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

[1955pie]

Damned right durham. However it will be interesting to see how teams set up against us in the future but this manager has a Plan B ( unlike the last one!!!!).

Maybe this is his Plan A. Does he have a Plan B and will he be able to change mid-game?

Absolutely stunning result and performance. . Brilliant.

[matt_magpie]

Who says that we can't play our attacking game by playing with a back 4.. Tonight has proved differently ..

It did, he made the 4231 really work. I was so impressed how the team took to it in such a short space of time of prep beforehand, possibly SM actually utilising his experience of being part time where he knew he had to get short key messages into the team the day before of what they needed to do.
It’s going to be interesting to see if we switch between the 2 formations, I got a feeling we will for certain games but 4 at the back away seems to make a lot of sense.

[drillerpie]

It did, he made the 4231 really work. I was so impressed how the team took to it in such a short space of time of prep beforehand, possibly SM actually utilising his experience of being part time where he knew he had to get short key messages into the team the day before of what they needed to do.
It’s going to be interesting to see if we switch between the 2 formations, I got a feeling we will for certain games but 4 at the back away seems to make a lot of sense.

Question is should we use it at home as well? It's a small sample size but hard to imagine us losing to Gillingham playing like that (especially hard to imagine us conceding the kind of goals we did on Friday).

[caj85]

Question is should we use it at home as well? It's a small sample size but hard to imagine us losing to Gillingham playing like that (especially hard to imagine us conceding the kind of goals we did on Friday).

I think we should. When we changed it against Gills we looked more stable (granted Gills weren't having to attack much).

[SmiffyPie]

We should play it at home as well. LW gave us the attacking skill set and mindset to move from a solid defence to attack in just a few moves (tired of saying it). Not being so high all over the pitch stops the oppo compressing their half and with our ingrained (thanks LW) possession football combined with available space and a more direct forward movement (thanks SM) we should be a very hard team to beat from now on. Don't know about others but I saw a marked change in the players, looked almost like relief that they weren't restricted anymore and could play football with the benefits of both systems. Only one result I know but a transformation!

[TheBlackHorse]

... big moment for me was in the first half, with Robertson winning the ball when surrounded by two (or three?) Newport players ... grit, determination ... just what we need. COYP'S

[The Dug Out]

Our players last night looked completley different to what they did from our last 2 disasters. Could be that SM has found his feet and laying down some truths to them. We have 2 gems with Macari & Robertson running the defence and in some cases midfield, at this rate Palmer will struggle for the shirt!!. Another dimension incoming in is Jaata, maybe in against Crewe as i cannot see him being involved at Wrexham, could be wrong though, looking forward to that. Jones had his best game yet last night, division one standard at the very least.
Well done Notts, Newport are no mugs and would have rolled us given a chance.

[tied_up_in_notts]

Robertson is really starting to look the real deal. Shows once again that you shouldn't judge players on one or two games, but I suppose some fans will never learn that lesson

[kill_the_drum]

Robertson is really starting to look the real deal. Shows once again that you shouldn't judge players on one or two games, but I suppose some fans will never learn that lesson

They won’t.
They think players are machines that have an ability rating and that’s what they play to.
Match fitness, bedding in, confidence, form etc don’t exist.
You’re either good or bad.

[drillerpie]

... big moment for me was in the first half, with Robertson winning the ball when surrounded by two (or three?) Newport players ... grit, determination ... just what we need. COYP'S

Yes there was also a great moment when he was in a close quarters tussle in midfield involving a bit of tugging, a bit of holding and so on, the kind that all too often we lose, and he just turned and powered out of it before surging forward and spreading a lovely ball to the flank. Beautiful.