I honestly don't think Neil did much wrong at Plymouth. The tactics were good but the players were slightly ineffective at carrying them out. This would always be a game of few chances and we wasted the ones we created. The tactic of drawing them on and dropping the ball over the top actually worked, we just failed to capitalise imo.
It wasn't the managers fault that the quality of our passing in the final third was woeful. Argyle never troubled us apart from one header but likewise their keeper could have been sat on a sun lounger. Never seen so many hopeful punts instead of players steading themselves to deliver that bit of quality. In their defence if we'd had our feet up second half Friday instead of having to chase the game for 95 minutes, plus the travelling to the arse end of the country made the players a tad fatigued. Didn't want a draw but as things are panning out it wasn't a disaster. Onwards to the Cambridge match.
Dear me, these L1 managers just can't help themselves, absolutely pathetic. "The Argyle manager had wanted a reaction from his players after their 2-0 defeat to Wycombe and he got it against Sunderland, with Camara leading the way with his all-action display. Schumacher said: "He was brilliant. He has got good energy, that's his main trait if you like. He has got so much running ability and showed so much quality as well on the ball. "I'm still not quite sure how their centre midfield player - who they bought by the way for £600,000 from Fleetwood - hasn't been booked because he fouled Pan about six times. "I think he has felt his hamstring as he has been fouled. Fingers crossed it's not too serious."" So when they beat teams it's because of his tactics, team selection and motivation ... ... when they don't it's because we paid a fee for a young kid from the same division
Agree. He was excellent today. Probably the best non-loan midfielder I've seen at this level since Joe Aribo. Credit to Matete for making it a battle. Camara would have totally dominated most CM's in this division.
I think 2 wins will be enough Smug. Plymouth wont get 83 points, and I doubt very much that Wycombe will either. I'd be happy for Sheff Wed to beat Wycombe next week, then we'd only need a win and a draw from our last 3 to be sure of a play off place.
I'm hoping Wycombe lose to Sheff Wed and we get the 4 points needed in the next 2 games. Then I would just give Stewart the week off and save him for the 3 play off matches.
The challenge is we also need to be careful with Broadhead. I wouldn’t want to have Stewart completely out of the picture and have Broadhead need to play 90 mins for the next 3 games. We really were f*cked when Speakman decided Defoe was the only necessary third striker, and then Defoe decided he wasn’t happy being third striker. God awful planning. I’d be tempted to play Clarke up top if needed. I think when he signed they said he had played for the U23s there. And he can’t be any worse than he is at wing back.
I reckon, Wycombe beat Plymouth by their long ball tactics and Neil saw that and tried to do the same. However we are not Wycombe, long ball bully boy ****housery is not us... we needed plan 'b'
I had a cracking weekend, taking in both games. Some of my thoughts and apologies if I am repeating what others have said, or disagreeing entirely but I havent read it all. Saturday was an odd game and one which I think left a hangover for Plymouth. I thought we were excellent for 25 mins or so and deserved the 2-0 lead. Our football was nice to watch with a lot of quality. Then all of a sudden someone flicked a switch and we went to pot. Even the first 15 minutes of the second half we were hopeless. Credit to them for getting it back but man it shouldnt have needed that sort of effort and that effort might have been a factor at Plymouth. I thought Alex Neil was spot on after the game when he said there was no problem with formation or tactics, it was down to players suddenly not doing their jobs. Too many managers dont dig out players when they play badly and the mamager gets the flak. Nowt wrong with what Alex did for me, all on the players, but like I say credit to them for having the character to come back. Apparently Alex Neil said for 40 minutes it was the best football we have played all season - I like you Alex but that is a slice of Jackanory At plymouth I think we missed a big chance and I think this time Neil got it wrong. I have a feeling he may be kicking himself too over it. My Plymouth mates before the game said they were playing poorly at the minute and that turned out to be the case. One of the lads said he thought it was their worst home performance of the season. In my opinion we were equally as inept on the day. I think we picked a team to nullify them, when a bit more brave seelction might have seen us take the points. As it was I think both keepers had the easiest afternoon they could imagine. I really dont understand this tactic of long balls over the top. It is not only horrible to watch but I dont think it suits us at all. Players like Wright and Evans simply arent capable of hitting those sorts of passes effectively and it is bloody frustrating when they launch it straight out for a goal kick for them. I dont mind the odd long ball but yesterday was far too many of them and hence we are easy to defend against. I thought Clarke was really poor and if I am really honest looked disinterested at times. I am not sure he is worth a place in the team at all. O'Nien struggled at wing back I thought, quite badly too. Stewart looks a shadow of himself as well. Looks to me like a player with no confidence. There was a bit of play when broadhead managed to keep a high ball into the back post in and played it back across goal but Stewart just stood and watched. No attempt at all to get across his man or anticipate anything coming back in. That to me is a sign of a forward with no confidence (not one who has been 'flogged to death', which if he is not careful will be a narrative of Neils that becomes a stick to beat him with). Broadhead was a menace at times but he isnt one that will be effective running off the shoulder for a ball over the top, he needs it into feet so he can turn and run at them. Mattete was decent I thought, and him and that lad Camara had a right good battle - very enjoyable to watch, probably the highlight of the game. In the grand scheme of things a draw isnt terrible for us, but I cant help but think it was our game to win. One thing on the formation. It looks to me like the three at the back is an attempt to play the Wilder Sheff Utd system of having one of the back three stepping into midfield when we have it and trying to make things happen that way. Cirkin second half yesterday did that job quite well I thought, but he looked a bit lost when he got into the final third, mind you the movement ahead and at the side of him was poor. Once Pritchard is fit I think we will revert back to 4231, or 433, which is what I think suits us best. Overall I still think we have one foot in the playoffs and it is ours to throw away now. I can us winning our next 2 home games and job done.
Any two from Clarke, Roberts, Dajaku or even Gooch could play as stand-ins and might surprise a few, while resting Broadhead and Stewart for the play offs. Not ideal , but If say we secure our play-off place over the next two games it is an alternative that might be worth consideration.
If we've already qualified for the play offs, I'd be resting Stewart, Broadhead, Winchester, Wright, Pritchard and Cirkin against Morecambe. Clarke could play up top, but I'm not sure he'd play the lone striker role. He's a little lightweight and would be easy pickings for 2 CB's.So I'd play something like:- Patto O'Nien, Batth, Doyle Gooch, Evans, Matete, Neil, Roberts Clarke, Embleton
Spot on. Infact, their manager admitted that they couldn't handle the long ball game from Wycombe before the game yesterday. Maybe we could have concentrated more on playing to our own strengths, and our strength is not playing like Wycombe (thank f*ck!)
Good read and pleased to have you back safe and sound, I also enjoyed the Matete / Camara duel and so did they by the looks of things, as someone on here has already said together they would make one hell of an engine room.
yup, decent review and agrees with much of what others have said, although personally i feel the long ball tactic could have worked for us but our front lads struggled to control the ones they reached, but i also think both teams just did not want to lose more than going for a win. onien is wasted on the 'outside', far better at breaking play up and getting those niggly tackles in to win the ball back, i think friday was an excellent first 25 minutes from clarke and wonder why he went from that to all but ineffective for the rest of that game and the next. pretty sure i had matete as our MotM due to the effort he put in and camara was probably the best player on the pitch if i am honest...was a good battle.
I couldnt really believe how well Camara got around the pitch. There was a time when Broadhead got through but he made up about 5 yards to stop him getting a shot away. He reminded me of Viera when he first came into this country, very gangly but amazing running game anduch better on the ball than you first realise. Obviously a daft comparison but I have to say I really did like him and he made Matete play at what I think is his own high level.
I hope we have qualified for the POs by then, because that team would get humped 8-0 by Morecambe. What have you seen in Patrick Roberts that thinks he can play left wing back?
I wonder if AN played Clarke out of his comfortable position to play on the right hoping he would cut down on all the fancy stuff and just get the cross in quicker.
