[Tha Knows...]

60s 70s Spireite, on 09 April 2025 - 07:01 PM, said:

Not sure we have the players with that energy and speed.

Needs sorting then

[dtp]

Westbars Spireite, on 09 April 2025 - 08:28 AM, said:

What I realised last night is how much I enjoy watching Liam Mandeville meander around the pitch looking for the ball, gliding away from a tackle and his close control. If was gay I would want to marry him I think.

Not that it was really in any doubt, but I also realise now how much better Sparkes is than Gordon (which he probably should be given his salary). Lewis does his best and isn't a bad player but not sure I'd be looking to retain him other than as back up to someone else (Sparkes himself ideally).

Mandeville did some good things, yes.

However, I found him very frustrating when he took a throw in. He was taking far too long and several times had players such as Madden available in space only to ignore them before coming up with a totally negative throw. Throw-ins were one of the things they did better than us with theirs being thrown longer and further forward. Also on observing him from the East Stand times too many in the first half he passed sideways or backwards rather than forwards. He was equally as negative as several others.

However, I’ll give him credit for filling in at RB though, clearly, a RB he is not. Must admit, in times of need, I struggle to understand why PC cannot adapt his tactics to suit the players available. We could have quite a decent back 3 of Palmer, MacFadzean & Grimes which would take a bit of pressure off the likes of Mandeville as he would then become a Wing Back rather than a Full Back.

I think the play-offs are beyond us now apart from a miracle so why not go for a bit of experimentation with a view to actually finding a Plan B rather than Plan B being Plan A with different personnel from the 70th minute?

[Goku]

dtp, on 09 April 2025 - 07:40 PM, said:

Mandeville did some good things, yes.

However, I found him very frustrating when he took a throw in. He was taking far too long and several times had players such as Madden available in space only to ignore them before coming up with a totally negative throw. Throw-ins were one of the things they did better than us with theirs being thrown longer and further forward. Also on observing him from the East Stand times too many in the first half he passed sideways or backwards rather than forwards. He was equally as negative as several others.

However, I’ll give him credit for filling in at RB though, clearly, a RB he is not. Must admit, in times of need, I struggle to understand why PC cannot adapt his tactics to suit the players available. We could have quite a decent back 3 of Palmer, MacFadzean & Grimes which would take a bit of pressure off the likes of Mandeville as he would then become a Wing Back rather than a Full Back.

I think the play-offs are beyond us now apart from a miracle so why not go for a bit of experimentation with a view to actually finding a Plan B rather than Plan B being Plan A with different personnel from the 70th minute?

When you play 3 at the back you ideally want mobile wide centre halves. None of Palmer, Grimes or McFadz are what you’d call particularly mobile. I thought Ogie for the Gills looked perfect for that role (their black left footed left sided CB).

[dtp]

The Earl of Chesterfield, on 09 April 2025 - 04:58 PM, said:

In a nutshell?

We once again struggled to break down a well populated and organised defence...

Unfortunately, Chris, your “once again” is actually a “trend”.

We are repeatedly approaching the problem with exactly the same tactics and no variation. There is no surprise element included. As a result, those managers who want to set their teams up to stop us only have to watch games when other teams have done the same and repeat the exercise.

Until we introduce a few surprise elements I think we will always struggle against such outfits.

When, for instance, did we last see a shot from distance in open play truly test a keeper? How often do we see a player in the penalty area choose to pass rather than shoot?

I can’t really remember their keeper make a notable save last night!!!

However, has there been any thoughts on the potential hand-ball which looked like a penalty from where I was? Whilst last night’s officiating left one wondering there are reasons why we have only been awarded a single penalty this season. Could that be to do with the fact that we do not shoot with purpose before teams are set up to block as I certainly think we have enough penalty area entries but these tend to fizzle out with our fathing about?

This post has been edited by dtp: 09 April 2025 - 08:00 PM

[Goku]

dtp, on 09 April 2025 - 07:59 PM, said:

Unfortunately, Chris, your “once again” is actually a “trend”.

We are repeatedly approaching the problem with exactly the same tactics and no variation. There is no surprise element included. As a result, those managers who want to set their teams up to stop us only have to watch games when other teams have done the same and repeat the exercise.

Until we introduce a few surprise elements I think we will always struggle against such outfits.

When, for instance, did we last see a shot from distance in open play truly test a keeper? How often do we see a player in the penalty area choose to pass rather than shoot?

I can’t really remember their keeper make a notable save last night!!!

However, has there been any thoughts on the potential hand-ball which looked like a penalty from where I was? Whilst last night’s officiating left one wondering there are reasons why we have only been awarded a single penalty this season. Could that be to do with the fact that we do not shoot with purpose before teams are set up to block as I certainly think we have enough penalty area entries but these tend to fizzle out with our fathing about?

I don’t understand how you could watch last night and say we were playing the same tactics as usual. We were frequently playing diags to isolate the full backs vs our wide men and we often played quickly up to Grigg often via Mandeville. I’m baffled.

[JonB]

Goku, on 09 April 2025 - 08:06 PM, said:

I don’t understand how you could watch last night and say we were playing the same tactics as usual. We were frequently playing diags to isolate the full backs vs our wide men and we often played quickly up to Grigg often via Mandeville. I’m baffled.

Doesn’t fit the narrative to have a good whine!

[The Earl of Chesterfield]

Goku, on 09 April 2025 - 08:06 PM, said:

I don’t understand how you could watch last night and say we were playing the same tactics as usual. We were frequently playing diags to isolate the full backs vs our wide men and we often played quickly up to Grigg often via Mandeville. I’m baffled.

We also went four-one-four-one before our goal.

But then, eliciting accusations of an unexpectedly conservative attitude on Cook's part, reverted to the traditional four-two-three-one afterwards...

This post has been edited by The Earl of Chesterfield: 09 April 2025 - 08:15 PM

[dtp]

Goku, on 09 April 2025 - 08:06 PM, said:

I don’t understand how you could watch last night and say we were playing the same tactics as usual. We were frequently playing diags to isolate the full backs vs our wide men and we often played quickly up to Grigg often via Mandeville. I’m baffled.

Well, I thought in our own half we played exactly the same tactics in trying to offer the opposition an opportunity to intercept one of our many passes between the ful backs and centre backs.

In their half we continually tried to get the ball to a winger who failed with regularity to get the better of their full backs resulting in the lack of real pressure on their penalty area in the first half. There was a bit of an improvement at the start of the 2nd half but little to really bother their defence and they looked just as likely to score as we did even though they were supposed to be defensively minded. There real improvement came when the subs were introduced when, as Chris said, there was a slight change in formation but, having scored the equaliser, we soon reverted back to type making it relatively easy for Gillingham to see the game out with their negative tactics almost producing the winner with an header across goal.

[hilly81]

Exharboroughspireite, on 09 April 2025 - 06:38 PM, said:

I’ve been the first to question the signing of fleck considering how long it took for him to play but I would happily give him another year. However, where that leaves Naylor is another question. We can’t have both in the same side.

Naylor has been miles off it this season. I think he will find his starts very limited next season.

Goku, on 09 April 2025 - 07:49 PM, said:

When you play 3 at the back you ideally want mobile wide centre halves. None of Palmer, Grimes or McFadz are what you’d call particularly mobile. I thought Ogie for the Gills looked perfect for that role (their black left footed left sided CB).

Thought he was fantastic first half. Absolute monster and decent on the ball as well.

[azul]

Goku, on 09 April 2025 - 08:06 PM, said:

I don’t understand how you could watch last night and say we were playing the same tactics as usual. We were frequently playing diags to isolate the full backs vs our wide men and we often played quickly up to Grigg often via Mandeville. I’m baffled.

I think we are playing it longer this season and using wingers more and I'm not sure we have sussed that out yet. We also seem to be playing our tippy tappy stuff a lot deeper, rather than in the oppositions final third. Maybe to encourage the opposition out more.

As a side although we used Markanday as a wide player, he looked like he was playing as a number 10 against Mansfield from the limited highlights

This post has been edited by azul: 10 April 2025 - 12:15 PM