I’d love to see Bates in a 4231 in the 2 and being the one that steps a bit more forward and into space. I think he would be perfect for that role, next to someone who knew what they were doing.
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Second best? I must have missed Makelele sitting on the bench.
Damned if you do; damned if you don’t. Dutton has a short amount of time to make an impression. I don’t mind him taking calculated risks and trying to change things. Trying Norman as a defensive midfielder is hardly a catastrophe in the overall scheme of things and singling that out to criticise the player or the manager is pretty disingenuous. He has the same group of players to work with, less our best forward and arguably best defender. As others have said, we are playing better football, look more organised (albeit toothless up front) and I’m looking forward to seeing Holden and Wright coming into this. For the time being, I’m prepared to be a little more generous to Dutton and the players we are left with.
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I would be putting Perry in now to get the games that he should have been getting over the last year or so.
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You should definitely try that
How’s Leigh?
See what you did there.
How’s Leigh?
I thought it was data, data, data 
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I said before his very first game, that I wasn’t really bothered about the early results. What was important, was deciding on a formation-and then stick to it.
What we have now is even worse; a new playing “style” but still no clue or consistency in how we set ourselves up.
An absolute complete and utter shambles. We are finished as a football club until we decide what formation we are moving forwards with.
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I thought first half and parts of the second half we looked better than we have for the past few months, definitely signs of better passing game and we got the ball in the box more often than the past few games too, Melbourne in particular put in plenty of crosses.
As others have said though, our downfall is our ability to concede every game and looking toothless up front. Individually I thought Scarr, White and Melbourne had decent games yesterday. Lavery too, has looked okay the past few games, but with no support when he does get the ball we won’t score too many. One thing which frustrates me too is the lack of shots when the chance arises. McDonald will have a pop once or twice a game, but the keeper will always be expecting those curling shots from him from the left side of the box, other than that no one seems to have a go until they are in the box surrounded by defenders. This isn’t just us, so many teams try to pass it into the net or opt to put the ball out wide or backwards instead of having a shot from distance. I remember when Kieron Morris came into the team at the end of the 14/15 season he was a breath of fresh air shooting on sight, and he scored a few in those few months too.
Back to last nights game… Referee started badly and got worse. Probably one of the most frustrating referees we’ve had for a while.
I think we just need to pick up enough points to absolutely ensure our safety over the next month, then give the players we want here next season time to play together and establish some sort of structure to go forward with. Too early for me to be coming to conclusions on Dutton, we definitely look like we are playing with some sort of plan, and even though results haven’t been good in his three games he hasn’t exactly been given a good hand to start with and the odd decision is still bewildering as it was with Clarke, but still willing to give him time before I make my mind up.
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It worries me that Dutts sees the game differently to almost everyone on here!
“The first half wasn’t how we would have liked it, I thought Newport edged it in the first half. Second half we came on strong . . . .”
We were better in the first half. We had tempo and shape, whereas 2nd half it was huff and puff and headless chickens. We created very little in either half.
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We all also know that the relegation spots are not such a distant dream! Looking at our upcoming fixtures, who amongst us could imagine us getting more than the occasional point from the likes of Barrow?
We continue to give away an easy goal to every team we play, which means that we have to score two goals for a win, and as we can’t even score one currently…weem buggered.
Playing well/better as many have pointed out above, is meaningless (though more encouraging to watch) if we continue to lose.
Someone suggested that we might be the team that drops like a stone, thankfully we already have that in Colchester, who early on were in the running for top three! But that doesn’t stop us from joining them in a similar ‘stone drop’ movement as the season ends. Southend will finish above us so that leaves Grimsby & Barrow to save both of us from the drop.
Hard times to be a Saddler currently.
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We had that balance in the 15/16 season perfect. Chambers being the holding player, Sawyers as the attacker and Mantom being the all rounder. When you think about it, we lack a player who would fill that Chambers role, happy to just sit and mop up the loose balls. Kinsella has the potential but doesn’t really have the nouse that Chambers had in terms of his positioning.
Sinclair was signed for that purpose I suppose, but again, none of our midfielders really compliment each other which is why, I matter who we put out, we very rarely win the midfield battle. Another example of Clarke’s poor recruitment process
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He’s been brilliant since signing scored a goal already and at times is the highest man up the pitch he will only get better with more games and should be first name on the team sheet.
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This is what I’ve been saying for ages pal. Nice comparison with the 15/16 team, and that combination of players is what we need.
I don’t expect the same quality as those in league two, but the make up of the midfield has to complement each other.
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Darrell didn’t have a style did he really there was no identity so it’s no surprise we have a mish mash of current playing staff because we had a mish mash of tactics most games.When we have a style and an identity we can sign the players you speak of to compliment each other and compliment our style as a football team.
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The mad thing is that it is isn’t even rocket science is it pal? It’s a basic formula that requires little or no thought for players to fit in to. Everyone knew their role every week with this under Smith. At the very least it gives you a solid base. We only started to tinker with different formations when we had a squad of good players for that level.
In genuinely think that Clarke felt he had to tinker and see every game as a project to justify his own preconceptions , not because he actually believed them. It’s not surprising that Dutton seems to be following in his footsteps either given that’s all he’s known
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Absolutely M_S.
Kinsella is probably most similar to Mantom, minus the 10 goals a season.
Achieving combinations is so important. Successful teams tend to have these in abundance. The only strong combination I see in our team is at centre-half. Scarr is big and strong. Will head, block and clear his lines. Not necessarily easy on the eye. Clarke/ Sadler are strong commutators, more willing to receive the ball under pressure and pay through thirds.
I honestly can’t see any other strong combinations in the team.
In reply to one of my posts, a contributor to this forum mentioned that he was surprised by interest in Scarr. Maybe the interested parties are looking a centre-half that is big and strong. Will head, block and clear his lines to compliment the other centre-half?
Hmmmmmm.
Kinsella doesn’t affect the play in the opposing half. Mantom did. He got to the byline, and ran past the forwards. Kinsella does none of these things.
He’s neither one thing nor the other and that’s his problem. He’s not demanding enough of the ball and does not use it well enough to be a defensive midfielder - and does not get forward enough to be a more box to box player.
He needs to decide what he’s going to do, because heart and determination can only take you so far. For him, and for us.
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Wouldn’t disagree with any of that pal.
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