Vital Reading takes a look at the players’ individual performances from the 3-1 loss to Brentford on Saturday, with substitute Simon Cox getting our only goal.
Vital Reading takes a look at the players’ individual performances from the 3-1 loss to Brentford on Saturday, with substitute Simon Cox getting our only goal.
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Adam Federici – 6 – Feders couldn`t do anything about any of the three goals, but could have commanded his area better when crosses were put in, which caused trouble all afternoon.
Chris Gunter – 6 – Can`t be held accountable for all the goals, but we needed a leader out there, but the Welshman didn`t look it, bar going into the crowd to get the ball back! I did feel sorry for him in the first half, as he was making plenty of overlaps, but Blackman constantly ignored him.
Alex Pearce – 5 – Defensively he looked shaky, but his distribution from the back was his main let down – there were too many aimless Mills-eqsue hoofs. You have to partly say he was unlucky for slipping for the second goal, but seemed to have been done by Gray`s pace anyway.
Michael Hector – 5 – Once again, there were a few heart-in-mouth moments from the defender, after some more suicidal passing from the back. The pace and movement of Gray really caused him problems.
Jordan Obita – 6 – Being faced with Odubajo would have been a challenge, but he kept him quite quiet, despite a shaky start to the game. One negative from Obita today was his quality of crossing, which is usually very good.
Oliver Norwood – 6 – Didn`t have the same influence he has had in previous games, so was probably worked on by Brentford before the game. He got caught a few times in possession, but was still the only player in the team that kept us ticking in midfield.
Aaron Kuhl – 5 – This was the game that probably proved that the 18-year old may be out of his depth (at the moment anyway). He lost the ball in a bad position for the second goal and his long-range passing wasn`t as crisp. It also seems he is scared to put his foot in and when he wasn`t, was unfairly booked by the ref.
Nick Blackman – 5 – He had a lively start, but after that, was anonymous. Cutting in from the right came all too predictable for Brentford and after he was switched out to the left in the second half, he was anonymous.
Ryan Edwards – 5 – Similarly to Kuhl, probably not cut out for this level just yet. Young Edwards has plenty of energy and drive, but lacks that final killer ball and physicality to work in the number ten role.
Hal Robson-Kanu – 5 – A few good runs and bursts of pace, but no end product from HRK, who is still probably working his way back to full fitness.
Glenn Murray – 5 – Too often he was dragged wide, meaning he was crossing to no threats in the box. Even when crosses were being put in the box, he couldn`t capitalise, but I`m not sure if he is an aerial striker. We were probably better off drilling the crosses into him, rather than standing them up.
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Simon Cox – 6 – Looked lively when he came on, getting the goal to get us back in it and trying to find spaces between Brentford`s midfield and defence.
Jamie Mackie – 7 – Man of the Match – I haven`t been convinced by him since he came here, but he was our biggest threat in the second half by a country mile. It was his shot that brought about our only goal and came close to scoring the equaliser. His energy was great and had the beating of his man on most occasions.
Pavel Pogrebnyak – N/A – Thrown on late in search of an equaliser, Pog didn`t have enough time to have an impact on the game.
