Critch's presser.

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We played a back 3 in the 2nd half.
Didn't spot that.
So Critch must spend all his time on the messageboard.
1. Started with CJ on the left.
2. Started Kaikai.
3. Swapped CJ and Sully mid match.
4. Changed formation mid-match.
All those tactics are presumably based on advice given by posters (I think we got No.1 wrong but we are only apprentices).
So guys what advice can we offer for Tues? "62" and "Kurt" excluded.
 
It would be nice to see the team, A) pass to a bloke in tangerine B) stop fouling when they don't need to and C) deliverying some quality in the final third. Apart from that, thanks for the win Mr C
 
Get the basics right, and I mean that in a sincere way, and the rest will come.
Too many poor decisions, misplaced passes and poor control all over the pitch.

Oh, and create more overlaps and release the ball much earlier to the front 3.

Piece of piss this.
 
It was an error to play AJ on the left for the full 1st half. He looked lost and struggled to adapt. I'm all for this if it's necessary during a second half for example but the experiment was clearly not working after 15/20 mins. We looked far more balanced 2nd half with him back in his position.
 
BlackpoolsFinest said:
Get the basics right, and I mean that in a sincere way, and the rest will come.
Too many poor decisions, misplaced passes and poor control all over the pitch.

Oh, and create more overlaps and release the ball much earlier to the front 3.

Piece of piss this.
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The front 3 will murder teams with pace if played in quicker. We too often play in front of teams, allowing them to set.
 
I didn’t spot the 3, but then Williams was that deep it looked like 5 at times.

Big gaps again in the midfield, we need to push the defence up and try to create some pressure.

Robson was a miss today.

I’ll say again Kaikai needs to be central, in behind Yates.

Liked the way Kemp chased down and created some energy.

Overall, I’d say our worst performance yet, but 3 points against an awful MK Dons. How NC thinks they play terrific football is beyond me.

Let’s hope it creates some confidence.
 
Wizaard said:
The front 3 will murder teams with pace if played in quicker. We too often play in front of teams, allowing them to set.
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This is right, but I’d only say that we’re still hampered here by playing 433. I know that lets us have 3 players up top but my point is, we really only have 2 players on any one match day squad that could feed the forward 3. Basically the two midfielders allowed to go forward by Williams or whoever’s sitting.

So far they’ve not been much cop, but structurally they constantly seem to be over run in midfield, both defensively and offensively.

With the pure pace we have on the squad we could basically have 4 attackers to target if we went 442 ( the 2 strikers CJ and Yates? and maybe something like Mitchell and Ward out wide?) whilst this would still leave us with 2 in the middle providing the thrust I think it would help us control the ball and transition in a smoother way.

Sorry not a go at you Wiz I’ve just rambled on abit in reply, but 443 is just showing absolutely no signs of working to me.
 
Take the win and move on. It's a massive learning curve for coaching staff and ALL the playing staff. Most of them have some talent but are developing in the cut and thrust of League One. It's not the scenario we all envisaged but we will get better. Small acorns and all that shit.
 
Rektseasider said:
This is right, but I’d only say that we’re still hampered here by playing 433. I know that lets us have 3 players up top but my point is, we really only have 2 players on any one match day squad that could feed the forward 3. Basically the two midfielders allowed to go forward by Williams or whoever’s sitting.

So far they’ve not been much cop, but structurally they constantly seem to be over run in midfield, both defensively and offensively.

With the pure pace we have on the squad we could basically have 4 attackers to target if we went 442 ( the 2 strikers CJ and Yates? and maybe something like Mitchell and Ward out wide?) whilst this would still leave us with 2 in the middle providing the thrust I think it would help us control the ball and transition in a smoother way.

Sorry not a go at you Wiz I’ve just rambled on abit in reply, but 443 is just showing absolutely no signs of working to me.
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No problem. I've said we should try a back 3 anyway.
 
clappers said:
Bang on ... that’s where your most creative player should be.
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Agree but I'm not sure it's Yates who he should be behind. Thought Yates was shocking today. A centre forward scared to get into positions in the box. I know and I've said it enough times that our putting balls into the box has been awful all season but I still see very little movement from Yates trying to anticipate where it might go. As a man playing down the middle, I think his confidence is shot. It looks to me as if he's avoiding doing what should be natural to a striker. I hate to be too harsh on him as I'm sure there's a player in there somewhere but for me it's not down the middle.. He needs a goal desperately but at the mo, I'm not convinced he's worth his place in the team. How long can you continue to play a player who seems very low on confidence?
 
I agree 20s. One place he certainly isn’t moving is anywhere near a near post for an incoming ball. Time out for Yates I think and the only reason he is being played is because we paid money for him and coach doesn’t want to look like money has been thrown I reckon.
 
clappers said:
I agree 20s. One place he certainly isn’t moving is anywhere near a near post for an incoming ball. Time out for Yates I think and the only reason he is being played is because we paid money for him and coach doesn’t want to look like money has been thrown I reckon.
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I wrote about that today, three times he just didn't attack a ball in. He's on his heels in the box at the far post every time. We're crossing to a static target.
 
20togo said:
Agree but I'm not sure it's Yates who he should be behind. Thought Yates was shocking today. A centre forward scared to get into positions in the box. I know and I've said it enough times that our putting balls into the box has been awful all season but I still see very little movement from Yates trying to anticipate where it might go. As a man playing down the middle, I think his confidence is shot. It looks to me as if he's avoiding doing what should be natural to a striker. I hate to be too harsh on him as I'm sure there's a player in there somewhere but for me it's not down the middle.. He needs a goal desperately but at the mo, I'm not convinced he's worth his place in the team. How long can you continue to play a player who seems very low on confidence?
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He’s the only forward we have that can fit with way we want to play. I’d like him to have a few games with Kaika behind, as I think he will score, but also help us build and create.

Watch his goals for Swindon, clever movement and great finishing, but had good service.
 
TimperleyTangerine said:
He’s the only forward we have that can fit with way we want to play. I’d like him to have a few games with Kaika behind, as I think he will score, but also help us build and create.
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In pre season him and Keshi linked really well. That's just not happened at all when we've played the real stuff. Maybe Sullay could be an answer.

I agree that it's a large part about his confidence. He just looks shot and it doesn't help when you're working on a chance every game and a half.
 
20togo said:
Agree but I'm not sure it's Yates who he should be behind. Thought Yates was shocking today. A centre forward scared to get into positions in the box. I know and I've said it enough times that our putting balls into the box has been awful all season but I still see very little movement from Yates trying to anticipate where it might go. As a man playing down the middle, I think his confidence is shot. It looks to me as if he's avoiding doing what should be natural to a striker. I hate to be too harsh on him as I'm sure there's a player in there somewhere but for me it's not down the middle.. He needs a goal desperately but at the mo, I'm not convinced he's worth his place in the team. How long can you continue to play a player who seems very low on confidence?
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That's true but everybody's confidence is shot at the moment. The only way to get that back is to start keeping clean sheets and start winning games like we did today. Turton's distribution in the second half was dreadful but entirely understandable as we just want to keep the ball away from our area.
There are no short cuts to this. A clean sheet is essential on Tuesday then we gradually expand our game to the point it was at the start of the season. If we do that and Yates is still not scoring then we can look to change. A confident Kaikai and Hamilton will put those first half crosses on a plate for Yates and he'll just knock them in.
 
20togo said:
Agree but I'm not sure it's Yates who he should be behind. Thought Yates was shocking today. A centre forward scared to get into positions in the box. I know and I've said it enough times that our putting balls into the box has been awful all season but I still see very little movement from Yates trying to anticipate where it might go. As a man playing down the middle, I think his confidence is shot. It looks to me as if he's avoiding doing what should be natural to a striker. I hate to be too harsh on him as I'm sure there's a player in there somewhere but for me it's not down the middle.. He needs a goal desperately but at the mo, I'm not convinced he's worth his place in the team. How long can you continue to play a player who seems very low on confidence?
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I can't weigh up Yates. I am definitely disappointed so far with him because we brought him in as a striker and he doesn't strike.
BUT he does play with a lot of energy (probably somewhat ms-directed) and I think he gets in his team mates faces a bit if they don't put the effort in.
My nickname for him is "unlucky" but good players make their own luck and he's struggling to fall into the "good" category at the moment.
Far from a lost cause though. In fact I'd go as far as to say that when the team's luck changes so will Gerry's.
 
Kip said:
That's true but everybody's confidence is shot at the moment. The only way to get that back is to start keeping clean sheets and start winning games like we did today. Turton's distribution in the second half was dreadful but entirely understandable as we just want to keep the ball away from our area.
There are no short cuts to this. A clean sheet is essential on Tuesday then we gradually expand our game to the point it was at the start of the season. If we do that and Yates is still not scoring then we can look to change. A confident Kaikai and Hamilton will put those first half crosses on a plate for Yates and he'll just knock them in.
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👍
Yep said that. The 1-0 win was much more important than playing well. I don't mind if we play crap on tuesday as long as we win and a -0 win will be as good as any. Climbing the table will ease the pressure and the players can be more relaxed. That should bring better individual and team performances. ,
 
I'm going to be devil's advocate.

It seems the more we play and the deeper we get into the season and the more players we sign, the more we just look like a generic mediocre league one side and the further we get from that slick and seemingly very well drilled outfit in preseason/first couple of games that had an identity. I know preseason is illusory and we've definitely tightened up, yes, but seemingly at the cost of any sort of adventure.

I'd guess you're right, we need to grind it out but fuck me, it was turgid and it's a lot of money to invest to basically be worse than we were under Larry for the first part of the year then Dunn after Larry lost the plot.

I really hope it can only get better! It's not like me to post like this but I can't think of many games we've won that I've enjoyed less. That's probably partly down to it being on telly I guess but it wasn't satisfying. It was like weve ground out three games and this time we won whereas the others we've lost and drawn.

Perhaps that's credit to Critchley for sacrificing principles in place of pragmatism but then I wonder if the whole point of Critchley is the principles and if they've already gone, what are you left with.

Can't make my mind up if it was progress or an awful game we happened to win.

Fuck it, champions league 2023 here we come.
 
TimperleyTangerine said:
I didn’t spot the 3, but then Williams was that deep it looked like 5 at times.

Big gaps again in the midfield, we need to push the defence up and try to create some pressure.

Robson was a miss today.

I’ll say again Kaikai needs to be central, in behind Yates.

Liked the way Kemp chased down and created some energy.

Overall, I’d say our worst performance yet, but 3 points against an awful MK Dons. How NC thinks they play terrific football is beyond me.

Let’s hope it creates some confidence.
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Didn’t he say they were the best team he’d seen ?
Really 😳
 
I said last week we need a back 5 including wing backs so that means no Turton. I would play CJ just behind Madine and then a midfield 3 of Robson, Woodburn and Kaikai, The problem with a back 5 is that it means certain players will miss out as we don't have 3 up front.

I would rest Yates, he doesn't look like a central forward to me neither does he look like a wide player so for all his effort and running he doesn't seem to offer that much. I would also like to get Kemp into that 11 if I could but can't see where the same for Virtue when he returns plus it means there are no places for Williams, Grant or Dougall, so that's 5 decent players plus you can add Garbutt to that when he returns from injury. I guess it means we can put fresh legs on easily or sapthe starting XI around to keep players fresh.

Edit to add I forgot about Sarkic & Anderson, add in Yates & Luballa that's 10 players and no Turton or Husband or Thorniley.Again I would probably prefer Kaikai behind Madine but then you haven't got a place for CJ, so it's difficult.
 
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hertfordseasider said:
I said last week we need a back 5 including wing backs so that means no Turton. I would play CJ just behind Madine and then a midfield 3 of Robson, Woodburn and Kaikai, The problem with a back 5 is that it means certain players will miss out as we don't have 3 up front.

I would rest Yates, he doesn't look like a central forward to me neither does he look like a wide player so for all his effort and running he doesn't seem to offer that much. I would also like to get Kemp into that 11 if I could but can't see where the same for Virtue when he returns plus it means there are no places for Williams, Grant or Dougall, so that's 5 decent players plus you can add Garbutt to that when he returns from injury. I guess it means we can put fresh legs on easily or sapthe starting XI around to keep players fresh.

Edit to add I forgot about Sarkic & Anderson, add in Yates & Luballa that's 10 players and no Turton or Husband or Thorniley.Again I would probably prefer Kaikai behind Madine but then you haven't got a place for CJ, so it's difficult.
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I think if he was more proactive with subs the problems with fitting players in wouldn't seem so big. Yes, you might leave out Sullay or CJ or Kemp or Yates or whoever on any given day but if it's not working, stick them on.

Ollie did that well with his second decent team, I swear we used to leave out one of LuaLua or Ince or Matty Phillips every other week but he'd chuck them in if he needed to. Might be wrong, but it felt like we had loads of good players and he'd use them all somewhen.
 
Bring Back Standing said:
If he did, I missed it in his interview.
Think that was a mischievous myth posted by someone on the post-match podcast.
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Agreed, I’m slowly loosing confidence in him but that wasn’t what he said at all.

Basically said they’re a good team with a good system, which is tough to play against.

When you’re clinging to any positive he can’t come out and say the only reason we won was because they were crap. He has to big it up slightly.
 
20togo said:
Agree but I'm not sure it's Yates who he should be behind. Thought Yates was shocking today. A centre forward scared to get into positions in the box. I know and I've said it enough times that our putting balls into the box has been awful all season but I still see very little movement from Yates trying to anticipate where it might go. As a man playing down the middle, I think his confidence is shot. It looks to me as if he's avoiding doing what should be natural to a striker. I hate to be too harsh on him as I'm sure there's a player in there somewhere but for me it's not down the middle.. He needs a goal desperately but at the mo, I'm not convinced he's worth his place in the team. How long can you continue to play a player who seems very low on confidence?
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Agree about Yates he looked out on his feet at times and there were at least two occasions where he lacked a strikers instinct of either making a near post run or trying a shot. In his defence in the first half he was doing all the closing down with CJ having his "twisted sock" and Kai Kai feeling his way back after injury.

Madine will probably come back into the team on Tuesday and Kemp earned a start with his cameo appearance. It's time to give Hamilton a rest and save him as an impact sub if needed. I would like to see Woodburn on the left, Kemp on the right and Kai Kai feeding off Madine.
 
Bring Back Standing said:
If he did, I missed it in his interview.
Think that was a mischievous myth posted by someone on the post-match podcast.
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From Scrafton's post-match interview:
“I thought it was a deserved three points, I thought we were excellent - particularly defensively,” Critchley said.
“They’re an excellent football team. We’ve watched a lot of their games this season and in terms of the way they play and their style of play, they’re the best team I’ve seen.
 
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