We must remember that most of the players who ply their trade in the NLN are not playing higher up the football pyramid for a reason, and it isn’t the cash in NLN. Players at this level of the football ecosystem are prone to making mistakes and, are likely not too familiar with playing what might be for them, complicated formations and tactics.
The result of this means that players can and do attempt to lift their performances up to meet the demands of the system, however, as is the way with all humans, when under pressure they resort to type. This explains why players can go from looking comfortable with a formation, to suddenly struggling to string three passes together.
At the start of the season most teams hadn’t worked out how to play against us. After a few weeks and a few injuries to key players, the opposition have managed to find ways to put the team under pressure and we are seeing in real time, the players switching to type.
A poor manager will keep on pressing ahead with a system that isn’t working for the players he has available. A great manager will find a system that works with the players he has available. Unfortunately for us, it seems that Butler is currently committed to playing the system that clearly is not working.
