Accrington v Rovers JPT

[Boz]

Interesting to see how we will line up here. Les has already indicated on the o/s that he'll make changes, but he's limited to 5, although Welsh conveniently picks up a ban for 5 bookings allowing 6 changes.

Accrington is not an easy place to go to and Charlie Barnett(if he features) has got a point or two to prove to Les. Financially, we can only make significant money out of the JPT if we reach at least the Northern Final, so it may be worth experimenting within the rules, aiming to improve our goalscoring. Getting that right could gradually bolster the attendances at PP, with the financial benefits attached.

My hope, if not expectation, is Les alters the system to match the players he's got available to him. I'd like a try at a 442 system something like this.

OFW
Bakayogo Taylor Raven Kay
McGurk Labadie Power Weir
Tiryaki/Akins Baxter

Subs; Coughlin, Holmes Buchanan Stockton Tiryaki/Akins.

My preference would be trying Akins as a striker as he's got more ability, but can see starting Mustafa may benefit his confidence, allow Les to judge if he's any prospect of making it at this level and give Lucas a breather.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I agree that this would be a good game to start with Mustafa and give him the opportunity to prove he is capable of playing at this level. I like the idea of playing Baxter as a second striker, as I think he can definitely score goals, but probably is not mature enough to have the responsibility of a midfield role.

I really wish we had a league game on Tuesday and a chance to regain some momentum, but a win in any competition will boost confidence.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I was just going to write a very similar post. Thanks for saving my wrist, Boz.

All I would add is:

I think Tiryaki must start and be given at least an hour. We won't know if he is up to League One standard until he has the confidence a couple of goals should bring.

Sooner or later OFW will get injured, suspended or lose form. It would be sensible to give Andy Coughlin his baptism on Tuesday - maybe at half-time.

I'd stick to 4-3-3, at least to start with. I'd like to see us try Weir again in the Robbo slot and see what Baxter can do upfront with Tiryaki and Akins.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Sorry, RLC. I wasn't copying you! Nice to see some agreement on this.

 

[SonkORLY?]

BBTC, are you suggesting playing Baxter on the left wing? Not sure about that one.

OFW
Bakayogo Taylor Raven Kay
McGurk Labadie Power Weir
Tiryaki/Akins Baxter

Baxter isn't a striker, so he'd just drop into the same space he always occupies and our shape would similar to usual. Weir isn't a right winger either. Akins has experience there now so can't see the logic in moving everyone around.

I don't think there's any real need to 'experiment' as even if we will 8-0 we'll revert back to some sort of 4-3-3 variant. We may as well keep working on our usual shape, every time we play in that system the players should become more natural to it.

Agree that some of the lads should be rested, and that this is a good opportunity to try Muzzy and Max for 90 minutes.

 

[bigmart]

I cant see many goals tonight wouldnt be surprised if went to pens reckon 1 1 draw lose on pens

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

BBTC, are you suggesting playing Baxter on the left wing? Not sure about that one.

It might be worth looking at him in a more advanced role. He's naturally left-footed and knows where the goal is.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Pretty sure he's right footed

 

[Boz]

Baxter isn't a striker, so he'd just drop into the same space he always occupies and our shape would similar to usual. Weir isn't a right winger either. Akins has experience there now so can't see the logic in moving everyone around.

Everton's website says Baxter can play in midfield or as a striker. The goal he scored against Preston was a typical predators strike, being the first to react to a ball coming back off the woodwork. Saturday suggests he isn't as well equipped to play the deeper-sitting Robbo role and particularly if Mustafa starts, if Jose is deployed closer to him, then he may take advantage of any flick-ons.

Akins (or McGurk for that matter) aren't wingers either. Weir has played wide right before and Les might be thinking in terms of resting Lucas anyway. Taking your argument to extremes, if we played, say Buchanan, in goal for the next 10 games, he'd certainly have experience at the end of that, but still wouldn't be the best option for keeper.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Everton's website says Baxter can play in midfield or as a striker. The goal he scored against Preston was a typical predators strike, being the first to react to a ball coming back off the woodwork. Saturday suggests he isn't as well equipped to play the deeper-sitting Robbo role and particularly if Mustafa starts, if Jose is deployed closer to him, then he may take advantage of any flick-ons.

Akins (or McGurk for that matter) aren't wingers either. Weir has played wide right before and Les might be thinking in terms of resting Lucas anyway. Taking your argument to extremes, if we played, say Buchanan, in goal for the next 10 games, he'd certainly have experience at the end of that, but still wouldn't be the best option for keeper.

By saying that he isn't a striker, I mean that in the sense that he isn't a poacher who will play off the shoulder and score 15+ a season. We'll end up bogged down in semantics here if we aren't careful, but the role in which Baxter being deployed by Les is close to his actual/preferred position, which is to be somewhere behind the striker. Baxter is generally credited with being a tidy and creative footballer with good vision and passing, he's not athletic or strong etc. If we play him up front in a 4-4-2 he'll be inclined to drop deep anyway. Some defensive responsibility will be naturally relinquished but for RLC to suggest that he'd be fine as a trequartista but "irresponsible" at the attacking point of a 3 man midfield seems odd when in practice there probably isn't that much difference between the two. I don't see why him playing in a midfield 3 is such a problem for people.

Changing our usual system and shuffling half of the team so that they're playing in an unfamiliar position (then going back to our old system in the next game and thereafter) seems a pointless endeavor to me.

 

[bigmart]

The lack of goals is the main reason why people dont like the midfield 3 and 1 upfront as especially at home it doesnt work

 

[Boz]

My thought was he's better playing closer to the main striker (Enoch was very isolated in the Bournemouth game) and as you suggest, he doesn't offer much defensively.

I'm interested to see how the team lines up tonight, will Baxter be alongside Tiryaki, in the hole behind or in midfield? McGurk doesn't feature anywhere, presume injured, Raven rather than Goodi is rested and Max isn't given a start. I'm not that hopeful about the outcome.

 

[SonkORLY?]

Mart, playing 2 up-front isn't the solution to the problem that nobody in our squad can score goals, imo

I think a better solution would be to work on being less direct because we're extremely well organised without the ball in the 4-3-3 and I'd hate to see us lose that, but perhaps I'm being a touch idealistic.

Zoum OG was apparently a shocker

 

[SonkORLY?]

Have some of that you Muzzy doubters.

2-1.

 

[bigmart]

It may help us score more goals at home if we have two up front but i doubt we will see it used that much

 

[Ian]

That injury sounds nasty. Get in chicken, few more in the second half please.

 

[Ian]

or maybe not.....
Game off.

Hope the lads OK.

 

[bigmart]

must be bad for the game to be called off said on radio that an ambulance was being used fingers crossed for the lad

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I hope it's not as bad as it sounds. We often forget what a dangerous game football can be.

 

[bigmart]

says on bbc website was a head injury hope he makes a full and speedy recovery