LaticsEddie

Playing devils advocate, ST and NR ever had a full week of training to implement anything so we dont know how the football under him would have looked, making the unbeaten run in a congested set of fixtures look that bit more impressive...

Apparently Norwood refused to celebrate if he sold any

God its dire reading on here. Many positives to take from today, especially given we were playing against 12 men. Hudson improved distribution both accuracy and speed which has been well needed. Enjoyed the underlapping fullbacks and although clearly not match sharp, Freeman was a huge breath of fresh-air. Hobson an absolute rock at the back, again. McGahey looks to split lines with his passing, something we lack through the whole squad. Cant understand the Lundstram hate? retains the ball, tidy passing, non stop energy, always willing to press, always willing to drive from midfield. He's not Bellingham granted but he is quality for this division. Looked to keep the ball and build from the back. We will only get better the more we play like that. I think a (long term) RB and a CM that can add that incisive pass (and who isn't made of rich tea biscuits) and we make the playoffs.

Especially given we have league 1 defender Raglan

We wont see McGahey I dont think. Mellon said post Fylde that he wasnt due to play and he himself didnt expect to play so will more than likely be rested. That would be the sensible decision anyway.

Im thinking about starting next season with the ambition of winning the thing. So with squad balance in mind, we certainly need to get rid of a ST and a CB. Nuttall and Hogan for me. It's a shame for Nuttall but its never clicked for him here, I think theres a player there and we havent seen the best of him unfortunately but I think best for both parties for him to go elsewhere. Similarly for Hogan, I think he is solid enough with a CB partner with pace like Yarney last season and Hobson this season but he's the worst out of our options. Added bonus, they are probably both on a decent wedge and that can be used to plug the CM hole once and for all. In terms of deadwood, Green, Shelton, Tollitt and Freeman can go for me. Green has his moments, no doubt, but 90% of the time looks uninterested, 0 defensive work-rate, has as much fight as a feather and weighs about as much too. Not to mention his deliveries are more often than not dreadful. Shelton is basically Sheron if he didnt have half as much work rate and was scared to put a foot in, saying that why would you want to work for a team who's fanbase boo's you on the pitch. Unless he can do a job at RB, show him the door. Top lad by all accounts but for every moment of quality Tollitt provides, theres 5 mistakes, just not good enough. Freeman is only on a short contract and has barely played so a waste of a wage at this point. I think that would leave us with a solid base to build from. Certainly need to use that budget to get a RB, CM and RW.

Hudson (He's doing just enough not to be dropped. Which is annoying because his distribution is atrocious and never releases the ball quick enough) Freeman, if not then Shelton, if not then Magnus Norman. Anyone but Sutton. Hobson Raglan Kitching Ward Sheron Lundstram Willoughby Norwood Hope 4-4-2 just means we sit back and invite pressure, 4-1-4-1 (with McGahey who im guessing will be rested) means the midfield have a foothold but Norwood too isolated so I went with 4-3-3.

That makes sense then. It was a head in hands moment when he subbed him off with Shelton and Sheron still on the pitch.

Oxlade-Chamberlain at Kidderminster? RB/RWB, gets forward, good crosser, long throw, tall and powerful. Bit of a journeyman though.

Good point, but I worry we're heading into abit of a no mans land, a choice needs to be made. For me the Dogdale game is the big one. He will have had a full week to work on what he wants with the players, playing against a... less shit oppo. A decision certainly must be reached sooner rather than later but for me he deserves that opportunity.

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Well let's use a formation that allows us to keep the ball for a start. Then begin to be on the front foot and move the opposition. Thats the complete antithesis of 4-4-2. yeah, In this day and age I agree, its lazy, you cant get away with being unfit. Im pointing out that there are other factors contributing to the leggyness. Chasing a ball around for the majority of a game saps your energy, it's the mind that gasses first. Then going on to do that 2 times a week must be a factor.

I get it, and tend to agree but you have to take into account confidence, fixture congestion and playing 4-4-2 where you cant afford any passengers.

Had a thought, with Clarke gone, Mellon being quite divisive amongst the fans and no one else out of work thats exciting and/or realistic, how about hand Thommo the job until the end of the season with a clause that says with promotion theres a 2 year deal. If he achieves it, everyones happy and he then is given time to build and if not we buy Pete Wild's contract out at Barrow who I reckon will have 1 year left at the end of the season. With the start we've had, going up would be a success and it would be tough to argue against Thompson. Having said that Frank and presumably the board has said play off's is a minimum this season. Failing that then, Thompson cant argue given the agreed clause. Stepping down after a playoff loss could be seen as harsh but that can be negotiated between Thommo and the board and id trust them to reach the right decision.

Sheron is fine, thats all he is. Every team has them and every team needs them. He wins the ball and gives it to someone better to play.

It's a great point. Reports that our pre season was less than adequate may hold water and theres no excuse for that. Also think playing 4-4-2 just invites pressure and forces you to play on the counter and teams even at this level know how to retain the ball and make the opposition move.

Rome wasn't built in a day. Wealdstone was an issue and Thompson pointed that out, dropped Shelton and put a less than fit Lunstram in and the first half last night there was no low block defending. Why did it happen again the second half? I dont know. Lundstram tiring and Shelton coming on? Sat/Tues caught us up? Reverting to Unsworth tactics when we tire? 4-4-2? A myriad of all those factors?

The first half, while not our best performance, I was starting to see the emergence of some kind of identity that Thomson keeps eluding to. It's about building from the back, driving through the lines, and attacking with pace and aggression on the break. Although, teams seem to have cottoned on to Green and Dickinson drifting inside into the pocket and the wing switching has yet to bear fruit. A lot of comments asking what Norwood actually does and I think he's was instructed to come deep and try to dictate which I just dont think is his game, he's a poacher. Thats why I think Willoughby next to Norwood would work better as Willoughby runs the channels and does the hard work. But Reid is the In-form striker and the Willoughby-Reid combo doesn't seem to click... That second half left me lost for words last night. It was lethargic, we couldn't control the ball, not a single period of sustained possession and their number 17 looked like Jack Grealish at times- and not just because of his horrific barnet. At Wealdstone the dropping deeper and deeper was all on SAS who are constantly treading on each-others toes and cant/wont press the ball but that wasn't the case last night as we were doing that long before Lundstram made his exit and I dont know where the problem stems from. Maidenhead unlucky to be going home with just the point in the end, all to say I predicted a 4-0 win! From being a neutral on the Thompson full time debate, im starting to err on the side of a new man now. Although, I would like to see what he has up his sleeve after an uninterrupted week on the grass with the players. I dont think its all doom and gloom though, I think its clear this run of Tues/Sat games has caught up to us but; Lundstram was terrific and gives us something none of the other midfielders have and thats composure on the ball, Sutton looked to have bounced back from a shocker on Sat, Reid with another goal, Kitching with another assist. All in all, hopeful for 3 points on Sat and I think the full week of training next week will give us a chance to regroup, recover and hone this emerging "identity" and eliminate the remnants of Unsworth's influence just in time for Dogdale away!

I can see the merits to this. 2 out of the 4 central defenders on the books played in a 3 last year, conveniently Hobson RCB and Raglan LCB. Midfield a constant issue since we've been in this league so having 3 in the centre should bolster it. Kitching our most prolific creator so having him higher up the pitch would suggest more balls in the box. Cant trust Sutton or Green in that RWB roll though.

Same except Freeman for Sutton if he's back

1. Noor Husin at Southend 2. Corey Whitely at Bromley 3. Jamey Osborne at Southend (Booty 4th on the index)

yeah we really should have. Best in the league last year even at maidenhead passing wise and the best again so far this year.

Im not actually sure you know. It has every game played in pretty much every pro and semi pro league and even academies in the world with stats and full match video so i cant imagine theres a poor bloke locked in a room counting how many times nathan sheron has misplaced yet another 5 yard pass. My guess is its a combination of human and software.

Haha the table didnt paste properly and i cba re formatting it into bullet points

I know, its a problem! I need it once per 6 months for work yet im on it almost every day