[DRL]

Last two games we have been over run in midfield - pure and simple. This did not happen against other teams so much this season but it has v Wycombe and Accrington. We won't keep winning games when we are being dominated. We need to eradicate the trend.

The solution lays in the formation, the players mindset and the contrast of players. We have decent players. TW needs to adjust things.

First and foremost, whoever plays, we must close down the opposition better. We simply do not have the pace amongst our Centre Halfs for zonal defending. This means defending from the front and having strikers who stay close to the defender when they are in possession.

This will call for us needing a striker who is prepared to put in a hard shift. Likewise, midfield payers need to stay tight to the oppositions players and not give them so much space to turn, run and spread play.

It's about staying tight when the opposition are in possession but retaining possession and finding space when we have the ball. Last night Accy were all over us like a rash when we were in possession, closing down our defenders, biting at our midfielders and wingers.

When they had possession, they spread, kept shape and kept the ball. We STOOD off them.

What they were doing is so easy to do (we did this v Oldham second half) and so easy to replicate but we didn't last night. We allowed their defenders to drift forward unopposed and defended zones. We stood off their midfielders and defended zones. It was failing. When in possession, we can only seem to string three passes before someone decides to lump it forward to a non existent target man.

Our main issue is the 'blend' of players selected. Togwell is a combative midfield player. He is designed to first stop the opposition. We need a player like this. An anchor player. He was simply over ran last night because our wide players were told to stay wide.

Westcarr was brought inside for a spell but looked like he didn't want to play anywhere - except up front. Talented player. Questionable attitude.

Every decent team needs a strong playmaker - a pass picker. If you have two at this level you'll do well. Especially if you have one that can mix it too.

Atkinson is seen as a playmaker who can mix it but like many young players, he'll have off days. Last night was an off day.

Randall has true quality in his pass picking but needs to find the balance. Not every pass can be a glory pass. He needs to be encouraged to think more and play it simple some times. In the right formation, he is a player we must use.

If a team plays with wingers, who are natural wingers, it can be effective. We don't have natural wide players at the club. Drew looks a threat with his pace but this season he has lacked the final product. His crossing and final ball has needed better.

If we are to persevere with wide players, they need the intelligence to see when the team need help central and come inside.

Last night could have been combatted but we did not make the adjustments needed.

But......amazingly we WON. That will not keep happening with that formation and tactics.

Listening to TW feedback he sees what was and is needed. I don't expect we'll see too much more of what we witnessed last night.

This post has been edited by DRL: 19 September 2012 - 08:27 AM

[lindo-spireite]

Good educated post that, as always. Nothing I can add to that.

What I would like to know is, what has tommy said post match? I haven't heard it and judging by your last paragraph, you have.

[Mac's Back]

DRL, on 19 September 2012 - 08:23 AM, said:

Last two games we have been over run in midfield - pure and simple. This did not happen against other teams so much this season but it has v Wycombe and Accrington. We won't keep winning games when we are being dominated. We need to eradicate the trend.

The solution lays in the formation, the players mindset and the contrast of players. We have decent players. TW needs to adjust things.

First and foremost, whoever plays, we must close down the opposition better. We simply do not have the pace amongst our Centre Halfs for zonal defending. This means defending from the front and having strikers who stay close to the defender when they are in possession.

This will call for us needing a striker who is prepared to put in a hard shift. Likewise, midfield payers need to stay tight to the oppositions players and not give them so much space to turn, run and spread play.

It's about staying tight when the opposition are in possession but retaining possession and finding space when we have the ball. Last night Accy were all over us like a rash when we were in possession, closing down our defenders, biting at our midfielders and wingers.

When they had possession, they spread, kept shape and kept the ball. We STOOD off them.

What they were doing is so easy to do (we did this v Oldham second half) and so easy to replicate but we didn't last night. We allowed their defenders to drift forward unopposed and defended zones. We stood off their midfielders and defended zones. It was failing. When in possession, we can only seem to string three passes before someone decides to lump it forward to a non existent target man.

Our main issue is the 'blend' of players selected. Togwell is a combative midfield player. He is designed to first stop the opposition. We need a player like this. An anchor player. He was simply over ran last night because our wide players were told to stay wide.

Westcarr was brought inside for a spell but looked like he didn't want to play anywhere - except up front. Talented player. Questionable attitude.

Every decent team needs a strong playmaker - a pass picker. If you have two at this level you'll do well. Especially if you have one that can mix it too.

Atkinson is seen as a playmaker who can mix it but like many young players, he'll have off days. Last night was an off day.

Randall has true quality in his pass picking but needs to find the balance. Not every pass can be a glory pass. He needs to be encouraged to think more and play it simple some times. In the right formation, he is a player we must use.

If a team plays with wingers, who are natural wingers, it can be effective. We don't have natural wide players at the club. Drew looks a threat with his pace but this season he has lacked the final product. His crossing and final ball has needed better.

If we are to persevere with wide players, they need the intelligence to see when the team need help central and come inside.

Last night could have been combatted but we did not make the adjustments needed.

But......amazingly we WON. That will not keep happening with that formation and tactics.

Listening to TW feedback he sees what was and is needed. I don't expect we'll see too much more of what we witnessed last night.

You have pretty much stolen my thunder.

Regardless of personnel, we are seemingly unable to defend and I'm sure the answer lies in getting our midfield sorted out. We were over-run at times by 10 man Wycombe and though I couldn't get to the game, last night appears to have been more of the same. I'd also add Rochdale to the list, a game where we spent much of the night chasing shadows until Jack salvaged a largely undeserved point.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that, barring catastrophe, Tommy Wright will be the next occupant of the manager's hot seat - and I wish him well - but the length of his tenure will, I believe, hinge on his ability to address this key issue. He has made a start by bringing in the young lad from Huddersfield, but after 4 games I'd have hoped for more obvious signs of him ironing out our engine room deficiencies. If anything, they have become even more glaring, though I'd be the first to acknowledge we'll look a far more potent outfit when Danny Whittaker is restored to his rightful place. There's certainly more togetherness within the squad - that's plain for all to see - and despite my customary impatience, it is, of course, still early days....

This post has been edited by Mac's Back: 19 September 2012 - 09:11 AM

[DRL]

lindo-spireite, on 19 September 2012 - 08:28 AM, said:

Good educated post that, as always. Nothing I can add to that.

What I would like to know is, what has tommy said post match? I haven't heard it and judging by your last paragraph, you have.

Said we needed to get tighter and close them down. Admitted we were second best. Said we had five players who were off colour

[DRL]

Mac, on 19 September 2012 - 08:36 AM, said:

You have pretty much stolen my thunder.

Regardless of personnel, we are seemingly unable to defend and I'm sure the answer lies in getting our midfield sorted out. We were over-run at times by 10 man Wycombe and though I couldn't get to the game, last night appears to have been more of the same. I'd also add Rochdale to the list, a game where we spent much of the night chasing shadows until Jack salvaged a largely undeserved point.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that, barring catastrophe, Tommy Wright will be the next occupant of the manager's hot seat - and I wish him well - but the length of his tenure will, I believe, hinge on his ability to address this key issue. He has made a start by bringing in the young lad from Huddersfield, but after 4 games I'd have hoped for more obvious signs of him ironing out our engine room deficiencies. If anything, they have become even more glaring, though I'd be the first to acknowledge we'll look a far more potent outfit when Danny Whittaker is restored to his rightful place. There's certainly more togetherness within the squad - that's plain for all to see - and despite my customary impatience, it is, of course, still early days....

I think TW is bright and knowledgable enough to resolve this. It is not all down to the lack of players. Everyone knows we need natural wide players and (since Bowery left) I have always said we need a pacey front man. The challenge is sending out the correct blend from what we have and in the correct mindset....with tactics that bode well in every game.

Midfield is key. A ball winner, a ball player and a runner are what every good midfield conists of. We have such players amongst us. TW has to get them adopting a keep it tight, stay touch tight, harry the defenders policy. Zonal defending is great if you have high pedigree defenders / midfielders. We don't have that abundance in quality. I don't think zonal defending is for League 2.

I am confident that TW will address this. Playing average and poorly (as I felt we did against Wycombe and Accy) we still won.