Holmes_and_Watson

Bit of a niggle between The and Mary Shelley's Vestergaard going on.

Our new approach of not having a midfield and lumping it anywhere seems to be having problems.

Brave and aggressive, according to Martin. Because, that's definitely the key. COYR!

Self

Noticed that Farke felt his side were too open. So, he shut play down for the opening spell. Forcing 'Boro to try and break them down. Then, catching them on a counter. It was created and finished very well. But they weren't keeping the same shape, allowing their opponents in, to get the chance.

Must...resist... can't...

Placard

Flying

Some clown on radio 5 said that now "it will be a proper final"

Arrrgh!

Wow! I stopped listening after Utd's third. Just back in, and I thought I'd misheard. C'mon Coventry!

Forest claiming that they had pointed out VAR was a Luton fan, he wasn't replaced, and that they had 3 penalty calls not upheld. Not missing VAR or the noise around it.

Just

Martin said that there could be games where we'd get undone. This is because, as he's also said often enough, that there's no plan B. Everything is within the plan he thinks is the best to get results, if not in every game, then across the season. The quality of our players, relative to this level, has limited the worst games to September. Tony Mowbray took Martin's philosophy apart. With that quality, we've seen some excellent football when it's clicked. In most games, we get the majority of possession. We often create more chances than opponents. As the season has gone on, I think we've created clearer chances, rather than ones where our opponents have reset, to make them more difficult. We're a lot more confident passing it across the back too. It's fair to look at our finishing, as not being clinical. However the system, as mentioned by at least one player, needs a lot of rethinking on how they play the game. Natural instincts, positioning and momentum have to be suppressed to support that control of games. When the attacking clicks, it's really good. But it relies, not only doing it for 90 minutes across starters and subs, but that all of the rest of it cicks too. And that's where it hasn't worked to anyone, including Martin's satisfaction. We're left having to outscore teams by a margin, in the spell where we're good. Because the system, with the personnel we are telling to play it, means we're going to give up chances. Martin does look to limit some of it, often forcing those chances down gaps on the flank at more difficult angles. But Better teams and the focus on maintaining the system throughout the match, regardless of game management has resulted in the figures AlexLaw put up. It sums up our season, and this approach, perfectly. We take a lead with lots of possession. We fail to extend the lead sufficiently, and are unable to manage a game to stop losing points. We have a midfield that fails without Downes in it. He's the engine and best all rounder by a mile. Charles is defensive only, and learning, so doesn't offer enough in creating an attacking tempo/passes. Aribo is strong and technically decent. But DM isn't his role, and isn't the best at those long passing moves. Rothwell isn't a midfielder, and simply doesn't suit this system. Smallbone offers a bit of everything, but is neither our best AM or DM, offering lots of links but not stamping authority on games. Stu is technically the best, but is not DM minded. The fullbacks, we push up to support the midfield seem unable to prevent giving away chances. We lose the midfield and sticking to the same plan, struggle to cope. Sticking random players into situations they aren't suited for, just makes it worse. It's not that these are poor players. They, like others in the side, just aren't capable of being all things to a tactic that only works with very versatile players. SR have failed all our managers in key areas. Depending on Charles to become an instand midfield genius, not providing a direct threat on the right, and not getting in a functional striker. But the tactic employed, and lack of adjusting it to our limitations, in game, is all on the manager. The post match comments are identical over months. So, it can't be a surprise when it keeps happening. No reason why we can't win the playoffs. We've won plenty of games, with all of the above issues. But Martin will be only too well aware of his prospects, should we not go up.

Effect

I was noticing that, as long as McCarthy got the ball to one of the defenders, the auto passing kicked in. They're so used to receiving it under all sorts of scenarios, they can deal with nearly anything. It might not be as fluid, and if team's press high in packs, there may be some scares. But, if they do that, we should have worked on where McCarthy can hook it to, and have someone like Sule waiting to torment opponents.

Clive Woodward is but a call away.

Chimney

And displace Stephens? 🙂

That's such bad news. Such a key part of our possession based game. Yet, even if we get promoted through the crunch part of this season, we'll miss seeing Martin's system at it's most fluid should we go up.

Nope. That's new to me. Thanks for sharing that.

As you predicted, the reason that they gave for not meeting their climate goal, was that Westminster didn't give them funds for carbon capture. That was from their spokesperson this morning. Deflection from all the other parts of it, they'd utterly failed in. That was right after deflecting blame onto the whole of their prentendy assembly. Just after admitting that the target was never achievable. They criticised other governments for not being as ambitious in their made up goals and tried to get voters off the back of figures they were never going to get. This from a place essentially run by a Green party that other Green parties won't touch. Theywere far too busy enshrining their gender agenda, without supportive clinical evidence. Yesterday, was also when they officially announced a ban on puberty blockers. Views may differ on the subject, but no group is served by an ideological crusade run in the face of evidence. Except the dodgy folk behind it. It seems only the possibility of legal action from those they "supported" through it, stopped them. Dodgy folk also refers to their former CEO and key part of the tiny inner circle, charged with embezzlement yesterday. Ongoing investigation. But reading plenty of cynics wondering just how much truth is likely to come out. A previous leader's legal action against them is still ongoing, and mired in what can be revealed. A bumper day of horrid news.

Cross

MLT on the front page of the Star. He might also be offering informed opinions on their other "little green men may be purple" headline.

Landing