Big teams

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Werthers Original
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Big teams

Post by Werthers Original »

Well that was pretty awful, reminiscent of Barnet last year. We've got to work out how to deal with big physical teams like them. There didn't seem to be a leader on the pitch, and the forwards don't offer anything if they haven't got balls to run on to.

But the great thing about Appleton is that he seems to learn from his mistakes. Next week we can be the first team to beat Bradford this season!
OUFC4eva
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Re: Big teams

Post by OUFC4eva »

The U's two strikers were dominated all afternoon
by Robinson and Charles.

In midfield Sercombe and Lundstram
found it tough against what looked a
central three for the Dons; Parrett, Bulman
and Reeves. Also, Raglan and Dunkley
had their hands full - up against big Elliott
and Lyle Taylor. Overall they were stronger
than us and deserved to win. We were
bullied all over the park.

The referee was very poor, as were his
assistants. Maguire denied a clear pen.
and dangerous play from Parrett
on the edge of the area that led to
Charles sweeping high over Eastwood
for their second goal on 43 mins.

Edwards let Barcham run around him for the third
after good approach play from Reeves after
Sercs was dispossessed for the umpteenth time.

A really bad day at the office and a wake up
call. Couldn't understand why Joe Roff
was left out - ludicrous for me.
Isaac
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Re: Big teams

Post by Isaac »

It's obvious, but we lost the game in the 5 minutes before half time, the 2nd goal shouldn't have stood and then unforgivably the team lost organisation and conceded a 3rd. The referee, while getting quite a few big decisions wrong (Elliot should have been sent off for almost maiming Dunkley in the first 10 minutes, the Maguire penalty and then missing the dangerous tackle for the 2nd goal) actually contributed to it being a decent game, as he let a lot go - Maguire petulantly slapping an AFC player for instance.

I watched on tv so realise it's a different perspective than live, but other than our strikers, I don't think we were bullied. AFC were very committed (they blocked just about all of our shots and I don't think our defence matched their commitment), well organised and beat us on the break. We had the majority of possession and mostly - until the substitutions - looked positive and purposeful, even if not that likely to score given the excellent defending. Presumably Appleton had recognised our strikers were doing nothing but Crowley was terrible. Maguire was probably our best player but suffered from believing it, and probably trying to impress on TV.
Geoff
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Re: Big teams

Post by Geoff »

We got what we deserved from that game, even allowing for a very poor referee. If neither the referee nor the linesman saw the foul on Thomas they need to go to Specsavers. Our back four were regularly playing team mates into trouble with poor passes. Scarz's injury came from one such pass by Dunkley. Given the defence has been impressive for the rest of this season, I'm sure it was a one off. Maguire appeared to be guilty of trying to play to the cameras with outrageous long range shots. The only outfield player to emerge with any credit for me was MacDonald. He fought for the ball and worked hard for the cause.
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: Big teams

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

For me, Clive, it was one of those. We were poor, Wimbledon took their chances and there were some decidedly dodgy decisions - but on another day, it really could have been 3-1 the other way. We go again.

IMHO:
- The early challenge which earnt their player a yellow was dreadful, but I can see why the ref gave a caution rather than a red;
- The first goal we conceded was irritating, but sometimes even good teams concede well-worked set pieces;
- We absolutely should have had a penalty at 0-1 down;
- If we score that penalty (or even just go in one goal behind), I think we'd have gone on to win the game;
- Their second should never have stood - clear foul in the build-up (although their player going through our two defenders just before was criminal);
- By the time the third came, we'd given up;
- Still can't work out why we brought on Crowley for a striker at a time when we were chasing the game.

We need to put that performance behind us as soon as possible. It was an aberration, and I doubt we'll see another capitulation like that any time soon.
GodalmingYellow
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Re: Big teams

Post by GodalmingYellow »

MApp needs to look beyond Thomas now. He had yet another very poor game and offered virtually nothing. No hold up play, no back tracking, no pressing, no shots, no goals, no defending from the front. It begs the question why he keeps getting selected. Taylor at least offers everything bar the goals and it is well beyond time he got an extended run in the side.

I'm undecided on Hemmings. He's a better all round player than Thomas, but again hasn't shown enough to justify a regular starting place.

We've played our best football this season using 4-3-2-1. It gives the defence extra protection, particularly against the counter attack, and provides more support to the forward from our most creative players. In midfield when there is a battle, very small movement shifts create a 5 man midfield. It is the most flexible formation given that we don't use out and out wingers.

The referee was really shockingly bad. I don't agree that him letting all sorts of fouls go free resulted in a good game. On the contrary, I think it resulted in a poor game of far too much long ball. On top of that I think our players lost a little commitment to their normal pass and move game. Even ignoring the pushing and climbing and off the ball fouling, to miss blatant penalty shouts, and not red card 2 of their totally and blatantly out of control challenges, was a disgrace. Mr Deadman needs to go back to basic training. We can't have professional football matches being decided by referees who do not apply the laws of the game. Any of those big decisions could very easily have turned the game on its head.

That said, our performance all over the pitch was very poor. Even Maguire and MacDonald gave the ball away too much, although I think Maguire shaded the MoM, not that anyone deserved it. We have not yet worked out that against a pressing side, off ball movement and quick passing is essential. Defensively we were naiive and lazy for the first goal. The marking was poor and no one jumped with Elliott. The second goal should never have counted because of the foul seconds earlier. The third goal came from giving the ball away cheaply in the middle and a fast counter attack that no one tried to halt before it got to the danger area.

I hope Skarz injury isn't serious, as although Rothwell and Ruffels are potential makeshift left backs, neither are up to standard in that position really.
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: Big teams

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

GodalmingYellow wrote:MApp needs to look beyond Thomas now. He had yet another very poor game and offered virtually nothing.
And yet at Bolton, he made an excellent impact and caused their defence lots of problems. I suspect his best role is as a 'supersub' when he can play with a bit more energy than the defenders marking him.
GodalmingYellow wrote: I'm undecided on Hemmings. He's a better all round player than Thomas, but again hasn't shown enough to justify a regular starting place.
Agreed. He's now very firmly in the "underwhelming" category, especially his home performances. How the hell did he do so well at Dundee?
GodalmingYellow wrote: I hope Skarz injury isn't serious, as although Rothwell and Ruffels are potential makeshift left backs, neither are up to standard in that position really.
Nothing too serious, according to S*y Sp*rts after the game - just some bruising to the arm.
Kernow Yellow
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Re: Big teams

Post by Kernow Yellow »

GodalmingYellow wrote:We have not yet worked out that against a pressing side, off ball movement and quick passing is essential.
This was the biggest problem yesterday. Wimbledon, to their credit, pressed all match instead of sitting back on their lead in the second half. Also our midfield offered no protection to our back line whatsoever. Surely Lundstram is more at fault for this than Sercombe? Lunny plays as more of the holding midfielder, though he wasn't holding anything yesterday. Sercs bombs on more, and at least caused a few problems in the Dons box. But the amount of space their players had in the middle when attacking was really shocking. No wonder our defence looked rattled when they had people running at them unchallenged all game.

Maguire was the only player to come out of that first half with any credit. He played some nice balls in for the front two, but they were so far off the pace that they often didn't get anywhere near them. Neither Hemmings nor Thomas were anything like sharp enough, though again credit to the Dons defence for giving them no time on the ball. The rest were average at best. Even the normally reliable Eastwood went walkabout for their first goal.

Why do we turn backwards so often when going forwards? It's infuriating, especially when we're chasing the game. We need some more attack-minded full backs to support the 'wide' players too - on the rare occasions when Edwards or Skarz got forwards they got nosebleeds and moves broke down or we headed backwards again. Oh for a Baldock-esque player now.

Hey ho, a bad day at the office. And somehow defeats like this always seem worse and more humiliating when viewed on a telly in a pub...
Werthers Original
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Re: Big teams

Post by Werthers Original »

Bringing on diminutive fop Crowley was the oddest substitution since one of Wilder's 'let's put four strikers on cos we're desperate' ploys
Kairdiff Exile
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Re: Big teams

Post by Kairdiff Exile »

Werthers Original wrote:Bringing on diminutive fop Crowley was the oddest substitution since one of Wilder's 'let's put four strikers on cos we're desperate' ploys
I like Crowley, but he was the wrong option yesterday when we needed extra muscle and legs up front. I know that we all need to stop harking on about it, but yesterday struck me as the archetypal Danny Hylton game. Ho hum.

BTW, can we all officially start referring to him as "diminutive fop Crowley" from now on? :lol:
Last edited by Kairdiff Exile on Mon Oct 10, 2016 9:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Werthers Original
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Re: Big teams

Post by Werthers Original »

Lovely Hylton running around, big Taylor heading the ball, little Callum on the wing. Isn't it!
GodalmingYellow
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Re: Big teams

Post by GodalmingYellow »

Werthers Original wrote:Lovely Hylton running around, big Taylor heading the ball, little Callum on the wing. Isn't it!
Jumpers for goal posts....
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