League Two Rovers (2) v Shrimps (3)

[dollar'sbloke]

Some strange comments indeed including suggestions of using Saunders as a wide sub this Saturday??

Nigel has decisions to make for Stockport but one of them won’t be dropping Saunders. We know his limitations but he was deserved MOM last night as basically created two goals.

It's not a popularity contest, there is a case for playing the best side for the occasion not dropping someone but rearranging. Saunders relied on mistakes, his outcomes may cloud that but in the long run his quality will prove the test.
Fact is we play well or poorly like last night, anything Jennings feeds up or others bypass him come to nothing from either Jolley or Saunders. Same weakness, different personnel for over two years now!

 

[Sparky]

A few more thoughts.

Both fullbacks weren’t great defensively last night. They got in a few times out wide and their equaliser saw wood not get close enough to stop the cross and LOC didn’t pick up slew at the back post.

Set pieces - I have no confidence we’ll ever score from a free kick or corner.

I’ve wanted McAlear to feature more in his preferred central position but he was poor last night. That said we were winning when he came off although an equaliser was probably coming. Morris again disappointed me. Must be one of the slowest wingers in the league but equally Hawkes was poor when he came on.

 

[Ian]

The problem we have is consistency. We have players that can have an amazing game but it is only few and far between. The likes of Morris, Hawkes etc.. probably why they are in league two. We do need better more consistent performers so again we go back to the old problem of recruitment.

 

[dollar'sbloke]

The problem we have is consistency. We have players that can have an amazing game but it is only few and far between. The likes of Morris, Hawkes etc.. probably why they are in league two. We do need better more consistent performers so again we go back to the old problem of recruitment.

Consistency indeed, that is what experienced pros like Lewis give you. The problem is some fans including me want something quite different, but he does the job asked of him.
Morris like the legends Barnes and Giggs before him, is not the flying young winger. He is very consistent for our level and very little goes wrong in his zone. Put Hawkes in front of Wood and things get flaky.
We clearly have structural issues, Jennings is the new Hemmings who even though in a role that the modern game refreshes with a sub, we have no alternative. Apter also not only gets the full 90 he is allowed to play on with knocks. I don't understand how Taylor could not do a cameo role, offering different skills. Hendry is our most effective player currently and once again not a 90 mins shirt, yet he seems ever present. McAlear didn't do anything wrong that I noticed.
In theory you change 5 out of the front 6. Mind you we haven't got one No 9 let alone two currently.
Nigel works every day and has probably eliminated many ideas we have, but options are few.

 

[Boz]

Lewis isn’t a consistent player though at least not in a good way. He got into a couple of good positions around the edge of their box, but fluffed his lines. Got further forward than McAlear but no end product. While I don’t blame him for their late winner as Yarney giving away a soft free-kick was the start of their attack phase, invariably he’ll give away a daft free-kick or pick up a card at some point during the game. As last night showed Lewis as a defensive midfielder does not work. Hopefully “in the cold light of day” that will be dumped in the same tactical bin as McAlear deployed on the right-wing.

 

[Sparky]

Agree with Boz that Lewis isn’t disciplined enough to play a defensive role. I still think as an attacking midfielder behind a front man he could be a decent player as he showed at other clubs at this level but it’s not worked out.

Plus we desperately need more pace and power. Late last night we had a front two of Dennis and Jennings, probably the slowest strike force in the league. Morris albeit skilful is very slow. Hendry is one paced and Walker very good in some ways but a tad cumbersome. When u think of the pacey fullbacks we used to have with bristow and Cogley powering down the wing or someone like Blackett Taylor. We just don’t have enough pace and power to worry teams.

 

[Ian]

What about Lewis up front ?

 

[Sparky]

What about Lewis up front ?

Not sure it’s his natural position but as we’ve not had a proper target man we could probably do worse (and have done with Jolley!)

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Lewis's best position is playing just off the striker, He scores the occasional goal in that role, but is still pretty limited.

He can't play up front in my view. He had an extended period in that position in the 2020-21 season when Vaughan got injured and was poor.

I still think the biggest problem last night was the midfield. Hendry and Walker are decent at this level, but behind them we don't have any quality. There is a massive drop-off from Walker to McAlear, and Lewis can't play as a conventional central midfielder because he is so poor in possession.

 

[dollar'sbloke]

What about Lewis up front ?

Tried that under Hill, can't trap a bag of cement when marked as he was. Morris had a go as well, failed different issues. Turnbull is a better bet, just Davies and Yarney is risky both right sided.
Suppose Nigel can see the options in training, this Norris at right back is curious!

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

I thought we would be strong enough to get a win.
Wrong!
I thought that we would have learned to hold on to the perfect start we got.
Wrong!
I thought that tactically, we struggle without possession.

We looked again as a relegation candidate!
Regerdless of the reasons, once again we need to look at our plans for next season.
it is going to impact on our season ticket sales.
As AM Said, prices will go up again, despite the offers.
I don't believe a few weeks of wins to stave off the threat is what most ST holders paid for.
A lot of grumbles before they got the winner, even when we were winning at half time.
And it was noticeable that it was quieter than for a usual February Tuesday night.
It has to be better.
Not good enough.

Good job we are not playing the top of the league Saturday!!!!!

 

[Sparky]

Tactics last night were interesting. We’ve played
4-4-2 for weeks now and Nigel has been public about how it’s worked for us.

After half an hour yesterday they were having more possession and I did wonder whether it was worth changing things as everyone could see we were likely to drop points. Perhaps to 4–5-1 or similar although Jennings does drop deep at times. I just thought the direction the game was going in that if our back up personnel aren’t great then perhaps the formation could have altered.

More of the same on Saturday I guess. Nigel remains a fan of being compact and hitting teams on the counter even at home but allowing good teams possession creates a big risk