The gaffer on Hammond

[The_Green_Man]

 

[lazyfecklessblade]

Not been this level of interest in a loanee since we got John Brayford. If he has anywhere near the impact then this is the signing of the season.

 

[UpTheClough]

Not been this level of interest in a loanee since we got John Brayford. If he has anywhere near the impact then this is the signing of the season.

What impact has Brayford had on the pitch? Scored against Charlton and helped the club shop to sell t-shirts and masks

 

[The_Green_Man]

What impact has Brayford had on the pitch? Scored against Charlton and helped the club shop to sell t-shirts and masks

The bloke took a big pay cut to rejoin us so you can't really knock him. He is as of yet to replicate the form that he had during his loan though I agree with that, the injury hasn't helped this though.

 

[lazyfecklessblade]

What impact has Brayford had on the pitch? Scored against Charlton and helped the club shop to sell t-shirts and masks

The 2nd half of that season with all tho? Whilst you are correct he didn't score the goals (2 in 20 that season I think), I thought he was one of the main changes which brought about that collossal change in form following Xmas 2013

 

[SwissBlade]

Not been this level of interest in a loanee since we got John Brayford. If he has anywhere near the impact then this is the signing of the season.

Let's hope he gets better then

 

[Blade58]

I think we all expected better tonight based on what NA has said about him

He reminded me of last seasons Coutts

However, the fact he's only just arrived and needs to get to know the players and he's probably not match fit, then he probably needs time to get up to speed (fingers crossed)

 

[SwissBlade]

I think we all expected better tonight based on what NA has said about him

He reminded me of last seasons Coutts

However, the fact he's only just arrived and needs to get to know the players and he's probably not match fit, then he probably needs time to get up to speed (fingers crossed)

Completely agree

 

[super_pig]

What impact has Brayford had on the pitch? Scored against Charlton and helped the club shop to sell t-shirts and masks

he is a talisman.. i'm not really sure why he was picked and i don't think he is either but he has a weird positive effect on the team and fans, so he's pretty much indispensable. he brings some kind of belief. these kind of players don't come along too often. reminds me of Bob Booker. Wasn't the best player but everyone loved him and believed we could win when he was on the pitch

 

[Lane Ender]

he is a talisman.. i'm not really sure why he was picked and i don't think he is either but he has a weird positive effect on the team and fans, so he's pretty much indispensable. he brings some kind of belief. these kind of players don't come along too often. reminds me of Bob Booker. Wasn't the best player but everyone loved him and believed we could win when he was on the pitch

I agree with that first time for a long there has been a feeling of leadership out there.
Hammond looked rusty but that's the link we need in midfield.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Hammond has been in a Premier League environment for a fair while and has had little first team action, none this season.

In the Prem the defenders and midfielders aren't used to being closed down and harried and it will take the lad a while to attune to League 1 football.

If we find a way to play Coutts and Hammond in the same team and include Reed and Baxter, the opposition will never get the ball. Sharp, Brayford, Done, Flynn, McNulty, 2x Wallace, Freeman, Scougall can all play possession football very well - but can the crowd cope with it?

 

[Fiery Blade]

Whilst off the pace and obviously lacking match practice Hammond still looked a 'footballer'
However, Paul Coutts is a 'footballer' yet he is castigated by many on here !
Hopefully, Hammond will quickly get into shape and address the rigours of 3rd Division football - he appeared to 'want the ball' and was not afraid to occasionally put his foot on the ball and look up for the best option - something most of our team struggle to do !

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Hammond has been in a Premier League environment for a fair while and has had little first team action, none this season.

In the Prem the defenders and midfielders aren't used to being closed down and harried and it will take the lad a while to attune to League 1 football.

If we find a way to play Coutts and Hammond in the same team and include Reed and Baxter, the opposition will never get the ball. Sharp, Brayford, Done, Flynn, McNulty, 2x Wallace, Freeman, Scougall can all play possession football very well - but can the crowd cope with it?

The crowd will cope with anything as long as we get consistancy and are winning.

UTB

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Hammond has been in a Premier League environment for a fair while and has had little first team action, none this season.

In the Prem the defenders and midfielders aren't used to being closed down and harried and it will take the lad a while to attune to League 1 football.

If we find a way to play Coutts and Hammond in the same team and include Reed and Baxter, the opposition will never get the ball. Sharp, Brayford, Done, Flynn, McNulty, 2x Wallace, Freeman, Scougall can all play possession football very well - but can the crowd cope with it?

You make some good points - but the one I want to pick up on is "can the crowd cope"

For me it was quite simple:

When teams close you down, players have to move the ball on quickly and that means players moving quicker to accept.

We were too slow in the first half - now, was that Adkins instructions or the players? Adkins, stood hands on hips suggest the latter - hence his constant frustration and the crowds.

When we stepped it up 10/15 mins in the second half - Fleetwood couldn't live with us, so for the crowd to cope - we cant just do it for 20 minutes, 15 minutes into the 2nd half.

It's not can the crowd cope - it's can the players step up, with that style earlier?

UTB

 

[Woodwardfan]

The crowd will cope with anything as long as we get consistancy and are winning.

UTB

Is that all it takes?

 

[Woodwardfan]

You make some good points - but the one I want to pick up on is "can the crowd cope"

For me it was quite simple:

When teams close you down, players have to move the ball on quickly and that means players moving quicker to accept.

We were too slow in the first half - now, was that Adkins instructions or the players? Adkins, stood hands on hips suggest the latter - hence his constant frustration and the crowds.

When we stepped it up 10/15 mins in the second half - Fleetwood couldn't live with us, so for the crowd to cope - we cant just do it for 20 minutes, 15 minutes into the 2nd half.

It's not can the crowd cope - it's can the players step up, with that style earlier?

UTB

Very true, I made the same points elsewhere ( Deadbat report) but games go through phases and sometimes the inspiration has to be sparked or to evolve, no matter how much the players try. The manager ranted and raved but on the pitch things were very quiet.

My serious point about our crowd is whether they are able to accept more calculated and controlled possession at certain stages of the game because Hammond seems to play his football that way and I think he will have a big influence on the whole team, particularly in harness with Coutts. Personally I look forward to it as long as there is some variation and we create chances regularly, not necessarily every hand and turn, but enough to win games with a safe margin.

It cannot be easy to play when the crowd are agitated. Water off a duck's back to Hammond I'm sure, even on his debut, but younger players must feel it plus a few older more insecure players. Showing for the ball becomes a challenge unfortunately.

 

[1889]

I don't know if I'm on my own here, but I find Adkins interviews are all so predictable, boring and his delivery, extremely irritating. Stop, start, posing questions, haven't we, shouldn't we, football match etc etc etc, if only he could just write a fucking column in the Green 'Un............If only

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Is that all it takes?

Woody , i think it is . To keep it simple , if United were more consitant then fans would not be as nervous are agitated . It might be a mindset from days gone by , but even at 2-0 up ( whoever we are playing ) , you still get the feeling we could finish up with a draw or even losing . 3-0 up calms the nerves , but the agitation is still there .

95% of fans to me , are still not 100% confident we will win , even when we are winning.

Stepping up the pace of the game certainly helps both players , fans and the ultimate result. We have a tendancy and bloody good knack of leaving the door open for opposing teams to get back into a game. Thats the root cause of the problem .

UTB

 

[Fiery Blade]

Woody , i think it is . To keep it simple , if United were more consitant then fans would not be as nervous are agitated . It might be a mindset from days gone by , but even at 2-0 up ( whoever we are playing ) , you still get the feeling we could finish up with a draw or even losing . 3-0 up calms the nerves , but the agitation is still there .

95% of fans to me , are still not 100% confident we will win , even when we are winning.

Stepping up the pace of the game certainly helps both players , fans and the ultimate result. We have a tendancy and bloody good knack of leaving the door open for opposing teams to get back into a game. Thats the root cause of the problem .

UTB

I certainly concur with your sentiment Lord Bos, last night was a golden opportunity after taking the lead so early, to move in for the kill - Fleetwood offered very little going forward yet, until we got the second there was always the nagging thought that they could somehow snatch an equiliser or even a winner - especially with our defensive record this season !
Unfortunately, one of the greatest failings of our current squad ( besides Centre Backs and a Goalkeeper) is the desperate lack of pace matched only with the players' lack of anticipation !
Last night really brought home to me how poor this division is, to beat the opposition three - nil and still find it hard to enthuse about the victory !

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

My serious point about our crowd is whether they are able to accept more calculated and controlled possession at certain stages of the game because Hammond seems to play his football that way and I think he will have a big influence on the whole team, particularly in harness with Coutts. Personally I look forward to it as long as there is some variation and we create chances regularly, not necessarily every hand and turn, but enough to win games with a safe margin.

I will be watching the full match later, so comments are subjective and generalised. Teams that play a possession game (Swansea, Arsenal, Barcelona etc.) all go through periods in a game where they just seem to be passing for the sake of passing, often sideways and backwards. 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 more this happens in a game, the more likely openings, chances and mistakes towards the end of the game. That's the theory at any rate. However if a team has set itself up to sit deep, full-backs in tight, one or two CMs sat deep and a lone forward running hard to close down, then it needs modification because that formation conserves energies (bar the lone forward and you just replace him after about 60 minutes) as you aren't chasing the ball in the same way. We seem to be putting teams under a bit more pressure earlier in games this season, with two up front, a more narrow midfield and full-backs encouraged further forward (see goals 2 and 3 last night). The problem is that it leaves us more open to counter attacks, so we are scoring more but also conceding more. Hammond may well be the key to keeping forward momentum, whilst staying tight and disciplined defensively.

Supporters at BDTBL have not a seen a team that keeps the ball that much, with little end result, in a long time if ever. They like action in the opposition area and like it as quickly and as often as possible. They may need to get use to that happen in pockets and bursts from about 60 minutes on if the passing is designed to wear out the opposition. As an alternative I would assume we have Sammon to vary things if needed.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Very true, I made the same points elsewhere ( Deadbat report) but games go through phases and sometimes the inspiration has to be sparked or to evolve, no matter how much the players try. The manager ranted and raved but on the pitch things were very quiet.

My serious point about our crowd is whether they are able to accept more calculated and controlled possession at certain stages of the game because Hammond seems to play his football that way and I think he will have a big influence on the whole team, particularly in harness with Coutts. Personally I look forward to it as long as there is some variation and we create chances regularly, not necessarily every hand and turn, but enough to win games with a safe margin.

It cannot be easy to play when the crowd are agitated. Water off a duck's back to Hammond I'm sure, even on his debut, but younger players must feel it plus a few older more insecure players. Showing for the ball becomes a challenge unfortunately.

The agitation last night was probably left over from the ones who went to Oldham - culminating in "what the fuck was that" sung at the end.

We needed to step it up when Oldham went down to 10 - we didn't really do that. We should have put them to the sword with 10 - and didn't.

My issue this season has been cewntre mid - and on Saturday (to labour the point) it was Baxter and Scoogs plus Basham. Just don't think it works.

Last night Basham/Hammond/Coutts in CM with Baxter (at last!!!) near up top where he can create damage and is as far away from the back 4 as possible.

The crowd will be patient as long as we know there is a sound pattern - that at certain times in a game we will step it up and give the crowd a bit more excitement.
Adkins and the staff now have a basic blueprint we saw last night with what appears for possibly the first time this season players in their rightful positions and areas of the pitch. Perhaps the time for experimenting is now over?

Particularly impressed with Freeman of late - seems a lovely footballer, is getting better at defending and not convinced Brayford will get back in while Freeman is playing like this.

UTB

 

[Woodwardfan]

I will be watching the full match later, so comments are subjective and generalised. Teams that play a possession game (Swansea, Arsenal, Barcelona etc.) all go through periods in a game where they just seem to be passing for the sake of passing, often sideways and backwards. 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 more this happens in a game, the more likely openings, chances and mistakes towards the end of the game. That's the theory at any rate. However if a team has set itself up to sit deep, full-backs in tight, one or two CMs sat deep and a lone forward running hard to close down, then it needs modification because that formation conserves energies (bar the lone forward and you just replace him after about 60 minutes) as you aren't chasing the ball in the same way. We seem to be putting teams under a bit more pressure earlier in games this season, with two up front, a more narrow midfield and full-backs encouraged further forward (see goals 2 and 3 last night). The problem is that it leaves us more open to counter attacks, so we are scoring more but also conceding more. Hammond may well be the key to keeping forward momentum, whilst staying tight and disciplined defensively.

Supporters at BDTBL have not a seen a team that keeps the ball that much, with little end result, in a long time if ever. They like action in the opposition area and like it as quickly and as often as possible. They may need to get use to that happen in pockets and bursts from about 60 minutes on if the passing is designed to wear out the opposition. As an alternative I would assume we have Sammon to vary things if needed.

Can I book you to do a presentation to the fans who sit near me please!!

All of them are "True Blades" through and through and have been season ticket holders for years. Last night they were howling "forward, forward,forward" time and again. We were one up after 1 minute. What would they have been like if we had been drawing? It seemed they had come to the game looking to criticise, a bit like the usual suspects on here whenever we don't win.

The manager has work to do to establish confidence which has disappeared, last seen when we won four on the trot in fact. Blades fans, abused over the years will take some re-educating even if we are 10 points clear with 5 games to go, they will still be nervous if we are only one up at home and just keeping possession, wearing the opposition down and waiting for the kill in the second half. That's not what we were doing last night. No, I agree, but moaning, groaning and booing did the players no good whatsoever. Do fans seriously think they are serving any purpose whatsoever apart from encouraging the away side?

 

[BushBlade]

I think we all expected better tonight based on what NA has said about him

He reminded me of last seasons Coutts

However, the fact he's only just arrived and needs to get to know the players and he's probably not match fit, then he probably needs time to get up to speed (fingers crossed)

Tbf, surely no one expected him to play like Gerard given his lack of match practice and unfamiliarity with the team?

 

[Aston max]

I will be watching the full match later, so comments are subjective and generalised. Teams that play a possession game (Swansea, Arsenal, Barcelona etc.) all go through periods in a game where they just seem to be passing for the sake of passing, often sideways and backwards. 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 more this happens in a game, the more likely openings, chances and mistakes towards the end of the game. That's the theory at any rate. However if a team has set itself up to sit deep, full-backs in tight, one or two CMs sat deep and a lone forward running hard to close down, then it needs modification because that formation conserves energies (bar the lone forward and you just replace him after about 60 minutes) as you aren't chasing the ball in the same way. We seem to be putting teams under a bit more pressure earlier in games this season, with two up front, a more narrow midfield and full-backs encouraged further forward (see goals 2 and 3 last night). The problem is that it leaves us more open to counter attacks, so we are scoring more but also conceding more. Hammond may well be the key to keeping forward momentum, whilst staying tight and disciplined defensively.

Supporters at BDTBL have not a seen a team that keeps the ball that much, with little end result, in a long time if ever. They like action in the opposition area and like it as quickly and as often as possible. They may need to get use to that happen in pockets and bursts from about 60 minutes on if the passing is designed to wear out the opposition. As an alternative I would assume we have Sammon to vary things if needed.

Don't you think a lot of our fans are of an age where they were brought up on winning game's when we used to be a long ball side (Mr basset etc) some of us still pine for the footballing side's of John Harris and I think we have a manager that will bring that to us again! Mind you I concur with most on here we need two centre halves and a keeper maybe Hammond is the new Trevor Hockey

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Don't you think a lot of our fans are of an age where they were brought up on winning game's when we used to be a long ball side (Mr basset etc) some of us still pine for the footballing side's of John Harris and I think we have a manager that will bring that to us again! Mind you I concur with most on here we need two centre halves and a keeper maybe Hammond is the new Trevor Hockey

I agree totally. Fact is the game has moved on considerably since both Bassett and Harris. Hammond can't play like Hockey, he wouldn't see out many games if he did. Tactically both Bassett and Harris played it simply, 4-4-2 with proper wide players, strong centre forward, quicker player playing off him. Getting it to the front players was a different thing. The Harris team went through Currie all the time for him to pick the pass forward. Bassett went more direct or hit the channels.

Tactically even at this level things have moved on. Coaching, fitness, equipment, pitches mean different ideas are possible. Keeping the ball now seems to be the mantra, and hustling to get it back ASAP (which we don't seem to do well).

Having said all that, Tony Currie on a modern hybrid pitch would be unstoppable.

 

[finlaytheblade]

Very true, I made the same points elsewhere ( Deadbat report) but games go through phases and sometimes the inspiration has to be sparked or to evolve, no matter how much the players try. The manager ranted and raved but on the pitch things were very quiet.

My serious point about our crowd is whether they are able to accept more calculated and controlled possession at certain stages of the game because Hammond seems to play his football that way and I think he will have a big influence on the whole team, particularly in harness with Coutts. Personally I look forward to it as long as there is some variation and we create chances regularly, not necessarily every hand and turn, but enough to win games with a safe margin.

It cannot be easy to play when the crowd are agitated. Water off a duck's back to Hammond I'm sure, even on his debut, but younger players must feel it plus a few older more insecure players. Showing for the ball becomes a challenge unfortunately.

An excellent post woody I agree with you 100% perhaps bergen could post on this subject with his diagrams he seems to get a lot of respect
For his analysis of players and games

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

If we find a way to play Coutts and Hammond in the same team and include Reed and Baxter, the opposition will never get the ball.

But if they ever do they'll score every time

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

[QUOTE="SouthEssexBlade, post: 855914, member: 333"

Having said all that, Tony Currie on a modern hybrid pitch would be unstoppable.[/QUOTE]

Not so sure about that, some twat with his UEFA badges would stick him in front of the back four to "protect" them.

 

[Woodwardfan]

An excellent post woody I agree with you 100% perhaps bergen could post on this subject with his diagrams he seems to get a lot of respect
For his analysis of players and games

How perceptive Finlay, that's life as they say.

There's another example today.

 

[Woodwardfan]

But if they ever do they'll score every time

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.