Match Thread vs. Altrincham 01.05.21 [NL]

[Elite_Pie]

It is indeed. We've been down that route before.

The question is, are we going down it again?

I hope not, but that's all it is - hope rather than expectation.

[drillerpie]

No they don't, not one of them. The only player I noticed who was brave enough to receive the ball and actually turn to face their goal and look for a forward pass was Rodders. Every other player who received the ball with their back to the oppo's goal opted for a safe backward pass.

On reflection I think JoB tries to make things happen. He is getting on but sometimes rages against the dying of the light with a dribble or a snapshot - he is brave enough to try something.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

On reflection I think JoB tries to make things happen. He is getting on but sometimes rages against the dying of the light with a dribble or a snapshot - he is brave enough to try something.

It’s about taking responsibility when in receipt of the ball and grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck. I’ve always been a fan of JOB because he always tries to make something happen, is vocal and has drive. JOB and Doyle are the closest we have to animals that Mo Ross refers to for me. However they are the wise old lions now. We need their ten year younger equivalents.

The reason yesterday felt like a default Ardley performance for me is that it was one of those where we were passing the ball waiting for the opposition to make a mistake and leave a gap or opening to which we would capitalise on rather than trying to make something happen.

Anyone who watched the stream will have seen a perfect example of this in the last ten minutes as to what this consists of. Passing the ball around defence and midfield, going sideways slow going forward and then lose the ball on the edge of the opposing teams box because it’s all compacted. Rinse and repeat. How are we going to win a game in the last ten if we do not get the ball into the box? That is the frustrating part. Look at what Torquay did in the last ten against us as to what we should be doing.

Lack of confidence makes it easy to receive the ball and play a safe pass to a team mate so it could be that. On the other hand every player has to be brave and take responsibility when receiving the ball and think what can I do here, am I going to push forward, take a man on, or put the ball in a dangerous area, down the channels, into the box, have a little game of one-twos with a team mate and play through a team.

That’s what I meant on the match thread when I referred to the play being safe and manufactured. That summed up yesterday’s game for me and I don’t think that is how Ian Burchnall and Mo Ross want us to play.

[Stan Marshall]

And still 0-0 after the penalty shootout.

It would be 0-0 with Reeves needing to convert the final penalty to win it. Unfortunately he passes it backwards! 😂

[countygump]

Not too sure whether many of us would want to see extended ''highlights''. Here you go.............

[Notsohumblepie]

Not too sure whether many of us would want to see extended ''highlights''. Here you go.............

That will be thirty seconds of my life that I'll never get back.

[the_anticlough]

Not too sure whether many of us would want to see extended ''highlights''. Here you go.............

Our goal, do Turner and Ellis even care that we scored? Walking back like 2 old blokes in the park, not in the slightest bit inclined to celebrate or congratulate the scorer of an excellent goal LOL

[Notts78]

The goal we conceded is systematic of the problems we have all highlighted in terms of passing backwards. Brinkley breaks forward and cuts inside, Enzio goes outside of him in an advanced position and all the space in the world. Brindley passes the ball backwards, one pass and a poor touch later we lose possession and concede.

[Woodsetts_Pie]

The goal we conceded is systematic of the problems we have all highlighted in terms of passing backwards. Brinkley breaks forward and cuts inside, Enzio goes outside of him in an advanced position and all the space in the world. Brindley passes the ball backwards, one pass and a poor touch later we lose possession and concede.

I’m glad others spotted this. I was shouting at the screen when the ball didn’t go to the overlap in acres of space. Totally symptomatic of the backwards mentality we seem to have this season.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

I’m glad others spotted this. I was shouting at the screen when the ball didn’t go to the overlap in acres of space. Totally symptomatic of the backwards mentality we seem to have this season.

Yes it is. The worst of this was in one game I can't remember which but we had the ball in the oppositions corner and passed all the way back to our midfield at the halfway line before starting again, when if we were more attack minded we could and should have got a cross into the box or something.

As long as Enzio remained on side if Brindley had passed forward Enzio to complete the little one two, Enzio could have either crossed the ball into the box as we had two players on the edge of the box, or carried out his trademark cut in and maybe had a shot himself.

When losing the ball as the player runs into our half there are three Notts players in front of the ball and three immediately behind with one advanced Alrincham player. What happens next shows our lack of pace in midfield as by the time the ball get's to the Alrincham final third we have been beaten for pace by advancing Altrincham players. The player that scores is quite some way behind the ball at the start of the attacking move but then keeps running and has all the time and space in our half to receive the ball to then have a shot.

Next season we will need more energy and grit in midfield certainly box to box as many have said on here previously, more forward thinking in our passing. Add to that some of Mo Ross's animals to spoil and break up play when out of possession and put a tackle in before the ball get's to the edge of our box, rather than waiting for the opposition to make a mistake with a bad pass or poor control.