Player ratings vs. Salford City 14.12.24

[Could'vebeenacontender]

I mentioned this in the match thread. Maynard seemed pretty annoyed that he had done all the preparation for the game on the basis that it was a tight bobbly pitch and we should go long instead of passing out. He was right about that, but that invites questions about why the players did exactly the opposite of what they were told to do until it had effectively lost us the game, then started following instructions.

Yesterday had an unusual feel about it. I don't know what to make of it.

The first goal was probably conceded because Dan demands the ball wherever he is on the pitch
People find it hard to refuse to give it to him when he's the most talented in the side
But he was a liability yesterday
He completely stopped running for their third
Embarrassing
He wasn't on his own though
It was a capitulation

[ForeignLegion]

Where was Robertson….not injured again? Play 1 miss 5, play 1 miss 5.

[irishpete]

The first goal was probably conceded because Dan demands the ball wherever he is on the pitch
People find it hard to refuse to give it to him when he's the most talented in the side
But he was a liability yesterday
He completely stopped running for their third
Embarrassing
He wasn't on his own though
It was a capitulation

DC had a reputation at Morecombe & I said this when he signed as I knew a player there. All said he was a ball greedy fcuker. As talented as he is, it's proving costly. He did it against Shrewsbury in the cup & has got caught numerous times this season.

[kill_the_drum]

We?ve not had the results of late but the performances have still been there. However, yesterday was awful.
You could sense Maynard?s frustration in his interview as they hadn?t played to the game plan.
Playing out from the back is a risk/reward strategy and when it goes wrong it looks awful. On that pitch, the risk was way too high to be playing out.
That said, Jatta held absolutely nothing up all game so playing off him wasn?t an option.
I understand the concept of Abbott playing high as his energy helps when we?re pressing. But his performances when deep are far better. Crowley playing deep when Palmer was injured made sense, now it doesn?t. We saw last season what he brings when he?s in the final third and we?re desperate for that creativity.
I?m nowhere near calling for Maynard?s head, but that performance cannot happen again anytime soon.

[Could'vebeenacontender]

We?ve not had the results of late but the performances have still been there. However, yesterday was awful.
You could sense Maynard?s frustration in his interview as they hadn?t played to the game plan.
Playing out from the back is a risk/reward strategy and when it goes wrong it looks awful. On that pitch, the risk was way too high to be playing out.
That said, Jatta held absolutely nothing up all game so playing off him wasn?t an option.
I understand the concept of Abbott playing high as his energy helps when we?re pressing. But his performances when deep are far better. Crowley playing deep when Palmer was injured made sense, now it doesn?t. We saw last season what he brings when he?s in the final third and we?re desperate for that creativity.
I?m nowhere near calling for Maynard?s head, but that performance cannot happen again anytime soon.

I agree
Maynard wasn't the problem yesterday
He knew the game was going to be an attritional battle but the team went out and tried to play pretty football

[BigFatPie]

I agree
Maynard wasn't the problem yesterday
He knew the game was going to be an attritional battle but the team went out and tried to play pretty football

The team went out and did the exact opposite of what he told them to do but he?s not the problem? I?d say that?s quite a big problem.

[Thordardaughter]

I played football in a 4 4 2 formation quite successfully. Now it may be old fashioned but it worked well.
As far as I can see we don’t have the players to do a wing backs job, but we may have 2 full backs who can defend when needed and get forward when possible. Since the adoption of wing backs in a lot of teams I see a drop in their defending qualities even in the best teams.
I know the game develops in all sorts of ways but for me sort your defence out and give defenders a job to do without concerning them with getting forward to create chances. 2 accomplished wingers in front of 2 full backs can create chances surely ?
As I said may be old fashioned but worth a try maybe ? Things do go full circle at times so here’s hoping.
Maybe someone with more tactical knowledge of the game could give an explanation why it’s so essential for formations to move in this direction ?

[jackal2]

Bass has had a bad few games but still a brilliant keeper for us....

Bass is a top goalkeeper for this level but he's not a top footballer, and we shouldn't expect him to be, because... he's a goalkeeper!

Perhaps in the Premier League there are some goalkeepers who really could join in the outfield game, but this is League Two, where the moral of the story is KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Bass started the season really well but the overload of balls to feet and the apparent instruction to play high risk passes in and around his own box is taking the same toll on him as it did on Slocombe and would do on pretty much any keeper at this level. The problem is mainly with the plan, not the personnel.

[the_anticlough]

The team went out and did the exact opposite of what he told them to do but he?s not the problem? I?d say that?s quite a big problem.

OK, let's raise something that amazingly no other poster seems to want to say - what is the role of the captain?

We had a nice interview with MP before the game where (because of poor questioning) he had to say at least 3 times that he 'wasn't one to shout'. Well yesterday seems like a good time for shouting - a complete capitulation and not following the coaches instructions?

We love MP but he does get off quite lightly on this board, your own accurate ratings here notwithstanding.

[jackal2]

DC had a reputation at Morecombe & I said this when he signed as I knew a player there. All said he was a ball greedy fcuker. As talented as he is, it's proving costly. He did it against Shrewsbury in the cup & has got caught numerous times this season.

Dan Crowley's a fantastic player, but he's got a bit of the show pony in him. I think he's prone to playing as much to entertain himself as he does to benefit the team, and he can bored if he's not on a role where he can really shine.

When Dan plays the defensive/deep role picking the ball up off the defence with space and time, it reminds me a bit of Harry Enfield's famous 'Finney on the Wing', where he starts messing about showing off his skills and slowing the game down rather than setting a fast tempo. However, move him further up the field where he has to play more quickly and has the incentive to play a great final ball or score a goal, and then you get the best out of him. We saw it in the early stages of his time with us.