Apologies to sensible....I assume your not interested in this Mickey Mouse Competition so I'll do this. Good game for Ryan Lowe to experiment with some of his new recruits.....a chance maybe to get Jack Ruddy some game time.....also Jerome Opoku, Tyrese Fornah and Ben Reeves to learn the style that Lowe wants them to play. I thought that Ben Reeves played well for the short time that he came on for....as I said before he was an unused substitute at Wembley when Charlton beat Sunderland 2/3 seasons back.....so he has got good potential. Having lost our first game in this competition surely Adams will use todays game to try and sort out his best eleven for the league season ahead....especially in defence....which we need to get on top of quickly. With teams already stunting our playing from the back style by high pressing us and therefore making us launch long balls up front....which quite often means the ball comes straight back....this game will give the chance possibly for others to make a claim for first team inclusion......on the other hand Lowe might leave well alone.....and just rest one or two for Saturdays more important game.
Two things about that, both concerning the back 3. Firstly, they don't defend on their own and some of the problems back there are caused by players further forward either not getting back to cover or not offering themselves to receive a pass. There have been individual mistakes but it's wrong to just crucify the defenders. Lowe likes to overload the opposition's defence and that's bound to leave players stranded upfield when we lose the ball. It's a lifestyle choice. Secondly, he wants defenders who can pass it, either short if there is someone to receive it in midfield or accurately long into space if there isn't. My guess is Watts, Canavan and Aimson are our best pick when available.
Yes they do seem to be our best three defenders at the moment....Aimson lost time out recently with Covid and maybe wasn't up to speed and needed more time to recover for last Saturday....Of Canavan and Wootton the former does seem to be less prone to cock-ups....and is a threat at dead ball situations in the oppositions area.....Watts is young and learning and has shown interest in getting shots on goal as well.....we just need our wing backs to support our defence more.....the problem there is that isn't George Coopers strength....so he came on later and helped Mayor to become more dangerous....in hindsight a little earlier might of found a goal...but that's history now.
Remember what they said about Ryan Lowe at the beginning - you score 3 and we'll score 4. It makes for a bumpy ride but it's not boring!
Steven Schumacher will be in charge tonight...just like he was against Norwich U21's.....he says that there will not be eleven changes like there was that night. He did say that Ruddy would be in goal and that Ben Reeves and Tyrese Fornah would get their first starts for Argyle. There is a chance that we'll see Reuban Reid turning out for Cheltenham tonight.
Ruddy, Aimson, Wootton, Edwards, Reeve, Fornah, Lolos, Law, Pursall, Hardie, Telford. Subs M Cooper, Watts, G Cooper, Grant, Opoku, Camara. Mass changes again....Reeve and Fornah having debut starts. Not sure what the defensive line-up is.
Good. I just don't want Argyle anywhere near this competition. Having said that, ex Argyle player playing against us just has to score doesn't he. It is always written.
Well sods law took over last night with 32 year old Reuban Reid doing the inevitable and showing his old club how to score goals. Steven Schumacher in charge last night emphasized that if you don't take your chances you don't win football matches......he said that pretty passing football in the middle third is pointless if you can't do the business in the final third and defend well in the defensive third. Cheltenham also turned out a below strength team...giving one keeper his first outing since a double leg fracture in January....and changing him at half-time for a youngster. Two consecutive games now without scoring and no clean sheet since the Blackpool game.....let's hope we can put that all right this coming Saturday against a struggling Burton.
I did not. Can't watch them all and this is a trivial and unwanted competition. Still a disappointing result though. O accept what Ryan Lowe says about it being early days in a new league with a new squad but we need to find a lineup and tactics that work. I'm really hoping Luke Jephcott makes the difference when he returns and that Hardie feeds off the partnership that worked well last season.
Just watched the highlights.....deary me...no composure at all in front of goal....at least three easy finishes missed there. Reuban's first goal....how much time did we have to give him....he could of made a cup of tea....drunk it....and washed his cup up in the time we gave him. This ain't Div 2 we're in this year...we'll get stuffed this season if we don't take our chances.
