4-5 and little Marc McNulty

[Silent Blade]

We need to stop playing that type of formation as Preston had us sussed. Glad it happened last night rather in any of the remaining league matches. Marc is more useful coming in as sub or if we are starting with 4-4-2

 

[judge]

Looked like a little boy lost last night
and I can honestly say I have never seen JCR actually find a team mate with a cross
has anyone else?

 

[Revolution]

We need to stop playing that type of formation as Preston had us sussed. Glad it happened last night rather in any of the remaining league matches. Marc is more useful coming in as sub or if we are starting with 4-4-2

I'd love to be proved wrong, but I fear you're going to see us lose in the playoffs in exactly the same way, unfortunately.

 

[djbaldken]

I'd love to be proved wrong, but I fear you're going to see us lose in the playoffs in exactly the same way, unfortunately.

I made exactly the same comment last night. I fear it will come true.

 

[Silent Blade]

I'd love to be proved wrong, but I fear you're going to see us lose in the playoffs in exactly the same way, unfortunately.

I think we will finish strongly as we now have more options with the 5 new signings in the JTW. Brayford playing at RB will allow Flynn return to his usual position, Coutts to be Doyle's eventual replacement. 4-5 and little Marc McNulty can work against teams who play a high line and pass the ball a lot but not against teams like Preston who play the long ball and I am sure Clough knows that

 

[SwissBlade]

We need to stop playing that type of formation as Preston had us sussed. Glad it happened last night rather in any of the remaining league matches. Marc is more useful coming in as sub or if we are starting with 4-4-2

Well it's taken just four games to suss it

 

[WeareBlades]

Got to admit the thing I'm most surprised at is the effort from the players, a few new signings have come in you would think people would fight for their place. Can't feel aggrieved to lose their place after that performance.

 

[Woodwardfan]

We shot up the league last season with "little Jose Baxter" up front in 4-5-1. It's not as simple as this.

Murphy is starting to play up to his potential after a modest first half of the season. Baxter and Scougall are nowhere near their own standards. We miss the wide play of Flynn from last season, but he was poor until he dropped back to full back. Campbell-Ryce flatters to deceive.

Obviously we miss Coady. Other clubs manage to sign a good proportion of lads who have been on loan with them but for some reason we missed out on Coady. Reed is as good mind but can't play every game at his age.

Undermining all the above is the failure to sign a proper striker. Let's hope Done is a big improvement, but he will require service. That's not necessarily just about formations, it's about players taking responsibility to feed the striker and each other with chances. Last season we got numbers in the box with 4-5-1 but it looks like a "no mans land" at times these days.

By the way, Done is 5'10". 4-5-and little Doney perhaps.

 

[blade too long]

I'd love to be proved wrong, but I fear you're going to see us lose in the playoffs in exactly the same way, unfortunately.

lets not get down , think of 4 or 5 players that will come in to alter our options . We will be tackling the league games ahead with the team that beat Swindon , not the one that played last night , We beat Preston in league conditions in january , cup games are one offs always will be We have to forget the past ,its not the same team , manager or owners

 

[Revolution]

lets not get down , think of 4 or 5 players that will come in to alter our options . We will be tackling the league games ahead with the team that beat Swindon , not the one that played last night , We beat Preston in league conditions in january , cup games are one offs always will be We have to forget the past ,its not the same team , manager or owners

I see what you mean but it is the same manager that's been playing 4-5-1 for the whole season with 3 players in the middle who have little physical presence and between them don't create much and never score. I hope that several of players who played against Swindon will now be first choices but I am not confident of that: he has his favourites.

If we see more Coutts and/or, God Forbid, 2 players up front we might get somewhere in the playoffs.

 

[bartman]

We need to stop playing that type of formation as Preston had us sussed. Glad it happened last night rather in any of the remaining league matches. Marc is more useful coming in as sub or if we are starting with 4-4-2

I was surprised at the team selection last night. We all know what PNE are like and yet we had no physical presence..

Assuming Higdon was injured(if not he should have started) surely NC should have played Kennedy, pushed Basham into midfield, Alcock at right back and either Davies or Flynn on the right hand side of midfield. Murphy would have given their back 4 more trouble than McNulty who seems to be unsuited to the lone forward role.

With no target man, last night was always going to be tough but the fact they just walked though our midfield cost us the game

On last night's performance,it is difficult to see Doyle, JCR, McNulty Baxter and possibly Scougill getting much game time over the next few weeks

 

[Silent Blade]

Assuming Higdon was injured(if not he should have started)

A Blade (who works as a Match Day steward- he normally catches the same train as me in the morning) told me this morning that Higdon was injured. It was a pity that Adams and Done were cup tied

 

[blade too long]

I see what you mean but it is the same manager that's been playing 4-5-1 for the whole season with 3 players in the middle who have little physical presence and between them don't create much and never score. I hope that several of players who played against Swindon will now be first choices but I am not confident of that: he has his favourites.

If we see more Coutts and/or, God Forbid, 2 players up front we might get somewhere in the playoffs.

theres no need to get panicky over losing a cup game , southampton lost to us then won 4 of next 5 prem games , the cup is a different animal , Preston s desire to play man utd is greater as its a derby , and they needed to beat us and lets not forget it was our 8th game in 30 days, , 3 against prem sides so weve been stretched too far

 

[Woodwardfan]

theres no need to get panicky over losing a cup game , southampton lost to us then won 4 of next 5 prem games , the cup is a different animal , Preston s desire to play man utd is greater as its a derby , and they needed to beat us and lets not forget it was our 8th game in 30 days, , 3 against prem sides so weve been stretched too far

Let's face it, we were all amazed when we beat Preston at home in the league. In the first half it was men v boys with only Doyle fighting a lone battle which some others gradually joined. The referee helped us that day too. Somehow we won the game against all the odds.

 

[Fiery Blade]

Looked like a little boy lost last night
and I can honestly say I have never seen JCR actually find a team mate with a cross
has anyone else?

The reason is there is no one quick enough to get into the box (perhaps with the exception of Che Adams)
Our movement off the ball is non existent - see free kicks, corners and throw ins
Perhaps our players think like third division players and wait to see where the ball is played before breaking sweat !

 

[Revolution]

theres no need to get panicky over losing a cup game , southampton lost to us then won 4 of next 5 prem games , the cup is a different animal , Preston s desire to play man utd is greater as its a derby , and they needed to beat us and lets not forget it was our 8th game in 30 days, , 3 against prem sides so weve been stretched too far

I'm not panicky.

Last night was more like many of our league performances than our cup performances. Goals from set pieces, not competing physically...

 

[Guesty]

The reason is there is no one quick enough to get into the box (perhaps with the exception of Che Adams)
Our movement off the ball is non existent - see free kicks, corners and throw ins
Perhaps our players think like third division players and wait to see where the ball is played before breaking sweat !

Adams' first goal against Spurs was because he attacked from the left flank - JCR frequently puts his crosses into this area but we never have a man over to attack it, the striker is in the centre, or more likely the near post, and Murphy has generally drifted inside earlier in the move. JCR on the right and Adams on the left might lead to far more chances from crosses.

 

[blade too long]

Let's face it, we were all amazed when we beat Preston at home in the league. In the first half it was men v boys with only Doyle fighting a lone battle which some others gradually joined. The referee helped us that day too. Somehow we won the game against all the odds.

teams like preston mk dons and bristol city have all had a lot longer together 2 3 years as squads that only needed small tweaks , cloughs had a year to take a rag bag collection and rebuild it and save our skins at the same time, the players we have collected in the JTW gets us closer but we need the next 2 months to start to get near them swindon game was a great start but we are still in rebuilding terms just got the foundations in whereas the top 3 have the plasters in

 

[judge]

I'm not having a pop at jamal but he seems to have an uncanny knack of putting the ball where none of our attacking players can get it

I mean in over 30 odd years of watching football I've never witnessed a phenomenon like it

 

[Revolution]

I'm not having a pop at jamal but he seems to have an uncanny knack of putting the ball where none of our attacking players can get it

I mean in over 30 odd years of watching football I've never witnessed a phenomenon like it

You mean "where our lone attacking player, who is tiny, can't get to it".

That's part of the problem.

 

[Guesty]

Yeah, if there were four bodies in the box and he consistently missed them all I'd be wondering about it to. I'm not saying his crossing is great by any means but the numbers game is not in his favour.

 

[Woodwardfan]

teams like preston mk dons and bristol city have all had a lot longer together 2 3 years as squads that only needed small tweaks , cloughs had a year to take a rag bag collection and rebuild it and save our skins at the same time, the players we have collected in the JTW gets us closer but we need the next 2 months to start to get near them swindon game was a great start but we are still in rebuilding terms just got the foundations in whereas the top 3 have the plasters in

Good analogy. Maybe the lack of a striker makes the whole building project flawed because the plastering was done without a roof, one of the essential parts of the building.