Post by yattongas on Dec 15, 2023 18:59:15 GMT
From a BWFC perspective....
Most of us a still gutted about our lack of performance away at Pompey, one game we needed to turn up at and didn't. Couldn't pass accurately, couldn't beat their press and couldn't put the ball into an open goal so it was a rough night all round and one we're hoping hasn't affected morale too much.
Sheehan's booking means he is suspended for tomorrow's game and he may be missed as he's done a great job directing play from a bit deeper in our recent run - presumably George Thomason will play there as he's got a decent pass on him.
Stepping into George's recent more advanced role could be Dempsey, Morley or Mendes-Gomes depending on how Evatt sees it. In general we play 352 with wide attacking WBs, usually Dacres-Cogley and either Williams or Iredale (earlier comment about WBs noted) and bank on our back 3 coping, trying to invite the press and then passing through it quickly to get the runners forward - something we failed to do at Pompey as our passing was atrocious, often going straight out of play.
It's a fairly high risk strategy, great when it works but potentially disastrous when we're not on our passing game.
Back three has been slightly shaky of late - usually Santos has strikers in his pocket but the Pompey lad gave him a torrid time on Monday. Our left-sided CB (Johnston) did his ACL 10 minutes into the first game of the pre-season and although Toal is generally excellent, he's been asked to play on the left which is not his natural side so I'm wondering if Evatt might switch things around a bit.
Two strikers, usually picked for their workrate, asked to chase down anything that moves and replaced after 60 minutes when their legs are dropping off. Normally its Charles and Adeboyejo, but Bodvarsson started at Pompey so I'm not sure who he'll go for - I suspect Adeboyejo will be back. The other striker sub Evatt likes to bring on is Nlundulu but he's out injured so we might see the 76 year old Cameron Jerome off the bench. Whatever, Evatt will probably use 4 strikers at some point in the game and they'll all be expected to work their socks off.
We've been a good watch most of the season with some excellent passages of play but the system Evatt plays is dependent on everyone being at the top of their game every week - the players do have quality but they have to bring it and they don't always do that. When we have been beaten it's usually by teams who have pressed hard and battled hard in midfield to win through balls and second balls often following a bad touch from one of our lads. In brief, we play risky football and can be beaten by teams that are prepared to work and risk players further forward.
No idea how it will pan out - I guess it depends on who turns up on the night. Naturally we're hoping for a reaction to the Pompey debacle but we'll have to see.
I'd love to see what you think of the current Gas team and tactics. Is it likely we'll see John Marquis and Scott Sinclair make an appearance? Who do we need to keep an eye out for?
