Good line up today

[Bergen Blade]

Some tweaks, some even enforced, saw us have a very decent line up today, and I'm delighted that it's just given us a solid win.

Not (yet) seen the game, so speaking just how it is on paper, in my opinion, but I think these adjustments gave us more offensively today:

• Westlake is a little bit more attack minded than McMahon, givng us more width in attack
• Williams is a little bit more attack minded than Hill, also adding width
• Miller adds more clever movement up front and is a better reader of Porter's flick ons
• Blackman gives us pace, dribbling ability and a goal threat from wide midfield
• Flynn benefits from the former point, as he won't have someone who just passes it sideways on the opposite side.
• McDonald benefits from having more attacking players to pass to, and more players who like to join in with attacks, giving us more movement.

When you get the balance right like today you have a good chance of making things work. A line up like today's would be well equipped to causing a cup upset against a Premiership side, and it should definitely do well in this division. Maybe Blackman isn't delighted at having to play wide, and we have sacrificed some solidity, but in sum I think we lined up a stronger team today. It sounds like the crowd has enjoyed it too.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Precisely the midfield and front two I wanted to see after the MK Dons game. What's pleasing from that aspect is that while we did indeed have enforced changes, the decision to move Blackman to the wing and start Miller wasn't obviously what DW would do - indeed, starting with either McAllister or Cresswell wide would have been more expected based on his selections this season. With both full-backs the reserve options, DW would have been forgiven a little had he gone with a more defensive option on the wing. Instead, he's tried something different - and based on the result, it seems to have worked. Look forward to hearing what the performance was like.

 

[Large Mendonca]

That's exactly as I saw it Bergen. It's the best performance in my opinion since Rochdale away last season. If we can keep that up, we'll have no further problems this season and go up as Champions.

 

[Guesty]

I thought Williams was excellent today. His movement going forward was superb, overlapping and always providing a option down the left. I think he really helped open things up. I'm sure that's a lot of why Flynn was so productive.

 

[grafikhaus]

Excellent observations as usual, Bergen. Apart from the changes/more suitable use of personnel, we had a real desire - chasing down every ball and causing what the table shows to be a decent side in Stevenage to look an average side.
Flynn has rediscovered his confidence and I wonder what Ronnie Moore (sat just in front of me) thought of it.

 

[Toronto Blade]

Let's hope it continues on Tuesday!That is a good bounce back from the first loss which was very important .
Are we that good or did Stevenage just have an off day many had said they would give the Blades a footballing lesson, not quite.

 

[Silent Blade]

• Westlake is a little bit more attack minded than McMahon, givng us more width in attack

Not sure if I agree with that. McMahon carries the ball upfield more but Westlake plays the ball from the back and over the opposition defence moree

 

[Wards]

If Westlake keeps that up then McMahon won't get a look in. Head and shoulders the best right back performance so far this season

 

[Latters]

McMahon shouldn't get a look in for a while after today. He's been poor since joining us. Today, the more attack minded full backs helped our players to create space for themselves and McDonald to control the game like we know he can. Make a run for him and he will find you. Stand stationary near the edge of our box like McMahon and Hill usually do and he has very few options available.

After how the whole team performed today, that should be our first choice line-up going forward. It really is that simple.

 

[Rustyblade]

After how the whole team performed today, that should be our first choice line-up going forward.

What about when we're going backward?

 

[JohnDenver]

What about when we're going backward?

Hard to say because Stevenage didn't really compete for long spells. But we looked OK at the back when they did. They only had a couple of chances in the whole game.

 

[Latters]

What about when we're going backward?

Play like that often enough and there's only one way we're going, and that's up!

 

[KenMcnaughtsNuts]

not getting carried away. stevenage got battered last week 4-1 at home to preston, and battered 4-0 at home to swindon the other week too. they were obviously really lucky to be in the position they were, kept sneaking wins like we were doing. plus we were a lot livelier all round than in recent games. doyle, flynn, mcdonald all played well for the first time in ages. we all wanted to see more of miller, porter looked dangerous too. it does make things good/awkward when kitson is back though!

i have this nagging thought in my head that if we'd been starting porter and miller up front all season, they may both have more goals than blackman has...obviously no idea of knowing either way on that one. its hard to knock a guy whos top scorer by a country mile, so i wont do. but its also hard to play blackman up front with a fit kitson, miller and porter. maybe he will be stuck on the wing for the foreseeable? i think having 3 strikers makes us a lot more dangerous, though 4-3-3 never really works. so it could end up being a season turner, if blackman can play and score from the wing.

 

[Princess Annes Dog]

Hard to say because Stevenage didn't really compete for long spells.

Maybe that's because we didn't let them. For once we set our stall out to attack and to play our game, it worked. Hope Wilson sees that and goes into games looking to play to our strengths and stop tinkering because of a fear of the opposition. In this league there are no good sides so play our own game and we should be fine.

 

[super_pig]

Not sure if I agree with that. McMahon carries the ball upfield more but Westlake plays the ball from the back and over the opposition defence moree

macmahon never carries the ball.. it drives me bonkers .. he never overlaps either or gets forward of the midfielder.. normally he stops.. stops the ball .. retreats and then launches it like a set piece.. ta ta
great post bergen . i was going to post exactly the same thing.. balance. it is about balance.