Lincoln

[gazan]

Ah well! Here we go again! So much for my 'topics' post!

Good win on Saturday with some good football but with the added bonus of grit and determination that led to three points.
2 wins on the trot or BUMP? Well, I think we've developed since facing them but they probably have too. Will he start with Ainley? Will Ainley start ? Will he continue with Lowery? Will there be changes to accommodate the two games a week until christmas?The league Cup game was lost by a soft goal since which our defence 'appears' to have tightened up. So, possibly a tight game and who's defence can last longest. A draw for me 1-1.
And then Ipswich!! When do we get a team from the bottom half????

[AstonAlex]

I’d settle for a draw. We don’t tend to do as well against, shall we say, more ‘up and at ‘em’ sides (unless they’ve changed since the Performing Crowley Brothers left) although, as you rightly suggest, we have a bit more steel in the side these days, as well as a bit of Perry! Maybe the sort of match for Murph to return? 1-1 for me too, so that won’t be the score!!

[lukcour]

That was painful to watch. Second best in every department. Too slow in passing and movement. Far too slow in closing down. Beyond me to comprehend what our tactics were supposed to be. We allowed a pretty average team on the night to completely dominate. No point criticising any of our players. They were poor, and the tactics were worse.

If we are going to be a force in League1 we need to be more competitive, powerful, and consistent. Quicker passing, better movement, and more aggressive in closing down opponents.

[gazan]

Have to agree with Lukcour. After being 'up for it' against Donny, they played like they'd just got out of bed! I see that DA was disappointed but were they not playing as instructed? Reason I ask is that they've played this way before. The whole tempo was slow and overly predictable. They didn't really make the opposition work hard until the last 15 minutes. The only time they pressed at all was for about 5 minutes after DA had a word with them during an injury break. It seems to me that they need a little geeing up a few minutes before the game. I, also repeat my message to Perry: concentrate on getting the tackles in until there comes a time when your little tricks are no longer predictable. Charlie also hid on the line a little. He needs to realise that sometimes he heeds to do more than just switch back on to his right foot before laying off a square 10 yard pass. I'm beginning to feel sorry for Mandron who was having to come back to the half-way line to pick up the ball, so poor was the service. Finally, having 2 big strikers should not be a reason to remove wingers. Rather, getting a cross in from the wing is more likely to be productive than punting it up from midfield, which ,in effect, takes out at least one of your strikers as they have to face the wrong way.
Ah well, only Ipswich next!

[AstonAlex]

Hard to take any positives out of the match, but here’s a couple to think about anyway!

Firstly the keeper. I know that Morse felt he could have done better on the goal but I disagree with him. Wintle gave the scorer far too much room and his shot was pretty accurate. The double save in the second half was outstanding and his general play has, I think, improved this season and he’s proved again that he’s Botha decent prospect and a much better keeper than Trigger.

Secondly, much though it goes against the Alex grain, it was good to see that Dave was prepared to change the pass and move approach to having 2 big fellas down the middle. It almost paid off to get what would have been a thoroughly undeserved point. That should give future opponents something else to think about, because it clearly hadn’t entered the Lincoln minds that it might be a tactic.

I would disagree that they were pretty average - they aren’t top of the division after 9 games for nothing. Their style of play has clearly moved on with the new manager and, whilst they may not be world beaters and we were fat from at our best, I think that we should give credit where it’s due. I get fed up with managers saying we only beat them only because they played badly (Wigan, eg) and to accept we were beaten by a better team on the day (MK Dons) shows a mature approach that we expect from Big Dave. He called the match right..... as usual!

[gazan]

I agree about the Jaskelainen comments. No player should be able to receive the ball with their back to the goal, 25 yards out and then have time and space to swivel and pick their spot in the corner. Once he got the ball the gap was easy to see and normally you'd expect a defender to be covering that space. So, all the problems with the goal arrived before Will took part. He may have been a little late going down for it but the ball went into the bottom corner so even a split second earlier leap would probably not have achieved anything. I also agree that DA should give Lincoln more credit. However, the change of tactics clearly unsettled them and it was a pity we didn't make the change 5 minutes earlier. That is a hindsight comment and not a complaint.