The Neal Ardley Effect

Quote from the Moors message board. It could equally have been written on here 10 months ago.

“The first half was a non-event unless you like watching playing the ball around in your own half, repeatedly. Will we create chances with the creative players like Sbarra being so deep and with only Dallas, fast, but with nobody keeping up when he he was through out wide.
But when we did have 2 strikers on we were let down defensively almost immediately.
We are now out of the playoff places and on this performance we don't deserve to be in those matches in May“

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Originally Posted by Carlton_Pie

After watching Solihull quite closely yesterday, they have some similar traits to the team NA had at his time at Notts.

Defensively well set up and organised and you can see why they haven't conceded may recently with men behind the ball quickly

Decent in possession in the first two thirds of the pitch. Easy on the eye to watch but perhaps a little bit too slow in the build up.

But that's where the positives stop unfortunately....

Did Solihull register a shot on target? That was one of my criticisms of Notts under NA, not a big enough goal threat, mainly due to the slow build allowing teams to get back into shape and that was definitely the case yesterday.

The substitution he made around the 50 minute was an absolute calamity, taking of an attacking midfielder for a striker. This one changed opened up spaces in the middle of the park and Notts completely took control following the substitution. With one less player in the midfield, Roberts found a pocket of space and started off the move for the first goal. If they could have held Notts for another 10-15 minutes it would have been a a different game.

Compare this to IB who went more attacking by bringing a striker on but didn't change the structure or shape of the team to do so was impressive.

IB is light years ahead of NA when it comes to playing the type football the owners want us to and now we seem to have sorted the defensive issues out, we look a really strong and well oiled machine that should finish inside the top 3.

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Agree with this. Another difference I think between the two is Ardley utilises the back 3 as a way to get another 6 footer in the box at set pieces (he mentioned this in interviews while he was our manager, and we saw it again in their approach yesterday), whereas IB does it to get us on the front foot going forward. Hence, lots of sideways passing along their back line as they can’t drive forward quickly like the likes of Brindley can.

That said he has clearly got what looked to be a fairly limited Solihull side very well organised, and on another day yesterday ends 0-0. Would definitely expect to see them in the playoff mix at the end of the season.

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Originally Posted by freemuzzy

Agree with this. Another difference I think between the two is Ardley utilises the back 3 as a way to get another 6 footer in the box at set pieces (he mentioned this in interviews while he was our manager, and we saw it again in their approach yesterday), whereas IB does it to get us on the front foot going forward. Hence, lots of sideways passing along their back line as they can’t drive forward quickly like the likes of Brindley can.

That said he has clearly got what looked to be a fairly limited Solihull side very well organised, and on another day yesterday ends 0-0. Would definitely expect to see them in the playoff mix at the end of the season.

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I think your last paragraph nails it. Any way they set up, Solihull, man for man aren't as good a team as us. They'd also lost their captain to Chesterfield on Friday which can't help.
We were excellent yesterday, it doesn't just happen, Ian Burchnall has got us playing very well, 13 pts from the last 15.
Since Vincent came in against Tamworth we have played with a much higher tempo and energy that opponents are struggling to live with.

They might have to settle for 8th/9th place. There will be at least 7 better teams than them. This league is more competitive than ever

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Originally Posted by Carlton_Pie

After watching Solihull quite closely yesterday, they have some similar traits to the team NA had at his time at Notts.

Defensively well set up and organised and you can see why they haven't conceded may recently with men behind the ball quickly

Decent in possession in the first two thirds of the pitch. Easy on the eye to watch but perhaps a little bit too slow in the build up.

But that's where the positives stop unfortunately....

Did Solihull register a shot on target? That was one of my criticisms of Notts under NA, not a big enough goal threat, mainly due to the slow build allowing teams to get back into shape and that was definitely the case yesterday.

The substitution he made around the 50 minute was an absolute calamity, taking of an attacking midfielder for a striker. This one changed opened up spaces in the middle of the park and Notts completely took control following the substitution. With one less player in the midfield, Roberts found a pocket of space and started off the move for the first goal. If they could have held Notts for another 10-15 minutes it would have been a a different game.

Compare this to IB who went more attacking by bringing a striker on but didn't change the structure or shape of the team to do so was impressive.

IB is light years ahead of NA when it comes to playing the type football the owners want us to and now we seem to have sorted the defensive issues out, we look a really strong and well oiled machine that should finish inside the top 3.

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100% agree and I said the same when I walked out, they looked like us the passed 2 seasons, I.e just struggled the final third. I still rate Ardley, he’s definitely a good manager at this level but I think coaching wise IBs a way in front. Some of the movement again yesterday was excellent, there was a couple of times we looked penned in and after a few slick passes we had got out, beat their press and switched the play on the attack with bags of space, we’re a joy to watch at times now.

Good post Carlton a lot of us wondered whether NAs approach would be any different with the Moors. It wasn't which in hindsight shouldn't be a surprise as it's his blueprint and they were playing away at an inform Notts, tough fixture.

He's obviously doing a good job in terms of results if not perfomances (sound familiar?). I wonder what the sensible average Solihull fan expects this season in terms of finishing league position.

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Originally Posted by laddo

Good post Carlton a lot of us wondered whether NAs approach would be any different with the Moors. It wasn't which in hindsight shouldn't be a surprise as it's his blueprint and they were playing away at an inform Notts, tough fixture.

He's obviously doing a good job in terms of results if not perfomances (sound familiar?). I wonder what the sensible average Solihull fan expects this season in terms of finishing league position.

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In truth, Ardley's approach hasn't changed an iota from the season he got us relegated. *waits*

From me it's going to


#ardleyout

I spoke to a notts fan after the game and he said good luck with him and that his football is atrocious.

He's right at the moment from what I'm seeing.

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Ardley out

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699 travelling fans, good effort.
Other statistics:
The Magpies hit the post twice.
They drew at least two excellent saves from BooooT.
They scored two unstoppable goals past him.
Lots (I lost count) of fouls, targeting Osborne for attention.
Equally a lot of moaning to the referee about fouls on him.
ZERO; I don't believe we had a shot on target.



https://bsolihullmoors.runboard.com/t5970,offset=10

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Originally Posted by the_anticlough

Correct, you could see him explaining it to the player

Poor NA, didn't he know we're 1-4 down against ten men this season! He should have run with it...
That type of distraction killed us at Halifax, and could have done the same today. NA is too much of a fair dealer to resort to that ****

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Wasn't it 3-2 against Halifax?

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Originally Posted by ivansneck

I thought he took the 10 off because he was worried about him being sent off

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That may have been the reason but he made a conscious change to the team shape going 2 up top, which back fired.