Author Topic: v Darlington  (Read 1979 times)

Oakham Pilgrim

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v Darlington
« on: November 24, 2021, 03:01:58 PM »
Whilst I'm very happy about last nights' result, I have a lot of reservations about the performance after 11 minutes of the game had elapsed, during which short period we had looked at the races (and credit to Duxbury for clearly being up for redeeming himself after Saturday).

I imagine there will be the usual clichés about the difficulties of playing against 10 men, but it doesn't help if you play into their hands for 79 minutes. Our build up was desperately ponderous and static, which gave the 10 men all the time in the world to get organised behind the ball (the same tactics, if they can be called that, that were unsuccessful against the 11 men of Stratford). We seemed to have absolutely no ambition to see the game off or to make up some of the deficit in our goal difference after those disastrous away results. I think I heard JMcD shout 'quicker' at one point, but without much conviction and I don't think he did it again, and I don't recall seeing CE call for a more urgent approach. At least Ayina tried to bring the ball forward from defence rather than just pass it sideways, which led to one or two chances in the 2nd half. And why, against 10 men, did we have 3 defenders marking one striker? I assumed this would be changed at half time, but it wasn't.

I wouldn't mind this negative approach so much if we had a squad of cloggers, but we don't. We have a number of fast and skilful players, but they are given little chance to show this. Why get them into the club if you're not going to play to their strengths? I have no confidence that our management team know their best team or organisation.

CE's reaction to our keeper being made man of the match (mocking disbelief, unless I've misread him, for those of you who were not sufficiently near the dug outs) says it all. The keeper made an excellent and crucial save when it was 1-0, and a series of others later in the game. For the keeper to be made, rightly, MOM after we played for 79 minutes against 10 men also says it all. If the management can't see this as an indictment of our performance, then we have a problem. Perhaps CE will say something different in interviews.

Am I being too critical? Periods of tedious football won't stop me from driving 50 miles each way to come to games, but I am worried that others less committed may not be encouraged to come as often as they might. I don't go in for calling for managers' heads, but I just wish we'd play with more confidence in our own attaching qualities - as we showed we can do in the first 10  minutes last night. I haven't seen us dominate another team this season for more than about 20 minutes at a time.

Rant over......

Dipdodah

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Re: v Darlington
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2021, 06:08:35 PM »
Whilst I'm very happy about last nights' result, I have a lot of reservations about the performance after 11 minutes of the game had elapsed, during which short period we had looked at the races (and credit to Duxbury for clearly being up for redeeming himself after Saturday).

I imagine there will be the usual clichés about the difficulties of playing against 10 men, but it doesn't help if you play into their hands for 79 minutes. Our build up was desperately ponderous and static, which gave the 10 men all the time in the world to get organised behind the ball (the same tactics, if they can be called that, that were unsuccessful against the 11 men of Stratford). We seemed to have absolutely no ambition to see the game off or to make up some of the deficit in our goal difference after those disastrous away results. I think I heard JMcD shout 'quicker' at one point, but without much conviction and I don't think he did it again, and I don't recall seeing CE call for a more urgent approach. At least Ayina tried to bring the ball forward from defence rather than just pass it sideways, which led to one or two chances in the 2nd half. And why, against 10 men, did we have 3 defenders marking one striker? I assumed this would be changed at half time, but it wasn't.

I wouldn't mind this negative approach so much if we had a squad of cloggers, but we don't. We have a number of fast and skilful players, but they are given little chance to show this. Why get them into the club if you're not going to play to their strengths? I have no confidence that our management team know their best team or organisation.

CE's reaction to our keeper being made man of the match (mocking disbelief, unless I've misread him, for those of you who were not sufficiently near the dug outs) says it all. The keeper made an excellent and crucial save when it was 1-0, and a series of others later in the game. For the keeper to be made, rightly, MOM after we played for 79 minutes against 10 men also says it all. If the management can't see this as an indictment of our performance, then we have a problem. Perhaps CE will say something different in interviews.

Am I being too critical? Periods of tedious football won't stop me from driving 50 miles each way to come to games, but I am worried that others less committed may not be encouraged to come as often as they might. I don't go in for calling for managers' heads, but I just wish we'd play with more confidence in our own attaching qualities - as we showed we can do in the first 10  minutes last night. I haven't seen us dominate another team this season for more than about 20 minutes at a time.

Rant over......

Well put, my views exactly. CE called our captain over whilst their player got sent off. Obviously told to change tactics.. A supporter next to me said he wished he went home after 15 minutes.. Not my opinion but I can see what he meant.
The older I get, the earlier it gets late

Ernie100

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Re: v Darlington
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2021, 06:11:52 PM »
The usual way to play against ten men is to play the ball wide therefore making their defence and midfield run after the ball more, and eventually get behind their
defenders, something I'm sure Jay could do, it's no good playing down the middle.

Uncertain Corridor

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Re: v Darlington
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2021, 06:42:11 PM »
Well done guys and another good win. I am sure lessons and experience always being learnt from this relatively new team..

howmanynames2pick

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Re: v Darlington
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2021, 04:17:31 PM »
spot on there Oakham.
i just didnt understand why we didnt completely punish them.
its a funny ole game isn't it.. on Saturday we drew and it felt like a win, we win this game and it almost felt like a loss :)

joshb

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Re: v Darlington
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2021, 07:06:44 PM »
We won at least, but yeah Christ. 2 up against ten men for 80 mins. Go on and win 6 or 7
We always seem to fall flat vs 10 men
Curzon away before covid
Curzon at home
Darlington on tuesday

Yet when we go down a man or two we'll almost always concede within seconds as we're getting organised again