Can't Argue With This

[Memphis]

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Phil-Sherwin-Vale-t-defend-like-win-promotion/story-13268651-detail/story.html

 

Well said Phil.

[mickyferns]

i find it incredible that the same players that for a period last season had conceded the least goals in the entire football league can suddenly completely forget how to defend! But at the same time non of the defenders are playing shockingly, its just organisation, real head ache for Micky.

[Tenement Funster]

i find it incredible that the same players that for a period last season had conceded the least goals in the entire football league can suddenly completely forget how to defend! But at the same time non of the defenders are playing shockingly, its just organisation, real head ache for Micky.

 

How many times have we seen this season the back 5 of:

 

...................Tommo..............

 

Yates..McCombe..Owen..Collins

 

 

That is the question????

[SourceOfTheTrent]

How many times have we seen this season the back 5 of:

 

...................Tommo..............

 

Yates..McCombe..Owen..Collins

 

 

That is the question????

 

Don't forget about Clayton McDonald who's played in a 5 man defence quite a bit so far.

 

The bottom line is we all know we won't get anywhere playing like Kevin Keegan's Newcastle and being on the wrong end of 5 goals every other week.

 

Defending starts with the front players holding the ball up and making sure we keep possession, which in turn involves the midfield. Looking at the 'highlights' on TV whilst Vale could be considered a little unfortunate not to be in front at half time the reality was i) a great off the line clearance from Dodds' first effort, ii) Williamson hit the post, unfortunately not the target, iii) we were caught wide open by Wimbledon with only Griffith in sight chasing back with their player - where was our defence? - then Tomlinson made a schoolboy error rushing out, forcing Griffith to run to the line to cover, when he should have stayed near his goal, covered his angles and allowed Griff to push the guy wide either forcing him to shoot and / or get a block in. A dreadful spotter to concede in my book. Then, iv) Dodds has another cleared off the line by someone who may have been fortunate but earned his luck by throwing himself in the path of the shot. For me the half time score was a little bit to do with fortune but mainly due to heroic off the line defending by Wimbledon and pub team defending by us.

 

Their second and third goals were also truly dreadful from our point of view; how much time and space did their player have to line up his shot for their second? I'd have fancied my chances from his position, never mind a pro footballer. As for their winner although Dodds' attempt at a challenge was weak I'd question what the hell Adams was thinking asking him to cover there when Taylor took a knock. He was on a yellow card and isn't exactly a great tackler / defender, surely the better call would have been to put Griff or Morsy there to see the game out?

 

What bugs me (and has many times about many teams over the years) is how the players on the pitch don't seem to be able to grasp the circumstance of a game as it progresses and adjust accordingly. Surely having got back to 2 each with 5 minutes plus stoppages to go they'd tighten up and defend stoutly to keep the point they'd got? The emphasis was on Wimbledon to try and win it, irrelevant of how much on top we may have been for most of the game. A second equaliser was a get out of jail card but our players just didn't seem to value it for what it was, a bit like when we pulled Southend back to 2-1 then killed off any chance of a comeback before half time by giving them a sloppy and suicidal third.

 

I'm sure Micky knows all this I just hope he gets us back to being a strong defensive unit. Personally I'd rather have 1 nils and nil-nils and be at the top of the table than see us see-saw through high scoring games and be mid table.

 

Diatribe over! I was proper annoyed by this result.

[saintvaliant]

i find it incredible that the same players that for a period last season had conceded the least goals in the entire football league can suddenly completely forget how to defend! But at the same time non of the defenders are playing shockingly, its just organisation, real head ache for Micky.

 

Not playing the same shape though and it is no coincidence that the majority of goals against are being created down the sides of the back 3.

 

Both the 2nd and 3rd goals on Saturday relied on a long diagonal pass into the space behind the wing backs. The system is the issue, not the personnel IMHO.

 

Adams hit the panic button on a back four after playing the title favourites in this league and one of the favourites in the league above. Naive to do so, and to persist with this formation would be insanity as it clearly isn't doing the job.

 

The lack of tactical flexibility is a concern IMHO.