Just Back

Swapping a centre half for DJ would have given some drive into the box. Berrett has no tricks or change of pace. I was one of those shouting get it forward but not a big lump from the back. We failed to draw a free kick or look clever in any way. A classic Pearson charge would have broken them down perhaps!

Correction, forgot we had used a sub replacing Davies with Mills. That like for like sub limited things somewhat.

Quoted from Croxton

Correction, forgot we had used a sub replacing Davies with Mills. That like for like sub limited things somewhat.

We did eventually take off Dixon, with Collins shuffling across to left back, but it was too late by then. We should have made that switch much earlier, maybe even in the first half as soon as their player went off. We perhaps then wouldn't have gone behind and had to chase the game. Luton knew that if they got into the lead, they could just sit back and soak everything up. We duly obliged by starting the second half on the back foot yet again, and giving them one of our many cheap free kicks we seem to dish out with regularity around our box. Then being too slow to react when the shot dropped off the crossbar. Their superior players then had the rather simple task of shutting us down for the rest of the game.

Our midfield don't get between the lines. They invariably have the opposition midfield and defence in front of them. You need to use movement to get in between the midfield and defence and that gives the opposition defenders something to think about. Do they come out to meet the threat and leave a space behind, or do they hold the line and push up as a unit, trying to get an offside, or do they drop off in case a ball is played over and behind them. Only when you get defenders in two minds and looking for possible danger in front of them and behind them, do defences lose their shape. We don't move the ball quickly and sharply enough to do that and everything is in front of them. A good percentage of the time, their midfield see out the danger without the defenders even having to break sweat. Long punts are generally the easiest ball to defend and that is what they are trying to do- force you back and make you play long.

Although bringing Mills on for Davies seemed the obvious option (and I'm sure they'd have got Davies sent off otherwise), it might have been worth bringing a more attacking player on instead? Dembele the obvious choice, but he has been in terrible form over the past 6 weeks or so (I blame his blond flat-top - a reverse Samson  ) and I suppose Mills was the obvious substitution. Of course, a different sub might have come on had it not been level at the time.

We're a team badly lacking in dynamism - very little pace, few first-time passes to release players into space which is available. Looking at our most skilful attackers, you'd have to say that Dembele, Jaiyesimi and Jones all tend to dwell on the ball and it is something I've complained about in the past. It makes it too easy for the opposition if they know a player is going to receive the ball, take another touch to set themselves and then do a couple of step-overs before going anywhere. I do hope that Dembele and Jaiyesimi learn to think about the pass first of all because, if they do, they will inevitably get more opportunities to take a man on further upfield instead of having to try and dribble past players near the half-way line.

No surprise that we have almost no threat on the counter and it made Slade's decision to keep everyone back in the box even worse as it reduced our threat on the break even further!

I agree with Tommy that Summerfield is the only one who fires his passes around instead of just chipping the ball across the field - he perhaps overdoes it a bit at times, but at least he's trying. Of course, if our movement and passing was better, this wouldn't be such an issue because you can make up a lot of ground with one-touch passing even if you don't hit the ball particularly hard. Alas, we're not that sort of a team.

Thought Clarke and Collins seemed lost for ideas near the end they just passed it to each other either that or nobody was making themselves available.

So who do we have in midfield who is going to be able to bring about any change to our footballing fortune?

Summerfield I guess deserves his place based on his willingness to try and influence the game

Berrett for me does nothing.... always plays a short pass with no particular aim in mind

The two of them together just don't have the creativity or cutting edge we crave

Rose is hardly outstanding but I don't mind him.... at least he has the knack of scoring every now and again and he complements Summerfield better than Berrett ever will
Not on a par with Disley of course but we do need goals from midfield

Clements, Clifton, McAllister - not going to figure

Woolford & Kelly....hit and miss at best and not really preferred as CMs if they ever do play

So there we have it.... a midfield vacuum

That's a really sad indictment of our squad...with no particular inspiration in sight

If you look on the official site, including the young lads, we have thirteen (yes,13) midfielders. Jones is included in them, so if you take him out of the equation, the rest have a woeful assists and goals record. I can't think that Clifton for example could be any less effective than Berrett.