Tamworth preview - MP

Some cracking questions from JT and a very good interview from Hurst.  

Not personally convinced by everything Hurst said but certainly some really excellent points.

Fistly thought he made a great point concerning KHM:

"Yeah he did well. He came on at a good time in the game in respect of, it had stretched a little.
And he found a few spaces to give the opposition a rough time reall with his pace, he's different.
And the other lads, Liam, Elds and Duffs really are all, can take the physical side of the game.
That's nothing against Kiernan but if he's gonna stand up against a centre half, chances are he's gonna lose out most times."

Then goes on to say how he'd done well before JT asks:

"Do you think he's better coming on when the game's stretched then as you say or is he ready to start ?"

PH: "I think if you ask Kiernan he'll say he's ready, he wants to play from the start like I would expect all the players to."
Realistically the majority of the time, probably gonna be Liam and one of the other lads and Liam's been playing well.
So it's been difficult in one sense for Kiernan, he's had to be a lot more patient than some of the other lads maybe.
But if you've got Liam Hearn, most teams in this league would have him in the side.
But as I've said before it's disrespectful to say we've missed him altogether because the lads who have come in have done well."

Later the question is asked:
JT: "Played Tamworth recently at home where they frustrated you a little bit, are you expecting a similar thing there again ?

PH: "You never know. You know Marcus from speaking with him says he has to pick his team pure and simply against the oppostion.
So whether or not he reverts back to the team if he can do as much possible that frustrated as you said, we'll have to wait and see.
He has brought a couple of players in that I would say aren't particularly suited to that type of play.
So again, he's got I'm sure a few decisions to make about which way he feels is best to get a result against us.
You know whichever team he puts out we'll be trying to improve on our performance from that day..."

Hopefully you can see the dilemma we MIGHT have.

If Tamworth decide a point is good for them they might decide to frustrate us again.

If they go defensive or park the bus Duffy or Elding looks the right call.
If they go open then perhaps KHM looks the right choice.

Not sure what to think they'll do either...
On the one hand they're NO WIN IN SEVEN.
It's not normally acceptable for home teams to frustrate either. And like Hurst says the 2 players(if they play) aren't suited to that style.
They're not in a relegation fight either. But then again, they weren't when they came to BP either !!  

And like Hurst says, their manager may well just pick his team according to the opposition.
He may just guess they'll know we need to win and try to make it tough.

So I'm really not sure - my wild guess is they'll park the bus so Duffy should start. But that's all it is - a wild guess!
In any case think we may need to have one eye on any counter-attacking threat.
Anyway what do YOU think ?...

JT: "Were you happy with a point at Luton ?"

PH: "I think overall yeah how the game went and realistically if we'd have said took a point beforehand, alot of people would.
I understand the argument you've got to try to win every game - we went there to try and win the game !
Certainly wasn't defensive. It's easy for people who maybe look at a team wrote down and say "Oh that's a defensive team", it wasn't about that.
It was about keeping ourselves in the game and being nice and solid.
You know had we started with the team that finished some people would say you'd have caused them all sorts of problems. Well we might have lost the game by that stage.
So swings and roundabouts and that's why we have to make the decisions that we do.
Again I think Rob mentioned at the weekend - for Luton's point of view, not had the best couple of results the manager's asked for a reaction, and I think from his side he's said that he's got that.
So we've had to stand up to that. And overall the lads have come out with a lot of credit, there's a lot of fight in that team, a lot of commjitment and we kept going right to the end."

Some very fair points in there even if I personally think Hurst is perhaps missing the point slightly.

It's not a case of wanting to win every game(as nice as that would be), it was more a case (in my view) of it being our best chance with the remaining fixtures and games to be played to do some damage.
On another occasion in different circumstances a point would have been most acceptable outcome (in terms of taking risks) with regards the run in.

To be fair think he's right, it was obviously about keeping ourselves in the game and trying to snatch it later - can certainly appreciate the gameplan.
I just wonder if in hindsight (which is a great thing) we could have been more positive sooner.
Also agree with Rob Scott's comments about expecting a Luton reaction but not sure if the conclusion over what to do was correct.
Do you weather the storm (which to be fair we did for quite a while albeit still going a goal down) or throw the gauntlet down to a side struggling and in depserate need for a result ?

To be fair it's easy to say all these things when you're not making the decisions.
Swings and roundabouts - no doubt about that !

And how crucial might this point be ?
Very difficult to say - to be fair a look at the table/remaining fixtures says it might be more valuable than it perhaps first appeared.
Or it might prove immaterial cos lose or draw and Wrexham apart, we're virtually in must win territory (Wrexham apart) now anyway.
Anyway certainly a very good result per se and we move on...

Good luck tomorrow night lads !
UTM.

Cheers 80's, you certainly put a lot of effort into your posts but that's a credit to you

Admittedly probably too much.  

But I did think it was fascinating listening the points they raised. (like always with MP  )

I thought "KHM HAS to start !" myself and then suddenly wondered "Errr, what if they park the bus ?" myself...  

Damn S&H, they beat me to it !  

Wow, suprised how one-sided the vote is so far !  

Almost everyone thinks a home team without a win in 7 is gonna shut up shop.  
Anyone want to say WHY ?

Precisely because of their current form and the amount of beatings we've dished out this season (admittedly mostly at home). They'll know that if they are cavalier from the first minute, they will leave space for Hearn and Coulson.

Been looking what the Tamworth fans are saying after their 1-1 draw with Gateshead on Saturday.
http://www.tamworthfans.co.uk/Default.aspx?g=posts&t=8492

Not sure what to make of it but seems their new lads (including J-P Marna) have already played and done well.
If that's the case are they really gonna revert back to a defensive system ?

Who knows but one interesting comment on there:
"After about 65/70 mins, we lost ambition really though and settled for a point. "

Start open but get stingy later ?

At the end of the day we're gonna attack them (at some point)
Just hope if we get the early goal we don't sit on our lead - more goals and breathing space would be great !

Quoted from 1600

Wow, suprised how one-sided the vote is so far !  

Almost everyone thinks a home team without a win in 7 is gonna shut up shop.  
Anyone want to say WHY ?

Well when they came here I expected them to go for the win, I thought why wouldn't they, their not going to go up or down, they had nothing to lose yet they just played for a draw. After them doing that here, I just assume they'll do the same again, however, with them playing at home they might be slightly more inclined to go forward a bit more.

I voted "frustrate" but don't necessarily think that means defensive. Our squad and starting eleven
usually sets out quite balanced and width encouraged. We do like to spread it and counter quickly yet do
tend to lump it, hoping duffy/elds can get a flick on. Most teams will read this and attempt to nullify
our most attacking options, either with two sometimes three on hearn, plenty of pressure in the middle
and targetting conor with goal kicks as he seems the most lightweight. When we're in possession these are the
tactics we come up against, earlier in the season it was when they had possession that cost us so dearly.
Tamworth will look to nullify our width and battle for the midfield, tie that in with steady, simple passing
they'll look to nick one or two. On paper we should hold them back and win 2-0, its played on grass though,
not paper.

See where you're coming from...
Interesting post !
So you're thinking frustrate but "nick one or two" on the counter-attack ?

I'm not sure what style they've got - someone said JPMarna held it up well(long ball ?), others said their passing was good.
Thank god S&H have scouted them cos I haven't a clue...

Maybe we need to learn those lessons from the BP game ?
Get on the gas sooner trying to work openings around their box (whilst remaining relatively patient)
Much prefer that to panicking for a goal at the death by lumping it forward from the back.  

Add a few quality crosses into the mix and touchwood we should hopefully be ok...

Quoted from Fishfinger

Cheers 80's, you certainly put a lot of effort into your posts but that's a credit to you

Agreed. . . I think his efforts are rather wasted on here but yes very informative, well thought out and executed.