Match Thread Home V Crawley(Creepy) Tuesday 13th April@7.00pm

As others have said, we got what we deserved tonight. Trueman was surprised by how slow we started tonight, but if we're being honest its no different to how we've been starting games for the last month or so. Just because we lost today, its being highlighted. It took us being 1-0 down to actually have a go and play with some intent. We're passive and conservative in every game that we play and whilst its ok to approach some games like that, the fact we're doing it every week is concerning. The last two performances have been unacceptable and if fans were in, I'm not sure they would've got away with such an approach twice in a week.

Tonight though was a game that highlighted everything we're poor at. First goal a second phase of a set piece and the second goal another set piece. We're absolutely crap at defending and attacking set pieces, which in this league is suicidal. O'Donnell will no doubt get the blame from some but what is the excuse for the defense to be giving up free headers time and time again in the box?

Going forwards, unless the opposition hand us something on a plate, we're clueless and seem to make it up as we go along. Using Cook and Rowe as battering rams is painful to watch, especially so given how good this club is at turning goalscorers into ineffectual lumps. If we want to go long, play it into feet or into the body of the striker so they have a chance of controlling the ball or winning a free kick. But nope, lump it long and hope for the best. Its dumb and lazy football that doesn't suit the strengths of the players we have.

We can debate formations until the cows come home but any formation can be attacking or defensive depending on the instructions of the manager. T&S have the mentality of safety first and counter attack. Which, for where we were when they took over, is complete acceptable. But we're no longer a side threatened with relegation who need to shithouse their way through games 1-0 every week. We have a new set of objectives and it seems to me that they haven't adapted their approach to satisfy the remit of a top 7 finish. We can't approach a game like a bottom 2 side and expect to finish in the top 7. The mentality and safety first approach has to change. Whether it will or not, I'm not so sure, which is why I am not convinced yet that T&S have what it takes to make us a top 3 side next year.

 

I think the system is fine, we just didn’t have the right personnel tonight.

Rowe is too immobile to lead the line in this set up. Slows everything down.

For the 4-2-3-1 system to work we need Sutton’s legs for 90 mins alongside Watt.

We dont create much ourselves so can't afford sloppy defensive mistakes.

We missed Cooke/Donaldson in the 10. Role.

Is Canavan out for a while? Hope not as we need AOC at RB. I’d go at Harrogate;

O’Donnell
Wood
POC
Canavan
AOC
Sutton
Watt
Vernam/Crankshaw
Evans/Clarke
Donaldson
Cook

 

Ironically Crawley did a 'Bradford' on us. They gave up possession, defended for long periods and attacked on the break, looking dangerous. We got a bitter taste of our own medicine.
Once again a stupid foul lead to a free kick that finished us off.
I'm not convinced by RoD's recent performances. He seems glued to the goal line and doesn't look like he's commanding the 6 yard box, which is what you want from your keeper. Especially when he's captain too!
All in all a bad day at the office.
T&S need to pick the team up and let's get a positive reaction from Saturday's trip to t'arrogut.

 

I think last night summed up this division where the team that takes the opportunities will go on and take the spoils. Just like Saturday there was nothing between the teams in terms of chances, arguably we had more last night than against 10 man Grimsby. The clear cut chance for AOC, the free header for FCD, Donaldo hitting the bar with a cracking strike, the great save from Vernam and others. And yet at no time did we look any better than the opposition, you could argue they had more control of the game. Without Cooke, Sutton and Canavan this team will not get you promoted. And even with them the right balance of attack and defence isn't quite right. I don't think Trueman fully trusts Rowe, Vernam or Crankshaw yet and that limits his attacking options, the reason he stuck with 4-2-3-1 when Cooke was available was because it was the best fit available for what we had.
No reason we cant win on Saturday but equably we could get turned over.

 

Yesterday’s game highlighted the missing of a dominant pace setting midfielder who could drive us forward. The Doyle & Jones partnership, McCall & Whalley combo, not the AOC & Watt combination we’ve had to witness in the last few games. Hopefully with Sutton returning we can get some drive into midfield.

 

Their number 44 in midfield really showed us what we are missing. Got stuck in early on and left a dominant mark, drove forward to set up the first goal, then dictated the pace of the play.

I hope Turnbull has his eye on him. We could really go places if he was in our team, preferably as captain.

 

Yep.

2 free headers in the box but yet again it's only the keepers fault.

 

The main thing missing from last nights match which would improve the team is US

 

I’m double vaccinated, I want to GO

 

Very funny Parader, but sadly true. He was MoM for them.

 

Wake up, wake up...you're dreaming and talking out loud..!!

 

It is not coincidence that most of the goals we let in are headers from crosses, We have a passive keeper who relies on defenders winning headers EVERY time, The ones they cannot win will fly past the keeper as he is rooted on his line,
Hornby at least was more pro active in helping the defence,
The opposition coaches have noticed this and use it against us

 

Absolute nonsense.

No keeper in the land is getting anywhere near either cross last night. The reason we conceded was because we have a weak right back and a right sided centre half that continually marks a space rather than following his man.

 

Josh Wright ran the show in midfield yesterday.

 

Yes he is big and slow - and lazy. And terrible in the air for a six footer. But he can pick a pass, has clever feet and a thunderbolt shot. He's more of a number 10, which is why he scored several Oldham goals from midfield. His game is to float around just outside the box, come deep, link play, little triangles etc and create space for himself to unleash his shooting from the edge of the box.
The problem is that in a 4 2 3 1, he doesn't fit. He's hopeless as a lone target man. He can't play in the three because he's not a wide man and he's too slow and lazy to play in the Cooke role - he doesn't track back, so that would just leave a big hole in the middle. He needs to be the second striker, with a free role, in a 442, 4411 or 4132 formation. But T& S seem too conservative to risk any of those.

Maybe we're seeing why Oldham were prepared to let him go and why he stayed as a big fish in a small pond at Fylde for so long. He appears to be a player who can only play one way and needs the formation and tactics geared to his style - a bit like Doyle. If the managers are prepared to do that then fine. But, if not, he's a luxury who will score the occasional screamer but will otherwise contribute little and will leave others under pressure due to his poor work rate. He's looking increasingly like a square peg in a round hole under T&S.

 

So out two managers have a preferred system - so why sign

So our two managers have a preferred system - then why have we signed players who do not fit it?
Trueman said last the system they adopted was to allow to us to play to their strengths. I take that the system is to allow for our weaknesses. We are poor at defending crosses and have been for a number of seasons. The midfield in the main appears to be tryung to helpmake up for the defence frailties rather than offer an attacking threat and we lack players in there who can take the game by the scruff of the neck.
Will they add players to the squad to strengthen the current system or ones that will allow a different one that gives us a better more efficient attacking threat.

 

This is why we need to question T & S now.

Bolton were 19th in Feb and now in the top 3 but mainly because of Doyle.

If Rowe is this goalscorer and that's all he can do really then you need to find a system to get the best out of the goalscorer. If we want to play like a MORECAMBE then we might as well get rid of Rowe.

The the way T & S are using Rowe currently its starting to look like they just don't know what to do with him. I would be looking to play to his strengths but T & s are stuck in this 4-2-3-1 formation.

What should be a good signing is looking like a poor one everyday.

 

Although a quality goal scorer who only needs a bit of space to get a shot in you're right Fordy we've got to work out a playing style around him.
Truman and Sellers maybe not knowing how to use him isn't unique to them, this situation is probably why he was stuck at AFC Fylde banging them in for so long.