Match Thread: Northampton Town v Lincoln City | Page 19 | Vital Football

Match Thread: Northampton Town v Lincoln City

Today probably was one of those results that isn't as appreciated at this point in the season.

I mean, if we'd gone there after 10 games and put in what you'd call and 'away' performance and got out there with a 1-0 win then it would have probably felt a bit better. First game of the season, you never quite know where you're at and gut feeling is that every supporter up and down the country look for a performance to kick start the season.

Not suggesting it hasn't been appreciated on here to elsewhere (I've not read the thread).

Read the Cobbler's forum, though, and their comments don't necessarily make it sound as backs to the wall at times as it came across.

http://www.smfserver.com/forums/thehotelend/index.php?topic=17561.0

We actually defended quite well second half. There was space down Toffolo's flank but they didn't use it particularly well all game. I think it didn't neccessarily feel backs to the wall but Vickers has saved two such clear one on ones that it feels like a total escape!
 
Also I thought their blonde centre half was awful. I'm not sure Akinde is anywhere near Rhead in the air but Taylor could not deal with him at all and just fell over every single time at the slightest contact. Thought Rhead was going to take the piss out of him when he came on but he seemed to end up playing almost as a holding midfielder at the end when we were holding on!
 
On the train to Lincoln from Nottingham. We were pretty poor today, but we won and it is something to build on.
 
As I'm an expat I hardly see a game to comment on one, but I've been in London the last couple of days and travelled up to Northampton.

To prove how out of touch I am I was shocked at how much I had to pay for a ticket in what I believe was the stand where the £10m went missing. I'm more used to the Spanish 2nd Division where the admission price is a lot lower.

Frankly, City could have been three down in the first 12 minutes due to horrendous defending by Toffolo and Waterfall. In the first half alone Vickers saved City four times. The defence looked shambolic, midfield offered next to nothing so Green and Akinde were just chasing lost causes. Their right winger, Hoskins, had a field day.

I was talking to some Northampton fans at half time and they reckoned they would struggle to score goals this season. It looked that way in the first half, but to be fair it did in the second too.

Nevertheless their keeper was more in danger of sunburn than he was from the City attack.

After probably the only decent bit of play by the Imps resulted in the well worked and well taken goal, a measure of control was exerted and Northampton didn't threaten. I was surprised that they moved their danger man Hoskins from the wing to the centre. Unlike some posters I thought he was their best player by far, which was echoed by the Northampton fans near me.

Having been under the impression that City had got their defensive problems sorted out, it was panic stations in the last ten minutes and Northampton should have got that last minute equaliser which was the least they deserved. You would think they'd be amongst the better sides in the division on that showing.

On the positive side, that Andrade, Anderson and Rhead can be brought on as subs should mean that City have a potent attack.

There's an expression they use a lot in Spain which roughly would translate as "Lincoln won by doing nothing". It's usually meant as an insult but it bodes well.

I was hoping to see better from such once-in-a-long-time opportunity but I'm glad I went.
 
Very poor first twenty, ball got in behind us far too easily and we made some bad decisions with the balk at the back. Didn’t get much better while first half but rallied a little 40-45th min. Vickers made some superb one on one stops.

Second half we grab a goal, great ball from Eardley and Green could not miss. We then defended much better, Wharton stepping things up in particular. But they then get in at the end again, but once again Vickers did brilliantly.

Would argue they should have done better with some of their chances, Vickers stopped 5 one on ones, plus made 3 or 4 comfortable stops they should have done better with. Where as I don’t think their keeper made a save.

We need to be much better, and I’m not sure about the formation at all. However, Green, Wharton, Eardley and Bostwick did enough to come out with some credit, and Vickers obviously outstanding. Feel the rest all need to do better, perhaps harsh on McCartan who worked hard, or we need a better system.
just got back
gazimp you are totally on the money with your comments,i saw it the same way.
DC has plenty to do to get us back on track,we created little and were poor in possession and generally poor in closing Noton`s only attacking profile......down their right side...........(for the whole game)
Another side with decent strikers would have had a hatfull.
Rhead did more in 20 than big john did in 70
As for a change in style of play.....i never saw any change.
This is going to be a busy week on the training ground for the management and players
Those players identified by Gazimp were the performers. expect changes.
 
As I'm an expat I hardly see a game to comment on one, but I've been in London the last couple of days and travelled up to Northampton.

To prove how out of touch I am I was shocked at how much I had to pay for a ticket in what I believe was the stand where the £10m went missing. I'm more used to the Spanish 2nd Division where the admission price is a lot lower.

Frankly, City could have been three down in the first 12 minutes due to horrendous defending by Toffolo and Waterfall. In the first half alone Vickers saved City four times. The defence looked shambolic, midfield offered next to nothing so Green and Akinde were just chasing lost causes. Their right winger, Hoskins, had a field day.

I was talking to some Northampton fans at half time and they reckoned they would struggle to score goals this season. It looked that way in the first half, but to be fair it did in the second too.

Nevertheless their keeper was more in danger of sunburn than he was from the City attack.

After probably the only decent bit of play by the Imps resulted in the well worked and well taken goal, a measure of control was exerted and Northampton didn't threaten. I was surprised that they moved their danger man Hoskins from the wing to the centre. Unlike some posters I thought he was their best player by far, which was echoed by the Northampton fans near me.

Having been under the impression that City had got their defensive problems sorted out, it was panic stations in the last ten minutes and Northampton should have got that last minute equaliser which was the least they deserved. You would think they'd be amongst the better sides in the division on that showing.

On the positive side, that Andrade, Anderson and Rhead can be brought on as subs should mean that City have a potent attack.

There's an expression they use a lot in Spain which roughly would translate as "Lincoln won by doing nothing". It's usually meant as an insult but it bodes well.

I was hoping to see better from such once-in-a-long-time opportunity but I'm glad I went.

Your analysis totally accurate.............,say it as you see it!
 
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Time to plug the obvious holes and abandon the three at the back experiment for now, get Andrade on for Green (who also has a yellow card against him) and possibly Anderson as well. If Akinde is still looking out of sorts, try Rhead.
that`s what happened ,but retained the back 3.
 
Just filling in holes, rather than overall assessment. Vickers won us 3 points, no doubt. I thought Toffolo did better than some have suggested. I wasn't sure from postings on here whether he was all forward and not enough defence, but (certainly in the second half) he actually held up the (very good) right winger well and covered back to prevent him putting in a number of potential crosses. For a shorter man, he also won his fair share of headers. 3-4-3 was actually 5-2-3 for much of the game because we didn't have possession and were defending in numbers. That meant Bostwick and Frecks were bypassed for much of the game. Whatever you want to call the formation we still went long ball much of the time, but what was most frustrating was that when we played it on the floor we created chances. For me, the 3 centre-backs, for all their defensive qualities, don't have good enough distribution to play out from the back - even Eardley was guilty of too many balls over the top. So it was balls missing out the midfield for the forwards to chase. A few weren't far out, or the forward's touch wasn't quite good enough, but in general we didn't open them up.

At the other end, for all their possession, Northampton didn't have the bollocks to shoot and therefore didn't make the best of their opportunities. They clearly need a goal-scorer, but if/once they get one, they will be a top 7 contender.

Rhead showed Akinde how to head and to hold off a defender and Anderson showed how to scare a defender by running at them into the box.

Too many good players didn't get to see enough of the ball in order to make a difference, but as someone else suggested, if this is the method for winning away (and we won) then maybe it won't seem as downbeat as it might.

An away win against Northampton is a great result. A clean sheet is a great result. There is much to improve upon and none of the negatives are structural, they are tactical and amendable and I am sure our Dynamic Duo will be able to assess and amend.

A good day (apart from getting out of the Car Park) and long may they be repeated.

UptheImps.

P.S. I know it wasn't 4-1, but I don't care. Once the season starts it is the results that make the difference.
 
Vickers earned us the result today as every one has said. And needed to.
Centre backs looked very disjointed.
Toffolo & Eardley did fine.
Midfield looked thin on the ground.
Up front, apart from goal, very little from any of them. Rheady looked the more dangerous for the 20 mins he was on. McCartan did ok too.
It seemed though we were lacking in general in attacking half of pitch, very little width.

Maybe 2 centre backs (Wharton & Waterfall ?) with Bozzy sat in front of them.
Then two midfielders ahead of him, 2 wingers & one centre forward....

Anyway, let's what Danny does next. HE will definitely arrive at the best solution!