just back

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

I thought that’s what I said.

One point about playing it across the back though. You do need defenders who can actually do it without giving the ball away or putting their mate in hospital. Our full backs are pretty good now on this but the central defenders can give the fans heart failure and/or the ball ends up back with the keeper.

Yeah agreed. I think the amount of times we do it we are asking for trouble given the CBs we have. Although to be fair glennon also got caught out doing it in the first half and could easily have resulted in a goal against a better team. Certainly not saying just boot it every time but I just think it was used more than is beneficial and it's a bit more of a risk than is necessary. That's how I see it.

Think Davis will improve the back line in this regard when he is back fit. He is comfortable on the ball and has played midfield quite a bit.

Quoted from ginnywings

Think Davis will improve the back line in this regard when he is back fit. He is comfortable on the ball and has played midfield quite a bit.

Agree. I think when push comes to shove Davis and Waterfall is the best partnership. There’s still zero pace at centre half though, even if Davis is probably a bit faster. That will need addressing.

Quoted from Mariner_09

Agree. I think when push comes to shove Davis and Waterfall is the best partnership. There’s still zero pace at centre half though, even if Davis is probably a bit faster. That will need addressing.

Seems Ollie is prepared for the odd mistake to cost us when we are being “brave” enough to play from the back, so I guess we can work with that as long as we are successful at the other end.

Personnel is only part of the issue though, as I’m convinced that there are virtually no playing surfaces in league 2 good enough to play this way without significant risk. Look at the back pass by Waterfall yesterday, the ball bounced a foot high just as he was about to play it, and stood behind the goal at Bradford last week and being closer to the action than usual I couldn’t believe how poor the surface was.

We're making strides every week and the most exciting thing is that this a new team, they're still getting used to each other.

Grandin looked a class above.  I thought we were signing a tricky winger, not a classy midfielder who doesn't waste a single pass.  I don't think he lost possession once all game.

Benson and Glennon are going to have huge futures in the game, both improving with each week.

Vernam, as expected, had 2 or 3 men on him every time but still had a few moments to get the fans off their seats.  He frees up other players, who in turn will reap the benefits and then the focus will be on them and Vernam will be freed up.  The main thing is that we've got multiple players capable of doing something.

Clarke is the main difference in my eyes though.  He wins so many second balls through experience and knowing exactly where the ball is going to end up, regardless of who wins it.  His pass for Hanson was top drawer.  

Disappointing that we didn't keep the clean sheet in the end but these things happen in those conditions.  

Quoted from 123614

Just watched the extended highlights a couple of times, and it's fairly obvious that Macca could have headed that ball clear.

But you've watched it a few times, Macca had 2 seconds do decide what to do...

I think Waterfall is plenty pacy enough and, as I've mentioned in the past, he's surprised me at how competent he has been in possession as well. Davis certainly the best on the ball of our central defenders, however, so those two will probably be the first choice pairing.

The simple fact is that we are likely to concede a number of goals due to errors in possession in defensive areas given the new style of play. It's unavoidable with 4th division footballers. The main point is to make sure that you score extra goals to compensate for it. I don't doubt we'll have the odd shocker of a game where we've all but lost in the first half hour due to mistakes where we are punished but as long as they are few and far between, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Quoted from Jarmo.Is.God

But you've watched it a few times, Macca had 2 seconds do decide what to do...

And in those two seconds he made the wrong choice.  It's all about decisions, and that is one of his problems, as we know, he often makes the wrong decisions about staying on his line or dominating the penalty area.  I remember when Dean Henderson joined us on loan, anything in the box was his, no question.

Which is why he’s touted as next England keeper and McKeown is League 2..

He made an error, part of the game. Saved us numerous times over the years. He’s not perfect, who is...but for our level there’s many who’d want him in their side.

This is L2. I criticised Macca for his reaction to Henderson but to expect to have a keeper, at this level, with no flaws is unrealistic. That is why they are playing L2. I reckon he earns us 8-10 points a season.