The system is wrong for the players BLT.
First thing to notice is 10 of the 11 were playing in their “career” positions at York. Howe having to make a slight adjustment – am told he’s more used to playing off a centre forward.
Second thing is young goalkeeper who the team had barely met came in and did his work with absolute confidence which settles a defence when the pressure is on.
On Monday none of the back 5 were playing in their positions. OK Evans was centre back but he has played most of his career in a 4. Ironically he could probably do well in a 5 that knows what they are doing because he can actually pass the ball forward fairly competently unlike our other defenders.
The midfield is also a concern. They don’t seem to know where they are supposed to be playing. I certainly couldn’t tell.
Is Richards supposed to have taken Rowleys holding role while Rowley goes back to playing box to box?
There were times both were holding and times when neither was. Didn’t matter because neither got in more than a couple of tackles. When Butterfield is your most combative midfielder then something is badly wrong.
Final word on the goalkeeper situation. I know Mahady made a couple of poor mistakes later on and got dropped but for me he was streets ahead of our other 3 keepers last season 2 of whom are still here while Watson is letting opposition goalkeepers score against him for Harrogate.
