Kone and Mellor up front will be interesting. Should be the ideal match for the latter, who must've been playing West Ham U23s regularly before he moved to Wycombe.
The big difference with Ainsworth was the formation. The last time he played a 442 with width was in the League Two play off season when we lost to Southend. From that point on it was 433 or 532 with the narrowest formation possible. The few times he tried 442 it was with a narrow, diamond midfield rather than using wingers. What we're seeing with Bloomfield now is a much more positive, attractive evolution of Ainsworth's game which retains the commitment and directness while adding width, running with the ball, passing through the midfield and crosses from the sides. Why it took Matt so long to do what we were hoping he'd do, who knows, but at least he's doing it now.
I very rarely do a thumbs down and I certainly wouldn’t for that comment. In particular, I thought Jack Grimmer was excellent and, although I couldn’t hear him, I imagine he was pretty vocal !
There were 6 Ainsworth players in the starting (and finishing) lineup and they all competed as you would expect but a big difference was the much greater amount of link-up play through the midfield - especially the outstanding Potts, of course - and also a lot of quick and neat passing on what wasn’t the easiest of “decks”. (The nautical term seems appropriate given the amount of water that must have fallen on that pitch in recent weeks.)
Yes I think that’s right, it was much more akin to the kind of continuity that many of us would have preferred to see post GA rather than a switch to a very different, and ultimately inferior, way of playing.
It just suits our players (and our supporters) better.
That’s 5 matches now (3 away) with 4 at the back in some variation of 4-2-3-1 - putting the regression of the Exeter match to one side.
We’re unbeaten with 1 win and 4 draws. Not earth shattering but equally not bad. A tally of 7 points at 1.4 per match, which if applied across a season would put us in the top 10 in League One and just outside the play-offs.
By way of comparison, we only earned 6 points from our last 10 league matches where we played with three at the back.
So definitely some form of progress and something we can build on.
I nearly got on the Blooms out bus but the last few games are convincing me that we have a team who understand and can deliver the system Blooms is (now) playing and a manager who is capable of making changes. I’d say we finish mid table and are looking pretty safe by the end of March. Which is what I said would be a good season when it began.
If we go deep in the tin pot cup (which I will be championing as a great tournament if we reach the final) so much the better.
If Kone looks like the business by the end of the season that’s the icing on the cake.
Now is that tin pot cup available to watch on Tuesday (working until 8 otherwise I’d have gone)?
Based purely on the pre-season matches I would say about 6ft 1. It did seem in those matches was that he could win headers and play with his back to goal. Although whether he can do so against League One defenders is another matter entirely- so you’re right, he needs careful handling given the step up in standard.
I'd actually like to see Mellor given a chance to play in a 442 alongside Vokes. Seems to be the perfect combo, as long as he's still got his speed and explosiveness. Maybe as a sub for 10 minutes this month, see how they look together.
I was certainly interested to see the lack of Substitutes yesterday mostly because of the comments earlier in the season about trying to have "finishers" come off the bench. I have often wondered if changing 50% of your outfield players has as much chance of losing a game as winning it. So in many ways, which others have pointed out, it was good to see a lack of substitutions when the players on the pitch were on top - despite the old footballing romantic in me hoping the recently signed non-league prospect comes off the bench for the last 10 minutes and scores a winner.
Kone will have his time, and I think that him going through the process of being involved with a professional team's match days preparation (something i don't think he'd have experienced at all in his career?) would do him more good than a 15-minute cameo would have done.
I'm afraid those of us that bought a "season pass" to watch the games from Vipienne will have to log in from foreign soils should we not wish to pay an extra tenner!
I agree with you. Seems like the ideal role for him. Could be foolish to let him go without replacement given our injury issues up front. I’d place more faith in him to score than Kone for now. That may change on Tuesday.
Yep, as per Chris, no need to do this for midweekers.
It feels a lot better using the Pass to watch these games then pay a tenner. Although at least this season we're winning. I remember one Gaz game in it where we conceded about 2mins in, and then the rest of the game was nothingness. Buffering on top. Brilliant that was.
I think he did score for us last season possibly in the league cup? Also scored in preseason. Remember watching him against Shrewsbury at start of last season playing up front alone and thought he had something and would be better playing in a front two
I think you are spot on and just imagine the outcry if he’d been brought on and made a mistake that led to Burton scoring a winner. It would have devastated Kone and set us back again. He needs to be introduced gradually and hopefully in a game that is not so finely balanced.
Not seen any record of how tall Kone is, but watching him shake hands with Max Crocombe after the game on Saturday, I thought they were roughly the same height, maybe Crocombe was an inch or two taller. Wikipedia says Crocombe is 6’4, so I’d make an educated guess that Kone is about 6’2.
Georges Ehui, part of Dobbo’s Golden Generation, was from the Ivory Coast and played a couple of games for us in the 2012/13 season. Bounced around non league after being released and appears to have been without a club since leaving Marlow in 2022.
Like any human we don't like to be working for no result. Having Taylor just a little bit closer to him made his efforts worthwhile as someone was likely to get onto to his flicks and hold up play. We have been playing lone strikers more like lonely strikers and it doesn't matter who you are when the ball is flicked on brilliant for the tenth time and there is no one within 20 yards of you your shoulders will drop. This minor tweak in formation makes a huge difference to our attacking threat. Up until then we must have been an opposition dream. If only we could convert more of those chances into goals we would be good to go, can't have everything I guess.
Comments
Kone and Mellor up front will be interesting. Should be the ideal match for the latter, who must've been playing West Ham U23s regularly before he moved to Wycombe.
The big difference with Ainsworth was the formation. The last time he played a 442 with width was in the League Two play off season when we lost to Southend. From that point on it was 433 or 532 with the narrowest formation possible. The few times he tried 442 it was with a narrow, diamond midfield rather than using wingers. What we're seeing with Bloomfield now is a much more positive, attractive evolution of Ainsworth's game which retains the commitment and directness while adding width, running with the ball, passing through the midfield and crosses from the sides. Why it took Matt so long to do what we were hoping he'd do, who knows, but at least he's doing it now.
I very rarely do a thumbs down and I certainly wouldn’t for that comment. In particular, I thought Jack Grimmer was excellent and, although I couldn’t hear him, I imagine he was pretty vocal !
There were 6 Ainsworth players in the starting (and finishing) lineup and they all competed as you would expect but a big difference was the much greater amount of link-up play through the midfield - especially the outstanding Potts, of course - and also a lot of quick and neat passing on what wasn’t the easiest of “decks”. (The nautical term seems appropriate given the amount of water that must have fallen on that pitch in recent weeks.)
Yes I think that’s right, it was much more akin to the kind of continuity that many of us would have preferred to see post GA rather than a switch to a very different, and ultimately inferior, way of playing.
It just suits our players (and our supporters) better.
That’s 5 matches now (3 away) with 4 at the back in some variation of 4-2-3-1 - putting the regression of the Exeter match to one side.
We’re unbeaten with 1 win and 4 draws. Not earth shattering but equally not bad. A tally of 7 points at 1.4 per match, which if applied across a season would put us in the top 10 in League One and just outside the play-offs.
By way of comparison, we only earned 6 points from our last 10 league matches where we played with three at the back.
So definitely some form of progress and something we can build on.
I nearly got on the Blooms out bus but the last few games are convincing me that we have a team who understand and can deliver the system Blooms is (now) playing and a manager who is capable of making changes. I’d say we finish mid table and are looking pretty safe by the end of March. Which is what I said would be a good season when it began.
If we go deep in the tin pot cup (which I will be championing as a great tournament if we reach the final) so much the better.
If Kone looks like the business by the end of the season that’s the icing on the cake.
Now is that tin pot cup available to watch on Tuesday (working until 8 otherwise I’d have gone)?
I imagine Blooms and team will be managing Mr. Kone and the fans expectations of a fella who's gone up 6 leagues very, very carefully.
Understandably, given all the hoops they had to go through to make this deal happen.
A couple of questions to the stattos, Club historian and author, Stevie Peart and other respected sages:
1) How tall is he? Looks 6 foot or more to me.
2) Is he our first Ivorian?
Regarding expectations and context, can hear Chairboys Housewives Favourite, Big Phil in his inimitable, mellifluous voice saying,
They'll be dancing on the streets of Abidjan tonight.
So, as I said, no pressure, take your time and, of course, midweek will do.
Yup, the tinpot game is on WTV without even a trip to Vipienne being necessary.
https://www.wwfc.com/news/2023/december/13/hammers-trophy-date-decided/
Based purely on the pre-season matches I would say about 6ft 1. It did seem in those matches was that he could win headers and play with his back to goal. Although whether he can do so against League One defenders is another matter entirely- so you’re right, he needs careful handling given the step up in standard.
I'd personally be surprised if Mellor plays another game for us. Expecting a mutual contract termination this month.
I'd actually like to see Mellor given a chance to play in a 442 alongside Vokes. Seems to be the perfect combo, as long as he's still got his speed and explosiveness. Maybe as a sub for 10 minutes this month, see how they look together.
He's NEVER scored. He has the same goalscoring record as me. I'm a fat bloke in my fifties. We have better options than me and Mellor.
I believe he played a total of 35 minutes of football across his loan spell with Sutton this season.
I was certainly interested to see the lack of Substitutes yesterday mostly because of the comments earlier in the season about trying to have "finishers" come off the bench. I have often wondered if changing 50% of your outfield players has as much chance of losing a game as winning it. So in many ways, which others have pointed out, it was good to see a lack of substitutions when the players on the pitch were on top - despite the old footballing romantic in me hoping the recently signed non-league prospect comes off the bench for the last 10 minutes and scores a winner.
Kone will have his time, and I think that him going through the process of being involved with a professional team's match days preparation (something i don't think he'd have experienced at all in his career?) would do him more good than a 15-minute cameo would have done.
I'm afraid those of us that bought a "season pass" to watch the games from Vipienne will have to log in from foreign soils should we not wish to pay an extra tenner!
I agree with you. Seems like the ideal role for him. Could be foolish to let him go without replacement given our injury issues up front. I’d place more faith in him to score than Kone for now. That may change on Tuesday.
I don’t think so - I have the overseas pass and can watch the UK broadcast games without using VPN.
Yep, as per Chris, no need to do this for midweekers.
It feels a lot better using the Pass to watch these games then pay a tenner. Although at least this season we're winning. I remember one Gaz game in it where we conceded about 2mins in, and then the rest of the game was nothingness. Buffering on top. Brilliant that was.
I think he did score for us last season possibly in the league cup? Also scored in preseason. Remember watching him against Shrewsbury at start of last season playing up front alone and thought he had something and would be better playing in a front two
Quick wiki check, yes he does have 1 goal in the EFL cup.
So I'm afraid @TheAndyGrahamFanClub he does have a better goalscoring record than you in that cup at least.
You can still tell people you have as many goals at league 1 level or above as Al Hamadi though.
I think you are spot on and just imagine the outcry if he’d been brought on and made a mistake that led to Burton scoring a winner. It would have devastated Kone and set us back again. He needs to be introduced gradually and hopefully in a game that is not so finely balanced.
Devastating news. I’m going to announce my retirement from international football.
Not seen any record of how tall Kone is, but watching him shake hands with Max Crocombe after the game on Saturday, I thought they were roughly the same height, maybe Crocombe was an inch or two taller. Wikipedia says Crocombe is 6’4, so I’d make an educated guess that Kone is about 6’2.
Georges Ehui, part of Dobbo’s Golden Generation, was from the Ivory Coast and played a couple of games for us in the 2012/13 season. Bounced around non league after being released and appears to have been without a club since leaving Marlow in 2022.
Slightly taller than Sam Vokes, I think, and at 20 possibly still growing ?
Thought Vokes had one of his best games for us yesterday. 9 shots apparently which is prodigious.
Like any human we don't like to be working for no result. Having Taylor just a little bit closer to him made his efforts worthwhile as someone was likely to get onto to his flicks and hold up play. We have been playing lone strikers more like lonely strikers and it doesn't matter who you are when the ball is flicked on brilliant for the tenth time and there is no one within 20 yards of you your shoulders will drop. This minor tweak in formation makes a huge difference to our attacking threat. Up until then we must have been an opposition dream. If only we could convert more of those chances into goals we would be good to go, can't have everything I guess.
Surely I would have to pay a tenner if I watched from the UK? As I have a season ticket pass from Vipenne, it’s included 🤷♂️
All league and efl Cup games are covered in the international pass.
But you only have to bother using the vpn for Saturday 3pm games.