Not great, was it?
I can see GR’s reasoning for agreeing to play Cambridge this week, instead of next week (to give our players more match fitness time), and that’s all well and good, but what I don’t get is, why then play certain players who you know will almost certainly get a place in the starting 11 against Sheffield United?
Would have thought that the cup game tonight could have been used to give those fringe players more game time! Long got a start (as expected), and I understand Hutch playing, but GR didn’t risk Shackleton, yet he risked Cresswell. Burey could have replaced Malone, and he could have stuck with Afobe and Bradshaw up front (or kept Bradshaw on and paired him with either Bennett, Flemming or Olaofe), or given Honeyman’s No. 10 role to either Flemming or Bennett! Any of these players could have been given either 60, 75 or the full 90 minutes, to help get them up to speed!
As it was, it backfired on us, because Bradshaw is out for a while now, and Olaofe, who came on as his replacement, didn’t shine at all tonight. His performance was poor, and as it didn’t look like he pulled up any trees during pre-season, I’m starting to wonder if Olaofe
is going to make it in the 1st team proper (as I hoped he would), or whether he is destined to leave and sign for a league 2 club, which is perhaps more his level?
We’ve also lost Honeyman for the Sheffield game as well, and he will be a big, big loss! Honeyman is going to get a number of bookings this season (and maybe even a red or two?), and whilst GR doesn’t want to remove Honeyman’s aggression, he has to be mindful when to sub his No. 10, or else the player is going to be facing a number of 1 or 3 match bans which won’t help him, or the rest of the team!
Was hoping a win tonight would consolidate last Saturday’s performance and give us the confidence to beat United, and it could still happen if Cooper has his shooting boots on again, but it’s going to be a lot harder to achieve without Bradshaw and Honeyman!
COYL!