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Post by davidm on Oct 1, 2020 14:17:40 GMT
I could very easily Copy & Paste my predictions for the Newport game for this one.
I said:- “This has to be the game where our season starts. Newport have had a decent start but, once we get the first goal, we will be on the way up the league. I tend to be over optimistic in my forecasts but I just feel that once we get our first goal and our first win, we will be OK.”.
So here I go again with an optimistic forecast and I say a 2-1 win.
For all that we have complained about the defence, I actually believe that midfield is the major problem.
They neither help the defence by being available for passes from defence, which the manager wants them to do, nor do they produce passes to bring the attack into play.
All passes from Comlyn and White seem to be short sideways or backwards passes. Comlyn in particular tends to turn around and face the defence immediately he receives the ball. I notice from rtf’s analysis of the Newport game that Comley had 92% pass accuracy. This is where statistics tell a false picture. The majority of Comlyn passes were less than 5 yards and backwards or sideways with, therefore, little pressure from the opposition. So, Yes 92% accuracy but less than 10% positive passes.
I think that Comlyn and White shouldn’t be in the team together as they are too similar and too lacking in positive ideas. It is left to Crawford to try to break open the opponents and, unfortunately, at the moment he is failing in that.
Defensively the midfield, including Crawford, are just too poor. They tend to back off and allow the opposition to run at us/through us or just fail to react to opposition moves.
So, for Saturday, I would probably have Taft and Delaney as central defence, Jones and Gordon at full back, Crawford, White and Darcy in midfield with Isgrove, Delfouneso and Doyle upfront and in Delfouneso’s case, I mean upfront with Doyle not stuck 20 yards behind on the wing.
So, as I say, optimism is in my heart and a 2-1 win to start our season.
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Post by davidm on Oct 1, 2020 14:23:47 GMT
with Isgrove, Delfouneso and Doyle upfront Woops - apparently Isgrove is already injured so probably Hickman wide on the right. I forgot about Sarcevic - easy to do I know - but, if fit, play him instead of White
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Post by realtrottersforever on Oct 1, 2020 14:26:58 GMT
oops...great minds think alike..hold it right there, i'll move mine onto yours David (two match threads started within 1 minute of each other !!)
ok deleted mine now.
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Post by realtrottersforever on Oct 1, 2020 14:28:34 GMT
After going against my original thoughts last week and betting on us to win, i'm definitely sticking to my plan this time and backing against us....( that should provoke a reaction from the team ) i'm covering the draw too. i'll predict 1-1 for here though. can't see us keeping a clean sheet. yet again we keep waiting for a "Gimme" type game...but when you're in this run of form, most games start to look tricky. Harrogate are 6th in the table. unbeaten. won 1. drew 2.
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Post by realtrottersforever on Oct 1, 2020 14:40:42 GMT
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Post by whitesince63 on Oct 1, 2020 16:01:58 GMT
Still early days yet rtf so IE has to give his players every chance to get it right but I think this weekend we will see structural changes all over the pitch, including maybe some surprises. Obviously Sarcevic will be back so I think he’ll leave out Crawford, who for some reason he seems unsure about. Neither do I think he’ll start Ronan, preferring Tutte alongside White and dropping Comley who for me hasn’t done anything in any of the games. Like David, I think he’ll go with Taft and Delaney plus Jones and Gordon in defence. With Isgrove out he’ll go with Hickman right midfield and will I think stick with Crellin in goal despite his recent mistakes. I can’t believe we can keep on failing so badly so again like David I’m going for a 2-1 win to the Whites.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2020 17:12:21 GMT
I must be getting cynical (lol me cynical). I think we'll get slaughtered. 3-0 Harrogate. Just my feeling regarding an unsettled team, change of system and lack of ability. These lads score goals, we don't, not yet anyway.
I think the first win will ome against one of Oldham, Grimsby and Barrow. I dread we don't bet any of those teams.
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Post by realtrottersforever on Oct 1, 2020 17:25:32 GMT
Still early days yet rtf so IE has to give his players every chance to get it right but I think this weekend w e will see structural changes all over the pitch, including maybe some surprises. Obviously Sarcevic will be back so I think he’ll leave out Crawford, who for some reason he seems unsure about. Neither do I think he’ll start Ronan, preferring Tutte alongside White and dropping Comley who for me hasn’t done anything in any of the games. Like David, I think he’ll go with Taft and Delaney plus Jones and Gordon in defence. With Isgrove out he’ll go with Hickman right midfield and will I think stick with Cullen in goal despite his recent mistakes. I can’t believe we can keep on failing so badly so again like David I’m going for a 2-1 win to the Whites. and once we've seen all these changes.. ( if we do ) will we have another lists of excuses.....as next lot of players take time to gel ?? we've already seen several personnel changes.....Baptiste dropped , Taft out, Greenidge out. etc didn't improve us much. already a formation switch.... dropped 3 centre backs. again didn't improve us much. can't seem to make obvious in-game tactical switches.....re-inforce the midfield when it's getting over-run. we've also had these bizarre cameo appearances of youth players/ new signings "on the day" www.whoscored.com/Teams/92/Show/England-BoltonMascoll 9 minutes hurford-lockett 14 mins amoateng 19 mins v forest green isgrove 25 mins gnahoua 25 mins tutte- 44 mins - over 2 games. good enough to get on one week. not good enough for the bench the next ?? . i know this all sounds a bit negative, but i'm not a blind faither ,and I need to see something to believe in, and at the mo, I ain't seeing enough of it.
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Post by whitesince63 on Oct 2, 2020 8:44:03 GMT
I think Greenidge is injured rtf, not replaced and in fact I think he could be a big asset for us when he’s properly fit because he really does have serious pace. I’m not worried about changes to the line up because all of these players are orking with each other in training and they must be changing around regularly in that. Any player should be able to fit in when needed without causing a problem. There doesn’t seem much point keeping struggling players in the team When you have other choices and it’s only by trying them that you find out what works best. Hopefully that will be this weekend, though I have no evidence it will other than I believe our squad is one of the best in L2 but hasn’t yet lived up to it. I think they will tomorrow.
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Post by riochforthereebok on Oct 2, 2020 10:05:49 GMT
Think we’ll not score yet again and they’ll get 2
As W63 states often ‘hope I’m wrong’ Something has to change and quick before another lock-down or we may never re-emerge😬😬😬😬😬
Gosh I’m so fickle!!!!! My optimism lasted all but 3 games into the new season Harrogate will be up for this and I can see the ‘veteran’ Jon Stead and the ‘other’ Connor Hall scoring following clumsy parry’s from Billy Crellin😬😬😬
Again, hope I’m wrong (apols W63 for stealing your strap line 😂) COYWM
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Post by andyl on Oct 2, 2020 11:38:11 GMT
I entirely agree rtf. My reminiscence is that I witnessed the debut of Harry Charsley at Brentford in 2017/8. Loaned from Everton, plunged straight into a midfield , looked lightweight but not without promise was hooked without ceremony after about 60 mins and never featured again in team or I think on bench. That was under Parky, but there have been many others who have favoured new players. Megson was awful. Straight in they went and were in favour until they fell out. This manager has introduced us to all manner of bit part players as you say, all within a spiel of eight weeks of practice to a set system and an unwavering Phoenix researched profile- and each time someone appears, kneejerk at the last minute- into the team or onto the field they go any old where ( and surprise surprise they get injured.)
So we have been presented with a complete mish- mash of personnel, styles and not to put to fine a point on it horsexxxx. The fact that all managers have favourites, prioritise new acquisitions ahead of time or as Evatt thinks promote youngsters too early or prefer rotation or abhor it etc etc does not excuse.. Keith Hill gave us interminable horsexxxx with apologies to equine lovers, Parky was bland, neutral and rigid, Freedman was full of 'trust me I know best', Coyle loved wingers, Lennon loved away hotel stays and so on. Let's be in no doubt whatever: at this point in time Evatt has not got a clue what to do and stands xxxx to xxxx with all of the aforementioned.
However Evatt is young, relatively, a track record of learning and moving forward and seems honest and clear, so he has going for him that unlike all the above who were all found out he is in a situation which allows him some time and he might well work out how to make progress with these players. That's what we need to cling on to?
Re Saturday and striving not to repeat matter on the Newport thread, we are underdogs because they have a settled team and we are fielding a scratch one. There have been positives on view- to date I think Amoateng, Tutte, Hurwood- Lockett, Isgrove and even Gnaouha had bright little cameos despite being Charsley moments. In general the Jones Hickman link offers promise. We have several times seen Gordon leave markers for dead and push past them to cross or nearly convert a cross. we know Darcey and Brockbank can play. Sarcevic, Doyle and Delfouneso have experience and success on their CVs, the first two at this level; and we have had reasonably competitive possession rates. So whatever team Evatt musters we have a bit of a chance. I think he has some key decisions
1. Does her persist with Crellin and if not fall back on Gilks or give Alexander a whirl..
2. Does he break up Delfouneso and Doyle. As it stands, being outnumbered in midfield and flaky at the back, we can't afford two up front. If we dare go with three at the back, maybe we can keep two up- that after all was how Parky got us up from Div 1 and got Le Fondre into the team. But if 4 I think one has to go to the bench. At present neither is featuring enough. They aren't target men per se. Maybe Miller will fit better or Gnouhaha. Or does he push one or other wider. Last week Delfouneso drifted wide and Doyle back. Delfouneso clearly struggled wide. He could maybe play deeper, Doyle wider. But together now on an away ground is very questionable and we are playing one man short if both play.
3. Can Crawford and Sarcevic play in the same team and this relates to 2.
4. Who could form a partnership at the back in a three or four
5. Does he protect the back four with one or two deep lying midfielders as per Parky's and Lennon's preferred model and in general do we put more emphasis on defence and counter attack rather than scoring one more than them/ In other words do we move into pragmatism and realism and build.?
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Post by OohMac on Oct 2, 2020 14:48:39 GMT
Like David Vs Goliath, except everyone fancies David for the win.
I imagine some will say this game is "must win". Well its not, but it is a "be good to win".
Harrogate will be well drilled, organised and be decent but we should be better.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2020 17:21:26 GMT
Wouldn't exactly call our club Goliath right now, Oom. More like BHS, never too big to fall from grace.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2020 17:40:16 GMT
I really do think this season has become one hell of a gamble even after only three games. Firstly employing an unproven manager and signing nineteen players if all this goes tits up we could end up going out of the league. Harsh thoughts I know but could this happen if things don’t improve dramatically ? so come on IE get it sorted and soon sorry but I don’t see us winning tomorrow fingers crossed 1-1 stay safe one and all COYWM
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Post by whitesince63 on Oct 2, 2020 18:15:40 GMT
Think we’ll not score yet again and they’ll get 2 As W63 states often ‘hope I’m wrong’ Something has to change and quick before another lock-down or we may never re-emerge😬😬😬😬😬 Gosh I’m so fickle!!!!! My optimism lasted all but 3 games into the new season Harrogate will be up for this and I can see the ‘veteran’ Jon Stead and the ‘other’ Connor Hall scoring following clumsy parry’s from Billy Crellin😬😬😬 Again, hope I’m wrong (apols W63 for stealing your strap line 😂) COYWM steal anything you like rtf but this time I hope “you’re” wrong!! 😉👍
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