Holmes_and_Watson

"But this fanbase is like no other because in the face of adversity we stand up like no-one else. We will back the team and club through absolutely everything" From the fanbase that turned on the club with protests against the board not long ago.

Note

If you are a special player at the most special of clubs, there will always be a space for you. I skipped the second half. A collection of players he feels he has to play, those he's overly fond of, giving them game time, and a random selection of those he's trying out. No suprise there was no cohesion for nearly all of the half I saw.

Apart from a nice move involving Foden, England have looked pedestrian and not showing a gap in quality.

Score

Assassination

No wood? 🙂

Crumbs! If that was last season it would have given us the momentum to be...slightly less abject. They're all of 2 points off of 4th bottom. So, not a mountain to climb there.

Business

There's been improvements in some of the other areas in his game recently. Opponents know about his pace. So they've been giving him extra attention, which helps us on the other flank, quite often with AA popping up. RM's system is getting better, allowing him some opportunities to use pace, but often teams have reset, as we pass or have compacted to deny us passing space. So RM is getting him to bring others into the game more, and to work on getting into his own shooting chances, as Edozie has been encouraged to do. Little changes so far, but he'll end up a better rounded player, with more to his game. And when teams do let him use his pace/ play a high line we know how talented he is there already.

Birthday

Whigs

Disaster

Truck

Change

Convenience

Poster

Slasher

Citing Shilton or Niemi is a bit of a red herring. Not only has the role of the keeper changed in many systems, but the fitness, development and facilities have also changed along the way too. Reversing the scenario, let’s put Baz back in the days of ploughed fields, being assaulted by opposition strikers and playing it out to a fullback who has spent as much time in the pub as he has in training that week. Baz wouldn’t get a look in. Switching back to this scenario, none of our top goalkeepers would randomly hoof it out in a panic given the chance to do something better. I’d fancy them to adapt to our system far more than I would for Baz to adapt to theirs. It’s a bit of a disservice to their abilities to suggest that, while Baz will seemingly develop in all the areas he’s lacking, that top goalkeepers of the past simply couldn’t. SR have got Baz in as they want to develop a possession style that begins at the back. Martin fits into that model. Martin would have known about Baz before he joined us, and probably couldn’t believe his luck. Baz is excellent at picking out passes in a variety of situations. Our defence is getting more stable and better at creating lots of options for him, and that’s brings out more of that from him. There was a game a couple of weeks back, where our defence abandoned Baz to make the most of a situation. I don’t know if its because they’re just comfortable with his skills, or just switched off. Baz did really well with it, and 2 minutes later was making sure the ball, and his defence, were a lot further away from him. It’s not just the passing, it’s the weight of those passes. When Baz pings one out, it’s at a speed where the receiving player can do something with it. Not just try and control it, and lose any advantage from the pass. Our more stable defence and control of games (at least for good periods) is also helping Baz. We’re not suicidal in defence from our own attacks. We have better cover when we concede the ball. I’m not sure Baz has improved massively in the areas he’s weakest in, and that’s partly because he’s not had to be overly tested in those areas of late. We’re getting to see games with his strengths on show. I’m sure he’s working away at them in training. A question is:- Have Baz’s strengths led to us being a better side, getting us to pick up more points? I think we’re seeing benefits lately. But that certainly wasn’t the case back when the club stuck with him through sheer bloody mindedness when we couldn’t string 3 passes together, regardless of his distribution from the abck. Then we needed someone with other strengths. Arguably, we would have gone down anyway, and we’re now seeing the benefits of Baz having gone through all that (which I’d not wish on anyone). But just as easily a shot stopper/ physical presence and experienced leader at the club could have made quite a difference.

Dynasty

We are winning by narrow margins. Narrower than anyone would like. Some games a narrow win is fine. Others, there's the feeling we made it narrow by our tempo, style of play. Our opponents do get the odd chance to punish us, such as WBA effort off the bar, that can change results. However, we're clearly developing. We'll be looking at the chances we had that were offside after our first. Lots of little moments where better anticipation would have set a player free etc. We had a good mix of play in the first half, against that opponent. It went some way to showing we can still create chances, and not sit on a 1-0 lead. RM's pointed out that we weren't anywhere near as good second half . We seem to have similar spells in games, and that's something to work on. We're clearly better defensively. We cover far better when we've lost the ball and for KWP being forward. Smallbone and AA really help there too. I doubt we're going to go on all out attacks. Our squad isn't built to outmuscle opponents. We do have some pace, but we're not fully counterattacking. So, we're only going to get bigger wins through improving the things we're already seeing. We earn these wins, working hard to the end. Hopefully improvements will happen to give us some breathing space, for those games where our opponents do take their chances.

Vinegar

"Although pleased overall with his visit to the school, Martin did hint at some regret saying, 'I seem to be a divisive figure among school ages. Some still cling onto direct application of glitter on their projects, while I prefer a wider, patient distribution of glitter around the paper." 🙂

Normalisation

We made that one harder on ourselves, than it needed to be. And that's good to say, because we're getting those results while still improving. For moments in the first half we had an excellent blend of possession, while being more direct at a good tempo. There were quite a few nearly moments. Notr necessarily with direct chances. But just not anticipating other players and being able to pick out the right passes. Some things than on other days might click, giveing us more control and efforts on their goal. When we did go ahead, with a good goal, we nearly let them get an equaliser right away, which is a trend. We then had a little spell where we're waiting for our, now behind opponents, to come onto us. Meanwhile, they are sitting there regrouping, and waiting for us to attack. We seem happy to wait, and some momentum goes out of us. We know only too well, what we're like with a 1 goal lead, so there's that undercurrent too. It didn;t last long today, which was good to see. AA had a couple of just offsides not long after. Smallbone had a couple of shots I don;t think even he was convinced with as he hit them. Towards the end of the half, WBA were getting on top. Martin really needs to get someoen else into that dressing room at half time. It could be a Sgt from the Marines, or a juggler, or someone who makes balloon animals. Because whatever is said seems to result on us being really flat and uncertain on how to control a lead in the second half. We missed Smallbone when he went off injured. WBA were already getting the upper hand, but we lost a lot of passing angles, work rate and distribution. WBA's equaliser was coming, even as we were looking to bring subs on. We kept working away though, which is now something we see every match. We were more disjointed after the subs, and the game stretched a bit. AA moved out wider when Che came on, giving us a different threat. Fraser's exeprience and freshness as a sub made a lot of difference again. He's a key part of us winning games. Stewart did fine when he came on. I can see why Martin wanted Che on before we went ahead. But Stewart may well nab that spot from Che sooner rather than later. If anyting our passing and possession got even scrappier as it went on, and there were numerous corners and a scramble late on to secure the win. Martin will be looking at - Making sure we can create, while still supporting all that possession play (tough to pull off) Looking to work on the anticipation between players (which will come with time and a settled first team) Sort out our game management. Find ways of changing focus and tempo, to get control back into games; watch those spells before and after half time, and after we go ahead; find solutions to keeping an incisive passing game when we've a one goal lead. All things Martin ahs said he's working on anyway. Lots of positives. Baz cool in distribution and awareness. One direct pass given away first half. We covered it, and had it worked it could have led to a chance. Got in the way of a late shot. Holgate not broken after first two appearances, which were tough for him. THB looks every bit a classsy defender. Bree offers a lot to the team. Mannign finding a bit harder, but he was highly thought of too. So good competition. KWP, Downes both excellent today. Loads of work rate, positioning and versatility from AA and Smallbone. Key to the tactic (and getting us out of problems, when it's not working) Fraser makes the difference again, and Stu had a tidy game.