Accrington Web - Early Cobblers' thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakermaker (Post 1101471)

The flat, lifeless performace from the players can be excused after two long distance away trips andthe relentless fixtures of March.
What must be addressed however is any hint of "we've already achieved safety" in the camp. We could be dragged back into the mire and now is not the time to switch off mentally even if the legs are struggling.
I was disappointed by Beattie's lack of game management; no tactical switches to match Northampton's extra man in midfield (which would have helped the leggy Joyce & Murphy no end) and no subs until ten minutes from time when the game was over.
There's a great virtue in having faith in a team and sticking by them but sometimes tough decisions have to be made. I would have taken off Joyce, Hatfield and Odejayi not long after half time and brought on Windass, Mingoia and Webber. We could have matched their narrow shape and made chances with our quality through the middle - our crosses were abysmal all afternoon.
Hopefully changing a dying game is the next module in JB's football BTEC!

I agree Shaker..... add to that the poor performance of the referee and a clever abilty to exploit the rules in light of the ref's weakness by he Cobblers and it became almost impossible to get a anything out of the game. They were a big and rough/tough side but also played good football too. Odejayi has come in for a bit of stick, but in virtually every attempt that he made to head the ball he was being held down or pushed in the back by one or other of the two opposing centre backs. (Specsavers for the Ref and liners?... yes indeed!)
Having said that, I agree that on the field our boys failed to change the tactics to try to "get round" the problem. We needed to get the ball down on the deck, instead of the "Route One" stuff that we were constantly playing. We should have been trying to get behind their full backs with our wingers who could then pull the ball back to the penalty spot, thus taking "The Duke" out of the situations created. The Duke caught every ball hit too long, ( too many!) and nearly every cross and corner kick. Our dead ball kicking has not been good enough in recent matches, not just on Saturday. We need to resurrect the clever "Corner routine" used so effectively up to a couple of seasons ago. This would have been a variation to the hit and hope corners of Saturday! Also JB should have tried the subs earlier in order to effect a change in tactics.
Playing 4 - 4 - 2 with Big K and Gray up top allowed them to over run us in midfiled, where I agree that Joyce and Murphy were out run, out passed and out muscled.
Anyway, JB and the team will reflect on this and I am sure they will be up for the matches over Easter.
ON STANLEY ON:)