I hate this league

[MancMagpie]

Just shows that the Luton, Chessie and Wrexham fans weren't telling fibs.

What an absolute mess.

I really believed we had turned a corner and could go on a good run until the end of the season after Saturday.

Now I feel like a prize boob.

Tit off NL you twonk.

[countygump]

We have to play then at their own game. Ask Martin Allen or the Mansfield and Lincoln fans how they got out of this League? Big physically fit, strong lads, long ball, direct football, was the method they used and I believe that would still be effective

[MancMagpie]

We have to play then at their own game. Ask Martin Allen or the Mansfield and Lincoln fans how they got out of this League? Big physically fit, strong lads, long ball, direct football, was the method they used and I believe that would still be effective

Agreed

[crazyfists]

We have to play then at their own game. Ask Martin Allen or the Mansfield and Lincoln fans how they got out of this League? Big physically fit, strong lads, long ball, direct football, was the method they used and I believe that would still be effective

Agreed. I don't actually mind playing passing football, I think it can be effective at any level provided you have an end product or clear goal. The trouble is to play that you need to be solid at the back and not get bullied every time they lob a cross or throw into your box. We need a strong, big defence and some midfielders who can put themselves about abit. Sick of being the weak team all the time. Also Wootton needs to sort himself out or we need someone who we can rely on up there.

[jackal2]

We have to play then at their own game. Ask Martin Allen or the Mansfield and Lincoln fans how they got out of this League? Big physically fit, strong lads, long ball, direct football, was the method they used and I believe that would still be effective

As I've just said on another thread, Barrow and Harrogate both showed that you can get out of this league and still play a decent brand of football, but certainly you need players who are young, strong, fit, athletic and ideally a fair bit of height in your side to combat those who do launch air raids.

[HAPPYMAGPIEHAPPY]

We have to play then at their own game. Ask Martin Allen or the Mansfield and Lincoln fans how they got out of this League? Big physically fit, strong lads, long ball, direct football, was the method they used and I believe that would still be effective

Perfect answer !
But we are trying something completely different to that with management that has no idea about the national league so it’s a recipe for disaster not promotion.

[Riverleeno]

As I've just said on another thread, Barrow and Harrogate both showed that you can get out of this league and still play a decent brand of football, but certainly you need players who are young, strong, fit, athletic and ideally a fair bit of height in your side to combat those who do launch air raids.

Good points - in an ideal world come pre-season we'll have that kind of squad being coached by IB.
COYP

[jacobncfc]

As I've just said on another thread, Barrow and Harrogate both showed that you can get out of this league and still play a decent brand of football, but certainly you need players who are young, strong, fit, athletic and ideally a fair bit of height in your side to combat those who do launch air raids.

Sutton, Torquay, Hartlepool and Stockport are all much more on the footballing, possession type side of things than a Lincoln or Mansfield were as well. So it is very much not impossible.

[the_anticlough]

We'd better be careful with calls for direct play, physical athletic players - in short National League football and players. This guy seems clueless enough to try it and it's a recipe to sink firmly into the pack.

Yes, you can't be deficient in all that but they way to get out is by having better players playing better football, organised and motivated well by the coaches.

[MAD_MAGPIE]

Agreed. I don't actually mind playing passing football, I think it can be effective at any level provided you have an end product or clear goal. The trouble is to play that you need to be solid at the back and not get bullied every time they lob a cross or throw into your box. We need a strong, big defence and some midfielders who can put themselves about abit. Sick of being the weak team all the time. Also Wootton needs to sort himself out or we need someone who we can rely on up there.

Absolutely. There is nothing wrong with playing passing football and it's the best style to play and can be played at any level in my opinion. What it does need though is the correct things being done in both boxes. Defenders who know how to get rid of a ball and keep track of their man and not lose focus or switch off. Strikers who are instinctive and know where to be at the right time and who are clinical.

Likewise the right kind of passing football which for me is forward passing football, either one two's, through balls, down the channels or at times over the top, and behind the defence. (See Torquay first hour) Not safe football basically playing in your own half going nowhere and overplaying just to retain possession and keep recycling the ball over and over because nobody is making anything happen. Take your pick of those kind of games.

Our major problem this season has been quality of the ball in the final third, but now we've added to that a defence that is struggling with balls into the box and such our form has plummeted as a result and that is regardless of what has gone off outside both boxes whether it could have been direct hoof ball or champagne forward attacking passing football.