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If Luke Waterfall hadn't given the ball away twice cheaply in our half, then Eastwood would have had a very quiet game.

Perhaps both Rodgers and Mullarkey need to know of this slight glitch, and make themselves available for simple passes.

Conteh is a prime example - has time, looks around, makes the simple pass, no danger occurs !

At half time I thought we were excellent closing Salford down, but Conteh apart, they were a little more composed on the ball. I think we've got a little work to do when it comes to creativity, maybe another option still needed in advanced central midfield? It was a decent hard working win, but there's still unanswered questions for me due to the sending off. We're definitely going to be harder to beat than last season, and hopefully the added confidence of a win or two may gel us more with the ball advancing down the pitch. Saturday will give us a greater idea of exactly where we are rather than finishing a game strongly against ten men..

Quoted from ginnywings

I think keepers punching the ball is a lot more common now and is probably taught at Prem clubs, where you see it a lot. There is also a lot more use of feet by keepers than there used to be.

I imagine he's had top notch coaching at Sheff Utd, but never was quite good enough to force his way into their squad, so has moved on to a level he can get games in.

I think we are a better team with him in it, but he will make mistakes; it's inevitable, though he has been pretty sound so far.

My eldest brother was coached by George Tweedy in the early 1950's and was encouraged to punch the ball if he wasn't 100% sure that he could catch it in competition with the opposing centre forward. He was also told it was one fist for the ball and the other for the back of the centre forwards head. When my brother questioned this tactic the reply was " if you don't then you will never become a professional goalkeeper"!

Quoted from acko338

If Luke Waterfall hadn't given the ball away twice cheaply in our half, then Eastwood would have had a very quiet game.

Perhaps both Rodgers and Mullarkey need to know of this slight glitch, and make themselves available for simple passes.

Conteh is a prime example - has time, looks around, makes the simple pass, no danger occurs !

Waterfall is normally pretty good at playing within his limitations, but I think he was perhaps trying a tad too hard to level-up his ball playing game to those around him on Tuesday. Rodgers, Mullarkey, Conteh, Eisa are all better on the ball than what they've replaced. He needs to remember that, after all, he is never going to be Virgil Van Waterfall. He still has value, I thought he was the better of our CB's at Notts County and did most bits well on Tuesday, he still made it very hard for Smith to have any control over where his headers went.

I'd imagine Waterfall was encouraged to play the ball out more but everybody can see that's not his game. I don't think it'd be too much of an issue if he just sticks to making the simple pass to one of the defensive ball players or his keeper and sticking to what he's good at. He's great in the air against a long ball game or a team that relies on crosses into the box and will throw his body in the way to break up attacks but not a defender you'd expect to bring the ball out, beat a man then play a killer pass.

Waterfall was brilliant at county especially first half - won every ball pretty much .
He adds so much in both boxes , he should have had that stonewall penalty on Tuesday .

But Maher gives you the footballing ability , with a tad less physicality and that dominance in both boxes .

A really difficult decision to who plays when both are fit now IMO as Rodgers is different class at this level so is always going to be in that other spot.

Quoted from Mappers

Waterfall was brilliant at county especially first half - won every ball pretty much .
He adds so much in both boxes , he should have had that stonewall penalty on Tuesday .

But Maher gives you the footballing ability , with a tad less physicality and that dominance in both boxes .

A really difficult decision to who plays when both are fit now IMO as Rodgers is different class at this level so is always going to be in that other spot.

I'm sure it'll come down to the opposition and how they play and set up