Balham_Green":1gk86rwo said:
Metal_Green_Mickey":1gk86rwo said:
What l enjoyed tonight about the performance was the pressing. Even in the second half l thought we kept at it. Was something that l do think good sides become better at.
Not sure how the ref missed the handball for the first goal. Thought the second goal was fantastic.
Cooper crossing in the last 3 games is a highlight to watch. Not every ball is on the money but when he gets it right it just makes creating chances look easy.
The ball is going back to front quicker. However, when their is space to hit over top of teams Rudden and Grant can chase. The problem is though l do find the ball isn't sticking as much as it should in hold up play. The ball bounces off them or they can't challenge a centre half. It's something to look out for and lve noticed it since Swindon away. Against more physical sides it could be an issue if we can't get the ball to stick more.
Overall, very pleasing against a side who came down here and wanted to play football, and it suited us.
Still a mid table side then as per your conclusion from Saturday?
I still honestly think this current team won’t get promoted and finish outside the playoffs.
Three reasons currently as to why l think this.....
1. The right hand side of the team. I stick by what l said. Riley offers us very little as an attacking threat. Our better attacks come down the left hand side. I just feel we are lopsided as a team. I know Wootton works hard but defensively l think he just continues to have a mistake in him.
2. It’s great the way we played last night but Orient came at us. The better teams have sat deep and waited for us to make a mistake and the sprung us on the counter attack. Also l still believe physical teams will feel they can score easy goals from set pieces still.
3. We are now pinging the ball more back to front. However, if their is space behind it’s good because Rudden and Grant will chase the ball. Yet when playing with their back to goal the ball bounces off them a lot or they don’t challenge when the ball is in the air. A lot of times the ball breaks down and the opposition suddenly are running directly at us because our midfield has pushed up expecting for possession to be retained. I’m curious how this gets resolved over time because when we fail to hold the ball up we can suddenly look very open on the counter attack when the game gets stretched.
Overall, we were excellent with the pressing last night. I just am not convinced our defence is mobile or physical enough against the better teams. Also lack of attacking width on the right will mean the better teams shut down our left hand side which means more emphasis will be on Riley’s attacking performance and currently he don’t convince me. People will say we could put a Cooper at RWB but l have seen him play better on the left side. He is great at whipping that ball in as the second goal showed last night. Plus the CAM role is less restrictive for him. Lowe needs to continue to play Cooper in his current position and find a new role/position for Mayor. If you put a Mayor alongside Cooper would we be defensively strong enough in the centre of the pitch with only Edwards as you ball winner. Interesting dilemma for Lowe.
I always said lm 100% behind Lowe. Yet l don’t yo-yo with my feelings. When we were losing in September l still had faith in him to get it right and believed the negativity was strange given how early in his Argyle managerial career it was. He just needs time. However, the mistakes/issues we have seen with Argyle in September l believe will resurface because certain players just don’t have the concentration levels to cut out costly mistakes.
If they manage to cut them out and resolve the issues l mentioned above then l will be wrong and happily see them come the end of the season in the playoffs.
