⚽Match Thread vs. Newport County 13.02.24 [EFL L2]

[MancMagpie]

The board do not dictate the tactics, just the ethos of how we play which is possession football. We originally switched to 3 at the back under Ardley because 4 at the back was leaking us goals. Burchnall then tinkered between the two but kept predominantly with 3 at the back and this was carried on by Williams. If you compare the defence between the two eras, I'd say 4 now suits us

Ardley/Burchnall

RB - Brindley
CB - Rawlinson
CB - Lacey
LB - McCrory


Now

RB - Macari
CB - Warner
CB - Baldwin
LB - Cameron

We're probably more suited defensively, of the old guard, I'd only take Lacey back but he left because probably his wages and injury record so probably a no goer

Interesting post that, I'd totally forgotten about Ardley's back 4!

[irish_pie]

The board do not dictate the tactics, just the ethos of how we play which is possession football. We originally switched to 3 at the back under Ardley because 4 at the back was leaking us goals. Burchnall then tinkered between the two but kept predominantly with 3 at the back and this was carried on by Williams. If you compare the defence between the two eras, I'd say 4 now suits us

Ardley/Burchnall

RB - Brindley
CB - Rawlinson
CB - Lacey
LB - McCrory


Now

RB - Macari
CB - Warner
CB - Baldwin
LB - Cameron

We're probably more suited defensively, of the old guard, I'd only take Lacey back but he left because probably his wages and injury record so probably a no goer

Agree with you on Lacey, absolute Rolls Royce almost every time I saw him play..injuries destroyed him but still going at Hartlepool which is great for the man

[Mark_Ross]

Well I predicted a 5-1 humiliation for tonight.

Okay, I'm bldy hopeless, but then on the other hand, who would have predicted the Slags to score nine against Harrogate; or Forest Green to win at Barrow etc, etc.

[queenslandpie]

Well I predicted a 5-1 humiliation for tonight.

Okay, I'm bldy hopeless, but then on the other hand, who would have predicted the Slags to score nine against Harrogate; or Forest Green to win at Barrow etc, etc.

I went for 4-2 Notts and it could easily have been. Maynard was always going to mix it up tonight but I was surprised how well it worked.

[matt_magpie]

It's an unprecedented appointment for a club our size and will be one hell of a story if he can make a success of it.
Tonight he's shown his potential.

I get it’s unprecedented with him being part time but I wouldn’t say it made no sense, playing good football and sweating assets is pretty much the Bros strategy, anyway let’s enjoy the win.

[Big_Bad_Bob]

Much needed result and a tremendous performance.

Credit to Maynard for the formation change, and it seemed to provide solidity while rapidly freeing up Jones to run amok having cast off the majority of his defensive responsibilities.

Thought Robertson was superb, Bostock more like his old self with the additional protection behind him, and the 4 at the back coped well with an early Newport bombardment into our box.

To be fair to Stone, he’s had the ball and chain of a difficult season round his neck in recent weeks, but one hairy moment apart, Ashby-Hammond brought a calmness that has been sorely missing. Time will tell if his confidence can hold up better than Stone’s after his first costly mistake.

Another 3 points against a side below us in the table, but some confidence to take forward into the next two as we seek a first win against a (once more fellow) Top 8 side.

Opposition managers will now be looking at how to exploit this change of formation if it’s employed again, but first impressions are encouraging - improvement from front to back.

COYP.

[cher1]

Interesting listening to Macari that he was instructed to warm up away from the other 3 defenders to make it look like our usual formation at the back.

[jacobncfc]

Our best performance since.. Salford away in early September? Thought we were great, good shape and solid behind the ball with a proper back four who all did their jobs, and then a constant threat whenever we came forward. Jones obviously a class apart, but Robertson is getting better with every game and dominated the midfield tonight. Also Bostock’s best performance for months.

Fair play to Maynard, felt like his first real break from what he inherited and it worked well. Enough to suggest there’s still something in this season for us.

[jacobncfc]

Why did it make no sense?

Because UTM is, for some reason, obsessed with the history of clubs, managers and players rather than the future. Still none the wiser as to whether SM will be a success, but it was an entirely normal appointment for a club in our position haha.

[Chicken Balti Pie]

Our best performance since.. Salford away in early September? Thought we were great, good shape and solid behind the ball with a proper back four who all did their jobs, and then a constant threat whenever we came forward. Jones obviously a class apart, but Robertson is getting better with every game and dominated the midfield tonight. Also Bostock’s best performance for months.

Fair play to Maynard, felt like his first real break from what he inherited and it worked well. Enough to suggest there’s still something in this season for us.

I've said it for ages, Bostock needs an engine next to him. Robertson was also lacking match sharpness so these two things may be linked