Exiles - Here's The Goal
- Thread starter SeasideEssexXile
- Start date
SeasideEssexXile
Vital Football Legend
SeasideEssexXile
Vital Football Legend
SeasideEssexXile
Vital Football Legend
Regan Poole was OK. Guess they swapped wings to try to freshen things up but they should have kept Hamilton away from him after he lost the early battle, as CJ clearly didn't fancy the challenge. Maybe had him chase down the middle for a bit instead first half, when Keogh and the keeper were going walkies upfield on a wet pitch. Or just had a more fluid front three that interchanged.
Last edited:
Tis always harder to defend against a fluid forward line where players interchange. It will come.
You'd need to be more stable defensively and more capable of winning the ball in midfield.
I do think there is merit in seeing CJ coming off the bench and stretch the game more later on.
We have options in midfield and attack so a bit of rotation is no bad thing. Keeps opposition guessing and we might even discover the winning combination which isn't necessarily the best players together.
Yeah. Just think it might serve us better as a club going forward for an identity. Particularly when taking on lge2 lads and unwanted out of contracts, and even loan lads like Ballard, who with the best will in the world doesn't look like he suits Arsenal.
It's probably just the Oyston effect lingering but have often wondered since Mansford started with all this 'Blackpool Way' thing and 50+ ins and outs if we'd just be better off if we just maintained that sort of 'we'll show them!' mentality that you might get through counter attacking football. Being underestimated, letting the other side think it's a mere formality, and then hitting them where it hurts and mugging them off etc. Defying the fancy analytics charts and things. Who knows but what we've had so far just doesn't flow, for me.
Its gone from one extreme to another in my view. Gary Bowyer coped quite well despite his dull personality. I guess he was restricted to the point of submission. On the other hand we have the present situation with Critchley trying to appease a fairly large squad of very average players.. I just don't know what to think of it all.
In terms of the 'Blackpool Way' thing, that's come from Sadler and essentially is just attacking football. And that doesn't matter whether it's a load of passes or ruthless counter attacking etc. Essentially, Sadler just wants the fans to be entertained.
I think it's been blown up into something it isn't because of Mansford's interview and then people getting carried away by Critchley's appointment: 'We're going to be the League One Liverpool'. Ironically, some of those that were getting carried away are the ones now sharpening their knives for him.
Let's face it, if playing Liverpool's way was achievable more teams in more divisions would do it. It's up to NC to find his own way of achieving SS's goals. And I do think some of what he's learned at Liverpool will help. But so should what he learned at Crewe (at this level). The rest he'll have to learn on the job - and fast.
I think he's got enough about him (and I don't mean his qualifications, which in my eyes aren't worth the paper they're written on) to learn - you just need to listen to his interviews to hear what a switched on bloke he is (and then compare it to the garbled nonsense Grayson put out last season).
I agree that being underestimated suits us. Unfortunately we've had the board and players bang on about promotion being the target this season. Like I said the other week, I can understand why they did it (want to distance from the Oystons + give the fans hope) but it's only served to put the pressure on when the reality is that there's loads at the club the required/requires sorting on and off the field. The only time we've had a degree of caution when Sadler said it was a three year plan to get out of this division (we're now in year two). And despite it being a bang average league, it is a tough one to get out of - just ask Pompey etc.
Finally, on player churn, I'm laying the blame largely at Mansford's door. Now he didn't interview Grayson, but when Grayson was refusing to operate in the agreed model in January in particular he let him have his way rather than reigning him in. I've heard from people than Mansford tends to align himself to the most powerful person in the room, which isn't what you want from a CEO.
I do think the churn has left us in a better place, and in particular none of the players we've let go are really pulling up any trees elsewhere (as I tried to point out the other day but essentially got shouted down).
As NC himself has said, we can't now afford (not financially) that churn every window and it'll be a case of doing remedial work on the side going forward (as it should be).
Sorry that's a long post BTW.
I'm not sure the squad is made up of 'very average players'. Some have done well, others haven't and some haven't been given a chance yet. Some also aren't fit. And some are clearly taking time to understand what NC wants from them. At least you can see what we're trying to do on the pitch this season even if it's far from clicked yet. Compare it to last season's model - if it wasn't Feeney crossing to Armand we had nothing. Think we need to give it time to see if it clicks, and as long as NC keeps picking up the points he'll get that time.
I do think the strength in depth may benefit us as the season progresses and the games come thick and fast - particularly if games get postponed along the way. I think Oxford have had 3 league games postponed already? It'll be interesting to see if they have enough bodies to cope. I know that league leaders Lincoln have a small squad too, and a lot of their fans are delighted they've put early points on the board as they worry about how effective they'll be when they're having to play 2-3 games a week, week in and week out.
I will say though that not every signing of a younger player will work out, and that's why I've said from day one you need a blend of experience in there. It was pleasing to see NC refer to that when we signed Garbutt and Dougall. That said, we do have an average squad age higher than several clubs in the division so experience clearly isn't everything.
Finally, a good reference to Bowyer. You're right, he was dull (although actually a really interesting bloke away from any cameras etc). The one thing he did have really going for him was his relationships with his players, and NC appears to have the same so fingers crossed for similar outcomes.
Like I said the other day (and again, seemed to get shouted down), in our L2 promotion season under Bowyer we were as low as 15th after 33 games. In fact, we spent just nine games of the 46 in the top 7th and after 8 games were 16th with only two wins. All that gets forgotten because he took us up.
There'll be times when we go on shit runs (as we've already seen). Hopefully they'll be times when we go on good runs too. Saturday was a start - let's make sure we follow it up tomorrow night.
Again, apologies that's longer than I wanted it to be.
