What was wrong with Tom today?

[millsy]

He barely featured and seemed out of sorts. Didnt really show for the ball as usual and exerted no influence on the game, whereas he usually sets the pattern for us.

Thankfully supermac had a great game!

[filham]

We are accustomed to MOM performances from Cairney, something has happened to him since the Newcastle match. Hard to say if it is a loss of form or opponents are targeting him and playing him out of the game.

[bill taylors apprentice]

Ipswich may not be a very good team but they worked hard to close our players down and the avenues they usually play through, that affected Cairney!

[valdeingruo]

I think since the Newcastle match teams have finally come to realize how important Tom is to our game plan. Close him down and frustrate him and we have to find other ways.

[Tonywa]

I think since the Newcastle match teams have finally come to realize how important Tom is to our game plan. Close him down and frustrate him and we have to find other ways.

I think that first really happened at the Spurs cup tie and teams have implemented  it ever since and consequently considerably reduced his influence. It might suggest that stories of him disappearing to a Prem team for £20,000,000 might be a little premature.

[Fulham Tup North]

Maybe he missed his friend Mr Button?
Still 5 games = 15 pts and we are in the Play-offs!!
COYW

[snarks]

He was man marked for the first half, at 2-0 they realised it was self defeating and stopped, he was more effective second half and laid on the third,

[FPT]

Problem with this division - it's near impossible for even the best players to be play to their highest ability with the sheer volume of games, I imagine it's so difficult for the medical team to get them regularly close to their peak performance physicals. I don't criticise Slavisa for much, but I do question his rotation/resting policy; the game was dead at 3-0, I'd have rested some legs - we didn't make a sub for another 15-20 minutes, that being Stefan Johansen who was having one of his better games in recent weeks despite being very poor and staying on the pitch for the majority of 90 minutes since October.

[dannyboi-ffc]

He was very quiet today but he also didn't do much wrong either. 

I know it isn't true but everytime Martin plays, Cairney doesn't seem to pass to him or turn up. It's a conspiracy I've made up in my head but has anyone else noticed similar?

Since the whole strike thing anyway

[Andy S]

At this time of the season almost every player is carrying a knock. He might not be at the top of his game today but he was ok

[EJL]

Thought he played wider yesterday than he usually does whilst we had possession. May have been why he was so quiet.

[Carborundum]

Teams have worked out how to stifle us when we play everything through him.  So we cooked up a plan to play around him.  When Bettinelli had the ball, which was often, Martin stood central with Ayite nearby and everyone else went as far away from those two as reasonably possible, including TC.  We were much more spread out than in recent matches and it worked well enough.  Good management.

[toshes mate]

I think since the Newcastle match teams have finally come to realize how important Tom is to our game plan. Close him down and frustrate him and we have to find other ways.

I think that first really happened at the Spurs cup tie and teams have implemented  it ever since and consequently considerably reduced his influence. It might suggest that stories of him disappearing to a Prem team for £20,000,000 might be a little premature.

Cannot disagree with you.   I think Cairney is dwelling a little longer over decisions than he did in his best periods and also suffered from weariness as is Johansen.  Brighter yesterday but still the team suffers from having too thin a squad. 

[toshes mate]

Teams have worked out how to stifle us when we play everything through him.  So we cooked up a plan to play around him.  When Bettinelli had the ball, which was often, Martin stood central with Ayite nearby and everyone else went as far away from those two as reasonably possible, including TC.  We were much more spread out than in recent matches and it worked well enough.  Good management.

Thought Martin possibly had his best game for us (No, it wasn't that good, Chrissie) and it did seem the attack was better positioned when the ball was released by the defence.  But still work to do on our defensive midfield organisation with far too much leaning on McDonald's shoulders.