Although his red card has since been overturned, O’Nien was foolish to needlessly engage Toney on the touchline while Wyke’s reckless and unnecessary lunge on Butler could easily have resulted in a straight red on its own. Both instances smacked of players who are not used to losing heavily (this was Sunderland’s biggest defeat since slipping into League One) and unable to cope with the frustrations of a big match slipping away from them.

Despite the negatives, Sunderland demonstrated enough in the opening 60 minutes to suggest they will be there or there about at the top of the table come the end of the season. One bad result does not define a season. Sunderland, with three wins and two draws from the five other fixtures, still sit above Posh in 6^th place. Their start becomes more impressive when you consider that half their league matches thus have come against sides expected to challenge for promotion this season (Ipswich, Portsmouth and Posh). Sunderland fans are right to expect promotion this season. Both the size of the club and recent investment demands it. However, the fans need to stick by Ross, who despite his shortcomings has steadied a previously shrinking ship, and wait until the end of the season before casting judgement on their manager.