Post by Bill Bones on Sept 14, 2016 7:32:26 GMT
So last night was the first time this season I've managed to get up and see us due to work and other commitments. Been far too long and I actually really enjoyed the game despite the frustration of not managing the win. Anyway I hope everyone doesn't mind but I hardly ever start threads and thought it might be vaguely interesting to read some observations of the lads with fresh eyes. I've also deliberately read nothing from anyone else yet because one always has the feeling it ends up corrupting your views of the game.
Having read various posts on here about games we could have played better in etc, I was pleasantly surprised by how well almost all of our lads used the ball - we seemed much more comfortable knocking it around than I'd seen us for quite a long while, as did Walsall, and I think it's possible that if you'd shown me the game without context I might have guessed it was a higher level than league two - surely a positive.
I also liked the fact that we played 4-4-2 - I know it's a point often raised but frankly I've yet to see it convincingly bettered at any level below Premier League, from Championship right down to pub teams. When it's played people know their role, and it's possible to worry about playing rather than trying to remember where you're supposed to be standing. So another positive. However the obvious caveat is that we only managed one goal and that was a penalty and we simply cannot be taking 2 points from 2 home games. It puts enormous pressure now on getting something from the next away game, and we thus end up more likely to lose that and then to spiral.
I don't think that's all that likely to happen over the course of the whole season however, as we have players quite clearly capable of playing at this level. Given how much I've seen about how Matty is our only threat, I was surprised and hugely impressed by Ellis and both wingers, and I thought we looked dangerous almost every time we had the ball. The problem was we also looked in danger of conceding a lot of the time, particularly in the first half. We just looked far too open and didn't seem to have much of a spine at all frankly. I wasn't very impressed with either of our midfielders, thought they spent far too much time away from the middle of the park and weren't an effective shield for the defence at all. I've always been a huge fan of Lee Mansell because he just sits and wins the ball and gives it simply, and neither Sinclair nor Boateng did that convincingly for me last night. Given how much Lines improved the team when he came on you do wonder whether Manse and Linesy remains our best pairing, although of course Hiram needs far more time to settle in, and Collket looked promising too. I also wasn't entirely convinced by Roos and thought Etheridge looked far better. No one around me appeared to remember him but I liked him when we had him and liked him again last night.
There were some right dickheads in the Blackthorn last night but it's one of those you forget almost as soon as the game finishes. However I didn't think the atmosphere was as bad as some have commented early this season. It wasn't great but not awful either. Ultimately, it was a frustrating night because we played well but needed to put the ball in the net - Walsall were decent but we will play better teams and at home we have to be winning games.
Roos 5 - no disasters but just not a significant improvement on Mildenhall as far as I could tell. Didn't inspire great confidence and distribution was a very mixed bag. Whether he could have done more with the goal I don't know, but it did look like a very slow shot.
Leads 6.5 - thought he had a decent game, looked good going forward and a couple of nice moments at the back too. Final product sometimes lacking.
Locks 5.5 - didn't actually notice him an awful lot, however he was part of us being so exposed first half IMO. When Hartley's doing the aerial stuff and the talking you sometimes wonder what Lockyer is doing and whether the armband is affecting him.
Hartley 6.5 - liked the look of him. Strong in the air which we seem to have lacked surprisingly often even at centre half the last few seasons.
Browner 7 - got forward and supported attacks very well at times.
Moore 7 - an extremely encouraging debut IMO. Looked fast and direct, not afraid to go outside his man, and good delivery at times too.
Boateng 4.5 - maybe contentious but I just didn't think that much of him last night - I'm not sure what he added frankly. Not as much quality on the ball as Lines and didn't win it all that often either. I did think it was clear he has played with better players though, sometimes tried balls that our lads were oblivious too. Certainly didn't see much box-to-box from him.
Sincs 5.5 - I was pretty stunned when they gave him man of the match. He is tenacious and sometimes wins the ball when he has no right to - we all know that - but his positioning is far too erratic for somebody with his lack of technical ability. As above, I'd have Manse or Lines ahead of him quite comfortably.
Bodin 6.5 - mixed game. At times looks real quality and arguably our best player, other times backs himself into corners with a trick too many.
Ellis 8.5 MOM - I was stunned by how good he looked to be honest. I can't think of when I've seen him start and have a better game. He won so much in the air and looked fast, focussed, and direct. Unlucky not to score and if he had it would have been an incredible performance.
Taylor 8.5 - just quality. He could have given it a go in the Championship for sure. At times his technical ability and awareness were just better than anything else on the pitch, apart from Linesy maybe. Hadn't always been his biggest fan (going back to Conference year) but anybody who tries to tell you he isn't a stand-out player for us sees the game very differently to me.
Lines 8 - superb when he came on, the only one who matched Matty for quality. Wish he'd have a dig more often.
Collket - promising, one or two really sharp passes that were absolutely spot on.
Gaffney - ran willingly, but off the pace of game to be honest - not sure I saw any real point in making the change.
Apologies for boring you all but that was my take on last night's game, and as I say I hope there's some value in casting a fresh eye over the players. Some on here were getting the nooses ready after the Rochdale game - maybe it was a different level of performance but on last night's evidence I don't see too much to be worried about. UTG!
Having read various posts on here about games we could have played better in etc, I was pleasantly surprised by how well almost all of our lads used the ball - we seemed much more comfortable knocking it around than I'd seen us for quite a long while, as did Walsall, and I think it's possible that if you'd shown me the game without context I might have guessed it was a higher level than league two - surely a positive.
I also liked the fact that we played 4-4-2 - I know it's a point often raised but frankly I've yet to see it convincingly bettered at any level below Premier League, from Championship right down to pub teams. When it's played people know their role, and it's possible to worry about playing rather than trying to remember where you're supposed to be standing. So another positive. However the obvious caveat is that we only managed one goal and that was a penalty and we simply cannot be taking 2 points from 2 home games. It puts enormous pressure now on getting something from the next away game, and we thus end up more likely to lose that and then to spiral.
I don't think that's all that likely to happen over the course of the whole season however, as we have players quite clearly capable of playing at this level. Given how much I've seen about how Matty is our only threat, I was surprised and hugely impressed by Ellis and both wingers, and I thought we looked dangerous almost every time we had the ball. The problem was we also looked in danger of conceding a lot of the time, particularly in the first half. We just looked far too open and didn't seem to have much of a spine at all frankly. I wasn't very impressed with either of our midfielders, thought they spent far too much time away from the middle of the park and weren't an effective shield for the defence at all. I've always been a huge fan of Lee Mansell because he just sits and wins the ball and gives it simply, and neither Sinclair nor Boateng did that convincingly for me last night. Given how much Lines improved the team when he came on you do wonder whether Manse and Linesy remains our best pairing, although of course Hiram needs far more time to settle in, and Collket looked promising too. I also wasn't entirely convinced by Roos and thought Etheridge looked far better. No one around me appeared to remember him but I liked him when we had him and liked him again last night.
There were some right dickheads in the Blackthorn last night but it's one of those you forget almost as soon as the game finishes. However I didn't think the atmosphere was as bad as some have commented early this season. It wasn't great but not awful either. Ultimately, it was a frustrating night because we played well but needed to put the ball in the net - Walsall were decent but we will play better teams and at home we have to be winning games.
Roos 5 - no disasters but just not a significant improvement on Mildenhall as far as I could tell. Didn't inspire great confidence and distribution was a very mixed bag. Whether he could have done more with the goal I don't know, but it did look like a very slow shot.
Leads 6.5 - thought he had a decent game, looked good going forward and a couple of nice moments at the back too. Final product sometimes lacking.
Locks 5.5 - didn't actually notice him an awful lot, however he was part of us being so exposed first half IMO. When Hartley's doing the aerial stuff and the talking you sometimes wonder what Lockyer is doing and whether the armband is affecting him.
Hartley 6.5 - liked the look of him. Strong in the air which we seem to have lacked surprisingly often even at centre half the last few seasons.
Browner 7 - got forward and supported attacks very well at times.
Moore 7 - an extremely encouraging debut IMO. Looked fast and direct, not afraid to go outside his man, and good delivery at times too.
Boateng 4.5 - maybe contentious but I just didn't think that much of him last night - I'm not sure what he added frankly. Not as much quality on the ball as Lines and didn't win it all that often either. I did think it was clear he has played with better players though, sometimes tried balls that our lads were oblivious too. Certainly didn't see much box-to-box from him.
Sincs 5.5 - I was pretty stunned when they gave him man of the match. He is tenacious and sometimes wins the ball when he has no right to - we all know that - but his positioning is far too erratic for somebody with his lack of technical ability. As above, I'd have Manse or Lines ahead of him quite comfortably.
Bodin 6.5 - mixed game. At times looks real quality and arguably our best player, other times backs himself into corners with a trick too many.
Ellis 8.5 MOM - I was stunned by how good he looked to be honest. I can't think of when I've seen him start and have a better game. He won so much in the air and looked fast, focussed, and direct. Unlucky not to score and if he had it would have been an incredible performance.
Taylor 8.5 - just quality. He could have given it a go in the Championship for sure. At times his technical ability and awareness were just better than anything else on the pitch, apart from Linesy maybe. Hadn't always been his biggest fan (going back to Conference year) but anybody who tries to tell you he isn't a stand-out player for us sees the game very differently to me.
Lines 8 - superb when he came on, the only one who matched Matty for quality. Wish he'd have a dig more often.
Collket - promising, one or two really sharp passes that were absolutely spot on.
Gaffney - ran willingly, but off the pace of game to be honest - not sure I saw any real point in making the change.
Apologies for boring you all but that was my take on last night's game, and as I say I hope there's some value in casting a fresh eye over the players. Some on here were getting the nooses ready after the Rochdale game - maybe it was a different level of performance but on last night's evidence I don't see too much to be worried about. UTG!
