Baffling

[Northants Nomad]

I've kept relatively quiet on here, but I'm going to have my say now, hopefully in a calm, measured manner.

So much baffled me yesterday.

A back 5 at home in a team that needs goals for confidence. Really?
In that back 5 he played a right back, with a dominant right foot, at left back, and a left-sided player (Rowe) more central, inside the right-footed player.
In the meantime, he had two very able CENTRE backs on the bench who could have gone in to where Rowe was playing, moved Rowe to left side, or midfield.
At right back he had a player who was clearly low on confidence. Prior to his (early) injury, he'd put a couple of very dodgy passes into his teammates.
If you insist on a back 5, Seaman to right back, Rowe to left, and Long or Faulkner into the middle 3 with Anderson and Oluwu.
Better still, a back 4 and get more attacking in midfield/further up.
Or use Rowe in midfield alongside the very inexperienced Ravenhill. Rowe's experience was not needed alongside Anderson and Oluwu - in midfield, it could have been valuable.

When Brown went off, we actually looked a bit better, until after half time when Danny decides to change some bits back.

Also baffled by the decision to drop Hurst - his first 20 seconds had more attacking intent than we showed in a lot of the first half. He was dropped to get in Todd Miller. Not saying this guy shouldn't get a chance, but to start his first full game against second-in-the-table, by dropping a player like Hurst was baffling.

Now, playing from the back - totally, totally, baffling given the total lack of quality, composure and confidence this defence has. And with a goalkeeper who'd just made such howlers, is it sensible to play this way. I see the likes of Man City with their multi-million pound players get it wrong. It's hard. How the heck does Danny think these average players with confidence shot to pieces are going to be able to manage it. He says he doesn't have the players he needs - so it's baffling why he doesn't go back to basics, keep it simple and stop trying to turn league two defenders into Vincent Kompany and Virgin van Dijk.

Next baffling item relates to some of the support I heard for Mitchell when he made what could have been described as his first decent save, midway/late into the second half. It was like he'd just pulled off a worldie and won us the title. After 2 absolute howlers and not a lot else all game, praising him for doing his basic job is baffling. In short, Mitchell had 2 howlers and 1 decent (but expected) save yesterday. If a doctor had that ratio, 2 dead patients for every 1 he successfully treats, I think questions would be asked about his licence to practice...I know I wouldn't want him treating me.

I will say that when Danny was appointed, I was disappointed as I wanted an experienced manager. Still, I am a supporter and wanted him to succeed, and I still hope now he can turn it around. But his choices are baffling with playing players out of position and insistence on playing a system that the players are not up to. If we didn't have an experienced manager, early doors I hoped an experienced deputy would be appointed to help. Instead, a baffling decision to appoint not one, but TWO totally inexperienced sidekicks. This smacks to me of a desire to not have anyone in place to challenge Danny's authority, a sign of a weak organisation.

My confidence in my Club has plummeted. I've just renewed my season ticket after much soul-searching, the first time I have questioned my renewal in many, many years. But I fear next year. I don't look forward to it. Please prove me wrong, and make me become baffled how I could ever question the manager.

You're welcome to disagree with me - that's what forums are for. And I'd welcome corrections (not abuse...'corrections') because I am a fan, not a qualified coach, scout etc. so I am speaking from the heart, more than anywhere else. But I do have the grey hair to prove I've watched a lot of games over a lot of seasons and I know what is being served up today is baffling and poor.

[Donnywolf]

Looks pretty accurate to me

Only thing on the Mitchell front , it could have been sarcastic "cheer" , as in "oh look he saved one"

As for DS it is possible he / the Club will endure the results and performances till ( how many times do we hear this from loads of Clubs) he gets his own Players signed.

That's all well and good but if we called in someone like Neil Warnock (just an example) would he not get us , those exact same Players , playing , scoring , defending better and looking like the squad knew one another and give everything for him and therefore "the Shirt"

[silent majority]

Looks pretty accurate to me

Only thing on the Mitchell front , it could have been sarcastic "cheer" , as in "oh look he saved one"

As for DS it is possible he / the Club will endure the results and performances till ( how many times do we hear this from loads of Clubs) he gets his own Players signed.

That's all well and good but if we called in someone like Neil Warnock (just an example) would he not get us , those exact same Players , playing , scoring , defending better and looking like the squad knew one another and give everything for him and therefore "the Shirt"

I'm pretty sure it was a sarcastic cheer.

But he was getting some incredible abuse from the Northampton fans throughout the game and especially in the 2nd half when he was playing at their end.

So getting it in the neck from both sets of fans seems to be the current situation for him.

[Thorney]

I've kept relatively quiet on here, but I'm going to have my say now, hopefully in a calm, measured manner.

So much baffled me yesterday.

A back 5 at home in a team that needs goals for confidence. Really?
In that back 5 he played a right back, with a dominant right foot, at left back, and a left-sided player (Rowe) more central, inside the right-footed player.
In the meantime, he had two very able CENTRE backs on the bench who could have gone in to where Rowe was playing, moved Rowe to left side, or midfield.
At right back he had a player who was clearly low on confidence. Prior to his (early) injury, he'd put a couple of very dodgy passes into his teammates.
If you insist on a back 5, Seaman to right back, Rowe to left, and Long or Faulkner into the middle 3 with Anderson and Oluwu.
Better still, a back 4 and get more attacking in midfield/further up.
Or use Rowe in midfield alongside the very inexperienced Ravenhill. Rowe's experience was not needed alongside Anderson and Oluwu - in midfield, it could have been valuable.

When Brown went off, we actually looked a bit better, until after half time when Danny decides to change some bits back.

Also baffled by the decision to drop Hurst - his first 20 seconds had more attacking intent than we showed in a lot of the first half. He was dropped to get in Todd Miller. Not saying this guy shouldn't get a chance, but to start his first full game against second-in-the-table, by dropping a player like Hurst was baffling.

Now, playing from the back - totally, totally, baffling given the total lack of quality, composure and confidence this defence has. And with a goalkeeper who'd just made such howlers, is it sensible to play this way. I see the likes of Man City with their multi-million pound players get it wrong. It's hard. How the heck does Danny think these average players with confidence shot to pieces are going to be able to manage it. He says he doesn't have the players he needs - so it's baffling why he doesn't go back to basics, keep it simple and stop trying to turn league two defenders into Vincent Kompany and Virgin van Dijk.

Next baffling item relates to some of the support I heard for Mitchell when he made what could have been described as his first decent save, midway/late into the second half. It was like he'd just pulled off a worldie and won us the title. After 2 absolute howlers and not a lot else all game, praising him for doing his basic job is baffling. In short, Mitchell had 2 howlers and 1 decent (but expected) save yesterday. If a doctor had that ratio, 2 dead patients for every 1 he successfully treats, I think questions would be asked about his licence to practice...I know I wouldn't want him treating me.

I will say that when Danny was appointed, I was disappointed as I wanted an experienced manager. Still, I am a supporter and wanted him to succeed, and I still hope now he can turn it around. But his choices are baffling with playing players out of position and insistence on playing a system that the players are not up to. If we didn't have an experienced manager, early doors I hoped an experienced deputy would be appointed to help. Instead, a baffling decision to appoint not one, but TWO totally inexperienced sidekicks. This smacks to me of a desire to not have anyone in place to challenge Danny's authority, a sign of a weak organisation.

My confidence in my Club has plummeted. I've just renewed my season ticket after much soul-searching, the first time I have questioned my renewal in many, many years. But I fear next year. I don't look forward to it. Please prove me wrong, and make me become baffled how I could ever question the manager.

You're welcome to disagree with me - that's what forums are for. And I'd welcome corrections (not abuse...'corrections') because I am a fan, not a qualified coach, scout etc. so I am speaking from the heart, more than anywhere else. But I do have the grey hair to prove I've watched a lot of games over a lot of seasons and I know what is being served up today is baffling and poor.

100% agree with that.

Harsh on van dijk to called him a virgin.   

[Silkscarf]

I thought the Northampton fans did a good job on Mitchell in the second half. Exactly what we would do in their position. 'Mitchell is a Cobbler' etc and all the 'oooooooooh's every time he went to touch the ball was merciless and quite funny.

[EasyforDennis]

Looks pretty accurate to me

Only thing on the Mitchell front , it could have been sarcastic "cheer" , as in "oh look he saved one"

As for DS it is possible he / the Club will endure the results and performances till ( how many times do we hear this from loads of Clubs) he gets his own Players signed.

That's all well and good but if we called in someone like Neil Warnock (just an example) would he not get us , those exact same Players , playing , scoring , defending better and looking like the squad knew one another and give everything for him and therefore "the Shirt"

I'm pretty sure it was a sarcastic cheer.

But he was getting some incredible abuse from the Northampton fans throughout the game and especially in the 2nd half when he was playing at their end.

So getting it in the neck from both sets of fans seems to be the current situation for him.

Northampton are one of his previous clubs (on loan) so that is why he will have got the abuse.

[danumdon]

Northants, your prognosis is correct, pity our HOF and coach can not see this.

As in Engineering (and most other things in life) when you have a fundamental issue you go right back to the start, to basics in effect and you fault find starting with the most obvious, eliminating that issue and building up until you get to the crux of the issue, this is the only sensible way to deal with underlying issues.

So what do we do?, in effect the exact opposite, instead of starting from the base and building up we are attacking it from the perspective that all the individual components are serviceable and reliable and we can progress knowing we are building on a sound basis. We all know this is completely wrong, the coach and HOF have said so themselves that all the component parts are not available and serviceable, so WHY in the name of anything that's good does he persist in this charade, we need bottom end GCSE instructions to this failing team, instead he's trying to instil BEng (Hons) level thinking on this bewildered and motley team.

Anyone with an ounce of common can see we are trying to push water uphill, its not going to happen.

So we need our leadership group to see this and act, NOW.

[roversdude]

Although I can’t defend the performances I could see why Hurst was dropped he put more effort in in his first foray yesterday than he did the entire time he was on the pitch on Tuesday. He’s a young player I get that and he’s probably played more than anticipated but his confidence looks shot too

[Northants Nomad]

I've kept relatively quiet on here, but I'm going to have my say now, hopefully in a calm, measured manner.

So much baffled me yesterday.

A back 5 at home in a team that needs goals for confidence. Really?
In that back 5 he played a right back, with a dominant right foot, at left back, and a left-sided player (Rowe) more central, inside the right-footed player.
In the meantime, he had two very able CENTRE backs on the bench who could have gone in to where Rowe was playing, moved Rowe to left side, or midfield.
At right back he had a player who was clearly low on confidence. Prior to his (early) injury, he'd put a couple of very dodgy passes into his teammates.
If you insist on a back 5, Seaman to right back, Rowe to left, and Long or Faulkner into the middle 3 with Anderson and Oluwu.
Better still, a back 4 and get more attacking in midfield/further up.
Or use Rowe in midfield alongside the very inexperienced Ravenhill. Rowe's experience was not needed alongside Anderson and Oluwu - in midfield, it could have been valuable.

When Brown went off, we actually looked a bit better, until after half time when Danny decides to change some bits back.

Also baffled by the decision to drop Hurst - his first 20 seconds had more attacking intent than we showed in a lot of the first half. He was dropped to get in Todd Miller. Not saying this guy shouldn't get a chance, but to start his first full game against second-in-the-table, by dropping a player like Hurst was baffling.

Now, playing from the back - totally, totally, baffling given the total lack of quality, composure and confidence this defence has. And with a goalkeeper who'd just made such howlers, is it sensible to play this way. I see the likes of Man City with their multi-million pound players get it wrong. It's hard. How the heck does Danny think these average players with confidence shot to pieces are going to be able to manage it. He says he doesn't have the players he needs - so it's baffling why he doesn't go back to basics, keep it simple and stop trying to turn league two defenders into Vincent Kompany and Virgin van Dijk.

Next baffling item relates to some of the support I heard for Mitchell when he made what could have been described as his first decent save, midway/late into the second half. It was like he'd just pulled off a worldie and won us the title. After 2 absolute howlers and not a lot else all game, praising him for doing his basic job is baffling. In short, Mitchell had 2 howlers and 1 decent (but expected) save yesterday. If a doctor had that ratio, 2 dead patients for every 1 he successfully treats, I think questions would be asked about his licence to practice...I know I wouldn't want him treating me.

I will say that when Danny was appointed, I was disappointed as I wanted an experienced manager. Still, I am a supporter and wanted him to succeed, and I still hope now he can turn it around. But his choices are baffling with playing players out of position and insistence on playing a system that the players are not up to. If we didn't have an experienced manager, early doors I hoped an experienced deputy would be appointed to help. Instead, a baffling decision to appoint not one, but TWO totally inexperienced sidekicks. This smacks to me of a desire to not have anyone in place to challenge Danny's authority, a sign of a weak organisation.

My confidence in my Club has plummeted. I've just renewed my season ticket after much soul-searching, the first time I have questioned my renewal in many, many years. But I fear next year. I don't look forward to it. Please prove me wrong, and make me become baffled how I could ever question the manager.

You're welcome to disagree with me - that's what forums are for. And I'd welcome corrections (not abuse...'corrections') because I am a fan, not a qualified coach, scout etc. so I am speaking from the heart, more than anywhere else. But I do have the grey hair to prove I've watched a lot of games over a lot of seasons and I know what is being served up today is baffling and poor.

100% agree with that.

Harsh on van dijk to called him a virgin.   

Ha! Hadn’t spotted that - victim of the Gods of Autocorrect!!

[Campsall rover]

Northants I agree with everything you say up to the Mitchell bit.

Yes it’s far too like common sense isn’t it. 
We were crying out for another midfielder yesterday as we are in most games. We are 2v3 game after game after game.
We can see it but DS can’t or doesn’t want to.

Northampton played one central striker a physical one, someone who can hold the ball up, so they can play that way. They were 4-3-3

So with them having one up in the middle why do we need 3 centre backs? It is beyond baffling.
Should have played Rowe in midfield or start Westerman.

As for Seaman well to be fair he is pretty much 2 footed and was possibly along with Anderson the best players at Crawley. That wasn’t hard though as the rest didn’t turn up.

Hurst was totally anonymous on Tuesday, in fact he looked distraught 2nd half. He only received the ball in his own half with his back to goal.
Kyle just looked so upset at the end of the game I thought he was going to burst into tears. 
Crawley had done their homework on us as Selby said before the game. We are so predictable and easy to play against.

Molyneux on the right wing was never allowed to come inside on his left foot on Tuesday.
Bit too sensible though I suppose to switch him over to left. Don’t think DS would ever have considered it.

The guy is so set in his ways and tactically inept it’s frightening
I am not joking you or me could manage this team better than he is doing.
You don’t need top coaching badges to see what 6.000 fans can see.

I seriously despair at this guy.

We have 2 seriously talented players in Hurst and Faulkner. He is destroying Hursts confidence and by putting Faulkner down the pecking order ( even behind Long yesterday as sub ) is going to lose this lad in the summer to another club.

As for Mitchell, well he is a damn good keeper for League 2
His 3 bad mistakes in last few games is symptomatic of the teams performances & the confidence that’s quickly eroding from the team.
Yes bad mistakes ( was he unsighted on 1st goal yesterday ) don’t know, but he looked as though he never saw it until it almost went past him. He never reacted at all.
2nd one, he was given another stupid back pass and due to this managers insistence in playing it short out from the back made yet another howler, mis kicking it straight to their player.
His poor distribution is 80/90% down to this Head coach imo.

He is a very good shot stopper & is one of the best keepers in this league on crosses. He has made numerous outstanding saves this season and i am very sure he has gained us more points than he has lost us.

I do not trust DS to get the recruitment right for how he wants to play.
In league 2 you need a solid spine. You must have some physicality and you need to set the team up accordingley to the strengths of the players you have.

To play the way DS wants we need Van Dyke and Stones at centre back de Byrune and Silva in midfield. Grealish and Foden out wide and Harland up top.
So that’s TB’s 500 million gone. In fact it’s not enough.
Blunt will have to cough up 100 million.

Seriously do you or does anyone have any confidence DS is capable of setting up a team to get promoted out of this league.

He is far too big a risk. The man is so utterly devoid of seeing what is required to win football matches, so set in his own little world, his way is the way and he ain’t changing it for anybody.
That’s not self belief, that is arrogance of the 1st degree. Blinkers on.

Got to go or we are on slippery slope. He is capable of taking us out of this league though to somewhere this club has been before and should never have to contemplate going again.

Action needed Now, don’t wait Copps till it too late, you have to hold your hand up.
You must know he has to go if you’re really truthful with yourself.
You will only lose respect if you do nothing.

Sorry so long winded again. 

[GazLaz]

Although I can’t defend the performances I could see why Hurst was dropped he put more effort in in his first foray yesterday than he did the entire time he was on the pitch on Tuesday. He’s a young player I get that and he’s probably played more than anticipated but his confidence looks shot too

Hurst is just tired. He’s played more than he should in his first season as a pro.

[wilts rover]

Rowe came on (for Close I think it was) in midfield at Swindon. Not sure where he played against Barrow but certainly in every game since then, since Maxwell got injured, he has played in defence.

As Gaz showed in his excellent thread on expected goals, this has coincided exactly with a massive drop off in form. He was directly responsible for the 1st goal at Sutton and indirectly the 2nd. He got murdered by the guy who scored 2 against Salford and although not directly responsible for any of the goals, the lead-ups to the first two came down his side and he was no-where near stopping the cross for the 3rd. Schofield clearly spotted this and switched Seaman over to that side at half-time (or just before I think it was).

So for whatever reason Schofield likes playing Rowe in defence - dont ask me why - but the problems this has caused in games is probably why Seaman was playing outside him yesterday.

Hope to catch up with you at a game sometime Northants, keep the faith.

[ncRover]

Northants I agree with everything you say up to the Mitchell bit.

Yes it’s far too like common sense isn’t it. 
We were crying out for another midfielder yesterday as we are in most games. We are 2v3 game after game after game.
We can see it but DS can’t or doesn’t want to.

Northampton played one central striker a physical one, someone who can hold the ball up, so they can play that way. They were 4-3-3

So with them having one up in the middle why do we need 3 centre backs? It is beyond baffling.
Should have played Rowe in midfield or start Westerman.

As for Seaman well to be fair he is pretty much 2 footed and was possibly along with Anderson the best players at Crawley. That wasn’t hard though as the rest didn’t turn up.

Hurst was totally anonymous on Tuesday, in fact he looked distraught 2nd half. He only received the ball in his own half with his back to goal.
Kyle just looked so upset at the end of the game I thought he was going to burst into tears. 
Crawley had done their homework on us as Selby said before the game. We are so predictable and easy to play against.

Molyneux on the right wing was never allowed to come inside on his left foot on Tuesday.
Bit too sensible though I suppose to switch him over to left. Don’t think DS would ever have considered it.

The guy is so set in his ways and tactically inept it’s frightening
I am not joking you or me could manage this team better than he is doing.
You don’t need top coaching badges to see what 6.000 fans can see.

I seriously despair at this guy.

We have 2 seriously talented players in Hurst and Faulkner. He is destroying Hursts confidence and by putting Faulkner down the pecking order ( even behind Long yesterday as sub ) is going to lose this lad in the summer to another club.

As for Mitchell, well he is a damn good keeper for League 2
His 3 bad mistakes in last few games is symptomatic of the teams performances & the confidence that’s quickly eroding from the team.
Yes bad mistakes ( was he unsighted on 1st goal yesterday ) don’t know, but he looked as though he never saw it until it almost went past him. He never reacted at all.
2nd one, he was given another stupid back pass and due to this managers insistence in playing it short out from the back made yet another howler, mis kicking it straight to their player.
His poor distribution is 80/90% down to this Head coach imo.

He is a very good shot stopper & is one of the best keepers in this league on crosses. He has made numerous outstanding saves this season and i am very sure he has gained us more points than he has lost us.

I do not trust DS to get the recruitment right for how he wants to play.
In league 2 you need a solid spine. You must have some physicality and you need to set the team up accordingley to the strengths of the players you have.

To play the way DS wants we need Van Dyke and Stones at centre back de Byrune and Silva in midfield. Grealish and Foden out wide and Harland up top.
So that’s TB’s 500 million gone. In fact it’s not enough.
Blunt will have to cough up 100 million.

Seriously do you or does anyone have any confidence DS is capable of setting up a team to get promoted out of this league.

He is far too big a risk. The man is so utterly devoid of seeing what is required to win football matches, so set in his own little world, his way is the way and he ain’t changing it for anybody.
That’s not self belief, that is arrogance of the 1st degree. Blinkers on.

Got to go or we are on slippery slope. He is capable of taking us out of this league though to somewhere this club has been before and should never have to contemplate going again.

Action needed Now, don’t wait Copps till it too late, you have to hold your hand up.
You must know he has to go if you’re really truthful with yourself.
You will only lose respect if you do nothing.

Sorry so long winded again. 

Camps you’ve been spot on with a lot recently but I can’t work out how you can still defend Mitchell.

The stats show again now that he is the worst goalkeeper in the league based on the saves you’d expect him to make. This doesn’t even account for mistakes involving poor distribution. Even a goalie in a direct team needs good kicking, Mitchell wouldn’t hit the big man up top like Burge did on Saturday.

https://www.fotmob.com/leagues/109/stats/season/17836/players/_goals_prevented/league-two-players

The Northampton fans didn’t rate Mitchell when he was there. With the 2 mistakes on Saturday they were in hysterics. I was embarrassed for the club. He would be their 4th choice goalie behind Burge, King and Maxted.

It would be neglect from the board to give Schofield more time and it would be neglect to reward sub-standard players like Mitchell with a new contract.

I don’t even want him as back up, he is 28 years old. It’s not as if he’s young and you can say he’ll get over the mistakes. Goalkeepers shouldn’t be stressful, least of all ones for promotion sides who need to keep their concentration.

I posted a few realistic free agent options on rumour mill, you can’t tell me you’d take Mitchell over any of them surely?

[Bailey Vickerage]

Rowe came on (for Close I think it was) in midfield at Swindon. Not sure where he played against Barrow but certainly in every game since then, since Maxwell got injured, he has played in defence.

As Gaz showed in his excellent thread on expected goals, this has coincided exactly with a massive drop off in form. He was directly responsible for the 1st goal at Sutton and indirectly the 2nd. He got murdered by the guy who scored 2 against Salford and although not directly responsible for any of the goals, the lead-ups to the first two came down his side and he was no-where near stopping the cross for the 3rd. Schofield clearly spotted this and switched Seaman over to that side at half-time (or just before I think it was).

So for whatever reason Schofield likes playing Rowe in defence - dont ask me why - but the problems this has caused in games is probably why Seaman was playing outside him yesterday.

Hope to catch up with you at a game sometime Northants, keep the faith.

the reason DS likes playing Rowe on the left of the back 3 is the same reason Knoyle played on the right through December and the start of January. He likes having one of his back 3 able to bring the ball out of defence and into the midfield and overload that side of the pitch. Rowe was my MOTM on Saturday and there were a few times where he carried the ball up the pitch and either drew a foul or we got a good attack down the left hand side for either him, Molyneux or hurst to put a cross in or get a shot off.

He is better suited to be paying on the left of a 3 man midfield but I can understand why he’s being played as a LCB atm because he does actually get into positions he would be in if he was playing on the left of a midfield 3.

[selby]

  And the reason Barrow at Barrow and I think Carlisle away played the ball consistently into the space behind Rowe and put fast wingers on him, other sides have also done us the same way.

[donnybez]

There's a lot of things about this style that doesn't add up.

Tom Anderson is many things - but a ball playing defender isn't one of them.
Tommy Rowe is an attacking player whose known for unlocking defences with great runs - so we slap him in defence.
Mitchell is a decent shot stopper - but his distribution is the worst in a GK at Rovers (and I say that recalling Sully's tendency to kick it into touch/to the feet of that Coventry player) so we play in a way where he'll be touching the ball the most often by starting us off?
We play in a physical league with big strapping lads in the heart of opposing defences so we counter that with... 1 player up top on his own?
We play a strange area based formation where players are almost encouraged to not chase lost balls (either that or the midfield do it so often the management cant be arsed to bollock them from the touchline)

But honest question: when the board sacked Gary McS stating: "While results so far in League Two have been largely positive, there has been a growing concern over the standard of performances in matches and a lack of progress between games"... what's different between then and now given Danny S is hardly winning more than Gary McS did this season? What progress is visible to the board on the pitch? Because it feels like every blue moon we have one game where the stars align and the style clicks and players play it perfectly only to turn back to the insipid, dull, unimaginative crap we seem to live by most games?

And final question - I know the board are firmly wedded to this 'exciting' philosophy on how football should be played like a cross between O'Driscoll and McCann ball... but would other fans be opposed to Saunders/Jones/Flynn ball where we could at least grind out a result and appeared to have something like a gameplan each and every game that the opponent wasn't able to limit to our back 3?

[drfchound]

Speaking of the style of play, someone posted a link the other day to the 28 pass move at Leeds that lead to our second goal. Fabulous great to watch football.
My friend at the game on Saturday then reminded me who our manager had been at the time.

[Butchers Red]

There's a lot of things about this style that doesn't add up.

Tom Anderson is many things - but a ball playing defender isn't one of them.
Tommy Rowe is an attacking player whose known for unlocking defences with great runs - so we slap him in defence.
Mitchell is a decent shot stopper - but his distribution is the worst in a GK at Rovers (and I say that recalling Sully's tendency to kick it into touch/to the feet of that Coventry player) so we play in a way where he'll be touching the ball the most often by starting us off?
We play in a physical league with big strapping lads in the heart of opposing defences so we counter that with... 1 player up top on his own?
We play a strange area based formation where players are almost encouraged to not chase lost balls (either that or the midfield do it so often the management cant be arsed to bollock them from the touchline)

But honest question: when the board sacked Gary McS stating: "While results so far in League Two have been largely positive, there has been a growing concern over the standard of performances in matches and a lack of progress between games"... what's different between then and now given Danny S is hardly winning more than Gary McS did this season? What progress is visible to the board on the pitch? Because it feels like every blue moon we have one game where the stars align and the style clicks and players play it perfectly only to turn back to the insipid, dull, unimaginative crap we seem to live by most games?

And final question - I know the board are firmly wedded to this 'exciting' philosophy on how football should be played like a cross between O'Driscoll and McCann ball... but would other fans be opposed to Saunders/Jones/Flynn ball where we could at least grind out a result and appeared to have something like a gameplan each and every game that the opponent wasn't able to limit to our back 3?

Kyle Knoyle was probably the best overlapping full back in both league 1 and 2 - having a great season for us,top of the assist table and a genuine threat every game. So DS pisses him off by playing him at centre back.

Result - Knoyle shifts to Stockport who are now getting the best out of him and we get an inferior replacement in exchange.

[danumdon]

There's a lot of things about this style that doesn't add up.

Tom Anderson is many things - but a ball playing defender isn't one of them.
Tommy Rowe is an attacking player whose known for unlocking defences with great runs - so we slap him in defence.
Mitchell is a decent shot stopper - but his distribution is the worst in a GK at Rovers (and I say that recalling Sully's tendency to kick it into touch/to the feet of that Coventry player) so we play in a way where he'll be touching the ball the most often by starting us off?
We play in a physical league with big strapping lads in the heart of opposing defences so we counter that with... 1 player up top on his own?
We play a strange area based formation where players are almost encouraged to not chase lost balls (either that or the midfield do it so often the management cant be arsed to bollock them from the touchline)

But honest question: when the board sacked Gary McS stating: "While results so far in League Two have been largely positive, there has been a growing concern over the standard of performances in matches and a lack of progress between games"... what's different between then and now given Danny S is hardly winning more than Gary McS did this season? What progress is visible to the board on the pitch? Because it feels like every blue moon we have one game where the stars align and the style clicks and players play it perfectly only to turn back to the insipid, dull, unimaginative crap we seem to live by most games?

And final question - I know the board are firmly wedded to this 'exciting' philosophy on how football should be played like a cross between O'Driscoll and McCann ball... but would other fans be opposed to Saunders/Jones/Flynn ball where we could at least grind out a result and appeared to have something like a gameplan each and every game that the opponent wasn't able to limit to our back 3?

Kyle Knoyle was probably the best overlapping full back in both league 1 and 2 - having a great season for us,top of the assist table and a genuine threat every game. So DS pisses him off by playing him at centre back.

Result - Knoyle shifts to Stockport who are now getting the best out of him and we get an inferior replacement in exchange.

The ironic thing about Kyle is that the formation we are attempting to play would of suited him far better, as a right back going forward he was very good, could bring the ball out at pace, push back the opposing defenders and create openings for us .

As a defending right back he was pure pants, got turned inside our by every winger he came up against and the amount of times we conceded a goal when a striker beat him in the air at the back post was criminal, in effect he was more than 25% of a failing defence.

Now he’s gone and we have Brown who bizarrely is the compiler opposite, an half decent defender and could well play in a four at the back, going forward he’s not so good, and when he looses the ball high up the field seems to trot back in his own time.

Horses for courses I suppose but we need better.

[MachoMadness]

There's a lot of things about this style that doesn't add up.

Tom Anderson is many things - but a ball playing defender isn't one of them.
Tommy Rowe is an attacking player whose known for unlocking defences with great runs - so we slap him in defence.
Mitchell is a decent shot stopper - but his distribution is the worst in a GK at Rovers (and I say that recalling Sully's tendency to kick it into touch/to the feet of that Coventry player) so we play in a way where he'll be touching the ball the most often by starting us off?
We play in a physical league with big strapping lads in the heart of opposing defences so we counter that with... 1 player up top on his own?
We play a strange area based formation where players are almost encouraged to not chase lost balls (either that or the midfield do it so often the management cant be arsed to bollock them from the touchline)

But honest question: when the board sacked Gary McS stating: "While results so far in League Two have been largely positive, there has been a growing concern over the standard of performances in matches and a lack of progress between games"... what's different between then and now given Danny S is hardly winning more than Gary McS did this season? What progress is visible to the board on the pitch? Because it feels like every blue moon we have one game where the stars align and the style clicks and players play it perfectly only to turn back to the insipid, dull, unimaginative crap we seem to live by most games?

And final question - I know the board are firmly wedded to this 'exciting' philosophy on how football should be played like a cross between O'Driscoll and McCann ball... but would other fans be opposed to Saunders/Jones/Flynn ball where we could at least grind out a result and appeared to have something like a gameplan each and every game that the opponent wasn't able to limit to our back 3?

Kyle Knoyle was probably the best overlapping full back in both league 1 and 2 - having a great season for us,top of the assist table and a genuine threat every game. So DS pisses him off by playing him at centre back.

Result - Knoyle shifts to Stockport who are now getting the best out of him and we get an inferior replacement in exchange.

The ironic thing about Kyle is that the formation we are attempting to play would of suited him far better, as a right back going forward he was very good, could bring the ball out at pace, push back the opposing defenders and create openings for us .

As a defending right back he was pure pants, got turned inside our by every winger he came up against and the amount of times we conceded a goal when a striker beat him in the air at the back post was criminal, in effect he was more than 25% of a failing defence.

Now he’s gone and we have Brown who bizarrely is the compiler opposite, an half decent defender and could well play in a four at the back, going forward he’s not so good, and when he looses the ball high up the field seems to trot back in his own time.

Horses for courses I suppose but we need better.

Think it's fairly obvious losing Knoyle and the injured Maxwell is a big contributor in our attacking threat dropping off a cliff. It was clearly a choice (who's choice is not clear) to replace Knoyle with a more defensively solid player to stop us leaking goals, but then Maxwell going down means we've got absolutely no outlet. Can't play it into midfield as they're powder puff. Can't lump it up front as the strikers can't hold it up, and even if they could we don't have anyone making runs past them into the space anyway, especially not since Biggins is out. It's dire, but the rot set in long before Schofield got here and I don't think he's our biggest problem by a long stretch.

[bobbymax]

There's a lot of things about this style that doesn't add up.

Tom Anderson is many things - but a ball playing defender isn't one of them.
Tommy Rowe is an attacking player whose known for unlocking defences with great runs - so we slap him in defence.
Mitchell is a decent shot stopper - but his distribution is the worst in a GK at Rovers (and I say that recalling Sully's tendency to kick it into touch/to the feet of that Coventry player) so we play in a way where he'll be touching the ball the most often by starting us off?
We play in a physical league with big strapping lads in the heart of opposing defences so we counter that with... 1 player up top on his own?
We play a strange area based formation where players are almost encouraged to not chase lost balls (either that or the midfield do it so often the management cant be arsed to bollock them from the touchline)

But honest question: when the board sacked Gary McS stating: "While results so far in League Two have been largely positive, there has been a growing concern over the standard of performances in matches and a lack of progress between games"... what's different between then and now given Danny S is hardly winning more than Gary McS did this season? What progress is visible to the board on the pitch? Because it feels like every blue moon we have one game where the stars align and the style clicks and players play it perfectly only to turn back to the insipid, dull, unimaginative crap we seem to live by most games?

And final question - I know the board are firmly wedded to this 'exciting' philosophy on how football should be played like a cross between O'Driscoll and McCann ball... but would other fans be opposed to Saunders/Jones/Flynn ball where we could at least grind out a result and appeared to have something like a gameplan each and every game that the opponent wasn't able to limit to our back 3?

Kyle Knoyle was probably the best overlapping full back in both league 1 and 2 - having a great season for us,top of the assist table and a genuine threat every game. So DS pisses him off by playing him at centre back.

Result - Knoyle shifts to Stockport who are now getting the best out of him and we get an inferior replacement in exchange.

That's not why Knoyle left. He got offered more money and had refused a new contract.

[drfchound]

There's a lot of things about this style that doesn't add up.

Tom Anderson is many things - but a ball playing defender isn't one of them.
Tommy Rowe is an attacking player whose known for unlocking defences with great runs - so we slap him in defence.
Mitchell is a decent shot stopper - but his distribution is the worst in a GK at Rovers (and I say that recalling Sully's tendency to kick it into touch/to the feet of that Coventry player) so we play in a way where he'll be touching the ball the most often by starting us off?
We play in a physical league with big strapping lads in the heart of opposing defences so we counter that with... 1 player up top on his own?
We play a strange area based formation where players are almost encouraged to not chase lost balls (either that or the midfield do it so often the management cant be arsed to bollock them from the touchline)

But honest question: when the board sacked Gary McS stating: "While results so far in League Two have been largely positive, there has been a growing concern over the standard of performances in matches and a lack of progress between games"... what's different between then and now given Danny S is hardly winning more than Gary McS did this season? What progress is visible to the board on the pitch? Because it feels like every blue moon we have one game where the stars align and the style clicks and players play it perfectly only to turn back to the insipid, dull, unimaginative crap we seem to live by most games?

And final question - I know the board are firmly wedded to this 'exciting' philosophy on how football should be played like a cross between O'Driscoll and McCann ball... but would other fans be opposed to Saunders/Jones/Flynn ball where we could at least grind out a result and appeared to have something like a gameplan each and every game that the opponent wasn't able to limit to our back 3?

Kyle Knoyle was probably the best overlapping full back in both league 1 and 2 - having a great season for us,top of the assist table and a genuine threat every game. So DS pisses him off by playing him at centre back.

Result - Knoyle shifts to Stockport who are now getting the best out of him and we get an inferior replacement in exchange.

That's not why Knoyle left. He got offered more money and had refused a new contract.

Perhaps too his comment about going to a club with more ambition was a factor.