[DOUGLAS JARDINE]

See people think we should bring King back or move the defence around

We have been leaking goals until the last couple of matches where we now look really solid. Not sure I want Cookie to change it as we now only conceded one in two games

Surely we should stick with the same personnel !!

Thoughts

[hilly81]

I wouldn't change a thing with the back 5 purely based on the fact that in the last 2 games we have conceded 0.5 goals per game. In the previous 7, it was 2 goals a game.

[sophocles]

Agree that Freckleton makes the defence look more solid. I thought he looked a bit casual v Dagenham, as if he thought playing at our level would be easy for him, but after making a sloppy error and giving the ball away, he appears to have realised he still has to focus and give it 100% effort. The result was, that as far as I could tell from the Ebbsfleet highlights, he now looks very assured. I think, if King is fully ready to play, bringing him back in and restoring LM to his more attacking role would make us even stronger. We also need to remember that we are now entering a run of Saturday - Tuesday - Saturday games, so PC needs to consider the physical demands on his players, and rotate as and when necessary.

[danblue]

DOUGLAS JARDINE, on 19 September 2023 - 09:42 AM, said:

See people think we should bring King back or move the defence around

We have been leaking goals until the last couple of matches where we now look really solid. Not sure I want Cookie to change it as we now only conceded one in two games

Surely we should stick with the same personnel !!

Thoughts

Defo stick as we've leaked less goals...but, I think Mandeville is wasted in that possition and tbf, not really been tested, so I think he has had an easy ride defensively,not taking away how well he has done as its not- under any circumstances- his position

The test for Mandeville at RB / RWB will be against the better teams in Barnet and Solihull

[Zigsuk]

This is quite complicated.
Firstly, Freckleton looked good in the last game and has certainly made us look more solid.
Secondly, Mandeville, who for me is, along with Jones, the most important player in the team, is somewhat wasted in that posession, although he is still influential.
Thirdly my jury is somewhat out on King. I'm not sure he will ever be the player he was a year ago when he was scoring spectacular free kicks and influencing games. In some ways I'd like him in the team, but he so often flatters to deceive these days and is always a booking waiting to happen.
Furthermore, as someone suggested elsewhere, Colclough is starting to look slightly jaded and may be carrying an injury. Important as he is it might be worth resting him, or at least putting him on the bench before he becomes worse.
Finally, surely it's time to give Berry a start, even if he Dobra and Colclough all prefer the left. Colclough could be rested and Mandy brought further up on the right.
I suppose ultimately with so many decent players and options it's a nice problem to have.

[danblue]

Zigsuk, on 19 September 2023 - 10:43 AM, said:

This is quite complicated.
Firstly, Freckleton looked good in the last game and has certainly made us look more solid.
Secondly, Mandeville, who for me is, along with Jones, the most important player in the team, is somewhat wasted in that posession, although he is still influential.
Thirdly my jury is somewhat out on King. I'm not sure he will ever be the player he was a year ago when he was scoring spectacular free kicks and influencing games. In some ways I'd like him in the team, but he so often flatters to deceive these days and is always a booking waiting to happen.
Furthermore, as someone suggested elsewhere, Colclough is starting to look slightly jaded and may be carrying an injury. Important as he is it might be worth resting him, or at least putting him on the bench before he becomes worse.
Finally, surely it's time to give Berry a start, even if he Dobra and Colclough all prefer the left. Colclough could be rested and Mandy brought further up on the right.
I suppose ultimately with so many decent players and options it's a nice problem to have.

It's a little easier swapping around the attacking options, if King is out of favour, Cook will break his own back to not include him so that leaves less options for defensive swapping around

[dart in the crossbar]

Quaker, on 19 September 2023 - 09:48 AM, said:

We didn't concede any goals in the last game but prior to that, yes I agree. I do think Mandeville is effective at RB but I like to see him more forward nd creating from midfield. We certainly looked much tighter at the back and Freckleton has made a positive impct.

I think Cookie will leave things as they are for the next couple of games so he can assess what he needs to do going towards mid season.

that

[DIFH]

DOUGLAS JARDINE, on 19 September 2023 - 09:42 AM, said:

See people think we should bring King back or move the defence around

We have been leaking goals until the last couple of matches where we now look really solid. Not sure I want Cookie to change it as we now only conceded one in two games

Surely we should stick with the same personnel !!

Thoughts

We've lost a midfielder to the red at Ebbsfleet so Manderville into midfield and King into the RWB berth seems sensible.

dart in the crossbar, on 19 September 2023 - 11:57 AM, said:

that

What about the red card Saturday.

[clarevoyant.]

DIFH, on 19 September 2023 - 12:15 PM, said:

We've lost a midfielder to the red at Ebbsfleet so Manderville into midfield and King into the RWB berth seems sensible.



What about the red card Saturday.

And isn't there a tendency for players to score against their former clubs!

[Osborne again]

I have a feeling that King will start tonight with Mandeville moving forward, but who knows 😆.

[monte]

Would love to see King back in the team but I think Berry deserves a start.

Certainly want to see King on the bench and come on though

[Osborne again]

monte, on 19 September 2023 - 03:09 PM, said:

Would love to see King back in the team but I think Berry deserves a start.

Certainly want to see King on the bench and come on though

If Berry starts, will that mean there's no place on the bench for King? Palmer will be on the bench, so any problems at right back will see Williams move over. I like King, and hope to see him back at his best ASAP.

[lindave]

DOUGLAS JARDINE, on 19 September 2023 - 09:42 AM, said:

See people think we should bring King back or move the defence around

We have been leaking goals until the last couple of matches where we now look really solid. Not sure I want Cookie to change it as we now only conceded one in two games

Surely we should stick with the same personnel !!

Thoughts

Agreed, however I thinks Manders is wasted playing the deeper role.

[lindave]

DOUGLAS JARDINE, on 19 September 2023 - 09:42 AM, said:

See people think we should bring King back or move the defence around

We have been leaking goals until the last couple of matches where we now look really solid. Not sure I want Cookie to change it as we now only conceded one in two games

Surely we should stick with the same personnel !!

Thoughts

Agreed, however I thinks Manders is wasted playing the deeper role.

[60s 70s Spireite]

lindave, on 19 September 2023 - 05:23 PM, said:

Agreed, however I thinks Manders is wasted playing the deeper role.

Mandy seemed almost as involved as per usual from the Saturday highlights, indeed he should have scored early on when the goal beckoned- but he shot straight at the keeper.
It’s a fluid back four- even called an unbalanced three. When we are attacking Mandy is up on the wing (unlike Freckleton on the left) - when we are on the back foot- he’s at the right of the back 4.
One goal conceded in two- carry on I say.
As does Cook.

[JonB]

The twice he’s played there we’ve never really been on the back foot defending a lot or up against an attacking threat on his wing. If and when he does that’s when it will be a test of him and the setup.

[DOUGLAS JARDINE]

Unchanged back line

Makes sense to me

[Cum on u blues]

DOUGLAS JARDINE said:

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Unchanged back line

Makes sense to me

Of course but against a defensive team you need to make positive changes up front

[Bluenosey]

With Clements nearing fitness I'd like him back in, move Freckleton to left c/b and rest Grimes,Grimes' distribution and decision making is at best iffy and he ain't captain material either,he finds touch more often than George Ford, no wonder Colclough looks knackered