PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) Why do you think the play dips at home? A lot of fans like to go away and watch us Two things I think. One…pressure. The fact that we’re at home and people know that we’re a decent side. And actually when I speak to people in football, they say that a draw would be a decent result at Oldham. So they know that we are decent. But we haven’t broken down a 451 this year. Teams have come here and played 451 and we haven’t broken that down. And that’s been worrying. And when you talk about Baxter, he is the one that in that scenario unlocks the door. Obviously he’s gone. That’s why I tried to bring in Harkins….because he’s got that ability, especially at home, to unlock the door. Away….. you’ve got half a pitch to run into, because we’ve got pace on the break. We’ve got Jono who is quick and powerful. Jono needs half a pitch. He hasn’t got the football intelligence to make clever little movements like Charlie MacDonald has. Which is why we’ve missed Charlie so much. Even though he’s not rapid quick he makes the right moves at the right time. We also haven’t really got a spotter in Centre Midfield. Korey is great on the ball, Weso is a soldier….but we haven’t got the John Sheridan type who can pick out a ball from nowhere from Centre Mid. Now we’ve got good defenders on the ball. So what we do is, we build up, build up, build up. And in anything it’s hard to break anybody down. We do a session where we have five……….four defenders , one centre midfielder, one keeper against eleven….and they hardly ever score. Well you could say “what the bloody hell is going on with the strikers”, but it is difficult, when there’s no room to break it down. For example at Sheffield United, that’s the tactic we took. We said ok we’re gonna concede possession, come on to us and we’re gonna keep hitting you on the break. And we done it well. And then Baxter pulls one from 40 yards with a free kick. Until then it was all looking all cosy and cushtie in the garden. So you need intelligence to break people down. And you need bottle, that’s the biggest thing. I was playing for Bristol City, when if we wasn’t 1-0 up in League One after 20 minutes we was getting absolutely pelted. Now we don’t have that here, generally everybody is quite supportive until the end. To get that and to have it all costs money. To get experienced characters in that side, for example what you might say Brentford’s got, which is why their wage bill is £10.5 million, and probably why they are top of the league. What I am trying to do is grow that. And it’s not easy to grow that. But hopefully with the additions of a little bit more experience…Harkins, Worrall, possibly Lockwood and then we’ve got a bit of everything. And I think players look to Korey a lot and say “come on then are you going to do something”, whereas real winners go and do it themselves. Just little things like communication. Adam Rooney wants balls in the box. Maybe Lee Hughes would have gone up to Dayton, got him round the neck and said “Listen…next time you get the ball, if you don’t stick that ball in the box on my head I’m coming for ya” and Dayton would go “Alright I will”. It’s influencing others to affect your game. And that’s a bit that we haven’t got at the moment. Korey is almost trying to do too much on his own. And sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But some of the other players have got to become bolder in their play and braver…the likes of Mellor and your Winchesters. What you’re saying is you need an old head You could say that It could be on a young body though like Baxter Yeah, I mean Baxter if he was a 7 a side player you’d pay £20 million for him. But Baxter defensively kills you. Like Harkins, they're the same. They’re not going to give you much defensively. Baxter couldn’t run. He was the worst fitness by a mile and he wasn’t an athletic specimen….but he had genius in his boots. And he still has. He could unlock the door. And at home we’ve got to unlock the door because we can’t have 15 shots and 15 corners against Shrewsbury and lose 2-1. Where does Harkins fit into your system? Harkins is really in the hole, the same as Jose, one off the striker. He’s big but he doesn’t play big. He’s not like a target man. He’s someone you’ve got to give licence pretty much to do what he wants. That doesn’t mean he won’t put shift in. He will. But you’ve got to use him to his strengths. Now you could play him up front, you could play him centre mid. But that’s his best position. Edited January 12, 2014 by PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamjonesyyoafc Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 This come from LJ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 This come from LJ? Word for word on Thursday afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamjonesyyoafc Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Word for word on Thursday afternoon. Brilliant. Very impressed with his knowledge of the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Brilliant. Very impressed with his knowledge of the past. I'm sure Barry has helped educate him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) I find it strange LJ pilloried Schmelz for his lack of defensive qualities, but doesn't seem bothered about Harkins in that respect ? I assume Sydney was told to track back - when he'd be better employed just staying up field running at defenders. Edited January 12, 2014 by BP1960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsslatic Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 If Harkins is responsible for eight goals we may see him say otherwise. Plus defensive duties are far more onerous as a winger stopping a cross than as a no 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) I find it strange LJ pilloried Schmelz for his lack of defensive qualities, but doesn't seem bothered about Harkins in that respect ? I assume Sydney was told to track back - when he'd be better employed just staying up field running at defenders. Well....three things: Schmeltz plays a different position, a position for which which I'm guessing Lee Johnson seeks more discipline for much of the game than he requires from a number 10. Schmeltz defensive issues often stem from a lack of concentration off the ball, or from playing a solo game when a team game is required (eg at the end of a tight game) Reading between the lines I don't think Harkins will be starting too many away games. He basically needs him for the home games for the reasons he stated at the forum. But the away games mostly require a different game plan. Edited January 12, 2014 by PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disjointed Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Well....three things: Schmeltz plays a different position, a position for which which I'm guessing Lee Johnson seeks more discipline for much of the game than he requires from a number 10. Schmeltz defensive issues often stem from a lack of concentration off the ball, or from playing a solo game when a team game is required (eg at the end of a tight game) Reading between the lines I don't think Harkins will be starting too many away games. He basically needs him for the home games for the reasons he stated at the forum. But the away games mostly require a different game plan. This is my take on things, away from home we don't seem too far away from being a good and most importantly a winning side. At home we struggle, Harkins could be the catalyst, yesterday we saw glimpses of how good he could be and by using him at home only, he can run himself into the ground knowing he has over a week to recover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marhar Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Interesting stuff, thanks PSSS, and everyone else who fed back from the meet the manager session Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) Interesting stuff, thanks PSSS, and everyone else who fed back from the meet the manager session You could say thankyou with a upward directional green arrow Edited January 12, 2014 by PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 PSSS recall abilities are world class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShireBlue Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) I like the look of Harkins, and would like to see him feeding Rooney or Charlie Mac. For me, JCH can't do it up front on his tod. Edited January 12, 2014 by ShireBlue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brierleys555 Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 just nice to win at home. a few more please LJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 PSSS recall abilities are world class. Speaking of my world class abilities, I also like to use my dic ta phone. Probably should use my fingers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimsleftfoot Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I find it strange LJ pilloried Schmelz for his lack of defensive qualities, but doesn't seem bothered about Harkins in that respect ? I assume Sydney was told to track back - when he'd be better employed just staying up field running at defenders. But he said he's not learning as an attacker either, whereas he thinks Harkins will have much greater impact going forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 But he said he's not learning as an attacker either, whereas he thinks Harkins will have much greater impact going forward. More than meets the eye perhaps Jim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pukka Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 "Maybe Lee Hughes would have gone up to Dayton, got him round the neck and said “Listen…next time you get the ball, if you don’t stick that ball in the box on my head I’m coming for ya”" Classic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marhar Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 You could say thankyou with a upward directional green arrow better late than never! I can't see those arrows on my phone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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