Actually I thought it was Earings job to sit deep and be the play maker?
Easiest thing in the world to moan about “forward passes”, for me the option isn’t there enough and neither is the structure of attacking moves.
That moan has been misdirected at Kinsella for years and to be completely fair, I think it’s misdirected at Labadie too.
It’s a very fair assessment.
Do you think our midfield has been good enough in the last 5 years ?
I don’t think that I specifically mentioned “forward passes” as you highlighted. My observation was about awareness, ball control and the presence of mind to turn with the ball safely after receiving it from a defender and carrying the ball forward. I completely agree with you that the structure of attacking moves is an issue and there isn’t always an option and the ball might well have to be played back.
My comments about Kinsella and Labadie were made with the Newport performance freshest in my mind. Kinsella first half and Labadie in the second, passed back as a first instinct more often than not which was both from necessity sometimes and from simply not looking and turning with the ball when they could have at other times.
When Earing comes deep to collect the ball, I get the feeling that he is more aware of his options and usually turns with the ball when appropriate to do so as a first instinct.
All three players share the same problem though with what do with the ball once they go forward as you have quite rightly mentioned.
I mean you mentioned having the time and space to “play forward” and choosing not and passing (back) to defenders instead so I don’t think I’m particularly misrepresenting you by talking about forward passes to be honest.
Well I think if you’re talking about Newport, you didn’t watch Kinsella closely second half. He set up our first chance of the half with a chipped ball over the top for Miller, continuously spread out to the wings and even took the ball on himself a couple of times. Possibly because Labadie was sitting deeper and doing the other side.
I haven’t seen Earing effect a game at all for some time from that deep position. It gets patently obvious every week he’s a 10 being asked to play in an unfamiliar position. All his good play these days seems to come from the final third, not picking it up deep. In fact, the last time he tried it that springs to mind, he tried to flick the ball over a players head (instead of making the sensible pass back to the centre half) and we conceded from it.
Well I don’t think any area of the team has been for five years but I quite liked Dobson/Edwards. As for more recently, I’ve been pretty vocal about the midfield and how I think Kinsella isn’t the issue but the dearth of creativity next to him. To be fair I thought Earing was the answer to that, but to be honest I think it’s pretty obvious that’s not his position.
And same with Kins eh 
Joking aside, it’s the combination of both the responsiveness of the fullbacks, the ability of the centre halves to shift it quick, the wide players showing, the midfielders ability to create/stamp authority on the game, the no.10 to make space etc etc etc
We do not function as a unit, and they central cog (the midfield) does not work at present - and hasn’t for a while.
I fear Matt is trying to play a certain way with these players, and frankly, they’re not good enough to.
Not to do it to play off standard no.
You make a good point about the full backs. It’s not as often as you’d think your midfielder picks up the ball and can just spray it to the wingers. Ward and White have both been atrocious this season when receiving the ball out wide in their own half.
I don’t mind the centre halves, in fact Menayese is one of the best footballing centre halves I’ve seen us have, certainly at this level. I found out the other day he actually played midfield as a junior before dropping back to centre half as a pro and it doesn’t surprise me at all. Monthe and Taylor aren’t but hey, it’s league two. Their not going to spray it round like Sergio Ramos.
But so many times White and Ward pick the ball up and are so hesitant. White has the odd run in him but usually only when we are chasing the game. And bar pot shots and deep crosses (that never seem to come off) Ward never seems to do anything. And that’s only when they receive the ball past the half way line. In their own half they very rarely do anything other than lay it back to a centre half.
It is pointless me responding to you when you rely on manipulating words to impose what you think I mean. Never mentioned forward passes. If I fail to satisfy your threshold for clarification that is down to my lack of articulation rather than me meaning something else.
I didn’t mention about Kinsella in the second half and yes, I did mention about Labadie second half.
I agree that Earing made an error that ultimately resulted in conceding a goal.
Yeah, the whole thing is dysfunctional. Our full backs are either very flat, or too deep (or both). No positive outlook, allowing the team to get up the pitch quicker.
Contrast MT’s 4231 with Smith’s 4231. Two of our most important players were Demetriou and Henry - who provided such a good outlet, stretched the pitch, and allowed us to be so much more dynamic. Obviously, we won’t get those standard players in L2; but the point is more about the tactics and players who can and will push on.
That’s a big part of the problem. The full backs never seem to be doing the right thing.
I think White is decent going forward but hes atrocious at any form of recovery play. Ward has a decent left foot but he’s trying to play like he’s 26 not 36. Baffles me such an experienced pro has no nouse or intelligence to know when to just drop back so he isnt always exposed for pace.
I just explained why I didn’t do that but whatever 
But my point was they switched roles? That’s why Kinsella played completely differently second half because, as I said to you’re original point, blaming your ball winning midfielders for a lack of creativity is misplaced. You can’t single out players as issues, but only when they don’t do the things you are asking them to, and ignore it when they do.
Doing the exact thing you’re arguing should happen more. Like I said, hasn’t looked like the player you described for some time. He needs to be pushed further up the pitch.
The players are just not good enough, no matter how much you try and over analyse it.
Take Ladabie for instance, likes a tackle but his passing is rubbish and very rarely influences play, apart from when he’s sent off.
White - can’t control the ball , can’t header , can’t cross!
Ward - can’t run
There’s Very little you can do with this lot.
This. The one thing that has disappointed me most about Ward is his lack of positional sense. It’s almost as if the opposition wait for him to get somewhere near the half way line then put the ball in behind him and are in.
I wasn’t expecting Ward to bomb up and down the left like a teenager but at the very least be a very steady Mat Sadler type of left back but with better quality on the ball.
Particularly when we’ve played a lot of games with inverted wingers.
They might be the biggest pile of dung to wear the swift badge, but they are the ‘ right ‘ characters the dof has managed to assemble from the length and breadth of the kingdom, gorra loff aye ya.
My original point was simply about midfield players coming short to receive the ball from defenders and not making the most of that possession by turning when sensible to do so, and moving forward with the ball. No more, no less. I didn’t couch it as lack of creativity by ball winning midfielders, just missed opportunities for them to move forward into space.
Of course I’m aware that they switched roles. I’ve not commented on Kinsella’s second half performance.
Earing’s was an error in judgement, although I can’t exactly remember what led to it. All I’m saying that should happen is that players should have the awareness of what space is behind them and if they can safely turn and progress the play by moving the ball forward (not necessarily with a forward pass initially) then they should do. If there is no such space just play the simple safety ball back which I completely understand.
Yeah … sorry for completely misrepresenting your point there 
No I have. To point out it’s not necessarily the individuals you’ve picked out at fault.
I’d rather have Chris palmer over ward that’s how much I think he has sucked for us. Darlaston at best now 
Melbourne been recalled by Lincoln
Good post.
A great point on the manager questioning “mindsets” following all the assurances on “character” in the summer.
Taylor spoke about the “non negotiables” earlier in the season. This was work rate and commitment based. I think the players are negotiating.
And whilst we can debate his quality, one thing we can never question about Kinsella is mindset and character. He needs to be back next week. If the captain has to make way then so be it.