All change for Crewe? PJ Trophy Group Stages. Crewe Alexandra (H) 7pm KO

[Prufrock]

Yeah, we had 10 crosses in first half, 3 were successful.

Thought you didn’t give a shit what the stats say?

Job done, bit of confidence restored, some players rested, Toal introduced. Sadlier goal and assist. Sheehan the “new signing”?

30% success rate is pretty good for crosses, IIRC. Think something like 27% is what the top teams get. Whites are going up.

For those who watched it, I assume it was 3-5-2, but anyone want to cheer me up by saying it was a 343?

[truewhite15]

Out of interest - who started the second half as skipper when Geth went off?

Aimson took the armband briefly, then handed it over to Rico when he came on.

Apparently Aimson's beef with their #19, by the way, was because Aimson felt that the #19 had deliberately elbowed him in that challenge on the touchline. I have it through one of my fellow flag-bearers on that side that Aimson was left with a bit of a shiner.

[brommers95]

Out of interest - who started the second half as skipper when Geth went off?

Aimson took the armband briefly, then handed it over to Rico when he came on.

Apparently Aimson's beef with their #19, by the way, was because Aimson felt that the #19 had deliberately elbowed him in that challenge on the touchline. I have it through one of my fellow flag-bearers on that side that Aimson was left with a bit of a shiner.

Yeah watching it back Sambou definitely raises his elbow during the challenge...

Screenshot 2022-08-31 at 08.25.23.png (191.11 KiB) Viewed 504 times

[The_Gun]

Only saw the goals so can’t offer very informed opinions, but the performances of Toal, Sheehan and Thomason sound very encouraging.

Is Sheehan going to be direct competition for both Morley and Dempsey, do we think? I think against more defensively minded teams we could try both Sheehan and Morley, but against teams who are more of an offensive threat they might not offer enough solidity.

I’d also still like to see Sheehan tried as a 10 if we’re playing with two deeper lying midfielders.

[Worthy4England]

Only saw the goals so can’t offer very informed opinions, but the performances of Toal, Sheehan and Thomason sound very encouraging.

Is Sheehan going to be direct competition for both Morley and Dempsey, do we think? I think against more defensively minded teams we could try both Sheehan and Morley, but against teams who are more of an offensive threat they might not offer enough solidity.

I’d also still like to see Sheehan tried as a 10 if we’re playing with two deeper lying midfielders.

Encouraging, yes. Difficult to "benchmark" it for me, against a team one div down. Think as HG said Thomo was motm, didn't do much spectacularly, but was very busy and usually came away with ball of gave a decent pass. Sheehan a little more in and out vs dominant, but played some nice forward passes. Defence wasn't stress tested like you expect in some L1 games, but no big warning signs over Toal's head.

But that needs some context that our three late goals were different than the way we huffed and puffed through 80 minutes. They were yards faster from the participants than we'd seen for most of the game. Had we played at that pace more often and earlier, it would have been a much larger score.

I'm not quite sure who Sheehan is direct competition for but yeah probably Morely/Dempsey, but it felt to me like Sads had a freer role than most. Dapo was less than stellar and it feels unless sexy's on, that the "10" is still a conundrum. I don't think it's Dapo, so maybe try Sheehan.

[TANGODANCER]

Loved Charles's composure in the box. So easy to scramble in haste to score. He was class and we're lucky to have him.

[GhostoftheBok]

Baka should have had a hattrick. Others should have scored.

It was against a poor side and we improved when we added more pace and energy in attack, but it was fine.

If we're sat here dissecting a 4-1 because it could have been 10-0 then we've had a good game.

[Worthy4England]

It was 1-1 until we added that pace and energy. Baka could've had more, but like the ones he missed v Morecambe, 4 yards out and last week v Plymouth, he didn't.

It's the analysis of what didn't happen in the 80 that will improve us more, than what did in the 10 where it clicked, with 5? Subs on (lost count)..

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Seems to me like a tam from a higher division clicked into gear and knocked the minnows out. Just like last Tuesday (and for that matter Salford).

As noted, encouraging but difficult to benchmark v Div 4 oppo. Kachunga scored v Salford and assisted v Crewe but has had many of us tearing hair v third-tier sides.

We now play Charlton, Cheltenham, McDons and Posh before the next Pizza Cup game (at Tranmere). Stakes are gonna be higher if we're going to find out whether Toal and Thomason or for that matter Kachunga and Sheehan pass muster against better opponents.

[GhostoftheBok]

It was 1-1 until we added that pace and energy.

Primarily due to crap finishing.

Absolutely, an evaluation of failings is always fine - but when you're making clear chances for strikers and they're not putting them in the net then it's not a huge general issue.

We gave them almost nothing, aside from another stupid goalkeeping error.

Like I say, if the issue is "we should have got to 4 goals much earlier" then it was probably a decent performance.

[Worthy4England]

Seems to me like a tam from a higher division clicked into gear and knocked the minnows out. Just like last Tuesday (and for that matter Salford).

As noted, encouraging but difficult to benchmark v Div 4 oppo. Kachunga scored v Salford and assisted v Crewe but has had many of us tearing hair v third-tier sides.

We now play Charlton, Cheltenham, McDons and Posh before the next Pizza Cup game (at Tranmere). Stakes are gonna be higher if we're going to find out whether Toal and Thomason or for that matter Kachunga and Sheehan pass muster against better opponents.

Yeah, fairly sure at one point I said to mesen "this is like last Tuesday in reverse." I think we're going to struggle with Baka and certainly Kachunga starting. Not convinced Dapo has really found his sea legs yet, nor where we're playing him. Couple of their MF looked reasonably lively and we coped pretty well, defence wasn't too stretched, but we could also have gone in at HT 1-2, with their disallowed goal (which without a conclusive replay looked a tight call - lad took the finish really well, too)

[Worthy4England]

It was 1-1 until we added that pace and energy.

Primarily due to crap finishing.

Absolutely, an evaluation of failings is always fine - but when you're making clear chances for strikers and they're not putting them in the net then it's not a huge general issue.

We gave them almost nothing, aside from another stupid goalkeeping error.

Like I say, if the issue is "we should have got to 4 goals much earlier" then it was probably a decent performance.

I guess one man's decent 80 mins, is another's plodding 80 mins. For me (and I guess HG from his comments) it felt more like a lot of huff and puff...guess your in the half full club and I'm not

[GhostoftheBok]

I think we're going to struggle with Baka and certainly Kachunga starting. Not convinced Dapo has really found his sea legs yet, nor where we're playing him.

Agree with that, though Kacha's two assists yesterday (I think it was two) have probably helped his cause.

Our attackers aren't currently scaring anyone at the top end of League One level, though. That has got to change.

[Worthy4England]

I think we're going to struggle with Baka and certainly Kachunga starting. Not convinced Dapo has really found his sea legs yet, nor where we're playing him.

Agree with that, though Kacha's two assists yesterday (I think it was two) have probably helped his cause.

Our attackers aren't currently scaring anyone at the top end of League One level, though. That has got to change.

Aye, Kacha did what I think he's good at (and maybe Baka too). Came on v some tired legs and exploited it very well with some pace...

[TANGODANCER]

Baka should have had a hattrick. Others should have scored.
it was against a poor side and we improved when we added more pace and energy in attack, but it was fine.
If we're sat here dissecting a 4-1 because it could have been 10-0 then we've had a good game.

A 2000 crowd at a home cup game is a bit less than enthusiastic, but four of the next five after Charlton are away games so we won't know what will happen at the Unibol (Gee, I wish it were still called Burnden Park) after Saturday. Here's hoping we duplicate last night's last fifteen minutes. Football audiences are fickle animals but the runes are optimistic.

[GhostoftheBok]

I guess one man's decent 80 mins, is another's plodding 80 mins. For me (and I guess HG from his comments) it felt more like a lot of huff and puff...guess your in the half full club and I'm not

A game of arseholes and we all have one. Something like that, anyway, I forget.

[GhostoftheBok]

A 2000 crowd at a home cup game is a bit less than enthusiastic, but four of the next five after Charlton are away games so we won't know what will happen at the Unibol (Gee, I wish it were still called Burnden Park) after Saturday. Here's hoping we duplicate last night's last fifteen minutes. Football audiences are fickle animals but the runes are optimistic.

I think my view is pretty well known. I don't think anyone has been that impressive yet - recruitment, coaches or squad.

Recruitment will hopefully come up trumps and get a couple in. That should give Evatt a boost and the squad the slap they clearly need and we can get our heads down and kick on. We have two games to get it sorted (we need to win) before our next "big" games - one of which we also need to win.

We could very easily finish September in the lower reaches if we don't step up a level on Saturday.

At the minute it's "fine", if we don't improve then at this time next month it most certainly will not be.