Just Back

Quoted from pen penfras

Vernam's cross was fantastic, don't know what you expect from league 2 players, but it won't be much better than that. Harry's header was very good too, but it was the pace on the cross that allowed him to just direct it and score from that distance.

Have to say I totally agree. Vernam's cross for Clifton's superb header was excellent.

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Jesus! I thought I was hard to please but Vernam, Pringle & Embleton hit better crosses than anything we've seen at BP for some time. Hit crosses with pace and goals happen - near post, far post or off someone's hand......

Exactly Codger. They are all putting good balls in the right area. But now we are getting more players in the area to take advantage.

There has been a definite ploy to get more balls into the box during our recent upturn. No surprise that the goals output has risen.

Quoted from chaos33

There has been a definite ploy to get more balls into the box during our recent upturn. No surprise that the goals output has risen.

Balls into the box and noticibably in the 2nd half of games more bodies too!

Quoted from mariner91

One of the massive positives from last night was the really young age of the starting line up:

Macca - 29
Hendrie - 24
Whitmore - 23
Davis - 27
Fox - 25
Embleton - 19
Clifton - 20
Hess - 24
Pringle - 29
Vernam - 22
Thomas - 31

Only one player over the age of 30 in the starting line up with 7 of them being 25 or younger. Quite remarkable. Cardwell is 22, Rose is 24 and only Welsh is anything like old at 34. There was also another 20 year old on the bench in A.Rose. We've got a lot of players who are likely to improve and we've got a manager with a great reputation for improving young players. Given how we've allowed Embleton to shine and develop as well, we might get a reputation for being a club willing to allow youngsters the stage to perform and could see more teams from higher up the ladder wanting to loan us some of their promising youngsters. Long way to go yet but lots of positive signs now it's finally falling in to place.

Some very valid points. I think it is no coincidence that MJ is using young players to work with. His time at Burnley will have given him a good grounding in this aspect of the game. That appointment could also unlock a lot of doors in getting young players here on long loan spells to develop their careers further. I'm sure managers from Premiersh*t and Championship levels would trust MJ to aid in bringing young players on. This is a win-win situation as we get some good players on loan, a reputation for helping them develop and the possibility of getting them on a permanent basis if their parent clubs don't deem them good enough for the higher leagues.

I think MJ's appointment could provide the basis of a really good squad at BP and I'm pleased that after some early season set-backs the performances are now starting to come together. Two more transfer windows and I think we could see a really good squad. One aspect of MJ's approach that has impressed me is  how he is already developing the teams approach to each game and his ability to read a game in progress, identify any problems and try to rectify it. He also has the attitude that once you are in the lead then keep the pressure up for more goals and not spend 30 or 40 minutes trying to defend a one goal lead. This aspect is so refreshingafter  Hurst's defensive approach and The Nearly Man's inability to even read the game or understand what was required to put it right.