The gaffer on Hammond

[William Henry Foulkes]

There is a point to it, especially in the first half of the game. Playing without the ball is knackering, even at a professional level, and demoralising.

The physical side most people are aware of - it's the demoralising effect that might be more of a surprise. If you've come with that mindset of not having possession then you can play with that discipline - Mourinho's sides sometimes (infamously) deliberately gave the ball away. But if you're 1-0 down and need to score it has to be soul destroying.

I think the pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-pass might be a big reason they looked so poor - they were broken.

I'm watching it at the moment and almost feeling sorry for Fleetwood. Every time they get the ball we take it off them. The booing has just started around the half hour. I thought it was ridiculous last night when we had total control of the game, watching it back it makes even less sense.

Around 35' we've just hit a whole series of sideways passes across the back (cue booing), into midfield back again, to Hammond great diagonal ball to Sharp, makes its way back to Hammond, another great diagonal ball to Freeman (our right back(!)), who beats his man and ends up free on the byline but having done all the hard work runs it out of play.

Almost everything about it is top class - and it's played out against a chorus of boos.

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Defenders defend and there are 4 of them. If they are exposed they should give the foul. If 4 defenders and a keeper can't stop a couple of stray forwards getting shots on goal they should pack it in.

Clough defended with 9 players, what on earth? Modern coaches over-coach IMO.

It was tongue in cheek.

Also imagine the volume of booing if the opposition never touched the ball. We'd have to give it to them every now and then just to keep the vocal and opinionated sections of the crowd onside.