Since Done arrived...

[SW12 UTB]

This isn't a criticism of him in the slightest before any one gets the wrong idea, but since he came in , it seems to me that the standard of football changed completely to this aimless, long ball rubbish. Now i know we went on a decent run in February, but the wins at notts county and rochdale we played terrible football. When Done plays, his incredible work rate just seems to give the other players the excuse to hoof it long just expecting him to chase after it. I accept that the football hasn't been great all season, but since February its suddenly dropped to pub standard, and i cant shake the feeling its something to do with Done upfront. I think Done was a very good coup, but i fear we will never see him at his best if the other players continue to not take responsibility and leave it all up to him

Just my thoughts, but does anyone think the same?

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

His early goals for us came from excellent wing play, mainly Murphy but yes, you have a point, the punt upfield for him to chase is certainly an option we seem to have resorted to. I think it may change if we can get Davies (S) settled in but as you say, it's an easy option which we seem to have used far too much of late. Whether it's by design or just an easy get out for unconfident players is the question.

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

There's not too much wrong with our attack force but the defending has become shambolic.
Come back Harry. We've become powder puff in your absence.

 

[Gee]

I go home and away and agree totally, for me though they play ok until we get a goal and then it's everybody defend from inside our own box and then just boot the ball anywhere to clear it. Walsall last night we scored at the beginning of the game and even Matty Done was playing on the edge of our own box after the goal and then chasing everything that was just punted up in the air. The other team score, we come out and attack again, we then look dangerous.
Negative Nigel tactics are just shit and don't work. Whats annoying is prior to the game when warming up the team play a mini game and the passing and movement in them games are inch perfect proving to me the players can play they just aren't allowed to unless were loosing.
Last night we were attacking towards our own fans first half and scored in the 8th minute, after this we did not see a single one of our players in this half of the pitch again until the second half, when they were all in the box defending the one goal lead. Walsall scored and out we went with ten minutes to try and get a winner, we were getting on top and Walsall then looked totally shit again, we start looking good and whats negative Nige do? he takes done off who looks our only real threat and brings on Flynn!!! Why he brings them all back at only one goal up is beyond me, play positive and we would be battering teams. Matty Done was playing well and scoring well and then Negative Nigel got a hold of him. I am sure Clough docks the players wages if they leave our box when were a single goal up. A piss poor manager at times.

 

[HillmortonBlade]

I thought some of the long balls, especially those angled out to the wings were sort of, kind of, effective last night. Not sufficient enough to change the course of the game, obviously, but it did seem to unsettle them at the back and allow us to ping a couple of half decent crosses in. Not saying it's the answer, but it gave me some hope to counter-balance the dread of misplaced passes in midfield and the shambolic second half defending.

 

[SW12 UTB]

I thought some of the long balls, especially those angled out to the wings were sort of, kind of, effective last night. Not sufficient enough to change the course of the game, obviously, but it did seem to unsettle them at the back and allow us to ping a couple of half decent crosses in.

Unfortunately on the rare occasion it is effective and we do ping a decent cross in we have no one above about 5"10 to get on the end of it. Clough doesn't seem to understand you cant play long ball with small players, which is just basic tactics even Sunday league managers know not to do

 

[HillmortonBlade]

Unfortunately on the rare occasion it is effective and we do ping a decent cross in we have no one above about 5"10 to get on the end of it. Clough doesn't seem to understand you cant play long ball with small players, which is just basic tactics even Sunday league managers know not to do

Mostly agree with you wabaw, I was commenting more on the long "hoof" (or longer pass) into the wide corner(ish), the ping of the cross into the box needs to be to the strength of the player at the end of it. So it's a bit frustrating when the pass is to the head of the oppositions defender rather than the feet of a hard working striker working the channels and putting 100% effort in.

 

[Woodwardfan]

One man up front fights a losing battle unless he is supported very quickly from midfield.

Last season our midfield flooded their defence when we gained possession in the final third. We have not seen that this season, neither pre-Done or post-Done.

The arrival of Davies will at least give us some chance of winning the ball in the air ( Done is 5' 8" ish) and if Done plays alongside him we stand a chance of retaining the ball where it matters.

Whether we play 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 Clough will draw them all back if we go 1-0 up.

At no stage of any game does Clough liberate the fullbacks and midfielders. Sound tactics in the Premier League, though teams no longer do that all the time and have had more success "having a go" at better teams. We are in League 1 FFS.