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Further to my analysis of our rivals, come some tactical appreciations. We have the capacity to provide a serious goal threat for 90 plus minutes against every NL team, including all those considered to be potential champions and playoff contenders and by serious goal threat I mean 3 or 4 goals. By the same token, our defence has the potential to leak 3 or 4 goals against these sides. On the whole defensively we are slow and vulnerable to balls over the top of our center backs and to pacey wing play. Often conceding at the back stick from the cross with no full back in sight. To me this is because Denton and Starbuck don’t appear to recognise the danger down the wing on the opposite side, when they are tracking back. Whilst Barrows does see the danger, he is not fast enough to get back to challenge effectively. JB can lose his concentration at times as well. Thus, I would play Ogle or Rose at Right Back and Horton at Left Back because these players defend the back stick better. I think, if they are fit our Captain and Vice captain will be the first choice CB’s.
Against, the better teams, two defensive midfielders would prevent us being stretched. Richards, Rowley and Rose could do this job, and the third midfielder must be attack minded. Alfie Beestin for me and Butterfield if the ball needs spraying around. Otherwise Gayle, but I think Brennan and Smith could fit in here. The wide players for me would be Luke Brennan and Pat Jones, although I think there is a role on the right for Dec Howe, and Hurst could step up. Smith looked good on the left pre season. Whitehall, seems nailed on for every game , so I’m delighted that Hugh Parker will be coming in to challenge him, because sometimes again, his concentration levels drop. In my opinion, the midfield and defence are geared to get the ball quickly to our explosive players, and that is what makes us a massive threat, to every NL defence. If we can press our opponents, keep our concentration at the back and get the ball forward quickly to our explosive players we will have a very good season. And these are our controllables. Shit Refs, opposition GK’s having a worldy and us missing sitters are not, if we don’t go up automatically we don’t want it to be a controllable ( like leaking goals in the last 10 mins) that stops us!1 user thanked author for this post.
All my posts this summer have been to do with the iron. For the past couple of days, I’ve been looking at what our rivals have been doing over the close season and how my take matches that of the bookmakers and chat GP. At the end of my deliberations, I don’t think there is any one team in this league that will match the achievements of York or Rochdale. I think the league is more open and I suspect 97 points will be enough to win it probably with half a dozen defeats. 95 will secure 2nd place and 92 the third. Other play off spaces will go to teams in the high 80’s. Who are those teams? Well, I don’t think it’s Carlisle or Southend for the top spot. Money talked last year , and it will this year so Borehamwood and FGR have the owners with the cash do I’ll go for them as 1 and 2, but which way round, I don’t know. I can’t see Barrow or Harrogate challenging for the top spots , but they will challenge for a play off space. From those coming up Fylde’s points and goal scoring record in the NLN will stand them in good stead and they will challenge for a play off spot, Worthing may. Kiddy and Hornchurch will do well to stay out of the bottom 4. I see ourselves, Carlisle , Hartlepool, Halifax and Yeovil will be in the mix for 3rd place and the other play off places. Solihull or Tamworth may well be in that mix, depending who recruits the best loanees from their League neighbours. We may well find that the top 12 all have 75 points plus and the play off places only decided on the last day. The bottom 4( or perhaps 6) may well take some thumping this season and 46 points may well secure survival . We may well have a good idea where we might finish by the end of August, by the end of the first weekend of October we will have a very good idea, having played 8 of the forecast challengers in the first 12 matches!
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After the Chesterfield game, Andy Butler has a lot of thinking to do as to his starting Squad , let alone starting XI! IMHO I think only Callum Howe, Whitehall, Evan’s and Rowley are nailed on starters, probably Pat Jones as well. The other spots are all up for grabs and will depend very much on who suits his formation. I pray it’s not 5 at the back. I’ve seen no evidence so far of decent wing back play!
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Easy:
Play 442 = win
Play 433 = win or draw
Play 532 = lose
Play 541 = lose heavilyAs Butler likes to switch it about in a game
5 at the Back for longer than last 10 mins when we are 2 goals up, draw or loseI’m going to keep stats on these formations/results this season.
I think the problem was the starting XI. I would expect only Howe and Ogle to be in the Starting XI v Yeovil. Three Triallists played, and it again looked to be 5 at the back. It is difficult to assess these friendlies. No one should be putting their body on the line in case they collect an injury that makes them unavailable for league matches. That said, those playing should be putting enough of a shift in to challenge for a place in the starting day squad, and a number did not do that today. We move on to the next one and at some stage, the starting XI will be very close to the one for the Yeovil game. I still feel we have a stronger squad than last year. Whether it is strong enough to win 100 points plus next season is a moot point.
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World cups and European Nations championships provide an opportunity for smaller teams to learn from the maestros. What we learned from tonight’s England performance is that setting up defensively, snatching a goal and then getting even more defensive doesn’t work. This tactic of attempting to nullify your opponents play, while having no clear attacking strategy of your own is doomed to fail. I hope AB thinks about this when considering the merits of 5 at the back at Southend, Eastleigh and Carlisle!
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As I don’t buy replica shirts, I am not too pernicketty about the design. The club colours are claret and light blue and this Home shirt that contains both these colours I’m happy with. As for the logos, well they generate cash from sponsors, which for me is better than some of the schemes the club has come up with to remove money from my wallet!
We will know how good this squad is by the end of August given we face Carlisle and Southend away. I think we will be able to make some very accurate predictions on where we will finish based on the first 5 games!
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I agree with MK Iron that the squad is stronger, but the first 11 weaker, due to the absence of Roberts. However, I’m hopeful that we have the experience and the subs to be able to close out games when we are in front!
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There is an order to things at SUFC
1. The announcement of the retained list.
2. The announcement of out of contract players signing elsewhere
3. The announcement of a draft pre season friendly programme
4. The announcement of a marque signing/re signings of OOC players
5. The announcement of a finalised preseason programme
6. Players reporting back for training
4/5/6 may be interchangeable
7. The appearance of triallists ABCDEFGHI and J in said pre season games
8. Start of Season
9. The announcement of Triallists ABC and D signing 1 year “bench warmer” terms
10. The announcement of season long loans for players you have probably never heard of.
We are only currently of step 2 of the process!1 user thanked author for this post.
I think both Ewing and Roberts will leave, and personally While I would offer Westbrooke a contract, I wouldn’t get into a bidding war for him. Myself, I feel that the key to our success next season is playing Howe and Whitehead together as a 2 up top. This will involve us either going to a 2 in midfield , with 4 at the back or a 5 in midfield with 3 at the back. With the latter ( which we know is a Butler favorite) we will need to find a couple of Center backs and a midfielder who can ping a pass. The fact that we need a Goalkeeper has been obvious all season! These 4 players must be permanent signings, not loanees! UTI
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The 2 things required to win the play offs are form and confidence. We have neither, Southend are the team with those at the moment and it’s them we need to avoid in the quarters or semis. If that means finishing 6th or 7th then I’m happy with that. Currently, it’s Borehamwood vs Southend and my money would be on Southend! I wouldn’t mind FGR or Borehamwood home or away.
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I think you got the match 18 right IFA, I don’t think Beestin Howe or Evan’s will start. Thinking radically ( something AB is resistant to) I would start with Howe rather than Whitehall and look to get as many balls through or over their defenders as possible or round the fullbacks and low into the box. Would have the element of surprise and would suit Dec. It would mean starting Evans and Boyce to add back the height at set pieces from not playing Whitehall. JB and Horton for me as full backs. Obviously Cal Roberts and Pat Jones out wide and I’d start with Rowley, Ewing and Westbrooke in midfield. Definitely would bring on Whitehall, Beestin and Dausch second half to pose questions of the Halifax midfield and defence. That said, I think another 2-2 draw on the cards!
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The “ Jones Factor” applies to both Jones, players brought in this season that have improved the squad. What I’m asking the Forum is “What other gems lurk in the NL or NLN/S that we could afford to sign and would improve our team?”. I agree that we probably need to sign 7 or so players for the overhaul. One of them could be Westbrooke, as he is out of contract at Donny this summer. Here is your chance to Name those players for other clubs who you have seen and thought,”they could do a great job for us” I hope to see a lot of defenders among your nominations!
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