Confidence-Builder or Unnecessary Distraction? Mansfield (h), 13/08, 19:45

[BWFC_Insane]

As much as I like cup games I always consider these kind of games as a cross between a pre-season warm up for players needing minutes and opportunities for players to push for a starting spot/challenge for a first team place. I expected a disjointed performance, which we got, but we got a win and those all too valuable minutes under the belts of those players needing them. Did anyone stake a claim for a first team inclusion tonight?

Matete, Johnston, Adeboyejo could all feel aggrieved if they were dropped to the bench for Sunday.

I think all three have to start Sunday.

[malcd1]

My thoughts from tonight.

Southwood looks an OK keeper and is good at kicking it long. Passing and distribution is pretty poor but will improve. He is short for a keeper.

I thought Forino defended well but his passing was not the best at times.

Osei-Tutu did well on the right and is much more attacking than Cogley who should only be back-up. Thomason, Tutu and Cogley all poor for their goal and none made any effort to put in a tackle or block the shot.

Matete was pretty solid but wanted too much time. I like him and works hard, especially when we don't have the ball. Pushing for a start?

I thought we had a found a gem, with Arfield, after seeing him against Fiorentina but I have been disappointed in the last two games. Not sure if it is fitness but I was expecting more from him.

McAtee was good for the first 30 minutes but looks like he was trying too hard. I am sure he will come good and be a fans favourite.

Really disappointed in Morley but thought Victor was man of the match. I think being the target man of the three forward players suits him. Good to see Johnston back. Did well for his first competitive match in a year.

Collins, Charles and Thomason all did well when they came on and we immediately looked more dangerous.

Overall a poor game and one we were pretty lucky to win. It will take a few weeks for this team to gel and get to know each other. Mansfield made as many changes as we did tonight.

[officer_dibble]

I think Victor should start in place of Armfield from the orient line up. Matete could potentially take Sheehans place but needs some more football yet. Sheehan deserves the opportunity to play as well to be fair - but if he struggles in this system it’s good to know there’s someone pushing for his shirt.

Johnston grew into the game - think iredale starts at the weekend though.

[sonicthewhite]

Could Victor lead the line with Collins and Dion behind him maybe?

[malcd1]

Could Victor lead the line with Collins and Dion behind him maybe?

I think that would be my personal preference but tonight, Victor moved to the right hand side with Charles in the middle.

[sonicthewhite]

Could Victor lead the line with Collins and Dion behind him maybe?

I think that would be my personal preference but tonight, Victor moved to the right hand side with Charles in the middle.

And how did that pan out? Could it be a three man set-up that would rattle teams if the three of them kept rotating positions, taking it in tuns to lead the line. A bit like when Dioufy and Stelios would frequently swap wings to mess with the oppo's minds

[GhostoftheBok]

Victor player so well Mansfield changed their entire set up at the back to try and deal with him.

Can't say much more in praise of him than that.

[officer_dibble]

Could Victor lead the line with Collins and Dion behind him maybe?

I think you would encourage all 3 to keep swapping- that kind of movement should create openings.

[malcd1]

Could Victor lead the line with Collins and Dion behind him maybe?

I think that would be my personal preference but tonight, Victor moved to the right hand side with Charles in the middle.

And how did that pan out? Could it be a three man set-up that would rattle teams if the three of them kept rotating positions, taking it in tuns to lead the line. A bit like when Dioufy and Stelios would frequently swap wings to mess with the oppo's minds

It still worked but I don't think Victor was as effective on the right. It may have been just down to Victor getting tired and the other two being fresher.

I have noticed that the two forward players, McAtee and Arfield last night, are expected to drop deeper when we don't have the ball. That may not be Victor's best attribute where Charles has more energy and aggression in the tackle.

Although there is some rotation between the three players, up until the 60th minute, Victor was the focal target man up front and he did it really well.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Matete, Johnston, Adeboyejo could all feel aggrieved if they were dropped to the bench for Sunday.

I think all three have to start Sunday.

Interesting end to this quote from Evatt about Johnston, which (grammatically at least) seems to inidicate he will play on Sunday.

I thought that was better. In pre-season I did see some rustiness and that is absolutely understandable.

We have had to really manage expectations, his own and the outside expectation. Again, he will improve from that because it was a lot more like him, especially second half.

He was aggressive in duels, there were some good passes, so that was a positive. We will see how he recovers from that and analyse how he does on Sunday.

Oh and to add to the 'daft places to follow the game' - I was watching text updates sat in the car on a campsite in Surrey. Bastard BBC thing put two updates out at once so I celebrated Thomo's "Penalty saved" thinking it was them.... worked out alright though, and a good boost for Southwood. Good to get several players warmed up too.

[GhostoftheBok]

One interesting thing from the first two games is that the two 6s *should* mean that we have more cover, but often currently means we have none. The players aren't used to the "you go, I stay" thing yet and too often they both press on the same trigger - which leaves a massive hole.

The same goes for the wing back press. There were a number of times last night when the wingback should have handed off their man to the wide centre half to release them to press the fullback. McAtee (most often) ended up covering two players, because nobody was up with him.

That was one of the main reasons we got cut through a few times. Players ended up on top of one another on one side of the pitch, with short cover on the other. A simple square ball beat our press.

[DJBlu]

Take a bow Thommo.

[GhostoftheBok]

The kid's an absolute model.

Gets the free kick wrong, but doesn't sulk. Harasses the opposition immediately, wins it back and then is positive and backs his ability, despite the poor shot seconds ago.

Love him.

[BWFC_Insane]

One interesting thing from the first two games is that the two 6s *should* mean that we have more cover, but often currently means we have none. The players aren't used to the "you go, I stay" thing yet and too often they both press on the same trigger - which leaves a massive hole.

The same goes for the wing back press. There were a number of times last night when the wingback should have handed off their man to the wide centre half to release them to press the fullback. McAtee (most often) ended up covering two players, because nobody was up with him.

That was one of the main reasons we got cut through a few times. Players ended up on top of one another on one side of the pitch, with short cover on the other. A simple square ball beat our press.

Yes I saw all that. Tutu was absolutely clueless positionally but does look very nice on the ball when he’s running with it. The positional stuff will come.

I do think this will be a problem with the system though. The midfield two aren’t going to sit and will end up exhausted through being overrun. The two ‘10’s’ are either going to get dragged out wide and leave big problems though the middle or will tuck in leaving us no outlet whatsoever - both things happened last night.

I don’t think this system suits the players we’ve got. I think it suits a Dembele maybe a CMG but not the array of strikers, false 9’s and 10’s. It’s shoehorning people into a shape that doesn’t suit. Arfield is never a number 10 in this system.

[truewhite15]

One interesting thing from the first two games is that the two 6s *should* mean that we have more cover, but often currently means we have none. The players aren't used to the "you go, I stay" thing yet and too often they both press on the same trigger - which leaves a massive hole.

The same goes for the wing back press. There were a number of times last night when the wingback should have handed off their man to the wide centre half to release them to press the fullback. McAtee (most often) ended up covering two players, because nobody was up with him.

That was one of the main reasons we got cut through a few times. Players ended up on top of one another on one side of the pitch, with short cover on the other. A simple square ball beat our press.

Yes I saw all that. Tutu was absolutely clueless positionally but does look very nice on the ball when he’s running with it. The positional stuff will come.

I do think this will be a problem with the system though. The midfield two aren’t going to sit and will end up exhausted through being overrun. The two ‘10’s’ are either going to get dragged out wide and leave big problems though the middle or will tuck in leaving us no outlet whatsoever - both things happened last night.

I don’t think this system suits the players we’ve got. I think it suits a Dembele maybe a CMG but not the array of strikers, false 9’s and 10’s. It’s shoehorning people into a shape that doesn’t suit. Arfield is never a number 10 in this system.

Do you not, mate?? Why didn't you say something before??

[DJBlu]

Oh and to add to the 'daft places to follow the game' - I was watching text updates sat in the car on a campsite in Surrey. Bastard BBC thing put two updates out at once so I celebrated Thomo's "Penalty saved" thinking it was them.... worked out alright though, and a good boost for Southwood. Good to get several players warmed up too.

Always there to top trump us all. We can only dream of being in a car in a campsite in Surrey...

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Oh and to add to the 'daft places to follow the game' - I was watching text updates sat in the car on a campsite in Surrey. Bastard BBC thing put two updates out at once so I celebrated Thomo's "Penalty saved" thinking it was them.... worked out alright though, and a good boost for Southwood. Good to get several players warmed up too.

Always there to top trump us all. We can only dream of being in a car in a campsite in Surrey...

Screenshot 2024-08-14 at 11.16.17.png (328.29 KiB) Viewed 3503 times

Proper top bins, or as the Spanish call it, "Where the spiders nest".

[TonyDomingos]

Oh and to add to the 'daft places to follow the game' - I was watching text updates sat in the car on a campsite in Surrey. Bastard BBC thing put two updates out at once so I celebrated Thomo's "Penalty saved" thinking it was them.... worked out alright though, and a good boost for Southwood. Good to get several players warmed up too.

Always there to top trump us all. We can only dream of being in a car in a campsite in Surrey...

I was following from Hayes Lane while watching the Bromley v Wimbledon tie. Although I've seen around 200 Bromley games in the last 20 years, it was only yesterday that I could tick it off as a new league ground!

[DJBlu]

Oh and to add to the 'daft places to follow the game' - I was watching text updates sat in the car on a campsite in Surrey. Bastard BBC thing put two updates out at once so I celebrated Thomo's "Penalty saved" thinking it was them.... worked out alright though, and a good boost for Southwood. Good to get several players warmed up too.

Always there to top trump us all. We can only dream of being in a car in a campsite in Surrey...

I was following from Hayes Lane while watching the Bromley v Wimbledon tie. Although I've seen around 200 Bromley games in the last 20 years, it was only yesterday that I could tick it off as a new league ground!

You sir have a problem. There's glory hunting and then there's this.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Next round, we've got Shrewsbury away.

Confidence-Builder or Unnecessary Distraction?