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cod_head_doug |
October 30, 2019, 11:17pm |
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Having watched all the Town games so far this season may I express my views of a few points which I consider need some thought. 1) Why, oh why, do we need all eleven players in our 18 yard box when we concede a corner or free kick ? This one really messes with my head !! All we are doing is inviting the oposing team to put ten of their players in and around the box, so if we clear the first header or block the first shot we automatically give them the ball back in a very dangerous area if we dont launch it up the field or find touch. Surely if we leave two fast lads on the half way line, on opposite wings, they would have to send back at least three players to counter our out-ball.We ride our luck so many times in a match with a ball like a baggotelle in our box. 2) Why do we tinker with the team selection so much ? I dont have a problem with "blooding the youngsters and fringe players" in cup games, but are we really that scared of the opposition that we need wholesale changes all the time ? If someone is injured, suspended or has a loss of form, well, fair enough, make a change. But I am a big believer in playing your best eleven each week. Stop worrying about the opposition, and let them worry about us. 3) What happened to using two wingers, or raiding wing backs ? We launch the ball up to Hanson's head all the time, he flicks it on, and rarely do we have anyone playing off him to take advantage of these flicks. If we could get down each wing to the dead ball line and put crosses into the box, Hanson would be absolutely devestating with his heading ability and strength. 4) Leadership. Now I love Macca to the moon and back, but I fail to see how he can captain a team whilst playing in goal. Make him the Club Captain and ambassador of the club, but on the pitch surely your captain needs to be in the midfield, where he can be vocal and all the players can hear him. He will be ideally placed to get the refferees ear if there are any contentious issues, without having to run half the length of the pitch. Think back to Paul Groves for example. I believe that we have a squad which is capable of a play off finish, if they are firing on all cylinders. I think some of them are a bit dissillusioned and have lost their way. Can we not just pick a style of play, and make sure all the players understand it and stick with it ? All opinions welcolme. See you all at Plymouth. UTM
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| Bobby Cummings is my hero ! The main reason I am a Cod Head.
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mimma |
October 30, 2019, 11:45pm |
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Absolutely spot on with everything you say Doug.It's what everyone is saying where I sit. Slade was slated for playing in exactly the same way. I think that Jolley forgets one vital thing in his approach to home games, namely that football is an entertainment, and defending at home and trying to catch the opposition on the break, without any pace, is boring to watch. Town fans want to be entertained with free flowing football and goals. Boring football only drives the fans away. Nobody wants to see mediocre, we want to be entertained, end of. I find myself now going out of duty, and because I have a season ticket, and not because I am excited about the football I am going to watch.
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jimgtfc |
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Many teams bring all 11 players back for set pieces, it basically crowds the box and makes it difficult for attackers to get a free run to win the header, there’s also more bodies in the way if a ball drops in the area for a shot after the initial cross. I suppose you’d have to look at the stats of goals conceded from these situations to know if it’s justified or not and I’m sure the management team will have done this.
Team selection is a tricky one, and I get what you’re saying. If you look at the stereotypical successful teams they’ve had almost the same 11 week in week out. We’ve had our share of injuries though, and when you’re not winning games, you have to try and change it. Yeah I guess people will reflect back on the Exeter result and say why not stick with that team, and maybe they’re right. I’m not sure I know what our best 11 is or in what system, and I’m sure there’d be numerous different ones if everyone on here picked their team, maybe Michael Jolley is having the same dilemma.
I do agree about the wingers, nothing better in my opinion than a winger beating his man to the byline, whipping a cross in and a striker scoring with a bullet header. We’ve got the players to do this as well, with Max Wright when he’s back fit, like an old fashioned traditional winger, and James Hanson who is statistically proven to be one of the best headers of a ball in England. I think we’re a left winger short, but would definitely like to see us with 2 natural wide players.
The captain of a team wears an armband, it doesn’t mean others can’t lead. Luke Waterfall is quite vocal, as is Luke Hendrie, in midfield Hess leads by example by being fully committed and winning challenges, and up front there’s no one more experienced than James Hanson and even Matt Green has plenty of football league games under his belt. Personally I think our central midfield could do with a slightly more experienced head, not a 34 year old John Welsh type but just someone who’s been around the block in the leagues for a few years to partner Hess and Ethan Robson in a 3. But overall I don’t think who wears the armband matters that much.
You’ve raised some good questions though, these are just my personal thoughts on them, not answers.
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| "Falls to Arnold... Arnold! That's it! Thats it! He's sealed it! Grimsby Town are back in the football league!!! Just a minute to go and Nathan Arnold makes it 3-1! Look at the scenes behind the goal! Look at the relief! The agony is finally over!!!"
John Tondeur - Wembley Stadium Sunday 15th May 2016 |
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golfer |
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All these things have been said for yonks. I think the problem stems from pre season in that we just concentrated on signing players for a Plan A and no thought as to if Plan A didn't work. We want wingers but we don't have any that could improve our performances-Wright isn't ready yet but could be in the future. We rely too much on Hanson and this can easily be neutralised by a shrewd manager. The defence has to soak up too much pressure for comfort but we don't have many alternatives. Hang on until the transfer window opens and let's hope Jolly has others in mind.
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Malta_Mariner_90 |
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Having watched all the Town games so far this season may I express my views of a few points which I consider need some thought. 1) Why, oh why, do we need all eleven players in our 18 yard box when we concede a corner or free kick ?
This is not only infuriating, it also shows IMO that Jolley is a manager who plays the percentage game. Not necessarily a bad thing but what drives me mad is that no matter who we play or what time of the game/situation we do the same thing. We could be winning or drawing or losing it does not matter. The only reason he could argue for doing this is that "statistically" you concede less goals having everyone defend at a set piece. Though it would be nice to actually see these stats and see if there is actually any proof in it. If you think about it if you only ever do the one thing you actually end up have no data to compare surely? As you are not creating the situation where you leave players forward at set pieces to compare? Bonkers really. But more than that it is such a negative tactic is does not exactly match with his comments about wanting to play attacking football. Says one thing does the opposite, now where have we seen that before... UTM
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Tommy |
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Think we need to get over the whole "bringing everyone back to defend corners" thing.
Most teams do it now.
Not saying it's what I would do, personally, but it's not an outrageous concept and clearly has its advantages, as jimgtfc has started to explain.
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| "The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one." |
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TownSNAFU5 |
October 31, 2019, 10:04am |
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Agree with OP - all points.
Defending corners with 11 players always annoys.
Other issues that are avoidable: playing the wrong players, and playing both the wrong players and right players in clearly their wrong positions.
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Abdul19 |
October 31, 2019, 10:14am |
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Think we need to get over the whole "bringing everyone back to defend corners" thing.
Most teams do it now.
Not saying it's what I would do, personally, but it's not an outrageous concept and clearly has its advantages, as jimgtfc has started to explain.
This is quite possibly nonsense, but I get the impression that it's something that filters down the leagues. If Liverpool or Man City suddenly started leaving 2 men up when defending a corner, 2 weeks later The Dog and Gun would be doing exactly the same.
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Rik e B |
October 31, 2019, 10:30am |
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Wright isn't ready yet
I'd have to disagree on that, he's been one of our most exciting and havoc-causing players who forced his way into starting eleven such was his effectiveness until being targeted and cynically taken out by the opposition because of the problems he caused.
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137 |
October 31, 2019, 10:38am |
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Good post Doug. I worry that MJ is overthinking. He's young enough not to fully appreciate that finding a successful XI frequently requires a bit of luck. If by chance a side you put out 'clicks' - count yourself lucky, and stick with them (in the short term at least). I would make the XI that won at Exeter my first choice team. *** Noises Off: "It's a squad game...." *** Well yes it is - but it seems perverse to use the squad in such a way that it weakens the team! IMO the squad-players will get a fair amount of pitch-time regardless. Injuries, suspensions, substitutions, genuinely resting players rather than giving them a third match in 8 days, cup matches...to name a few. I think Hanson would make an excellent last-half-hour sub given the opposition defenders have been chasing our quicker guys for an hour. Bobby C is also my hero.
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