Positive first 20-25 and thought Low, Potts and Vokes played well. Not a great second half, but need to build on the positives and build on the clean sheet. In honesty though, it wasn’t a game steeped in quality and I’m starting to wonder whether we need to head back to a 4-3-3 and leave the 3 CB system behind.
Hope Grimmer’s injury wasn’t too bad but it didn’t look great and he could be set for a long spell on the sidelines. Think we need to potentially recruit one more, and maybe think about bringing back Wakely too.
The trouble is that we have recruited quite specifically for the 3 at the back system. Move to a 4, and where does that leave Boyes and KVY? I'm not sure either would be comfortable playing RB or LB in a flat 4.
Agree on 4-3-3, we're not making anything of that extra defender, the wing backs don't produce anywhere near enough.
Get McCleary starting one side of the attacking 3, and either Philips, Taylor or Hanlan the other.
No idea why you'd want Wakeley back?
We have Low ,Taf, Forino and Keogh for 4 out and out centre backs. Then JJ , Grimmer and even McCarthy can play there when fit too. Wakeley doesn't get in over any of that lot.
Be careful what you say lest you offend any of the superfans on social media who sang as well. In truth 1887 have started a discussion about how to improve the atmosphere and helped bring people who wanted to contribute to that together, which has generally made the terrace less passive and keener to get behind the lads.
I’d have Wakely back as mainly cover, with Jack’s injury looking nasty and Low hobbling around at the end holding his hip. Appreciate he may not get in, but looking at today’s bench and even if we’d had an extra sub, not sure who would have come on if Low needed to come off. Unsure of McCarthy’s return date too, but I’d consider having him back just to boost numbers and give us an additional option if needed.
Blooms does seem wedded to two up front, though, so you've either got to play a back three or go to a 4-4-2/4-2-2-2, and I don't back that going well for us considering how disorganised we've looked for much of the season - the latter in particular requires a lot of discipline, not to mention an intensity I think we've yet to reach under Blooms.
I thought that Burton came here (to use a phrase often used by Opposition fans from the past) to spoil...not necessarily to play football. You have to credit the Opposition (whilst booing our own failures) to some extent. As for Josh he put in a cross for a goal on Tuesday and put one right across the goal that Vokes, Taylor and Low just missed today. If its a disaster him being up there I'm quite sanguine about it. Their goalie made three or four good saves. We had chances to score today and did not take them...this was not Exeter. Playoffs still on for me, though I recognise I obviously do not read the game the way others do.
Its a slightly irrelevant debate anyway given Wakely cant be recalled until January at the earliest. He’s in the right place for now, needs to get 20 odd first team games under his belt.
I'm so glad someone else said this. We have plenty of capable players but I find the 352 formation utterly bizarre. Our wing backs don't look like scoring/creating and 3 CBs is a waste of a player. I actually think KVY and Boyes would be fine as full backs.
This has the potential to be an excellent side playing 4-2-3-1. The wing backs do not play high enough, or offer enough threat to play that formation very successfully (yet). Both would be absolutely fine at full back. For me, I’d pick
We might think 352 is a bizarre formation and that our wing backs could play as full backs in some other formation. However, I don't see Bloomfield changing unless he's forced to - and why should he, he's the one paid to manage the team.
Just got home, another day we have 3 points, my main concern is we have no replacement for Vokes, when we subbed him we had nothing up top. We need another target man or get Akinfenwa out of retirement, he would have a field day with this new holding, grabbing shirt pulling law. ( that's a joke about bringing him back) but seriously the last 2 Saturday homes games we have had rugby refs. I understand letting play continue but there is do much blatant holding and shirt pulling its beyond a joke
I think this is very likely to be the case. Today was certainly not a game for the purists. Very cynical and physically aggressive opposition. We will play much better against teams that also play a passing game. But it will take time and require us fans to stay patient at least for a few more games.
If you’d said ‘recall policy’ instead of ‘return’, I would have realised that you were being facetious. No doubt the truth will emerge in due course. From what I heard (assuming its veracity) withdrawing the lad at half time may not simply have been a case of being cruel to be kind.
I hope that, whatever the outcome, it will be in his best interests.
It’s difficult to be positive after another poor performance, 8 points lost. It’s going to be a long hard season watching performances like that. Ok, first half was good and we could have had a couple of goals but how can it change so dramatically in the second half.
Comments
Positive first 20-25 and thought Low, Potts and Vokes played well. Not a great second half, but need to build on the positives and build on the clean sheet. In honesty though, it wasn’t a game steeped in quality and I’m starting to wonder whether we need to head back to a 4-3-3 and leave the 3 CB system behind.
Hope Grimmer’s injury wasn’t too bad but it didn’t look great and he could be set for a long spell on the sidelines. Think we need to potentially recruit one more, and maybe think about bringing back Wakely too.
The trouble is that we have recruited quite specifically for the 3 at the back system. Move to a 4, and where does that leave Boyes and KVY? I'm not sure either would be comfortable playing RB or LB in a flat 4.
Agree on 4-3-3, we're not making anything of that extra defender, the wing backs don't produce anywhere near enough.
Get McCleary starting one side of the attacking 3, and either Philips, Taylor or Hanlan the other.
No idea why you'd want Wakeley back?
We have Low ,Taf, Forino and Keogh for 4 out and out centre backs. Then JJ , Grimmer and even McCarthy can play there when fit too. Wakeley doesn't get in over any of that lot.
Be careful what you say lest you offend any of the superfans on social media who sang as well. In truth 1887 have started a discussion about how to improve the atmosphere and helped bring people who wanted to contribute to that together, which has generally made the terrace less passive and keener to get behind the lads.
I’d weigh up Boyes as a left winger with KVY in behind him, but appreciate that they’re more used to wingbacks.
I’d have Wakely back as mainly cover, with Jack’s injury looking nasty and Low hobbling around at the end holding his hip. Appreciate he may not get in, but looking at today’s bench and even if we’d had an extra sub, not sure who would have come on if Low needed to come off. Unsure of McCarthy’s return date too, but I’d consider having him back just to boost numbers and give us an additional option if needed.
There's not that much difference between a full-back and a wing-back these days - I don't see any reason they wouldn't be fine there.
Blooms does seem wedded to two up front, though, so you've either got to play a back three or go to a 4-4-2/4-2-2-2, and I don't back that going well for us considering how disorganised we've looked for much of the season - the latter in particular requires a lot of discipline, not to mention an intensity I think we've yet to reach under Blooms.
I thought that Burton came here (to use a phrase often used by Opposition fans from the past) to spoil...not necessarily to play football. You have to credit the Opposition (whilst booing our own failures) to some extent. As for Josh he put in a cross for a goal on Tuesday and put one right across the goal that Vokes, Taylor and Low just missed today. If its a disaster him being up there I'm quite sanguine about it. Their goalie made three or four good saves. We had chances to score today and did not take them...this was not Exeter. Playoffs still on for me, though I recognise I obviously do not read the game the way others do.
Its a slightly irrelevant debate anyway given Wakely cant be recalled until January at the earliest. He’s in the right place for now, needs to get 20 odd first team games under his belt.
I'm so glad someone else said this. We have plenty of capable players but I find the 352 formation utterly bizarre. Our wing backs don't look like scoring/creating and 3 CBs is a waste of a player. I actually think KVY and Boyes would be fine as full backs.
This has the potential to be an excellent side playing 4-2-3-1. The wing backs do not play high enough, or offer enough threat to play that formation very successfully (yet). Both would be absolutely fine at full back. For me, I’d pick
Stryjek
Boyes, Tafazoli/Forino, Low, KVY/McCarthy
Scowen, Potts
3 from McCleary, Leahy, Phillips, Taylor
Vokes
We might think 352 is a bizarre formation and that our wing backs could play as full backs in some other formation. However, I don't see Bloomfield changing unless he's forced to - and why should he, he's the one paid to manage the team.
Just got home, another day we have 3 points, my main concern is we have no replacement for Vokes, when we subbed him we had nothing up top. We need another target man or get Akinfenwa out of retirement, he would have a field day with this new holding, grabbing shirt pulling law. ( that's a joke about bringing him back) but seriously the last 2 Saturday homes games we have had rugby refs. I understand letting play continue but there is do much blatant holding and shirt pulling its beyond a joke
I see another opposition manager red carded post match at Adams Park then...and we've not had Steve Jones here yet.
Steve Jones? Do you mean Evans?
I think this is very likely to be the case. Today was certainly not a game for the purists. Very cynical and physically aggressive opposition. We will play much better against teams that also play a passing game. But it will take time and require us fans to stay patient at least for a few more games.
The original member of The Sex Pistols? Now there is an interview in the Legends Lounge I’d pay good money for.
If you’d said ‘recall policy’ instead of ‘return’, I would have realised that you were being facetious. No doubt the truth will emerge in due course. From what I heard (assuming its veracity) withdrawing the lad at half time may not simply have been a case of being cruel to be kind.
I hope that, whatever the outcome, it will be in his best interests.
One thing is certain. When Darius Charles was at a recent match (can’t remember which) the lad’s situation would have been discussed.
Ironically, it was the Exeter game and he was the guest speaker in the Legends Lounge.
Darius has changed his appearance somewhat.
I'm sure we'll see him again soon
Breckin may of had a knock, he was out on the pitch going through the paces with a coach at 2pm .
It’s difficult to be positive after another poor performance, 8 points lost. It’s going to be a long hard season watching performances like that. Ok, first half was good and we could have had a couple of goals but how can it change so dramatically in the second half.
Problem with 433 is how do you fit in Vokes and Taylor?
I wonder if Taylor is as effective playing up top on his own, and Vokes is key to the team
I very much doubt Man City would allow us to have him sat out of the squad entirely if he was fit
Although 4-3-3 would accommodate Garath McCleary a bit better and he’s comfortably a superior player to Taylor.
I indeed did. Not the Sex Pistols lead guitarist. That was a strange predictive text!
Imagine a world where Steve Evans was one of the torch bearers for a revolutionary music movement…
Edit: No. Please don’t. It took me somewhere very dark…
Darker than his eyeliner?