We won! First and foremost the game is about putting the ball in the net more than your opponent and that is what we did.
Fellows looks decent as a right wing back. Got up and down with ease, put some tackles in and caused problems going forward.
After a win it seems churlish to criticise but the tactic in the last ten minutes of having every Crawley player camped in our own half was gobsmacking. I was not impressed by it at all. There has to be somewhere between continuing to attack and jumping up and down on the goal line!
Well, that was an entertaining match! As already said, it could have gone either way, but I think on balance, we deserved the win.
I felt a couple of players didn’t have their best game, but there was plenty of effort.
I really do rate Corey, but he’s been beaten three times now from free kicks at the near post. I’m sure part of it is that teams see it’s happened before and therefore will try their luck, but that’s even more reason for not letting it happen again. Having said that his reaction save late-on was excellent.
Tsaroulla was having a great game, even before his goal - he only seems to score great goals, doesn’t he? I thought Francillette was excellent too - good to see him getting back up to speed, he gives us some much needed height.
Great result, a first league win. Our defensive record is really bugging me. Are we just missing Glenn or do the new tactics mean we’re more prone to conceding? We essentially have the same players bar ransom in defence
Tempting to say that but that was a Gordon Banks from Corey to keep it at 3-2, incredible save. Might have done better with the first but that was an offside goal, and it just looked another worldie free kick for the second
Hmmm three free kicks now Steve? But great save and good kicking - no tip tap today. Thought we were a bit fortunate but deserved winners. Young Liverpool lad played 1 or 2 sublime passes today showing his undoubted class which will see him playing in the premier one day but needs to be a bit more alert at times. overall great night and great win - another to add to the list
Mixed feelings about the game tonight. Yes we won our first league and it was great to see, but at times in the first 20 minutes or so we were getting outfought and weren’t doing the basics like getting to the ball first and competing for every ball. I don’t think it’s fair to say Stockport were not great, because I thought at times they looked a decent side, but like most teams in this league, and you can include us in that, there isnt a high level of skill it’s more about getting stuck in, putting yourself about and getting the ball forward quickly and effectively and at times at the back and in midfield we were getting out competed. Fortunately they made one poor mistake and we scored two great goals and in the end did just about enough to win. We look like a proper football team now without all that tippy tappy nonsense at the back like we’re in an U21 game. Ransom looks solid at the back and I thought was better than Ludwig who got man of the match on the tannoy. Tom Nichols again was making things happen and got 3 assist according to the BBC sport website. Definitely some work to do defensively as we looked vulnerable at the back on several occasions. Going forward though we look more of a threat and I feel we are starting to adapt our playing style away from the tippy tappy nonsense to a more pragmatic approach that suits the players we’ve got and the opponents were facing. A good result and a step in the right direction, but we need to be more solid defensively. Certainly a big work in progress still.
Great result, a first league win. Our defensive record is really bugging me. Are we just missing Glenn or do the new tactics mean we’re more prone to conceding? We essentially have the same players bar ransom in defence
i know what you’re saying, but it’s not as simple as that. The defence is defended by the midfield to a huge degree, and our midfield is very often on the back foot, off the pace, when an attack breaks down. The midfield also have to deal with opposition runners in to the channels, again, something we need to improve on. But what do me or you know eh??
I agree, I thought we were a bit all over the place in midfield at times, particularly in the first half. Thought it was Balagizi’s most under par game so far and I wanted him off, but Betsy came up with a decent fix by pushing him forward behind the strikers when Tilley came off and Powell did a better job organising in front of the back 4
That was a big morale booster for everyone I'm sure, don't care too much how we played as long as the first league win happens and that was the case. Nick with a goal that was very similar to one he scored vs Carlisle almost exactly a year ago to this day.
Think this will give the players a big boost psychologically and hopefully the league campaign properly starts from here. I agree that the defending was shaky at times, especially in the first half, but that can be worked on over time. I feel like the players are starting to get the hang of what this manager wants them to do a bit more too, which has lead to improved results in the last few games
I feel like the players are starting to get the hang of what this manager wants them to do a bit more too, which has lead to improved results in the last few games
I think it’s more the case the that results weren’t good so we have changed our style of play to not play so much tippy tappy slow possession football. We certainly look a better team when we get the ball forward quicker. Football at this level doesn’t have to be a game of chess like in the Premier League with all this possession football and both teams cancelling each other out. Compete for every ball. Get it forward quickly. Put balls into the box.
I think the tippy tappy thing was always a myth, we may have been over deliberate in possession in the first couple of games but that was more about players getting to know each other rather than it being an intended plan, we have been pretty direct getting rid of the ball when need be since then in good results and bad ones
Got to be pleased with a win however it comes, although some big problems to get sorted. Need to keep Tsaroulla fit he’s always made a difference. I think he’s abandoning the tippy tappy football he wants to play due to results and injuries to the centre backs he brought in to play that way. It was always clear tippy tappy not going to work and think we are a bit stuck in between the two as we don’t have a target if we go longer. I think everyone wants to see passing football, with a purpose and quick not slow so hopefully we find a new style soon.
Quite a few soft shots going in might be worth giving Robson a run in goal.
Got to be pleased with a win however it comes, although some big problems to get sorted. Need to keep Tsaroulla fit he’s always made a difference. I think he’s abandoning the tippy tappy football he wants to play due to results and injuries to the centre backs he brought in to play that way. It was always clear tippy tappy not going to work and think we are a bit stuck in between the two as we don’t have a target if we go longer. I think everyone wants to see passing football, with a purpose and quick not slow so hopefully we find a new style soon.
Quite a few soft shots going in might be worth giving Robson a run in goal.
Corey is first choice and I think he should stay first choice. He's a decent keeper - good shot stopper (apart from free kicks), decent distribution, taller than some keepers we've had recently. He's still young but needs matches to gain experience and improve, and he's getting those.
The defence isn't settled, it changes every match. The defenders do need to improve as we are letting in too many soft goals, and they are prone to fannying around at the back and losing possession a bit too much. But they are doing ok and performances will improve as time goes on. We need Lynch back fit asap. We miss his leadership and experience, and he is our best defender IMO. Lynch, Ransom and Ludwig would be my preferred back three. Craig in there until Lynch returns. Fellows and Tsaroulla as wing backs. That defence got us our first League win last night. Hopefully KB sticks with them for a while. Corey will benefit from having a settled defence in front of him. He just needs to work on his positioning at free kicks.
Probably a tad unrealistic to expect Corey (12 senior games) to be performing at the same level as Glenn Morris (540 senior games). He needs a bit of time to establish himself.
Otherwise a decent result, with 3 points in the bag. Of course it is possible to critique everything but in reality both Stockport goals were well taken.
Hopefully it generates a bit of confidence, unbeaten in the last 5 now.