Ashes 2013/14

[taylorsworkrate]

Stokes looks promising, his bowling was accurate, his technique with bat and ball is steady and his temperament is good. However, that was a poor shot and an inevitable one, really. Vaughan's prediction of a 5-0 is not looking in a huge amount of danger of being disproved.

If I was an Aussie and we didn't beat this rabble of tossers 5-0 i'd want a government inquiry

I think 'tossers' is a bit harsh, though it would explain why they look so listless and slack out there.

LOL as the kids would say!

[taylorsworkrate]

In all seriousness, I've been watching England since the early 90's and I've got to say that this series is pretty much already the worst experience I've had with them.

At least in the mid 90's we were getting beaten badly by decent teams. This is the fucking pits. Australia are by no means a good side, which is proven by them losing their last two series before this a combined 7-0.

This collection of players are supposedly talented. To me they look like they lack courage

[taylorsworkrate]

This is actually becoming quite funny, in a sick sort of way

[Monty]

That really was desperate. That's like how I might get out if I were playing. That was just awful.

I think the real difference with the '90s is that at least back then we sucked. However, we know what these players are capable of, and this just isn't good enough.

[taylorsworkrate]

Right so 3-0 down, going to lose 5-0 to an at best average team.

There needs to be drastic changes both in set up and personnel. There won't be.

[taylorsworkrate]

I dare say Swann and company will be spouting off on twitter after this game about "fair weather fans" and other bullshit.

[Monty]

Right so 3-0 down, going to lose 5-0 to an at best average team.

There needs to be drastic changes both in set up and personnel. There won't be.

Who would come in in terms of personnel? We don't have anyone knocking on the door particularly loudly - in fact, the problem is that we have a hole or two in our best eleven. I do agree, however, that something clearly has to change profoundly in the set-up, because they look psychologically annihilated.

[Monty]

As ever, there's no faulting Bresnan's psychology. He will go at this.

[taylorsworkrate]

I don't think that this batting line up can continually perform the pathetic way it has over the last 2 years and not be broken up. As talented as Pietersen is, I wouldn't be too disheartened to see him never play for us again. He lacks heart and his good days are becoming more and more sporadic.

I think Cook is a pretty poor, negative captain, who is not performing at all with the bat. I don't know whether its the captaincy affecting his batting but he's not been good enough.

Prior has been a joke in both this series and the last. Bowler wise, Anderson looks completely shot. Swann looks ineffective as teams have just learnt to stack their line ups with right handers.

I think that this group of players is pretty much shot. They've next to no heart left and will only get worse from this point. I think we need to get some of the younger players, such as Buttler, Ballance, Finn and Overton into the team. We might struggle for a while, but I can only see us struggling with the complacent gutless lot we have in at the moment.

[Monty]

I think you've mischaracterised Cook, I think his captaincy's been improving as his batting has deteriorated (and who knows, maybe they are connected - wouldn't be the first time in history). Prior was showing better signs before that shot today.

I agree that we need to work in some new players, but the problem we have is that all of our best performers, having peaked together, are now declining together. It'll be a strange England without Jimmy Anderson but that's now a scenario we have to live with, or at least without the Jimmy of the last few years. Pietersen needs to go to some resort somewhere with a psychiatrist and some prozac and get things organised better in his head, it's all gone wrong for him. As for Swann the signs have been there for a while, so it might be time to bring ol' Muhdsuden back.

[taylorsworkrate]

I'm not sure Cook's captaincy has improved. Yesterday about 6 or 7 balls were edged through 3rd to 4th slip and no one was there.

I think Cook's default setting is to defend, regardless of the opposition or state of the game.

[Monty]

I don't contest that. I just think that he has got more interesting, and occasionally adventurous, in his field placings recently. He was terrific in the Aussie first innings at  Adelaide - the problem is nothing else went his way so he's gone back into his shell a bit. That innings was a huge improvement though, and considering that he's still a young captain I think he's worth sticking with. Besides which - who else would captain us?

[taylorsworkrate]

I think that Cook just needs to get back to scoring runs. I've never really been a fan of an opener being a captain to be honest, it just looks like too much to deal with, and i'd guess that the no of players whose own personal form has been maintained or improved is quite slim in that role.

Strauss worked as captain and opener because he had players around him scoring plenty of runs. At the moment Cook is crucial to our batting as no one looks like scoring anything

The possible replacement issue you raise is a good point. I think Broad has the attributes to be a successful captain. He's a naturally aggressive cricketer, which the upcoming set of players will need.

[taylorsworkrate]

Oh well, if we can bowl Australia out for 20 then we have a very slight chance.

[Monty]

You know Broad isn't such a bad idea. I think he has a tendency to get wound up though - not a good thing for a captain. Jimmy maybe, but I'm always suspicious of bowler-captains, and besides he is on the decline. Prior's got a decent cricket brain but keeper-captains tend to have all sorts of problems, and Prior's place is hardly a certainty. It's an almost impossible situation.

It's very true what you say about openers. It's been said before: after a long time going through mental contortions to try and get the opposition bowled out, the last thing you need is to go into your batting zone and set yourself mentally for a long innings. It's like you're batting non-stop for five days.

Maybe we'd benefit from appointing Michael Vaughan to the backroom staff. Not in place of anyone, just in addition. He could help imprint a more positive mindset and style, and help Cook with tactics and mentality.

Also - big shout to John from Redditch, Villa fan being chatted to and TMS.