Why Couldn’t We Cope with Dagenham

[Foxy]

I would be interested in hearing from anyone qualified why we couldn’t cope with Dagenham in the second half ? To me, their movement was very slick , intense and constantly used defenders moving forward to create an extra man.

To cope with the movement of defenders forward we needed to defend from the front , and neither Mullin nor Pontucelli seemed to have the energy or nous to chase things down. Likewise James Jones and McAlinden didn’t seem be able to defend and track moving players.

As a result the 5 defenders were exposed , though to be fair (French excepted) they coped reasonably well.

[Back of the Kop]

Originally Posted by Foxy

I would be interested in hearing from anyone qualified why we couldn’t cope with Dagenham in the second half ? To me, their movement was very slick , intense and constantly used defenders moving forward to create an extra man.

To cope with the movement of defenders forward we needed to defend from the front , and neither Mullin nor Pontucelli seemed to have the energy or nous to chase things down. Likewise James Jones and McAlinden didn’t seem be able to defend and tracking moving players.

As a result the 5 defenders were exposed , though to be fair (French excepted) they coped reasonably well.

For the first time since the stone age our midfield unit performed in the first half. Result was our best 45 minutes of the season.

Last 25 mins they tired and went to shit as usual hence D&R waltzing through at will to release Weston.

Until we sort midfield we will continually have this discussion

[Dai83]

Dave Jones and Dior coming on, made is so much weaker. Jones couldn't get near them, Dior simply didn't work hard enough. It really hampered us.

[stevewxm]

Think french is getting very unfair criticism from his handling of Weston, who’s a class player and won the game for them the week before.
He was very exposed one on one with little or no help for the player that was there main route to success.
Sitting in the paddock you could see he needed help from midfield but didn’t get any.

[blackbrookred]

Originally Posted by Foxy

I would be interested in hearing from anyone qualified why we couldn’t cope with Dagenham in the second half ? To me, their movement was very slick , intense and constantly used defenders moving forward to create an extra man.

To cope with the movement of defenders forward we needed to defend from the front , and neither Mullin nor Pontucelli seemed to have the energy or nous to chase things down. Likewise James Jones and McAlinden didn’t seem be able to defend and track moving players.

As a result the 5 defenders were exposed , though to be fair (French excepted) they coped reasonably well.

We were very slow to move across the pitch in midfield and also the 3 were very flat 2nd half, leaving space between them and the back 3. In effect 1 ball took all 3 midfielders out of the game.

[MichaelP]

Qualified? Give PP a call / email.

[Back of the Kop]

Originally Posted by blackbrookred

We were very slow to move across the pitch in midfield and also the 3 were very flat 2nd half, leaving space between them and the back 3. In effect 1 ball took all 3 midfielders out of the game.

Exactly. The midfield blueprint for success was there first half so we now know we can do it and how good we will be as a team when it works. We had complete dominance of the game.

The challenge for PP is how do we do that over 90 mins instead of 45 ?

[Foxy]

Originally Posted by stevewxm

Think french is getting very unfair criticism from his handling of Weston, who’s a class player and won the game for them the week before.
He was very exposed one on one with little or no help for the player that was there main route to success.
Sitting in the paddock you could see he needed help from midfield but didn’t get any.

I don't mean to single him out - he has been really good this season, and yes he was exposed. Hayden couldn't get closer to him because of the extra man that Dagenham seemed to have running through the middle. This was because the midfield players and forwards were not defending as a unit.

[TheRealWelshWayne]

First half reckord forced Weston to play in defence after manager saw the threat, second half they made changes to counter reckord and get Weston back to his wing position.

French had a poor game after that.

Midfield didn't work.

Game probably would have been killed off in the first half if ponticelli was match fit.

Second half our midfield was in panic mode, because of the Weston threat and his interaction with their midfield and attack

Jones coming on should have calmed the midfield, it actually worked the other way, probably because of his sending off the week before.

We won, we can learn from yesterday.