Be braver Neil!

SeasideKurt

SeasideKurt

Well-known member
If that Oxford side is the second best team in this league. We can afford to drop some of the pragmatic approaches to games and start taking the game to people.

He needs to drop a central midfielder and play Dembele.

I can’t fathom why we are so scared of every single team we are playing?

Oxford played some good stuff and probably the best I’ve seen but we have good enough players to limit them.

Let’s have a go at teams Neil. Rather than a desperate attempt at the end.
 
I agree, and certainly when we're behind in a game, I couldn't fathom what he was waiting for in the second half. I'm sure most of us were saying "it ain't working, get Dembele on" then he does but just for 15 minutes. I agree, braver required.
 
SeasideKurt said:
If that Oxford side is the second best team in this league. We can afford to drop some of the pragmatic approaches to games and start taking the game to people.

He needs to drop a central midfielder and play Dembele.

I can’t fathom why we are so scared of every single team we are playing?

Oxford played some good stuff and probably the best I’ve seen but we have good enough players to limit them.

Let’s have a go at teams Neil. Rather than a desperate attempt at the end.
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I was thinking the same earlier and he thinks we are playing City away every week.

I don't care what he says in his interview but we look like we play for a draw and invariably we end up looking shit and lethargic.

He got away with one today with the negative shit in the 1st half.

Just fuckin go for it......
 
Oxford really weren't that intimidating. The lad that scored looked useful but he went back into his shell when Hamilton was up against him. I've said play Hamilton on the left Dale on the right but today he should have done what he usually does because Hamilton has more physical presence and threat than Dale. Not criticising Dale but he shouldn't have been up against their 22.
Moving on to Carey he did nothing of note but Dembele had them rocking so have two ball winners with Dembele behind the front two with aggressive wing backs either side.
To summarise as the op says be brave, and have a go.
 
Graves said:
I believe we’re Oxfords first draw of the season. Before today they’ve been scoring for fun and dominating opponents so I think we’ve done well today.

Saying that… We’d best be having a go on Tuesday!
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We did well. But I feel it could have been better for sure. We can dominate this league. I just personally feel like we are too busy respecting everyone.
 
Graves said:
I believe we’re Oxfords first draw of the season. Before today they’ve been scoring for fun and dominating opponents so I think we’ve done well today.

Saying that… We’d best be having a go on Tuesday!
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Yes need three points Tuesday despite them having their first win today if we are positive we should. Win
 
Tuesday will be an interesting selection in midfield.

Bottom of the league at home, we could easily afford to put Dembele behind a front 2, with 2 behind… rather than our standard midfield 3, as they’ll sit-in.

I do think we’re starting to get cooking but there are home games where we can take the handbrake off and Tuesday is definitely one.
 
We know Critchley's style involves retaining possession and pulling the opposition out of shape in order to create our opportunities but each one of those 'opportunities' takes too long to set up. And retaining possession in that manner when you're a goal down just eats up time. Time that should be used to put pressure on your opponents. It was Oxford, not us who were dictating the play in the first half. OK, they were at home and they're a good passing team. But we showed that when we eventually got motoring, we can unsettle teams. That pressure needs to be applied for more than the last 20 minutes of each match.
 
Oxford we’re happy with a point and felt we were as good as anyone they’ve played

We are getting better and they had only lost 2 and all others were wins - their first draw - we would have taken that on Fri

It’s not worth criticising every detail - if we lose on Tuesday it is !

Stick together we’re moving quietly in the right direction and momentarily we’re not tossing matches away - it was a contrast to the way we finished at Charlton

We have perfectly winnable matches coming up and I think we’re maturing as a side

Others need to start scoring !
 
It's a fine balance, we aren't going to dominate every minute of every game, especially away at some of the better teams. It should give all the players a boost, we've gone away to a decent team and created far more chances than them. On another day the ref gives a penalty or Rhodes scores 2. That being the case we'd be talking about the perfect away performance. Hopefully as fitness, understanding and confidence grows you'll see the players automatically starting more on the front foot.
 
Hazi said:
“ we want to be a team that is on the front foot and taking the game to the opposition “ Neil Critchley

As I said football is a simple game made difficult by the opposition
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So that begs the question, what have Pompy found so easy (9 wins 2 draws) against the opposition that Blackpool have found so difficult 🤔
 
Brilliant result yesterday, we are slowly finding our groove. I'm not sure the answer is to attack with wild abandon 1st half away to a team 2nd in the league and scoring for fun.

Great reactions from Rhodes, he was the only player in the box who knew where the ball was heading after that towering header from Hubby. Awesome.
 
SeasideKurt said:
If that Oxford side is the second best team in this league. We can afford to drop some of the pragmatic approaches to games and start taking the game to people.

He needs to drop a central midfielder and play Dembele.

I can’t fathom why we are so scared of every single team we are playing?

Oxford played some good stuff and probably the best I’ve seen but we have good enough players to limit them.

Let’s have a go at teams Neil. Rather than a desperate attempt at the end.
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Agreed. For all their possession in the first half, they were no real threat until we switched off and gave the lad a free run at a ball into the box.

Apparently we're the League One team with most chances in the opposition box, so we're obviously not over defensive and average 19 crosses per game, the third highest in the League, so we can do it.

Let's do it from the off and let them worry about us.
 
1966_and_all_that said:
You do insist on pointing these things out X3. Yes, there's some naivety. There's also over-confidence, pessimism, ignorance....we are a mixture of football fans. Fascinating isn't it?
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I'm not sure fascinating is the word I'd have chosen to be honest.

I don't insist on anything, I'm simply making an observation, based on what I've read on here. 👍
 
SeasideKurt said:
If that Oxford side is the second best team in this league. We can afford to drop some of the pragmatic approaches to games and start taking the game to people.

He needs to drop a central midfielder and play Dembele.
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Said right at the start of this season that this league is pretty simple. Defences aren't great and so pile the pressure on and you'll have more success than not.
 
Wizzerboy said:
Is this not what we've all been asking for since the start of the season.
They've just put back to back fantastic performances together. 🤞it's 3 after Tuesday 👍🏻
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I think Mary has shot herself in the foot with that one(had to look at blocked content).

It's plain as day why we doubted him and today was exactly what was asked in the OP.
 
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