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Reply | What are we trying to do?
at 23:24 9 Oct 2024
I agree we're really struggling with the style and not sure we have the players to pull it off AND I'm not sure we have the physicality required to hold your own in this league (a bad combo). But also it's early, young(ish) players, spine missing, and hopefully they'll improve - just to be balanced.
Two more specific points that I don't get about the tactics (more likely to be because I'm not tactically knowledgeable, but asking as a 'punter' looking at what seems to be the bleeding obvious):
1. Inverting the full backs makes us awfully narrow and there's no danger at all of them overloading the opposition down the flanks
2. I would assume this style relies not just on passing but on moving too, and that part seems completely absent. We're so static, there is nothing difficult the oppo has to do to deal with our possession. I don't know if this is deliberate - ie players are holding certain positions because they've been told to, or whether it's a lack of bravery/physicality to execute the 'move' part of the plan, but it's very tough to watch.
I'd like nothing more than us starting to dominate possession and pick teams apart but it feels a long way off...
I do believe in Marti though. His team played exceptionally well at times in 2nd half of last season. |
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Reply | Everyone Likes Us vs No One Likes Them Match Thread
at 14:36 21 Sep 2024
Andersen I have a lot of time for after role he played last season but he definitely looks like he’s gone physically. So easily dispossessed, moving through treacle. A really bad performance (and he looked like he knew it when he went off). I really feel for him, he’s not doing it on purpose, but I can’t see him staying in the first 11.
I think we must have ‘broken the press’ and actually got the ball from front to back to an attacking player in space maybe once or twice. That’s it. Unless we improve that…will be in trouble this season. We’ve shown good resilience to win some games and it lose some games, but not a lot to suggest we can take over a game and win comfortably which you have to be able to do from time to time to compete in this division.
Still lots of new players bedding in, figuring out what they can do, system, chair to come back, etc. But needs to come together soon.
Generally decent defending at least. Nardi again with a good smothering stop. And I will stick up for Madsen. I think he’ll get better the more he plays. Something about him, technically sound, knows the picture around him before he’s received the ball, good spatial awareness. He’s never going to be hustle and bustle though, so have to find the best fit for him in the team. |
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Reply | Everyone Likes Us vs No One Likes Them Match Thread
at 13:27 21 Sep 2024
I actually think Madsen has been quite good although haven’t seen his part in their goal. He did (I think) play the pass that set Dembele away for ours though.
In terms of showing for the ball…it’s quite interesting the way we set up to attack, it seems to be all about positioning and opening up gaps and spaces but the one part that seems absent is running (with or without the ball). Moving into the right part of the pitch is step one..then you have to actually move around and run to space etc, and try to progress forwards. It does feel like we are determined to prove we can score a goal starting with our goalkeeper and making sure the ball has touched all four corners of the pitch before it goes in the net…
Would do smyth for Andersen second half. |
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Reply | Yes, this is the Sheffield Wednesday match thread
at 00:12 15 Sep 2024
Whilst I think of it Nardi made a brilliant save from a (marginally) offside Sheff Wed point blank chance. Love to see him wheeling away in celebration at the equaliser |
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Reply | Devasated
at 20:02 14 Sep 2024
Sorry for your loss - sounds like you helped him make the best of life despite his difficulties. RIP Jim. |
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Reply | Yes, this is the Sheffield Wednesday match thread
at 17:04 14 Sep 2024
Happy to have escaped with a point. Well done Alfie (and Paal with delivery/Dunne with initial header on goal).
The concern is how poor we looked having just had 2 weeks on the training ground.
I get the style we're trying to play...I just don't think we have the players to execute it properly.
At least we have been hard to beat recently. That's a positive. |
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Reply | if your peckish....
at 06:41 4 Sep 2024
A crumpet, well toasted and topped to one’s liking, solves many ills and opens the soul to a world of possibility and delight. |
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Reply | Paul Smyth
at 06:37 4 Sep 2024
Agree with the sentiments here. I think it’s clear to see some improvement and that’s kudos to both him and the coaching.
I mentioned on the match thread the very intelligent run he made for Frey’s winner, taking Doughty’s attention inside to leave Frey wide open. It appears he had a quick look back at Frey before he did it - if it was intentional, which I believe it was, then it’s a great bit of play almost as good as a direct assist. Which of course he could do with adding to his game.
But all round solid improvement and excellent off the bench. |
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Reply | Where's the Luton Town (w@nk w@nk w@nk) Match Thread Match Thread?
at 22:59 30 Aug 2024
Thought Smyth made big difference when he came on. And watching the 2nd goal, super intelligence to make his run inside drawing the attention of Alfie the Hunchbacker of Leighton Buzzard (who Smyth mostly shut down) leaving Frey in acres behind him - Smyth takes a quick look and sees where Frey is, then makes his move. Really top play.
Lloyd could do with a loan but loved his effort.
Defended courageously after we went ahead.
Cracking team move for 2nd goal. More of that please! Still so much to improve on, but with the confidence of 3 points, 2 weeks training, and Chair to come back, looks good.
Frey, just brilliant. |
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Reply | Where's the Luton Town (w@nk w@nk w@nk) Match Thread Match Thread?
at 20:51 30 Aug 2024
The one thing that rarely seems to change (at least to me) is our movement/running off the ball. We look so completely static in the middle of the field. We only seem able to pass side to side and up / down the wings - which is very easy to stop if you have a high physical press on the wings as Luton seem to have figured out.
To be honest I would have hoped this was one of the things MC would be working on improving, but not sure I'm seeing signs of it yet.
We need to get Dembele more involved if we're going to have a prayer here. |
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Reply | Transfer rumours 2024
at 02:39 30 Aug 2024
Right what do we want to see happen on final day of the window.
WLS reporting Harrison Ashby right back in from Newcastle. Good. Gives room for Santos to develop a bit more, and he can be used as pacy sub too.
Personally I think we need cover at left back too - we were apparently in for Owen Beck who ended up at Blackburn from Liverpool. Maybe something will happen at that position.
I'd be surprised if we added to midfield.
Would love a young pacy striker on loan to give us additional options up front. Happy to see how Frey and Celar develop but adding pace would be good. I suppose Kolli and Dembele could play up top and both have a bit of pace? Everyone is after a young pacy striker I suppose...could be hard to get
Outs:
Some of our younger players could do with a loan. Lloyd / Kolli are interesting, clearly in and about the first team squad, but you also feel they could really kick on with regular games in L1 (like Chair, Eze, etc). Could we afford to send them out?
I suppose the big question is Chair. Seems quiet on that front, and on JCS who was another one mooted to go. I'm happy to keep them from a playing perspective - would love to see what Chair can do with the new additions to squad - but I do wonder whether we need a sale financially speaking. Dykes going will have eased the pressure a bit. Doesn't look like Eze is off anywhere, so no windfall there.
I'm no longer in the UK but does Jim White still gunk up the screen on Sky for this auspicious occasion? [Post edited 30 Aug 5:17]
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Reply | Dykes sold apparently
at 17:56 28 Aug 2024
Good bloke as indicated by club statement (really nice to hear about the community work) and good effort to get back from illness and generally speaking on the pitch too.
A few quality and important moments for us but fact is he’s just not quite good enough for the level we’re at / want to be at, as indicated by where he has ended up: League One. That feels about right and he could be great there, hope it works out for him.
No ill feeling at all just a bit of sadness he reached his limit and it wasn’t as high as we’d hoped it could be. Wouldn’t say he was a disastrous signing, solid servant to the club and we recouped some money.
Good luck Lyndon. |
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Reply | The Sad Hatters League Cup thread sponsored by Numptydumpty
at 22:01 27 Aug 2024
Hope that gives the club some confidence going into Fri night.
I noted similar positives to some other posters. Having watched it back again I do think Walsh is a touch unprepared for their strike, but it was also a brilliant hit - he'll learn from that, and otherwise was good, with an excellent save in the pens.
Lots of the new signings looked a little better - signs they can find their feet and hopefully be coached into even better players by Marti + staff. Varane got physical, not always successfully, but was getting more stuck in. Wants a lot of time on the ball but will learn. Madsen class with ball, needs a little more general energy, but again hopefully he'll improve in that sense.
I think we still lack a high energy midfielder who demands the ball off the back 4, and we seem to lack the ability to make the right runs/angles for our passing out from the back to be effective. BUT i think that can develop the more these players get used to each other...to an extent.
Colback, standard daft booking aside, was quite good, and did provide good energy in middle of park.
I'm liking the signs from Celar and think he just needs a goal + time with the other players to get going. But I also thought the same about Conor Washington after his first few appearances so...fingers crossed!
Morrison pick of the bunch for me. Very solid and composed, against some of the physically tougher opponents he'll face.
Shout out to Santos who looks willing to learn, had good pace, and bagged a goal. |
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Reply | QPR V The Pilgrims Early Thanksgiving Stuffing Hopefully Match Thread .
at 14:31 24 Aug 2024
Obviously a big missed opportunity but we did fairly batter them second half, had chances, just didn't fall for us. Certainly SHOULD have won though.
Seen some negatives on Celar, I actually thought his movement to get into some goalscoring positions was very good, he stuck a few on defenders, and his touch / turn and shoot bodes well - ok skied on this occasion but I like the instinct and he will improve. Thought Frey was pretty good too. Madsen lovely but faded, not surprising, as he gains confidence I think he could be a good player.
We have some excellent players (+ Chair to come back, unless he's off), lots of new players getting to know each other and Marti. I thought we were decent second half, but stood back a bit after scoring 1st half which was the real waste.
Definitely opportunity missed, but I'm not all doom and gloom about it. |
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Reply | who was your number 2...
at 04:58 20 Aug 2024
Les is my all time favourite no2 has always been David Bardsley. The shape on those crosses! |
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Reply | Scouting Analytics - Would this show up?
at 15:42 19 Aug 2024
I'd imagine there must be off the ball stuff too - as Match82 says above, players are all chipped up and someone is probably looking at patterns of movement etc....
It's all quite fascinating |
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Reply | Scouting Analytics - Would this show up?
at 15:35 19 Aug 2024
You're right I would go totally insane which is why I try to avoid that!
In this instance just using his example to ask a more general question about scouting/analytics that I've always wondered about - not questioning it from the perspective of 'oh why did we sign him', just curious about how this kind of thing works. |
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Reply | Centre Mid - do we need Hayden
at 23:44 18 Aug 2024
Agreed. Hayden or another midfielder with experience who can play 8, demands the ball, and makes progressive passes would be ideal with Colback and/or Field next to them for defensive purposes. If you can partially free Field from progressive passing responsibilities by having a ball player next to him who can pass and ideally run with the ball up the field, he's far more effective in the Field the Shield role.
Saito, Chair, Dembele with Smyth to come on and run at tired defences and Andersen to provide an alternative with a bit of guile is really quite tasty. Hope we get to see it! |
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