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Wilfredo
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Frank_Butcher":35oly2ji said:
I agree, McHugh an absolute rock and so much more suited to playing in the middle. Round pegs in round holes fit Mr Sheridan !!
COYG's
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Brief Synopsis!!!
- Thread starter Mark Pedlar
- Start date
I agree, McHugh an absolute rock and so much more suited to playing in the middle. Round pegs in round holes fit Mr Sheridan !!
COYG's
Decent game. If there was to be a grumble its that I wonder why we take our foot off the pedal and cant keep the level of performance up for longer.
Having said this, the first two goals were great. First strike was quality but the second gave me more satisfaction because of the great delivery. Finally we saw someone who could whip a decent free kick in and at this level those are the goals that are your "bread & butter" if you are to do well.
Kellet was everywhere. Just how a wing-back should be. The team played well but I have to say every time I watch McHugh in the CB position I'm impressed by his composure on the ball & and how he reads the game so well. He puts his body on the line and is a totally whole hearted player. The CB position suits him so much more than being stuck out as a LB.
Having said this, the first two goals were great. First strike was quality but the second gave me more satisfaction because of the great delivery. Finally we saw someone who could whip a decent free kick in and at this level those are the goals that are your "bread & butter" if you are to do well.
Kellet was everywhere. Just how a wing-back should be. The team played well but I have to say every time I watch McHugh in the CB position I'm impressed by his composure on the ball & and how he reads the game so well. He puts his body on the line and is a totally whole hearted player. The CB position suits him so much more than being stuck out as a LB.
Phew....just got back home...
Following another excellent fans fest where Rick and Dave were superb it was refreshing to sit and watch a really good performance, I don't even think Cheltenham were that bad but the scoreline was about right, all three of us very happy,
My only area for concern is Rueben, I have to say I thought he was awful, very cumbersome and slow albeit an excellent finish for the goal,
Also fair play to Shheridan but not before time, nice to see some real shape and attacking flair from the boys in green, I've been one of his harshest critics but this is what we want, so he's back on side for me now.
I thought the Devonport were superb...hallelujah we are singing songs about US, supporting US not just constantly slagging off the opposition, superb boys and girls well done :scarf:
Following another excellent fans fest where Rick and Dave were superb it was refreshing to sit and watch a really good performance, I don't even think Cheltenham were that bad but the scoreline was about right, all three of us very happy,
My only area for concern is Rueben, I have to say I thought he was awful, very cumbersome and slow albeit an excellent finish for the goal,
Also fair play to Shheridan but not before time, nice to see some real shape and attacking flair from the boys in green, I've been one of his harshest critics but this is what we want, so he's back on side for me now.
I thought the Devonport were superb...hallelujah we are singing songs about US, supporting US not just constantly slagging off the opposition, superb boys and girls well done :scarf:
What a performance. What a win. What a defence. What incredible home form. I always said that whilst I doubted Sheridan in the past tactically- what he was always capable of was spotting a very good player and persuading him to come down here. I also always said that whilst his tactics frustrated me, if he found the winning formula with the players that we had at our disposal, we could be seriously good. And with the 3-5-2, I think it's happened. Everything has fallen into place in a most spectacular way. 3 perfect centre-backs and keeper. A great strike partnership in Reuben and Lewi which is finally yielding goals. Good full-backs. And an array of capable central midfielders who have now got their cherry on the top for another month in Bobby Reid. We've finally found that winning formula- the tactical disorganisation earlier under Sheridan seems to have finally come to an end. And by god we look unstoppable for it.
I don't think unstoppable is hyperbole either. This is the third game in a row (!!) where Luke hasn't really had a serious save to make. Our three centre-backs really are that good. Luke collects every cross and half-chance with perfection when he's called upon. But Nelson, McHugh and Hartley are all so solid that that really is all he's restricted to. Nelse is a properly good defender- like, he's really good. And he's still only the third best centre-back we have which shows how good the other two are. Nelson has got unstoppable pace and has improved his weaker mental areas immensely. McHugh is a Coughlan/Timar/Trotman-esque stopper except even better cause he can play a bit too. His long passes are very good, as was his crossing from left-back. Hartley is just the rock on which the whole thing is built. He's the best defender we've had since Seip both in terms of general ability and the technical side as well. He's a fantastic organiser and a clear leader on the pitch. Good goal too. They're not just great individually; they're great as a unit. Our shape as a 3-5-2 with McHugh as the kingpin is so much more organised and coherent. It's gone from good defence to a great one. I genuinely think we've got a chance of setting some kind of all time record for fewest goals conceded.
The full-backs are ticking along nicely too. After a shaky first half an hour, Mellor went on to have one of the best games he's had for the club getting up and down the line and passing the ball superbly. He's good enough to provide width both attackingly and defensively. Ergo, he's the perfect wing-back to accommodate our CB, CMs and Strikers. As for Kellett...I may need to get my tin hat on here before posting this but I didn't quite buy the hype. Going forward he was excellent, no doubt about that whatsoever. Really should have scored and gave their defence a lot of problems. Defensively however, let's just say there's work to be done. How many times did you see a player out in a lot of space down Kellett's side? It was quite a few times as opposed to zero on Mellor's side. I don't want to slate the lad as it's only his second professional game and he undoubtedly showed some promise. But talk of him being the next Joe Bryan is very premature.
O'Connor after what was a shakey September is now back to his start of season best. You never think he'll doing anything but win a 50/50 ball when it's going towards him and he's also got a lot better at doing the scruffy unappreciated work that Hourihane used to do of picking up the loose balls. Cox is a better all round Defensive Midfielder but purely in the tackle I think O'Connor pips him. Blizzard again had a steady home game in his best position in spite of his poor performance at Wimbledon on Tuesday. He's not so much an away game player but in the home games, he's an excellent playmaker who did very well today picking out some clever passes.
Man of the match however has to go to Bobby Reid. He's improved even in the few weeks since being here and he wasn't half bad at the start. He's now learned to track back a lot better and win the ball defensively as well as showing for it going forward. We already had a decent range of CM options before he came but they've just been exemplified with him here. He offers something no-one else can. That burst of pace forward and ability to distribute the ball very quickly which in turn makes all the other players around him pick up their pace too. That and he's the best passer at the club.
Reuben and Lewi showed yet again why they're substantially the best strike partnership this club has had in as long as I can recall- certainly since the Championship days. I think some of the work Reuben does goes unnoticed actually because we take it for granted. He will almost ALWAYS win a one on one duel for any given ball and will shrug off his man at absolute ease to run with it and make a chance. That and his superb finishing were both evident today. Lewi's finishing isn't usually as good (in spite of today's goal) but he's still a striker who makes stuff happen. His body movement is so good and the number of times he chases a defender into a mistake is astronomical. That's why Reid and Alessandra work so well together. One will force the error and the other will make something of it.
This match review is going on longer than usual- you may need to put a quid in the meter this time rather than 50p. But whilst I'm in the midst of my diatribe, can I say that the Banton-bashing really needs to stop? I'm the first to say it isn't going well for him this season but Bloody Nora some of you lot need to give him a serious break in my opinion. He was involved in setting up not one, not two but THREE chances for other players in the short time he was on the pitch. One of them was for Kellett who could have laid it back to him. The last one was the nice little passing move he was involved in in stoppage time. Although the middle one was the one that really took the biscuit- he laid a beautiful pass off to Smalley who was in a fantastic position to lay it back to him for a position which would have been a nailed on goal for Banton. He was in absolute acres of space. Smalley like a prat tried to go with it by himself and got tackled. He then had the sheer brass neck to appeal for a penalty when the ball was won fairly. And maybe, just maybe, that's why Banton didn't clap the fans at the end. He wasn't the only one who didn't clap at all, by the way. Other players who didn't clap included Bobby Reid, O'Connor, I think Mellor and, erm, oh yeah, Smalley himself. So why Banton is being singled out by a minority of folk is beyond me completely. Probably due to a pre conceived idea about his attitude. His attitude, as I keep saying, has improved this season by the way. He has turned into a real team player and always tried to find a teammate in space, he puts in the running/tracking back and is never selfish. What he still lacks is the end product- as I have said all season, I just think he needs that one goal and all his confidence could come flooding back. Last season- was he a lazy sod? Yes. Is he a lazy sod this season? No he's not, he's just lost all of his mojo and swagger. It could have come back if Smalley wasn't so daft. I have no doubt Banton was seething with him and I hope Smalley gets collared for it by Sheridan. Harvey when coming on was quiet and unremarkable.
As a side note...what on EARTH was that idiocy about with the ref not letting Mellor back onto the pitch. Can you imagine the reaction if Cheltenham had scored during that period? There would have been an eruption. We had actually cleared the ball well away from the penalty box at least twice in that period and he still wouldn't let him back on. The referee should be binned from next weekend's round of fixtures for that.
It really is all coming together very well isn't it? Sheridan's proved me wrong in the sense that he's finally found a great tactical formula when I doubted he ever would. We made it tough for ourselves this summer by losing Hourihane and Young- but we've recovered from it well and we now look a stronger team than ever. Our weaker performers this season would have been our stronger performers in years gone by. There is a fantastic vibe around the place at the moment especially with the on pitch stuff and long may it continue. I think we can nick a win at Burton on the weekend- and bring it on too.
McCormick-7
Nelson-7
McHugh-7
Hartley-8
Mellor-7
O'Connor-8
Bobby Reid-8 MOTM
Blizzard-7
Kellett-6
Reuben Reid-7
Alessandra-7
Smalley-4
Harvey-6
Banton-7
I don't think unstoppable is hyperbole either. This is the third game in a row (!!) where Luke hasn't really had a serious save to make. Our three centre-backs really are that good. Luke collects every cross and half-chance with perfection when he's called upon. But Nelson, McHugh and Hartley are all so solid that that really is all he's restricted to. Nelse is a properly good defender- like, he's really good. And he's still only the third best centre-back we have which shows how good the other two are. Nelson has got unstoppable pace and has improved his weaker mental areas immensely. McHugh is a Coughlan/Timar/Trotman-esque stopper except even better cause he can play a bit too. His long passes are very good, as was his crossing from left-back. Hartley is just the rock on which the whole thing is built. He's the best defender we've had since Seip both in terms of general ability and the technical side as well. He's a fantastic organiser and a clear leader on the pitch. Good goal too. They're not just great individually; they're great as a unit. Our shape as a 3-5-2 with McHugh as the kingpin is so much more organised and coherent. It's gone from good defence to a great one. I genuinely think we've got a chance of setting some kind of all time record for fewest goals conceded.
The full-backs are ticking along nicely too. After a shaky first half an hour, Mellor went on to have one of the best games he's had for the club getting up and down the line and passing the ball superbly. He's good enough to provide width both attackingly and defensively. Ergo, he's the perfect wing-back to accommodate our CB, CMs and Strikers. As for Kellett...I may need to get my tin hat on here before posting this but I didn't quite buy the hype. Going forward he was excellent, no doubt about that whatsoever. Really should have scored and gave their defence a lot of problems. Defensively however, let's just say there's work to be done. How many times did you see a player out in a lot of space down Kellett's side? It was quite a few times as opposed to zero on Mellor's side. I don't want to slate the lad as it's only his second professional game and he undoubtedly showed some promise. But talk of him being the next Joe Bryan is very premature.
O'Connor after what was a shakey September is now back to his start of season best. You never think he'll doing anything but win a 50/50 ball when it's going towards him and he's also got a lot better at doing the scruffy unappreciated work that Hourihane used to do of picking up the loose balls. Cox is a better all round Defensive Midfielder but purely in the tackle I think O'Connor pips him. Blizzard again had a steady home game in his best position in spite of his poor performance at Wimbledon on Tuesday. He's not so much an away game player but in the home games, he's an excellent playmaker who did very well today picking out some clever passes.
Man of the match however has to go to Bobby Reid. He's improved even in the few weeks since being here and he wasn't half bad at the start. He's now learned to track back a lot better and win the ball defensively as well as showing for it going forward. We already had a decent range of CM options before he came but they've just been exemplified with him here. He offers something no-one else can. That burst of pace forward and ability to distribute the ball very quickly which in turn makes all the other players around him pick up their pace too. That and he's the best passer at the club.
Reuben and Lewi showed yet again why they're substantially the best strike partnership this club has had in as long as I can recall- certainly since the Championship days. I think some of the work Reuben does goes unnoticed actually because we take it for granted. He will almost ALWAYS win a one on one duel for any given ball and will shrug off his man at absolute ease to run with it and make a chance. That and his superb finishing were both evident today. Lewi's finishing isn't usually as good (in spite of today's goal) but he's still a striker who makes stuff happen. His body movement is so good and the number of times he chases a defender into a mistake is astronomical. That's why Reid and Alessandra work so well together. One will force the error and the other will make something of it.
This match review is going on longer than usual- you may need to put a quid in the meter this time rather than 50p. But whilst I'm in the midst of my diatribe, can I say that the Banton-bashing really needs to stop? I'm the first to say it isn't going well for him this season but Bloody Nora some of you lot need to give him a serious break in my opinion. He was involved in setting up not one, not two but THREE chances for other players in the short time he was on the pitch. One of them was for Kellett who could have laid it back to him. The last one was the nice little passing move he was involved in in stoppage time. Although the middle one was the one that really took the biscuit- he laid a beautiful pass off to Smalley who was in a fantastic position to lay it back to him for a position which would have been a nailed on goal for Banton. He was in absolute acres of space. Smalley like a prat tried to go with it by himself and got tackled. He then had the sheer brass neck to appeal for a penalty when the ball was won fairly. And maybe, just maybe, that's why Banton didn't clap the fans at the end. He wasn't the only one who didn't clap at all, by the way. Other players who didn't clap included Bobby Reid, O'Connor, I think Mellor and, erm, oh yeah, Smalley himself. So why Banton is being singled out by a minority of folk is beyond me completely. Probably due to a pre conceived idea about his attitude. His attitude, as I keep saying, has improved this season by the way. He has turned into a real team player and always tried to find a teammate in space, he puts in the running/tracking back and is never selfish. What he still lacks is the end product- as I have said all season, I just think he needs that one goal and all his confidence could come flooding back. Last season- was he a lazy sod? Yes. Is he a lazy sod this season? No he's not, he's just lost all of his mojo and swagger. It could have come back if Smalley wasn't so daft. I have no doubt Banton was seething with him and I hope Smalley gets collared for it by Sheridan. Harvey when coming on was quiet and unremarkable.
As a side note...what on EARTH was that idiocy about with the ref not letting Mellor back onto the pitch. Can you imagine the reaction if Cheltenham had scored during that period? There would have been an eruption. We had actually cleared the ball well away from the penalty box at least twice in that period and he still wouldn't let him back on. The referee should be binned from next weekend's round of fixtures for that.
It really is all coming together very well isn't it? Sheridan's proved me wrong in the sense that he's finally found a great tactical formula when I doubted he ever would. We made it tough for ourselves this summer by losing Hourihane and Young- but we've recovered from it well and we now look a stronger team than ever. Our weaker performers this season would have been our stronger performers in years gone by. There is a fantastic vibe around the place at the moment especially with the on pitch stuff and long may it continue. I think we can nick a win at Burton on the weekend- and bring it on too.
McCormick-7
Nelson-7
McHugh-7
Hartley-8
Mellor-7
O'Connor-8
Bobby Reid-8 MOTM
Blizzard-7
Kellett-6
Reuben Reid-7
Alessandra-7
Smalley-4
Harvey-6
Banton-7
When taking their foot off the pedal maybe they were copying Real Madrid once they went 3 up v Liverpool?Metal_Green_Mickey":140ols2h said:
I don't know who made the point last week but someone said about "cheap goals" - how we need to start scoring goals from set pieces. Well today that second goal was huge - right on half time and it gave us a comfort zone that hasn't been there in previous games. Set piece deliveries like that will prove crucial in tight matches this season.
Oh dear Sam, Kellett 6?? What is that all about?
Defensive frailities you suggest. The guy got in some really good sharp tackles and used the ball well once won but being a wing back with 3 central defenders he is allowed freedom to attack and he grabbed that opportunity even almost getting a goal after nicking the ball on the righthand side of their penalty area. Totally unexpected and exciting, long may he continue in the same way.
Agree with your Banton comments though.
Defensive frailities you suggest. The guy got in some really good sharp tackles and used the ball well once won but being a wing back with 3 central defenders he is allowed freedom to attack and he grabbed that opportunity even almost getting a goal after nicking the ball on the righthand side of their penalty area. Totally unexpected and exciting, long may he continue in the same way.
Agree with your Banton comments though.
I just happened across a tweet from the club during the game stating its been 6 months since we have conceded a goal at home on a Saturday afternoon!
Great stat :clap:
Great stat :clap:
