5 games in...

td53

td53

Well-known member
In 2020 I wrote this. I'm not trying to go 'oh, look at me and what I wrote' - Obviously, if your me (and you ain't) then it's interesting to look at your own thoughts and compare them...

"Everyone seems to want someone else to do the killer pass. We knock it about, but sometimes it just goes backwards or sideways when there's clearly space opening up or a player free. We're not actually putting other teams under pressure by simply 'having the ball' and we're not good enough to go through the eleven and rebuild a move every time until the other team falls apart. This is confidence. The midfield and forward players are not taking the risks they need to."

We'd just lost 4-1 at home to Ipswich in our fifth game of the season.

mclfoot.blogspot.com

Like a hot knife through butter: The Mighty vs Ipswich Town

At least the picture is cheery. I've kind of got a minor beef with Ipswich. Last year, they came to Bloomfield and obligingly lost, a brill...
mclfoot.blogspot.com mclfoot.blogspot.com

Make of this what you will. I think the point is, you can go 'This won't/will get better' but you literally don't know.

A team can come together but that doesn't mean it will.
 
td53 said:
In 2020 I wrote this. I'm not trying to go 'oh, look at me and what I wrote' - Obviously, if your me (and you ain't) then it's interesting to look at your own thoughts and compare them...

"Everyone seems to want someone else to do the killer pass. We knock it about, but sometimes it just goes backwards or sideways when there's clearly space opening up or a player free. We're not actually putting other teams under pressure by simply 'having the ball' and we're not good enough to go through the eleven and rebuild a move every time until the other team falls apart. This is confidence. The midfield and forward players are not taking the risks they need to."

We'd just lost 4-1 at home to Ipswich in our fifth game of the season.

mclfoot.blogspot.com

Like a hot knife through butter: The Mighty vs Ipswich Town

At least the picture is cheery. I've kind of got a minor beef with Ipswich. Last year, they came to Bloomfield and obligingly lost, a brill...
mclfoot.blogspot.com mclfoot.blogspot.com

Make of this what you will. I think the point is, you can go 'This won't/will get better' but you literally don't know.

A team can come together but that doesn't mean it will.
Click to expand...
Can't remember that far back - did Keshi have one of his frequent injuries? Something would have switched it to us being the team that won by the odd goal time after time.
 
The switch was going 4-4-2 with Madine up top… Burton away was the turning point and Peterborough followed.

Think it was less about the formation and more about committing an extra body forward and committing to put the opposition under pressure.

Agree that if we put the opposition under pressure when we have the ball we make it easier on the backline, and we do that by taking more risks with the ball.

Think it’s down to both coaching and wingback play, players aren’t being told to take risks, and it’s hard for them to do so when the wingbacks aren’t providing an outlet or helping track back like CJ yesterday.

If we’re going to continue with 3-5-2 it’s certainly possible to put teams under pressure, with 3 in the midfield and 2 up top we hypothetically should be able to have decent link up play…
 
Whatever shape you play or change to, we know we are lacking players who can cause havoc or create down the sides of the pitch. We are dependent on wing backs until players come in who can do this up front, nothing will change. Rhodes will definitely score goals for us but we still need another striker.
 
Appleton promised aggressive attacking football and deliver, insipid, passive disorganised (cant even call it) football.

Critchley has promised possession based football where in most games we have had less possession but the possession we had yesterday was possession for the sake of keeping the ball, and then giving it away at crucial moments or not knowing what to do with the possession and just lumping it forward. In the space of four games he seems to have gone from an organised team that when they went forward had some intent and looked difficult to beat, to completely disorganised out of possession, and very easy to break down. Something has gone wrong quite dramatically, i know it was only one result, but eh previous game we were lucky to come away with a 0-0.
 
It's weird how history repeats itself. I seem to remember that Jordan Gabriel was thrown into this game and their left winger had him on toast. Not sure about the timing but the arrival of Calderwood led to a more a more pragmatic 4-4-2 and performances improved. You get the feeling that Garrity and Brunskill are both yes men and it needs someone to reign in some of Critchley more bizarre ideas like Connolly as left wingback and asking Ekpiteta to pass it like Beckenbauer.

When Critchley was re-appointed I was hoping against hope that someone like Steve Thompson was brought into to provide more down to earth nous that playing and coaching hundreds games at this level brings. I also question the influence Norburn is having on the team. Yesterday it was catastrophic, he managed to give two penalties away and got himself sent off.
 
Maybe Critchley will get a little bump on the head today.
Nothing nasty, nothing sharp. Just a glancing blow as he’s rummaging in the garden shed for the Cuprinol.
His eyes widen as he’s consumed by an impish epiphany.

Tomorrow he strides into Squires Gate and addresses his loyal lieutenants.
“Right lads, no more of this 352 shit, it’s four at the back from now on.”
Garrity and Brunskill exchange a look while simultaneously thinking “thank f*** for that”.
“Brilliant, boss” says Garrity, “that’s why you’re one of the most highly qualified coaches in the country”.
“Thanks, Mike”
“In Europe” adds Brunskill, hastily.
Critchley smiles fatherly.
“So do you want the cones putting out differently today?”
“No Iain, same as before. Trust the process. Only make sure they’re in line, OK? They looked like they were true last week, but when I checked them with my multi purpose laser level – only £9.99 at B&Q – they weren’t straight”.
“Sorry, boss”.
“That’s OK Iain, it’s football, it happens”.
Critchley walks away with a renewed skip in his step.

“Did you have a word with him?” asks Brunskill.
“Not me” says Garrity, “I reckon it was Madine, the way he was ranting and pulverising that punchbag the other day. It was 20 minutes before he calmed down and his veins stopped bulging”.
“Oh, I thought he was pissed off that day 'cos the main meal was vegetarian. Right, those cones won’t put themselves down…”.
 
Last edited:
Toastrack said:
Maybe Critchley will get a little bump on the head today.
Nothing nasty, nothing sharp. Just a glancing blow as he’s rummaging in the garden shed for the Cuprinol.
His eyes widen as he’s consumed by an impish epiphany.

Tomorrow he strides into Squires Gate and addresses his loyal lieutenants.
“Right lads, no more of this 352 shit, it’s four at the back from now on.”
Garrity and Brunskill exchange a look while simultaneously thinking “thank f*** for that”.
“Brilliant, boss” says Garrity, “that’s why you’re one of the most highly qualified coaches in the country”.
“Thanks, Mike”
“In Europe” adds Brunskill, hastily.
Critchley smiles fatherly.
“So do you want the cones putting out differently today?”
“No Iain, same as before. Trust the process. Only make sure they’re in line, OK? They looked like they were true last week, but when I checked them with my multi purpose laser level – only £9.99 at B&Q – they weren’t straight”.
“Sorry, boss”.
“That’s OK Iain, it’s football, it happens”.
Critchley walks away with a renewed skip in his step.

“Did you have a word with him?” asks Brunskill.
“Not me” says Garrity, “I reckon it was Madine, the way he was ranting and pulverising that punchbag the other day. It was 20 minutes before he calmed down and his veins stopped bulging”.
“Oh, I thought that was because the main meal that day was vegetarian. Took one for the team there, Mike. Right, those cones won’t put themselves down…”.
Click to expand...
Impish epiphany 😂 😂 😂

"Imps give imp an impish problem"
 
td53 said:
In 2020 I wrote this. I'm not trying to go 'oh, look at me and what I wrote' - Obviously, if your me (and you ain't) then it's interesting to look at your own thoughts and compare them...

"Everyone seems to want someone else to do the killer pass. We knock it about, but sometimes it just goes backwards or sideways when there's clearly space opening up or a player free. We're not actually putting other teams under pressure by simply 'having the ball' and we're not good enough to go through the eleven and rebuild a move every time until the other team falls apart. This is confidence. The midfield and forward players are not taking the risks they need to."

We'd just lost 4-1 at home to Ipswich in our fifth game of the season.

mclfoot.blogspot.com

Like a hot knife through butter: The Mighty vs Ipswich Town

At least the picture is cheery. I've kind of got a minor beef with Ipswich. Last year, they came to Bloomfield and obligingly lost, a brill...
mclfoot.blogspot.com mclfoot.blogspot.com

Make of this what you will. I think the point is, you can go 'This won't/will get better' but you literally don't know.

A team can come together but that doesn't mean it will.
Click to expand...
Sounds like 'definitely maybe'.
 
td53 said:
when there's clearly space opening up or a player free
Click to expand...
I think this is the line from the OP’s post which frustrates me so much .. I watch games from the West and the amount of times in the last two games you can see the movement and positions our players take up and then all never gets to them.
If Critch is orchestrating this surely he has to be looking at distribution from our players?
 
Costero Poderoso said:
Appleton promised aggressive attacking football and deliver, insipid, passive disorganised (cant even call it) football.

Critchley has promised possession based football where in most games we have had less possession but the possession we had yesterday was possession for the sake of keeping the ball, and then giving it away at crucial moments or not knowing what to do with the possession and just lumping it forward. In the space of four games he seems to have gone from an organised team that when they went forward had some intent and looked difficult to beat, to completely disorganised out of possession, and very easy to break down. Something has gone wrong quite dramatically, i know it was only one result, but eh previous game we were lucky to come away with a 0-0.
Click to expand...
You could argue that Appleton did try with aggressive attacking football

The number of yellow and red cards backs this up along with some decent early season form

The football under Critchley is just boring passive no risk football
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
You could argue that Appleton did try with aggressive attacking football

The number of yellow and red cards backs this up along with some decent early season form

The football under Critchley is just boring passive no risk football
Click to expand...
Appleton did try and implement aggressive play and it worked for the first 10 or so games, two 3-3s, Coventry away, Preston at home, QPR away were all brilliant performances.

However, playing like that requires A LOT of quality from midfield and after Bridcutt, Fiorini, Keshi, and to a lesser extent Patino got injured all that momentum from the first 10 games was gone.

Without players to play the way he wanted to he was completely out at see.

The club should have recognized this and either 1) Backed him in the market. 2) Sack him earlier and appoint a manager who could use the remaining squad to implement a more effective (and pragmatic) style of play.
 
AmericanTangerine said:
Appleton did try and implement aggressive play and it worked for the first 10 or so games, two 3-3s, Coventry away, Preston at home, QPR away were all brilliant performances.

However, playing like that requires A LOT of quality from midfield and after Bridcutt, Fiorini, Keshi, and to a lesser extent Patino got injured all that momentum from the first 10 games was gone.

Without players to play the way he wanted to he was completely out at see.

The club should have recognized this and either 1) Backed him in the market. 2) Sack him earlier and appoint a manager who could use the remaining squad to implement a more effective (and pragmatic) style of play.
Click to expand...
QPR away was a very raggy victory, a game that we should have actually lost - I was at the game and it wasn't at all brilliant
And - for the agenda driven amongst us who say that Critchley has destroyed Ekpiteta's confidence - Ekpiteta got caught in possession twice that night but somehow Dykes managed to miss the two pretty simple chances that ensued.
 
ElBurroSinNombre said:
QPR away was a very raggy victory, a game that we should have actually lost - I was at the game and it wasn't at all brilliant
And - for the agenda driven amongst us who say that Critchley has destroyed Ekpiteta's confidence - Ekpiteta got caught in possession twice that night but somehow Dykes managed to miss the two pretty simple chances that ensued.
Click to expand...
Agreed, the reason there were so many reds was because Appleton’s system didn’t effectively cover center backs.
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
You could argue that Appleton did try with aggressive attacking football

The number of yellow and red cards backs this up along with some decent early season form

The football under Critchley is just boring passive no risk football
Click to expand...
our yellow and red cards were largely a result of being completely disorganised rather any overt (even legal) aggression, last ditch challenges that were mistimed, or trying to recover from group or individual mistakes, and some fairly crappy reffing
 
Costero Poderoso said:
our yellow and red cards were largely a result of being completely disorganised rather any overt (even legal) aggression, last ditch challenges that were mistimed, or trying to recover from group or individual mistakes, and some fairly crappy reffing
Click to expand...
So it wasn't all Appletons fault then

I'm confused
 
AmericanTangerine said:
The switch was going 4-4-2 with Madine up top… Burton away was the turning point and Peterborough followed.

Think it was less about the formation and more about committing an extra body forward and committing to put the opposition under pressure.

Agree that if we put the opposition under pressure when we have the ball we make it easier on the backline, and we do that by taking more risks with the ball.

Think it’s down to both coaching and wingback play, players aren’t being told to take risks, and it’s hard for them to do so when the wingbacks aren’t providing an outlet or helping track back like CJ yesterday.

If we’re going to continue with 3-5-2 it’s certainly possible to put teams under pressure, with 3 in the midfield and 2 up top we hypothetically should be able to have decent link up play…
Click to expand...
In the Orient and Port vale games we showed them too much respect and could not retain upfront allowing them too much of the ball. I agree and Madine made a massive difference the next season in the championship particularly defending dead balls. I think we are scare of losing rather than looking to win.
 
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