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Is a new team mentality needed next season? And some random stats.

Discussion in 'City Talk' started by Jordan, Apr 2, 2024.

  1. Jordan

    P.L.24/25 Entrant

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    I thought I'd have a gander through the league stats, just to see if we had any good performers or the team had good areas and were unlucky in some, or if we were just incredibly inconsistent and there was a through thread of mediocrity in the play.... but one thing is glaringly bad!

    We need to get right next season a proper "start strong" mentality in the team. We are bottom of the L2 table for first half performance. We've only been in the lead at the break 8 times out of our 41 games this season, and have gone into the break losing on 17 occasions. By contrast, we are 6th for second half performances. It's like we need to get a kick up the backside to start playing. But what makes it jump out, is the fact we've only been leading a home game at the break twice all season. Just twice from 22 attempts, we've used our home advantage and gone in with the lead, against Crewe in August and MK back in February. Of the 8 games we went into HT leading, we have yet to lose and went on to win 6, only dropping the lead to Stockport and Colchester, both away from home. But going back on the first half issues, we have conceded 15 goals inside the first 15 minutes of games which is not only the worst record in L2, but it's the joint worst in the EFL with Rotherham. We have conceded 9 times at home in the first 15, which is the worst home record in the EFL. What do we need to bring onto the pitch to try and make a go from the off?

    Odd other random stats that might say we need a rethink on certain other areas
    • We currently have 71% of our shots on goal from inside the box, which is the highest in L2 and 2nd highest in the EFL. As we have recently seen with Pointon, we shouldnt be afraid to have a go from outside the box but it seems we want to try and walk it in. Which you'd associate with possession based football rather than hoof?
    • We also have the highest average number of long balls in the league per game at 86, with only Stevenages 89 higher in the EFL.
    • We are also joint bottom of the goals from set piece table with 7, this has seemingly been an issue for years? Which is weird, as we have the second highest aerial win percentage in the league, suggesting we need a better set piece taker? (Which all fans have known for a while).

    Interestingly, the league has seemingly dropped the long ball and physical style and gone to a more controlled passing possession style. Even going back to the 20/21 season, there were only 4 teams with a pass completion percentage over 70%, currently this season there are 15 teams with a pass completion over 70%.... hoof ball is dying, even at this level! Can Alexanders long ball tactic work in a league that doesn't use it anymore?

    What changes do we think we need on the pitch next season to correct this course and challenge again?
     
    #1 Jordan, Apr 2, 2024
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2024
  2. Campbell's soup

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    Do people sit at their computers and write these essays? I use my phone to type out a couple of lines whilst the adverts on re runs of GBBO or A Place In The Sun are on.
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
    #2 Campbell's soup, Apr 2, 2024
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2024
  3. 13eta

    P.L.24/25 Entrant

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    thanks for the insight, which supports a lot of what fans have been seeing or saying.
    Have you considered dropping this to Jamie Raynor? He actually asks questions unlike certain other journalists so would be interesting to see GA’s take
     
    Inspector and Rhino66 like this.
  4. bantam316

    bantam316 Impact Sub

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    GA mentioned something about the players looking for the "perfect" goal as opposed to just having a go, I suppose thats the 71% shots inside the box, Not sure why he hasn't done anything about it.
     
    Rhino66 likes this.
  5. CRASS

    P.L.24/25 Entrant Supporter

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    While more often than not my posts are made in a similar fashion to Campbell's, it's always great to acknowledge facts and figures backing up what we are seeing on the pitch. Cheers to @Jordan@Jordan for the hard work putting this stuff in a single post. We have our bloody work cut out sorting this mess for next season eh?...
     
  6. Campbell's soup

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    Glad to know I'm not the only one with with a Prue Leith / Sandy Toksvig 3some fantasy.
     
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    #6 Campbell's soup, Apr 2, 2024
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2024
    Rhino66 and CRASS like this.
  7. CRASS

    P.L.24/25 Entrant Supporter

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    I can neither confirm nor deny these rumours!
     
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  8. Keefly Bantam

    Euro24 PL Entrant P.L.24/25 Entrant P.L. 20/21 Top 20 Qatar 2022 Entrant Supporter

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    A little bit of sick just came up.
     
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  9. Campbell's soup

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    That's cos' your not a real man.
     
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  10. Bantam75

    Bantam75 Impact Sub

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    During Parky's era, we had a team of leaders. Sure, we'd lose games an going on losing streaks from time to time, but we'd always bounce back.

    Under the several previous managers weve had, that hasn't been the case. Last season prime example. Had really good form going into the last month of the season. Had a chance to sneak into the autos, what happened? Lost to Crewe. Conceded late against Gillingham at home. Bottled it in the play offs

    This season, went on a good run, twice. Lost one game an heads drop, everything falls to shit. Went on a good run again, lost to Forrest Green. Couldve been put down to a one off but we then lose the next 3 on the bounce. We need a certain type of character in this squad. Ones that dont bottle it when the pressure is on. Experienced heads across the team. Players that are willing to step up when the going gets tough
     
  11. Kevin1954

    P.L. 23/24 Top 20 Euro24 PL Entrant P.L.24/25 Entrant Supporter

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    He has Smallwood has had two shots since GA arrived;)
     
  12. Kevin1954

    P.L. 23/24 Top 20 Euro24 PL Entrant P.L.24/25 Entrant Supporter

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    Carrot always comes free Ade ;)
     
  13. Botswana Bantam

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  14. Bantam75

    Bantam75 Impact Sub

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    Thats been going on for a while to be honest, even during McCall's last two spells in charge. We're half asleep for the first half an then magically wake up for the second
     
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  15. Rhino66

    P.L.24/25 Entrant

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    Looking for the perfect goal is a Hughes legacy without a doubt. But why GA hasn't changed this does again ask questions about his overall managerial capabilities. And agree for many a season now we only seem to start playing once we go behind. Smaller crowds next season may actually be a help with less pressure and expectations on the players. It's great seeing 18k at VP but don't think our players can handle that and oppositions rise to the challenge of silencing the crowd - usually very successfully
     
  16. Petrov

    Petrov Squad Player

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    I wouldn't be so sure about that. It didn't help them with the lower crowds against Mansfield, Forest Green and Notts County, or with the completely empty stadium during the Covid season.
     
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  17. Sunnybank

    P.L.24/25 Entrant

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    I wouldn't worry about styles of play. Just because a team has 70% pass completion rate at this level means barely anything. We passed it around the back 4 under Hughes, so i imagine our pass completion rate was sky high.

    Also we're poor at starting games and were under Hughes, so i think there's more inside the mentality of the players to be worked on.

    To change ways of playing and mentalities takes time and a change in personnel too.
     
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  18. Gardscoigne

    Gardscoigne Squad Player

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    We weren’t winning at half time at Stockport
     
  19. Jordan

    P.L.24/25 Entrant

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    Good spot, I knew there were 8 results and must have read that one wrong. The 8th result I missed on the list was Doncaster away, 2-1 win at HT, 3-1 win by the end. So in the 8 games we've been winning at HT this season, we've gone on to win 7 of them. Still just the 2 HT leads at home all season.

    For anyone interested in the 8 -> Crewe (h), Newport (a), FGR (a), Gills (a), Donny (a), Colc (a), MK (h) & Accrington (a).
     
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  20. Jordan

    P.L.24/25 Entrant

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    Experience I think is key to promotion in this league. Looking at squad average ages, the teams that often field a team with the average age of around 30 are Mansfield, Barrow & Wrexham, all teams trending upwards. Squads with the lowest average age seem to be Accrington and Colchester, teams trending the wrong way.

    Might be a thing with the leagues changing style? As shown, teams are moving away from long passes and trying to keep the ball more. Having a few blokes with hundreds of EFL games under their belt in your defence and midfield, knowing when to slow down, when to play, when to go long to relieve the team will be far more beneficial. You could say we have them, but just bad recruitment. So in defence, we have Platt, Stubbs, Tomkinson & Kelly, all with low to OK amounts of EFL games under their belts, so if you bring in that 30+ defender who can challenge for a place and teach, that's perfect..... we signed Ash Taylor. And in midfielder we just got the balance wrong all season. Smallwood & Gilly has always been a questionable partnership, but McDonald cant play twice in a row, certainly not 90 minutes and we didn't strengthen that area enough.
     

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