Ratings largely right but a solid three for Ainsworth.
I think his selection in the midfield was wrong. Freeman last week was superb in a four man midfield and as a reward gets dropped. The formation yesterday was largely 4-1-2-3 which allowed them to boss the midfield and gave no chance for someone such as O'Nein to try and pass the ball. Effectively we ended up with three midfielders chasing scraps and the defenders once again launching it forward to Bayo. No wonder the pitch is in such good condition. Does anyone scout these teams? Surely someone must have said 'crikey they are big, maybe we should consider passing on the floor'.
At 65 minutes Freeman was stripped and ready to come on, then was sat down again. 12 minutes later he came on. Similarly with Saunders, stripped and ready, then never came one. Kashket clearly had words with Ainsworth as he went off.
I don't know if it is stubbornness or naivety but Ainsworth failure to admit to getting things wrong and then changing them quickly will be his downfall and will prevent him reaching the level his personality and positivity deserves.
Anyone know what happened to Woody yesterday. A single emoji tweet from him yesterday. I'm of a certain age so have no idea if there is a double meaning to it.
Is GA living in cloud cuckoo land with his comments about how pleased he was with our performance ? We were disjointed with an inability to keep the ball on the ground which was the obvious and only way to upset the big Mansfield defenders. Whilst I do not condone the fans abuse of players,I can understand their dismay and absence of encouragement when these tactics and style of play are repeated week after week.The entertainment value yesterday was nil and for that I blame the manager and his refusal to instigate change.I believe we have some good players who are not allowed tO play to their strengths . More of the same next season -no thanks.
Gareth's comments about yesterday's game are truly delusional. I said when that keeper made a few decent saves that he'd talk it up as us being all over them with our silky skills. We were utter shite for most of the game and it's alarming he thinks the very opposite.
@hughie I don't blame the players. Most are doing the best they can in a team that possibly function the way it is set up. With the midfield totally over run no one had time on the ball. Good players, poorly set up with bad tactics. Evans knew what we were going to do yesterday and probably knew GA was not capable of change. Easy pickings.
I've got used to the crap Ainsworth comes out with after every defeat,i tend to not bother reading his quotes. Alas i fear we will see the same style next season as he knows no other way.
He used to know another way. I really can't wrap my mind round why he willfully refuses to play attractive football when he's got the personnel to be able to do so and our most successful season was when he played on the deck in a 4-4-2. It really doesn't make any sense to me at all.
@aloysius it reminds me of George Graham at Arsenal. Initially putting out an attractive team with creative midfielders and great strikers. Then UEFA cup success came by fielding negative, defensive line-ups and turned him into the manager of an incredibly unattractive side.
@Wendoverman said:
Sido did indeed look like a strong ball-playing CB...impressive considering the lack of game time I hope he gets to fill in for the rest of the games.
@aloysius said:
He used to know another way. I really can't wrap my mind round why he willfully refuses to play attractive football when he's got the personnel to be able to do so and our most successful season was when he played on the deck in a 4-4-2. It really doesn't make any sense to me at all.
One problem with a 4 4 2 is the risk of getting outnumbered in midfield against a 4 3 3 formation.
4-3-3 has more of a central midfield presence than 4-4-2, and when you don't have the ball the two wide attackers aren't that much different from the wingers in a 4-4-2.
Surely though @Chris we play with one holding, (Gape or Bean), leaving just two trying to cover the rest of the width of the pitch and that is why, (in my perception ), we are more often than not over run in the middle. I do believe that we have been sussed at home by the.opposition pressing us high up the pitch and as we are short on numbers in the middle, we have to hoof it anyway as there is little or no option for a short pass?
On Friday I remember commenting to the fella next to me about the fact that for large parts of the first half, all three of our midfielders dropped back into defence, and the three forwards stayed up front. There was often a giant (20 - 30 metre) gap in the middle of our formation with four Mansfield players wandering around in it at will.
Obviously every time we then gained possession we had no option but to lump it up field, and it was easy passing for the Mansfield players if they picked up the second ball.
I noticed that huge gap as well, far too often. I wonder if the lack of squad numbers contributes to this. Not having enough for 11 v 11 in training to practice formations?
@Malone Well the 2 wide forwards v Mansfield were Thompson and Kashket, neither were fit enough to do the covering /tracking back, hence my thoughts that we were too often over run in midfield. Mansfield played 5 along the back throwing the 2 wing backs forward when in possession.
Freeman, Southwell & Wood, (I think we're the front three v Cheltenham & again, until they went down to 10, we were constantly over run in midfield. Cheltenham played 442
Hayes, Bayo & Kashket front 3 v Barnet, I didn't see Hayes, (understandably ), track back like a young whippet, hence again why we I perceive us as often being too reliant on last ditch defending. Barnet had a 442 line up.
Comments
Thanks, as usual, for this.
Sido was a revelation to me at centre back.
Ratings largely right but a solid three for Ainsworth.
I think his selection in the midfield was wrong. Freeman last week was superb in a four man midfield and as a reward gets dropped. The formation yesterday was largely 4-1-2-3 which allowed them to boss the midfield and gave no chance for someone such as O'Nein to try and pass the ball. Effectively we ended up with three midfielders chasing scraps and the defenders once again launching it forward to Bayo. No wonder the pitch is in such good condition. Does anyone scout these teams? Surely someone must have said 'crikey they are big, maybe we should consider passing on the floor'.
At 65 minutes Freeman was stripped and ready to come on, then was sat down again. 12 minutes later he came on. Similarly with Saunders, stripped and ready, then never came one. Kashket clearly had words with Ainsworth as he went off.
I don't know if it is stubbornness or naivety but Ainsworth failure to admit to getting things wrong and then changing them quickly will be his downfall and will prevent him reaching the level his personality and positivity deserves.
Anyone know what happened to Woody yesterday. A single emoji tweet from him yesterday. I'm of a certain age so have no idea if there is a double meaning to it.
@TheAndyGrahamFanClub , poor Woody is one player i'd honestly forgotten about.
He had a poor season last year, and did well to stay on.
This year he's been a bit of a bit part player, so I dare say it's time for him to be moved on.
Is GA living in cloud cuckoo land with his comments about how pleased he was with our performance ? We were disjointed with an inability to keep the ball on the ground which was the obvious and only way to upset the big Mansfield defenders. Whilst I do not condone the fans abuse of players,I can understand their dismay and absence of encouragement when these tactics and style of play are repeated week after week.The entertainment value yesterday was nil and for that I blame the manager and his refusal to instigate change.I believe we have some good players who are not allowed tO play to their strengths . More of the same next season -no thanks.
Gareth's comments about yesterday's game are truly delusional. I said when that keeper made a few decent saves that he'd talk it up as us being all over them with our silky skills. We were utter shite for most of the game and it's alarming he thinks the very opposite.
@hughie I don't blame the players. Most are doing the best they can in a team that possibly function the way it is set up. With the midfield totally over run no one had time on the ball. Good players, poorly set up with bad tactics. Evans knew what we were going to do yesterday and probably knew GA was not capable of change. Easy pickings.
I've got used to the crap Ainsworth comes out with after every defeat,i tend to not bother reading his quotes. Alas i fear we will see the same style next season as he knows no other way.
He used to know another way. I really can't wrap my mind round why he willfully refuses to play attractive football when he's got the personnel to be able to do so and our most successful season was when he played on the deck in a 4-4-2. It really doesn't make any sense to me at all.
@aloysius it reminds me of George Graham at Arsenal. Initially putting out an attractive team with creative midfielders and great strikers. Then UEFA cup success came by fielding negative, defensive line-ups and turned him into the manager of an incredibly unattractive side.
Pedantry alert: cup winners' cup
Sido did indeed look like a strong ball-playing CB...impressive considering the lack of game time I hope he gets to fill in for the rest of the games.
Agreed, he was my man of the match
One problem with a 4 4 2 is the risk of getting outnumbered in midfield against a 4 3 3 formation.
Sorry, that's lost on me. Genuine question, how is adding one extra to the midfield going to make it more likely that our midfield will get overrun?
Depends who you add.
Also depends how many players the opposition put in midfield.
4-3-3 has more of a central midfield presence than 4-4-2, and when you don't have the ball the two wide attackers aren't that much different from the wingers in a 4-4-2.
Surely though @Chris we play with one holding, (Gape or Bean), leaving just two trying to cover the rest of the width of the pitch and that is why, (in my perception ), we are more often than not over run in the middle. I do believe that we have been sussed at home by the.opposition pressing us high up the pitch and as we are short on numbers in the middle, we have to hoof it anyway as there is little or no option for a short pass?
Not having enough players showing for the ball in general is the biggest issue
On Friday I remember commenting to the fella next to me about the fact that for large parts of the first half, all three of our midfielders dropped back into defence, and the three forwards stayed up front. There was often a giant (20 - 30 metre) gap in the middle of our formation with four Mansfield players wandering around in it at will.
Obviously every time we then gained possession we had no option but to lump it up field, and it was easy passing for the Mansfield players if they picked up the second ball.
I noticed that huge gap as well, far too often. I wonder if the lack of squad numbers contributes to this. Not having enough for 11 v 11 in training to practice formations?
@EwanHoosaami , not sure what you mean with your original question.
4-3-3 has 3 central mids. 4-4-2 has 2 central mids.
There's 1 more central mid in the first formation. Simple as that.
And the 2 wide forwards in the former can cover the 2 wide midfielders in the latter
@Malone Well the 2 wide forwards v Mansfield were Thompson and Kashket, neither were fit enough to do the covering /tracking back, hence my thoughts that we were too often over run in midfield. Mansfield played 5 along the back throwing the 2 wing backs forward when in possession.
Freeman, Southwell & Wood, (I think we're the front three v Cheltenham & again, until they went down to 10, we were constantly over run in midfield. Cheltenham played 442
Hayes, Bayo & Kashket front 3 v Barnet, I didn't see Hayes, (understandably ), track back like a young whippet, hence again why we I perceive us as often being too reliant on last ditch defending. Barnet had a 442 line up.