Just back

Quoted from arryarryarry

Not sure what people have seen in McAllister, many on here are suggesting we shouldn't make assumptions based on one game this season yet some seem to think that McAllister is the answer to our midfield problems based on 4 games 3 of which were a year ago.

Let's hope he is what we are missing.

Quoted from arryarryarry

Not sure what people have seen in McAllister, many on here are suggesting we shouldn't make assumptions based on one game this season yet some seem to think that McAllister is the answer to our midfield problems based on 4 games 3 of which were a year ago.

Let's hope he is what we are missing.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

I like Mitch Rose. Alongside McAllister as the defensive midfield, he will fit nicely, Kelly, Jones & Dembele as the attacking 3.

Quoted from lukeo

Just watched the 10 minute highlights and the 3 half chances we had where because we played the ball on the deck.. I trust everyone on here who was at the game who said we played long ball all game. So surely even just in these short highlights it shows we create our best chances keeping the ball down.
Move in to Stevenage now

Quoted from lukeo

Just watched the 10 minute highlights and the 3 half chances we had where because we played the ball on the deck.. I trust everyone on here who was at the game who said we played long ball all game. So surely even just in these short highlights it shows we create our best chances keeping the ball down.
Move in to Stevenage now

Quoted from Tommy

IMO the change of shape killed us.

Going from the 4231 at Chesterfield to a 433 on Saturday with Summerfield coming in for Kelly was the wrong choice. Should've brought in one of the two available wide players (Bolarinwa/Jaiyesimi) to take Kelly's place and kept the same shape as last week.

The change of shape meant we just had the two wingers trying to support the striker as opposed to three attacking players supporting Cardwell. And we didn't keep the ball long enough or build up play through the team to be able to get us up the pitch and get people close to Cardwell.

The midfield of Rose just behind Berrett and Summerfield held a decent enough shape but weren't as effective in possession. And I was very disappointed in the distribution of Clarke and Collins, who just seem to float high lofted balls forward in the air. Even when they were attempting a switch it diagonal pass they lofted it high with no pace,rather than a driven ball that might have not given the defender time to go across and challenge a header as if dropped from the sky.

I thought the much-criticised Summerfield did alright, including a couple of vital interceptions in our own box. Rose did alright in the first half but in the second he was caught in possession a few times, failing to turn away from the pressure or release the ball earlier.

Berrett gave a typical Berrett performance. He's not a bad player, he's decent enough technically and he doesn't have terrible games where he makes mistake after mistake. He just doesn't have any physical attributes, doesn't make quick decisions and is never in the right place at the right time when we don't have the ball.

Jones is pretty ineffective out wide (despite scoring his goal at Chesterfield when out wide right).  But he also made poor decisions on the ball and repeatedly played high balls trying to force the switch to Dembele, leaving him to challenge their full back in the air for it.

Cardwell was on a hiding to nothing battling on his own against their back 4 with little or no support. I wouldn't discard him after that, I still think he'll be useful with more players around him.

As disappointing as we were, the game was heading for a 0-0 I'm sure, until we gift them a stupid goal. Because Coventry were well organised but looked pretty average apart from that. Concerning to concede another from a set piece. I thought we looked fairly strong defending the endless corners at Chesterfield, but including the goal that came indirectly coming from a corner that day, we've conceded 3 in the 3 games from corners.

We're not a million miles away. I think we need Clements to get back and I'd also think Slade will want more quality in central midfield anyway. So I wouldn't be surprised to see a new signing come in soon in that area. We should trust players like Jones and Dembele a bit more to give them the ball when they've got a man behind them - they're asking for the ball and are good enough go receive it under pressure, trust them and give them it.

Reading everyone moaning about playing 1 up front is boring. Teams do it up and down the country. Football isn't just 442 any more. It doesn't make you defensive having 1 up top. It's about how we play the system to support attacks and balance it with defending out of possession. We played 442 under Hurst but we're hardly attacking were we. It'll take a few weeks I'd imagine for Hurst to tinker and find the right blend for his attacking players - where to fit Jones in, where can Dembele be most effective, who to play up front, which 3 players behind the striker if 4231 -.as friendlies don't really allow you to find these things out.

Quoted from friskneymariner

Why does Tommy original post have Slade taking a few weeks to tinker,and your quote changing that to Hurst