Brief Synopsis!!! (Mansfield)

[Gary S]

We rode our luck yesterday but it's another 3 points on the board. The encouraging part is that our bench is strong so we change players who are underperforming. Josh Grant steadied the ship when he came on something that was missing earlier in the game. Perhaps he should play in Bakinson's position who could then replace Mayor

My thoughts exactly. I'd like to see Moore return to wing back, Josh Grant in defensive midfield, and Bakinson
replacing Mayor. Cooper concerns me a little too. I love his delivery but he offers little support for Sawyer. When
MacFadzean's fit again......

 

[PL2 3DQ]

All of Mansfield's first half chances and the second half goal came from our left side. Coughlan really exploited the gap behind Cooper and his defensive deficiencies and he won't be the only manager who will see that we are defensively weak on the left with Sawyer sometimes having to deal with two attackers.

The problem is Lowe has to get Cooper in the team somehow, so when McFadzean is fit Cooper could move into Mayor's position.
It's probably harsh to drop Mayor but in an attacking and set-piece delivery sense Cooper is performing better than Mayor.
Cooper would be a left footer in that position without the obvious trait of regularly cutting back inside.

 

[saxman]

We rode our luck yesterday but it's another 3 points on the board. The encouraging part is that our bench is strong so we change players who are underperforming. Josh Grant steadied the ship when he came on something that was missing earlier in the game. Perhaps he should play in Bakinson's position who could then replace Mayor

My thoughts exactly. I'd like to see Moore return to wing back, Josh Grant in defensive midfield, and Bakinson
replacing Mayor. Cooper concerns me a little too. I love his delivery but he offers little support for Sawyer. When
MacFadzean's fit again......

BAkinson is a very different player to Mayor, I would fit both into the side. BAks doesn't have the creativeness of DM or speed of thought in tight situations but he reads the game very well. Coops is great going forward and delivering those early exocet crosses but not so good at defending. Byron Moore is playing brilliantly, I hope he isn't injured. I feel a bit for Josh Grant who has been upstaged by Baks. Also, I thought Edwards had a good game.

 

[Tugboat]

If there’s a replacement any where it’s Grant for Wootton, Fadz for Edwards at RWB and Moore for Cooper at LWB.

 

[Abbotts Ann Green]

Grant for Wootton worked well against Exeter....

 

[rsp4]

Grant for Wootton worked well against Exeter....

Beat me to it. :thumbup:

 

[Fergy]

The positive to negative comment ratio on here is astounding...but unsurprising. I can recall umpteen games over the past 2 or 3 receiving ends when we dominated a first, or second, half and still came out as losers.

Mansfield are in a false position and are hideously underachieving. Come under the cosh in the same manner against Stevenage and Crawley and there’ll be a cause for alarm.

 

[davie nine]

Player Ratings: Plymouth Argyle 3 Mansfield 1

Niall Canavan, 8
The goal wasn't his only game-changing intervention, as he parked himself superbly on the goal line in order to deny what was a certain goal when the score was 1-0.

Tyreeq Bakinson - 7
The youngster also offered a great range of passing to supplement the quality of the team, calmly distributing the ball under pressure. Bakinson truly hit the ground running as well as the woodwork, twice!

I do agree with your cautionary remark about Bakinson’s defending. In the incident when Maynard got clear, he was our last line of defence (Cooper and Sawyer were both stranded upfield) and he looked lost. He is an excellent midfielder but I would prefer him in a more attacking role.
I did also notice, in the extended highlights of the Carlisle game, that when a Carlisle defender almost scored with a header from a free kick, Bakinson was in ‘no man’s land’ just outside the penalty area.

 

[Metal Green Mickey]

Two things.

1. Bakinson looks quality on the ball. There is no doubt about his technical ability. Just look at that first half half volley shot against the post. I do have doubts though that he is better that J Grant at CDM.

Josh Grant sits and covers. He sacrificed himself to protect the lack of pace we have on the counter. Bakinson loves to roam all over the pitch. I just didn’t think he screened the back 3 better than J Grant. I mean how easily was it to waltz through the middle of the pitch against us. I think this is an interesting scenario as Bakinson will give us more going forward but our lack of pace will be exposed more on the counter.

2. Secondly, and this is one concern l have with Lowe, is system adaptability. Why does it always have to be a 3-1-4-2. Yesterday l thought he could of tweak things when they steamed rolled us first half. Yet he kept ploughing on regardless with a system that Coughlan exposed. Why can’t we play a 3-1-4-1-1 and allow Mayor and Cooper to play with one of them behind the forward? Or even play a back four and this would allow Cooper and Mayor to play wide in a front 3 of 4-3-3 system.

That’s my one concern l see with a Lowe. Is he flexible about systems/formations he plays before and during games. Especially when teams get the better of us.

 

[saxman]

Two things.

1. Bakinson looks quality on the ball. There is no doubt about his technical ability. Just look at that first half half volley shot against the post. I do have doubts though that he is better that J Grant at CDM.

Josh Grant sits and covers. He sacrificed himself to protect the lack of pace we have on the counter. Bakinson loves to roam all over the pitch. I just didn’t think he screened the back 3 better than J Grant. I mean how easily was it to waltz through the middle of the pitch against us. I think this is an interesting scenario as Bakinson will give us more going forward but our lack of pace will be exposed more on the counter.

2. Secondly, and this is one concern l have with Lowe, is system adaptability. Why does it always have to be a 3-1-4-2. Yesterday l thought he could have tweak things when they steamed rolled us first half. Yet he kept ploughing on regardless with a system that Coughlan exposed. Why can’t we play a 3-1-4-1-1 and allow Mayor and Cooper to play with one of them behind the forward? Or even play a back four and this would allow Cooper and Mayor to play wide in a front 3 of 4-3-3 system.

That’s my one concern l see with a Lowe. Is he flexible about systems/formations he plays before and during games. Especially when teams get the better of us.

I agree with you about Josh/BAks respective qualities.
I did notice also the lack of movement from our midfield when the back line was stroking the ball around, I think this was why Scotty kept lumping it down the line to little effect. We did seem out thought throughout the first half. But we won regardless!

 

[Metal Green Mickey]

Two things.

1. Bakinson looks quality on the ball. There is no doubt about his technical ability. Just look at that first half half volley shot against the post. I do have doubts though that he is better that J Grant at CDM.

Josh Grant sits and covers. He sacrificed himself to protect the lack of pace we have on the counter. Bakinson loves to roam all over the pitch. I just didn’t think he screened the back 3 better than J Grant. I mean how easily was it to waltz through the middle of the pitch against us. I think this is an interesting scenario as Bakinson will give us more going forward but our lack of pace will be exposed more on the counter.

2. Secondly, and this is one concern l have with Lowe, is system adaptability. Why does it always have to be a 3-1-4-2. Yesterday l thought he could have tweak things when they steamed rolled us first half. Yet he kept ploughing on regardless with a system that Coughlan exposed. Why can’t we play a 3-1-4-1-1 and allow Mayor and Cooper to play with one of them behind the forward? Or even play a back four and this would allow Cooper and Mayor to play wide in a front 3 of 4-3-3 system.

That’s my one concern l see with a Lowe. Is he flexible about systems/formations he plays before and during games. Especially when teams get the better of us.

I agree with you about Josh/BAks respective qualities.
I did notice also the lack of movement from our midfield when the back line was stroking the ball around, I think this was why Scotty kept lumping it down the line to little effect. We did seem out thought throughout the first half. But we won regardless!

The lack of movement in midfield l believe was a Mansfield front three tactics.

If you notice they dropped off but they were all close to one another. The allowed Sawyer and Wootton to have the ball wide out on the flanks. Then they looked for a mis placed pass and sprung us as one of Wootton or Sawyer was exposed out wide and didn’t have the pace to get back.

They never really opened us up by magical midfield play. It was always us losing the ball and them springing us on the counter attack as we got caught out of position.

That’s why when people are saying how great Argyle are l try to explain why lm cautious about how we might do for the rest of the season. We will carry on playing the same way. Unfortunately, whilst Wootton and Sawyer have improved defensively they are still exposed with how poor they are in possession and no matter how much training you do you can’t make them any quicker.

 

[saxman]

I agree with you about Josh/BAks respective qualities.
I did notice also the lack of movement from our midfield when the back line was stroking the ball around, I think this was why Scotty kept lumping it down the line to little effect. We did seem out thought throughout the first half. But we won regardless![/quote]

The lack of movement in midfield l believe was a Mansfield front three tactics.

If you notice they dropped off but they were all close to one another. The allowed Sawyer and Wootton to have the ball wide out on the flanks. Then they looked for a mis placed pass and sprung us as one of Wootton or Sawyer was exposed out wide and didn’t have the pace to get back.

They never really opened us up by magical midfield play. It was always us losing the ball and them springing us on the counter attack as we got caught out of position.

That’s why when people are saying how great Argyle are l try to explain why lm cautious about how we might do for the rest of the season. We will carry on playing the same way. Unfortunately, whilst Wootton and Sawyer have improved defensively they are still exposed with how poor they are in possession and no matter how much training you do you can’t make them any quicker.[/quote]

That's persuasive reasoning. We have to find ways through teams that pressurise us in that way. The longer that the back three are in possession, the less convincing they look, I'm afraid. I expect that RL will be thinking about this big time. I still think we're going up.

 

[Stiffler]

3 wins, 9 goals and 2 conceded in the last 3 games should be enough to stop all the nonsense above being posted, unbelievable Jeff!

 

[djg145]

We didn't play well, we were far from perfect, BUT we WON.

Isn't that a great sign, not playing well but WINNING!

I cannot wait until it all clicks and we thrash someone, hopefully before the Exeter game, but if it happens then, well that will be a great day.

The new players look good, so I think we are doing ok :scarf:

 

[Lobster]

We're top of the form table over six, ten, twelve games, and people want to make three/four changes to the lineup. Madness. A tweak here or there maybe, but this team is winning games.