Just Back

I think I've just about got my breath back!

First of all, that was just fantastic entertainment.  I simply didn't want that game to end and wouldn't have grumbled had the ref just let it play on forever.  For me, having found myself losing a bit of my interest and enthusiasm for Town over the last 18 months at various stages, that's so welcome!

You can clearly see what Artell wants to do.  He wants us to win but with style and entertain.  What is glaringly obvious is that he doesn't have the players to that, certainly defensively.  But he has two choices here, both have been advocated by a fair number of posters on this forum in the last two or three weeks.  

Option 1: Take stock of the immediate, focus on just staying up and working to what suits the current squad best and then look to implement a new style in the summer.

Option 2:  Take the bull by the horns, install a new approach and see who can adapt to it.  Roll the dice a little that enough of the squad can adapt and it'll be more than enough to see us reach safety AND get a bit of a head start for (what we all hope will be) a promotion push or at least significant improvement next season.

No prizes for guessing he's gone with Option 2.  Which I think is the right approach.  I said a few times last week that our really bad displays have largely been infrequent, matched by the really good displays.  We're picking up enough points and there's more than enough quality to avoid a relegation scrap.  Equally so that we just need to accept and perhaps enjoy this transitional period.  It's very much up in the air and we're as open at the back as we are entertaining going forward.

However, that defence cannot be the one that we move forward with.  It doesn't matter to me what formation or style we adopt, you cannot defend like that and hope to get away with it.  With the possible exception of the first goal (Mullarkey bombs on, goes too early and gets caught out) were any of the County goals a result of an attacking display.  They were a result of just sloppy and poor defending.  Jodi Jones is an incredible player at this level.  His left foot is a proper proverbial wand, it's difficult to defend against.  So the simplest thing you do is put him on it, which we did time and time again.  The lad barely uses his right leg to stand on, so show him inside and make it difficult for him.   The last thing to do is show him on the outside and give him space to whip a cross around you.

First time is poor, the second is criminal and by the time he's done it for a fourth time you're just lost for words.

Even after those crosses there was opportunities to clear the lines and we didn't.  I thought our midfield was magnificent on Saturday with Conteh and Clifton back to their best with Andrews showing the type of form from earlier in his loan spell.  But their jobs were made so much harder by the amount of needless second balls that were put up for challenge in the middle.  County's midfield is very good.  McGoldrick dropping deep is an asset above this level.  Crowley is incredibly underrated and I was genuinely surprised by Langstaff's game.  Not quite sure why I thought it but I had in my head that he was just a poacher.  He was everywhere and doing everything at manic pace.  With two strikers dropping deep into midfield they overloaded us an awful lot.  So why Rodgers and Maher opted nearly every time to put free headers in those areas I don't know.  They often had time to control the ball (owing to a lack of a challenge) but instead just took the easiest option, put it into the midfield area and gave possession back.

I've defended our backline a bit this season saying that they were good players lacking confidence, but I'm at the point of just thinking they're not up to it.  Not as a unit anyway.  Be interesting to see how quickly the new lad finds himself in the starting eleven but also who else Artell brings in this week.  Defensively Mullarkey is a liability and he doesn't appear to fancy Efete at all.  

That's the negative.  But the absolute positives are how we attacked.  The front 6 (I'm including Conteh for the way he was bringing it forward from deep) attacked with such gusto and that press was breathtaking, even more so against a County backline that seemed hell bent on playing into it.  There was one moment when Rose and Clifton hunted as a pair and force a throw out of the County centre-back.  He just looked at his bench as if to say 'what the intercourse do I do now?'.  

Not every team will be as open as that, nor as attack minded either.  There will be games that require us to be cuter and look to control the play more, which Artell spoke about post game.  But it'll come.  It's all a process and I'm really confident we've got the right man to get us there.  Let's just enjoy it.

As usual, an excellent post from diehardmariner. Sums up the situation perfectly imo.

I'll restate a point I made on a recent thread - that I think Harry Clifton would make a better right-back than our alternatives.

I do appreciate Harry's worth as a midfield 'engine', but there's a number of decent options there (Harry Wood seems likely to earn a start).

A County fan said that we played some of the best football that he had seen from any team this season.  He could not understand why we are not higher up in the league.(A big surprise to him after we lost 6-1 in our last home game).  Artell is doing things right.

Quoted from 137

As usual, an excellent post from diehardmariner. Sums up the situation perfectly imo.

I'll restate a point I made on a recent thread - that I think Harry Clifton would make a better right-back than our alternatives.

I do appreciate Harry's worth as a midfield 'engine', but there's a number of decent options there (Harry Wood seems likely to earn a start).

What's the logic in taking a midfield player who's finding some form, scored 1 on Saturday but could easily have had a hat trick and moving him into defence when we're trying to play attacking football? Just get Mullarkey and Glennon for that matter to stop wandering off and respond to counter attacks better.

Considering their deals are up in the summer I'd be amazed if Amos & Michee haven't been told they can look at other more long term options in an attempt to free up some payroll to bring in better.

Quoted from diehardmariner

I've defended our backline a bit this season saying that they were good players lacking confidence, but I'm at the point of just thinking they're not up to it.  Not as a unit anyway.  Be interesting to see how quickly the new lad finds himself in the starting eleven but also who else Artell brings in this week.  Defensively Mullarkey is a liability and he doesn't appear to fancy Efete at all.

This is the bit I struggle to wrap my head around, because there’s no doubting that in recent weeks we’ve put on a string of defensive displays that are so far short of the minimum acceptable standard it’s not funny. Saturday again was just basic, basic stuff, time and time again. County scored the same goal 4 times in a row, and that can’t be a coincidence.

But then you look at the personnel. After a slightly shaky start last season, Niall Maher proved himself to be a more than capable League Two centre-half, albeit on the small side, but that wasn’t the issue on Saturday, nor was it against Walsall really.

Harvey Rodgers looked great in his first couple of appearances, but has been seriously dodgy ever since. And yet he’s played well over 100 games for Accrington in League One, so why is he seemingly incapable of League Two football now at the age of 27? This level should be a walk in the park for him.

Glennon blows hot and cold, but he wasn’t implicated in any of Saturday’s, and probably only really the last of Walsall’s 6 the game before. He’s not really been the problem. Could he be pushed harder for his place however? I think Amos going out and a replacement coming in before the close of the window looks likely.

As for Mullarkey, it’s harder to come up with a defensive argument. Not bad going forward at times, though with a severe lack of end product, but defensively he just looks dangerously short of the standard. As you and others have alluded to, it’s very basic stuff. His poorly timed dart forward for County’s first has had its fair share of scrutiny, but the below still is taken right before their third goal.

He knows where the danger is, because he’s pointing at it. But rather than go and close it down himself, he expects someone else to do it for him. Eventually, he does attempt to close Jones down, but the second or so of time on the ball he’s given him makes it easy to whip in yet another dangerous ball. “And there’s the goal…”


I hate to dig individuals out, it’s a tough gig being a League Two footballer sometimes, but at the more severe end of this season’s potential outcomes is yet another loss of our football league status. That would be unthinkable, and we can’t afford to carry passengers. Ultimately, Mullarkey made his football league debut at 27, got relegated with his first league club and is struggling at his second. The evidence suggests he’s not good enough. With Efete seemingly not in Artell’s plans, a replacement is needed. A steady-Eddie type will do me; get the basics right and the rest will follow.

I’d like to think we’re not a million miles away. Where we’re going wrong isn’t rocket science. Having added another centre-back with recent League One experience in Doug Tharme, we should have sufficient talent in the centre to sort out the basic mistakes we’ve been making. Bringing in a genuine threat to Glennon’s starting berth would be advantageous, and a new face at right back is a must.

But I have faith that a few tweaks here and there, some personnel based, some organisational, will go a long, long way. If we can restore a sense of confidence in the defence, I can see us making some significant progress across the whole pitch in a very short space of time.

Quoted from Poojah

This is the bit I struggle to wrap my head around, because there’s no doubting that in recent weeks we’ve put on a string of defensive displays that are so far short of the minimum acceptable standard it’s not funny. Saturday again was just basic, basic stuff, time and time again. County scored the same goal 4 times in a row, and that can’t be a coincidence.

But then you look at the personnel. After a slightly shaky start last season, Niall Maher proved himself to be a more than capable League Two centre-half, albeit on the small side, but that wasn’t the issue on Saturday, nor was it against Walsall really.

Harvey Rodgers looked great in his first couple of appearances, but has been seriously dodgy ever since. And yet he’s played well over 100 games for Accrington in League One, so why is he seemingly incapable of League Two football now at the age of 27? This level should be a walk in the park for him.

Glennon blows hot and cold, but he wasn’t implicated in any of Saturday’s, and probably only really the last of Walsall’s 6 the game before. He’s not really been the problem. Could he be pushed harder for his place however? I think Amos going out and a replacement coming in before the close of the window looks likely.

As for Mullarkey, it’s harder to come up with a defensive argument. Not bad going forward at times, though with a severe lack of end product, but defensively he just looks dangerously short of the standard. As you and others have alluded to, it’s very basic stuff. His poorly timed dart forward for County’s first has had its fair share of scrutiny, but the below still is taken right before their third goal.

He knows where the danger is, because he’s pointing at it. But rather than go and close it down himself, he expects someone else to do it for him. Eventually, he does attempt to close Jones down, but the second or so of time on the ball he’s given him makes it easy to whip in yet another dangerous ball. “And there’s the goal…”


I hate to dig individuals out, it’s a tough gig being a League Two footballer sometimes, but at the more severe end of this season’s potential outcomes is yet another loss of our football league status. That would be unthinkable, and we can’t afford to carry passengers. Ultimately, Mullarkey made his football league debut at 27, got relegated with his first league club and is struggling at his second. The evidence suggests he’s not good enough. With Efete seemingly not in Artell’s plans, a replacement is needed. A steady-Eddie type will do me; get the basics right and the rest will follow.

I’d like to think we’re not a million miles away. Where we’re going wrong isn’t rocket science. Having added another centre-back with recent League One experience in Doug Tharme, we should have sufficient talent in the centre to sort out the basic mistakes we’ve been making. Bringing in a genuine threat to Glennon’s starting berth would be advantageous, and a new face at right back is a must.

But I have faith that a few tweaks here and there, some personnel based, some organisational, will go a long, long way. If we can restore a sense of confidence in the defence, I can see us making some significant progress across the whole pitch in a very short space of time.

Looking at the pic if the players practice 5 v 8 more in training all will be well.

On a serious note I think Artell will fix our sloppiness relatively quickly.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

What's the logic in taking a midfield player who's finding some form, scored 1 on Saturday but could easily have had a hat trick and moving him into defence when we're trying to play attacking football? Just get Mullarkey and Glennon for that matter to stop wandering off and respond to counter attacks better.

Considering their deals are up in the summer I'd be amazed if Amos & Michee haven't been told they can look at other more long term options in an attempt to free up some payroll to bring in better.

The logic is: I think he'd do a better job at RB than Mullarkey or Efete.
We've just seen 4 goals conceded from that side of the pitch - so doing nothing isn't an appealing option. But who else?
Playing Harry in defence doesn't prohibit him from setting foot in the opponent's half.
Some would see playing a midfielder (who's played left-back on several occasions, don't forget) at full-back as being "attack minded".
Harry's passing is too hit-and-miss for the midfield role.

Quoted from Poojah

This is the bit I struggle to wrap my head around, because there’s no doubting that in recent weeks we’ve put on a string of defensive displays that are so far short of the minimum acceptable standard it’s not funny. Saturday again was just basic, basic stuff, time and time again. County scored the same goal 4 times in a row, and that can’t be a coincidence.

But then you look at the personnel. After a slightly shaky start last season, Niall Maher proved himself to be a more than capable League Two centre-half, albeit on the small side, but that wasn’t the issue on Saturday, nor was it against Walsall really.

Harvey Rodgers looked great in his first couple of appearances, but has been seriously dodgy ever since. And yet he’s played well over 100 games for Accrington in League One, so why is he seemingly incapable of League Two football now at the age of 27? This level should be a walk in the park for him.

Glennon blows hot and cold, but he wasn’t implicated in any of Saturday’s, and probably only really the last of Walsall’s 6 the game before. He’s not really been the problem. Could he be pushed harder for his place however? I think Amos going out and a replacement coming in before the close of the window looks likely.

As for Mullarkey, it’s harder to come up with a defensive argument. Not bad going forward at times, though with a severe lack of end product, but defensively he just looks dangerously short of the standard. As you and others have alluded to, it’s very basic stuff. His poorly timed dart forward for County’s first has had its fair share of scrutiny, but the below still is taken right before their third goal.

He knows where the danger is, because he’s pointing at it. But rather than go and close it down himself, he expects someone else to do it for him. Eventually, he does attempt to close Jones down, but the second or so of time on the ball he’s given him makes it easy to whip in yet another dangerous ball. “And there’s the goal…”


I hate to dig individuals out, it’s a tough gig being a League Two footballer sometimes, but at the more severe end of this season’s potential outcomes is yet another loss of our football league status. That would be unthinkable, and we can’t afford to carry passengers. Ultimately, Mullarkey made his football league debut at 27, got relegated with his first league club and is struggling at his second. The evidence suggests he’s not good enough. With Efete seemingly not in Artell’s plans, a replacement is needed. A steady-Eddie type will do me; get the basics right and the rest will follow.

I’d like to think we’re not a million miles away. Where we’re going wrong isn’t rocket science. Having added another centre-back with recent League One experience in Doug Tharme, we should have sufficient talent in the centre to sort out the basic mistakes we’ve been making. Bringing in a genuine threat to Glennon’s starting berth would be advantageous, and a new face at right back is a must.

But I have faith that a few tweaks here and there, some personnel based, some organisational, will go a long, long way. If we can restore a sense of confidence in the defence, I can see us making some significant progress across the whole pitch in a very short space of time.

I think Harvey played a lot of his football at right back for Accrington, he was very much a utility man for them if I recall. Accrington fans however praised him massively and said he was a coup for us.. I think there's a player in there based on what I saw in pre season and to start the season. I would never write off anyone based on a few games in a new system but I just don't think that particular 4 work, they don't really excell at anything barring Glennon with his delivery into the box. I think they're all pretty steady players and will go on to have good careers but we need something else in there. Neither Harv or Niall are particuarly dominant in the air or on the floor and that's what I think we're lacking, someone that can pull a centre forward about.. a younger Luke Waterfall would be perfect. We aren't dominant in either box from set pieces, I can't remember the last time we scored directly from a corner and i'm pretty sure we have 0 goals from any of the centre halfs?  I don't look at any of the 4 and think you're terrible footballers, it's quite obvious they can all play but to form a partnership is another thing.

Quoted from 137

The logic is: I think he'd do a better job at RB than Mullarkey or Efete.
We've just seen 4 goals conceded from that side of the pitch - so doing nothing isn't an appealing option. But who else?
Playing Harry in defence doesn't prohibit him from setting foot in the opponent's half.
Some would see playing a midfielder (who's played left-back on several occasions, don't forget) at full-back as being "attack minded".
Harry's passing is too hit-and-miss for the midfield role.

I don't get the logic that's all, we've got problems defending so we add a player that's not a defender to the back line, surely the fix is to get the defenders to defend better.

If his passing isn't up to scratch in MF how can we expect the right delivery into the box when he gets forward?

The defence has been dogshit all season, so all this " theres a player in there" is codswallop.

Collectively and individually they are not good enough and I'd happily see the 4 that started on Saturday out the door ( Possibly push Glennon further forward or if we played with wing backs he'd do alright)

But their first job, is to defend, and none of them seem remotely capable of even doing the basics