Wednesday 6 October 2010

Can we have a 90 minute performance please?

On reflection, yesterday's 2-1 win at MK Dons was another story of two halves. Extremely poor first-half but much improved second. Lost the first but won the second. In other words, the same as at Brentford on Saturday. The same as Dagenham & Redbridge in the League. And away at Tranmere and Shrewsbury....


Perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised. Half-time tactical changes, substitutions and  rollickings all play their part, but that would all tend to suggest poor starts and better finishes and it hasn't all been that way. I also don't have Parky down as a shouter. Similarly, I remember occasions under Curbs when we wished he started games by throwing tea-cups. 


I am wondering whether it's over-caution on the managers part? We appear to try to deliberately settle into games and establish control of the match before seriously beginning to press and look for goals. In the event we score first, there is an inclination for us to take our foot off the gas and try to maintain our lead rather than extending it. Conversely, if we go down, it's often a case of looking like we try to steady the ship and look to gain control before we necessarily push forward again with any urgency. All very cautious.


Other than that, maybe it's a form of arrogance from some of our players who believe they are better than most of the sides we play and that either "it will come" or that having established a lead, we are good enough to hold on.


I'm settling on a combination of these and if Phil Parkinson was more adventurous in the way the side was sent out, we might find the arrogance of some of the players would be enough to win us more games?


Am I alone in hoping McCormack is available again soon, as we look short of ideas in the middle and there is no Plan B during games? Semedo is shouldering the majority of the workload and it's getting him into trouble most weeks. His booking yesterday could have been a straight red and he was fortunate not to pick up a second soft yellow after that.


Some consistency in our wing-play would also be a major bonus. Waggy may have netted his fifth of the season but he hardly had a touch before and he was anonymous in the last home game. In the circumstances, the midfield has a good bit to answer for the lack of goals from our strikers this season. I am also coming to the conclusion that Lee Martin has flattered to deceive and we should have a run with Abbott and Benson with Sodje coming on for the final 15 minutes.


Whilst I am sorting the side out, the Fortune-Dailly combination looks worth a prolonged go as nothing else we've tried so far looks solid enough. Oh, and the boo-boys are obviously getting to Simon Francis. His first-half yesterday was dire by all accounts, but I thought he improved with the rest of the side in the second and made a couple of key tackles at 1-1 to avert real danger.


All-in-all, we look desperate for a full 90 minute performance and a game we can win by two goals at least whilst keeping a clean sheet. Is it too much to ask for?

3 comments:

  1. Have to agree with you about Lee Martin. Quite what Parky sees in him to pick him for a start every game, eludes me.

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  2. Trying to rationale our inconsistency will send you round the bend, Dave, but you put some interesting points of view across.

    My view is that actually the inconsistency found across the entire league adds to the overall problem we face. Let me explain...

    You've sent a scout to a game of an up-and-coming opponent and you receive a report saying, for example, 'a decent ball-playing side who press from the outset and tackle hard'. Then you face them on the Saturday afternoon and because this is League One with League One players they can't replicate the good performance noted by your scout and next thing you know they're hoofing the ball up-field and sitting behind the ball, totally throwing your game plan. By the time you've adapted to suit your 1-0 down (or worse!). If I dare to compare with the Premiership, you know 100% what you will get week-in week-out from Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal et al.

    There are so many examples within this division this season of teams winning one week and loosing the next. Take Huddersfield, for example: they were top a couple of weeks back and now lay in 11th place!

    Not sure what my conclusion is, however!!!!!!

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  3. Hungry Ted - if that wre the case, why bother employing scouts? If the opposition is both so variable and so inconsistent, that should make Parky's decisions easier. He just has to send his team out to play their own game and adapt his plan as he goes. Thequestion then is what game are they being sent out to play. At the moment it's over-cautious and, in view, far too conservative. If we are better than this division we should be going out all guns blazing.

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