Masking our Weak Points | Vital Football

Masking our Weak Points

PWould

PWould

Vital 1st Team Regular
I think most of us are clear about are many strengths. Just as important in my view is how we manage our weaker points. With any given 11 and system it will always provide some areas that others can explioit if they are good enough to do so.
Here are three potential weaker points given the way we currently set up.
(1) We are asking alot of McCartan to be the link forward behind Akinde, and still do a job in midfield alongside Pett and O Connor. I think it means at times we don't have enough people in the box to get on the end of the crosses bombing in from both wings.
(2) Connected to the above it also means that other teams can overload in the midfield areas, particularly as O' Connor is not the quickest. However all three midfielders are working hard and i like the way that McCartan and Pett keep finding space. Both are clever footballers. O Connor is clearly the enforcer and does the dirty work well.
(3) Nippy skilfull forwards running at Shackell and Bostwick given their lack of pace. Probably more than made up for though by their game sense, experience and positional excellence. Also if i'm being honest i think both scare the opposition to death.
Just wondering how others see it? I think we are managing these well and balancing the risk versus the tactical gains we are getting. Will a better team than Cheltenham though manage to exploit these areas more effectively?
 
I think our biggest weakness is defending against a quick counter attack. We’re quite slow at getting back and if teams distribute the ball quickly I can see it causing us problems.

However, fortunately we defenders (and midfielders) who have a capability (above the standard of this league) to spot and position themselves to prevent them from occurring.
 
So far then we don't get enough people in the box and we struggle against a fast counter attack. Pleased I don't manage us :-)
 
I think any perceived weaknesses are minor at the moment due to the energy levels in midfield of Pett and McCartan and the experience game reading of Shackell and Bostwick.

I haven't seen any other league 2 club that this season has that nippy forward who is capable of running at the opposition defence other than those we have.

Of course the season is long and pitches will start to get heavier over the winter so can those energy levels be maintained. I believe with our management team and their insight into how to prepare teams for the whole season will see us through to May.

Beyond this season would our current set up and players be able to continue at League 1 and above. That could be open to a lively debate and I look forward to it once the title is wrapped up in 7 months time
 
Skip155 said:
So far then we don't get enough people in the box and we struggle against a fast counter attack. Pleased I don't manage us :-)
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Good point about committing people to the box, although that could be related to the second point. Maybe Danny and Nicky are aware of the counter threat and choose to be cautious.
 
imps_joe said:
Good point about committing people to the box, although that could be related to the second point. Maybe Danny and Nicky are aware of the counter threat and choose to be cautious.
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I was just summarising the comments and pointing out the conflict - although I appreciate in theory both could be a problem. Not my opinion.
 
Fast counter attack - erm can anyone live with that?
We’re doing really well and there’s tweaks which could see us get even better - just dont get the negativity - enjoy the ride while it lasts
 
Noticed how McCartan following the 'elbow incident' was spoken to by Danny and Nicky and started to play higher up the field with a greater degree of desire - channeling his aggression positively.
 
Pace through the spine of the side - lack of. As others have eruditely pointed out and I concur, our experienced players and the level we are at means we can get away with that more often than not.
 
We have let goals in a few times so clearly our defence and keepers are a weakness and some attacks don't lead to goals so forwards are a weakness too. And opponents have won the ball sometimes in the middle of the pitch so midfield also a weakness.
 
PWould said:
(3) Nippy skilfull forwards running at Shackell and Bostwick given their lack of pace. Probably more than made up for though by their game sense, experience and positional excellence. Also if i'm being honest i think both scare the opposition to death.
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It's rare that the centre half finds himself being run at. That's the job of the more defensive central midfielder, to screen those two.

From an attacking point of view it's better to have as high a defensive line as possible which caused some problems from long balls forward at Northampton, but that was the first game of the season, and the defence has changed since then - we aren't playing three at the back either. Our full backs aren't slow so they should be able to cover providing we are not caught on the counter attack. What's more I don't think Bostwick is slow by centre half standards.

As you said, experience and positional play makes up the first ten yards.

NottyImp said:
Set pieces. They're almost uniformly rubbish.
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For a team that puts so much faith in set pieces there doesn't look like there's much of a plan any more, though it's difficult to whip a corner or free kick in to exactly where you want it, even for a top player - and the free kick down the side actually came off this Saturday but McCartan missed his kick in front of goal.

And what's with these change-the-angle set pieces? Just another thing that can go wrong with it.
 
re: set pieces.
last three games.
winner against macc - corner
first goal against mkd - eardley free kick.
winner against mkd - corner
second goal yesterday - following a left side set piece.

yep, we are so rubbish at set pieces.
 
nlondonimp said:
re: set pieces.
last three games.
winner against macc - corner
first goal against mkd - eardley free kick.
winner against mkd - corner
second goal yesterday - following a left side set piece.

yep, we are so rubbish at set pieces.
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Your point is taken but...

Macc - goalkeeper error, unplanned
MK 1 thrown into the mixer
MK 2 - goalkeeper error, unplanned
Cheltenham - come on, that's really really stretching it!
 
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