the big boot forward

[accybeme]

Why does Stanley persist with the big boot forward style of football surely the team has not the height to play this kind of game?

[Alvin the chipmunk]

Stanley have always played some of the more attractive football in the league, or at least tried to where personnel allows. However with injuries, suspensions etc crippling the squad...we don't really have a midfield to play through at the moment so slick football is a no go.

However I'm probably in the minority of 1 but I think too much emphasis is placed on entertaining football these days. Sure its lovely to watch but I don't care if Stanley kick lumps out of teams as long as we win. After all that's why we play the game.

Luckily though in the years SCM (Since Coleman the Messiah) we've been able to mostly have the best of both worlds.

[lancsdave]

Originally Posted by Alvin the chipmunk

Stanley have always played some of the more attractive football in the league, or at least tried to where personnel allows. However with injuries, suspensions etc crippling the squad...we don't really have a midfield to play through at the moment so slick football is a no go.

However I'm probably in the minority of 1 but I think too much emphasis is placed on entertaining football these days. Sure its lovely to watch but I don't care if Stanley kick lumps out of teams as long as we win. After all that's why we play the game.

Luckily though in the years SCM (Since Coleman the Messiah) we've been able to mostly have the best of both worlds.

If I recall rightly Cooky said at the forum last week he needs to find the right balance of players next season where they can play both types of game.

Win at all costs Alvin ? You sound like Westley or Boothroyd

[maccawozzagod]

we played some lovely entertaining football under Leighton James ....

[cmonstanley]

lol he was entertaining on the touchline

[Alvin the chipmunk]

I would much rather battle to a scrappy 1-0 win this Saturday then pass our way to an entertaining 5-4 defeat.

[Pendle Red]

I have no problem with the big boot forward at the moment given how far the team is stretched with injuries and suspension so long as it sticks but if it is going to come straight back it does sort of defeat the object?

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Pendle Red

I have no problem with the big boot forward at the moment given how far the team is stretched with injuries and suspension so long as it sticks but if it is going to come straight back it does sort of defeat the object?

Sums it up fer me, Thought against the Wombles though we won about 40% of em? which aint that bad wi the size of them lads.

[accybeme]

Originally Posted by cashman

Sums it up fer me, Thought against the Wombles though we won about 40% of em? which aint that bad wi the size of them lads.

Cashman
Looks like we have achieved the important job of acquiring enough points for our league survival.
But did we really win 40% of those long balls piled forward against those imposing sized Wombles?
Watching that game it seemed more like 10% although Padraig does get up extremely well for his height

[cashman]

Originally Posted by accybeme

Cashman
Looks like we have achieved the important job of acquiring enough points for our league survival.
But did we really win 40% of those long balls piled forward against those imposing sized Wombles?
Watching that game it seemed more like 10% although Padraig does get up extremely well for his height

Whatever percentage we won is debatable, with our present circumstances i'm happy to go wi whatever is decided upon, i can recall Coley a few seasons back playing a very similar game when he wished,yet some seem to regard him as a god.

[carpon]

Originally Posted by cashman

with our present circumstances i'm happy to go wi whatever is decided upon...

I agree with Cashy (and others) ...given our current injury / casualty list....it's not fair to judge things at the moment!!!!

I feel that it's only fair that we can only judge Cooky and his squad ( and the style of football that squad plays ) after about 15 games of next season. Given that Cooky will have the rest of this season, the summer (and all the potential ins and outs ) and a good portion of the start of next season, then, and only then.... will it be fair to judge.

I have to say, up until last Saturday ( against the Wombles ) due to ill health, I hadn't been to a home game since the Dagenham game (26th November of last year....due to having a minor heart attack in early December).. So I've obviously refrained from commenting on performances due to not actually seeing the boys in action.

That said, on the evidence I saw last Saturday, whilst the long ball may have been used a couple of times against the Wombles, all I saw was none too different from the "Coley era" ....whereas when plan A ( nice passing football, of which I saw quite a bit of last Saturday ) doesn't work, we resort to plan B ( Long ball ).

I'd go along with what's been said by others....It would be nice to outplay the rest of league Two, passing them off the park with football that would not look out of place at a higher level, but successful sides sometimes have to resort to winning "ugly", which means sometimes using the direct approach !!!

At the end of the day we got a result last Saturday....but what I was impressed with was the "work rate" of all the boys in red. Having listened to Cooky's interviews, I saw the " never give up " attitude that he's mentioned in numerous interviews. Given time, with the right personnel ( and to some extent backing ) at his disposal, I think Cooky will lead us to the next level

I'd like to see Cooky throw some of these promising young lads from the youth system into the mix these last six games ( I was impressed with the young ginger lad...Hopper ??? who reminded me of a young Paul Scholes as far as work rate goes) .I keep reading such great reports of who and what's playing in the Youth team. Whilst we've nowt to play for this season...lets blood a few of these kids....

I've said it on another thread....let's give big Kurtis a run...give the lad a fair crack of the whip. I think he needs a bit of filling out and a bit more "physical" presence, but what bits I've seen of him he's obviously got potential....hence why Coley saw fit to sign him up !!!

I like what I've seen of Hatfield....glad Cooky is looking at getting him signed up for next term....and I'd have to say i was very impressed with Craig Lindfield at fullback last Saturday....he looked fairly adept and comfortable in that role and I think we may have just found another reason for keeping Craig on the books.

All in all....plenty of reasons to "keep believing" and look forward to next season !!

[Pendle Red]

Good post Carpon & glad to hear your on the mend