Chesterfield reaction

[Red Light]

On reflection it was so, so frustrating to concede so late in the game.
It is right that we are so critical of aspects of our play - after all we seek perfection, to win every game and be top of the league.
But, if we hadn't conceded that late goal we would be top of the league and all gone home absolutely glowing and Tuesday night couldn't come quick enough.
We are still up there - lets see what response we get in our next two home games.

[dimps1]

I know it's only Sunday football but on defending corners we all used to line up in our box and when the opposition put the ball down for a corner ,two off us would leg it towards the centre spot flat out .
Used to sent the opponents into all sorts of panic ,you would sometimes have three or four running after you .
On the other hand they could have just stayed there and battered us .

[steve]

Originally Posted by Foxy

I think he needs to occasionally change formation in games. He makes frequent changes of personnel, often effective, but sometimes needs to go to 442 to give us a bit more in midfield (ball retention) and move a wide striker closer to the central striker to enable the man up top to have support and retain more. That should have happened on Saturday instead of just changing Fondop and Pike for Beavon and Holroyd.

Agree with this, our strikers are often miles apart and think Fondop would benefit a lot with someone like Beavon playing just off him

[benwilliams]

What I would say to slightly offset my praise for Ricketts and the team in light of what I think has been some unfair criticism since Chesterfield is that I think rotating the strikers so regularly is impeding any flow or partnerships being built up. Ricketts has said it's not a rotation policy per se more a "horses for courses" tactic based on our opposition but I think if we played, say, Fondop, Beavon and Maguire-drew for 3 or 4 games in a row to give them chance to build something that may work better. That's where having too many options can be a little counter productive as it makes you prone to too much tinkering
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[dixienormous]

Originally Posted by noisy1

We need someone who is good enough now, not in three years time.

Agree here. This 'raw' bollocks basically means, he's generally shite but shows glimpses of a fairly decent striker sometimes. If it's between us, Orient, Fylde and Salford for the title, we'll finish fourth if we don't find that quality, the other three already have it.

[Red Light]

Originally Posted by benwilliams

What I would say to slightly offset my praise for Ricketts and the team in light of what I think has been some unfair criticism since Chesterfield is that I think rotating the strikers so regularly is impeding any flow or partnerships being built up. Ricketts has said it's not a rotation policy per se more a "horses for courses" tactic based on our opposition but I think if we played, say, Fondop, Beavon and Maguire-drew for 3 or 4 games in a row to give them chance to build something that may work better. That's where having too many options can be a little counter productive as it makes you prone to too much tinkering
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You may well be right - however that would leave out Pyke who seems to have a bit more about him.

Trouble is none of them seem to be able to do it for 90 minute (add Holroyd).

Who do you start with ? if we start with X, Y and Z then who can we bring on late second half to make a game changing impact ?

They all seem to have short very good spells like Fondop when he came on v Harrogate in the Cup and changed the game but none of them seem to have the ability to do it for 90 minutes game after game that would suggest a title winning team. Similar to last season you wonder where our next goal is coming from and other than a 45 minute purple patch v Ebbsfleet where we looked like something magical had been sprinkled on the breakfast porridge our dispays have not been spectacular.

I have long had the belief that to succeed a team needs TWO strikers who can regularly score - relying on just one (it seems to be Fondop) puts too much pressure on him - 2 fast forwards down the middle with pace, the ability to take people on and shoot at will with some combined height and power would set us apart - Holroyd I thought could be one of those players but he seems to have totally lost his way from mid last season - Pyke looks probably our best option but was being pulled back at least 5 times at Chesterfield - something is not clicking up front and we have not found a consistent balance so far.

[John Neals Dynasty]

When we had the 98 point team we had good forwards, finding one in January without expecting to have to pay good money is more wishful thinking unless we can get a good player in on loan someone maybe needing games after another injury from a league side, but we have to trust Ricketts can pull a good signing off.
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[Red Light]

The 98 point team usually had Pogba and Cheesy on the bench - they would come on mid - late second half sometimes together and often have an impact where goals would be scored.

We don't seem to have goalscorers - similar to last season - when you look at the goals scored column we are behind the other top promotion candidates - similar to last season the goals conceded column is good but it's not a lot of good if you can keep them out one end but no put them in the net at the other - 3 points instead of just 1 over a season makes all the difference at the end of April. It's fine margins, we are not far off being a credible challenger but the jigsaw is not currently complete.

We need one of the following :
A change of personnel by bringing a new player(s) in.
A sudden change in fortune and form where one or more of the forwards start to find the net regularly.
A change to how we play using what we already have - either formation or personnel.
Could Hinds be the answer ? could a formation change click - for me Fondop, whenever he is played down the middle often seems to be isolated and we don't get the ball from midfield up the field fast enough i.e a big gap between defence and forward line.

[pagl]

Originally Posted by John Neals Dynasty

but we have to trust Ricketts can pull a good signing off.
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That might be 1 way to sign one