Late to the party, the league is priority. Honestly what do we expect with 9 changes. I feel for the travelling fans I really do but we will be better off out of it given the injury situation. No dramas for me.
I think a lot of people expected another Stevenage type performance, not taking into account that Mansfield are actually an ok side.
The Stevenage side were nowhere near the threat this Mansfield side were likely to offer I'm afraid.
I can't be the only one that thinks were not playing that badly? Could've easily have had 2 or 3
Agree, not been awful but not been good.
Two standouts have been Dijksteel and Sarr. Both have had a lot to do without getting much support from their fullbacks either side of them. Both generally looking more stable and reliable than even a few months ago. Dijksteel perhaps could have done more for the goal, but as became standard in the last 20 minutes of the first half Mansfield were in running at him and he had no fullback cover and only Sarr covering the middle.
Taylor Maloney is a player I really rate. He's always looking for the ball, has a good range of passing, takes up good positions, and puts himself about a bit. But something I've noticed a few times now is he has a bad habit of under-hitting passes badly. I suspect some of that is the difference between U-23 and senior football. But certainly something to work on.
When we have gotten to ball to Grant and Ajose they've linked well and looked dangerous, despite not taking chances. But we have to get the ball to their feet more. We don't have Taylor to get flick-ons or hold the ball up.
Pratley has been very poor for me since moving in to midfield. I continue to not understand how such an experienced player (at higher levels as well) can give the ball away so frequently and just get caught so badly out of position. Genuinely thought he was better at CB where at least he couldn't roam around.
As already mentioned... It doesnt help were missing Taylor and his ability to hold up the ball.
Grant is doing his best by running on to the long balls as usual and making it uncomfortable for their defenders when they're on the ball yet Ajose is doing neither, instead he's dropping deep with the ball which simply gives the Mansfield players time to get back into position
Disjointed. haven't taken at least two good chances, Grant and Lapslie. Sarr is supposed to be the mainstay. Maloney and Stephenson anonymous. Ward not that interested, nor Ajose. Sarr has a presence because he has to, Lapslie beavering away, Marshall occasional showings. No sense of a team that knows each other. We might score, but I think Mansfield will score again too. Got to massively improve.
Late to the party, the league is priority. Honestly what do we expect with 9 changes. I feel for the travelling fans I really do but we will be better off out of it given the injury situation. No dramas for me.
I think a lot of people expected another Stevenage type performance, not taking into account that Mansfield are actually an ok side.
The Stevenage side were nowhere near the threat this Mansfield side were likely to offer I'm afraid.
This.
Stevenage also made 9 changes for their game against us. Mansfield have made 2 changes only.
It's more or less their 1st team, unbeaten in their last 11 games.
Ajose is doing absolutely nothing. I would replace him with Clarke with about 30 minutes remaining. The minutes on the pitch can only help him regain match fitness.
Ward won't want to risk getting injured, before the international break. Bowyer got him pulled out the Norn Iron squad last time - so that he could play for Charlton.
He'll be on a promise this time. Expect him to be hooked early.
What’s wrong with our midfield? Why can’t we keep the ball?
Average age of 11, and no one up front to hold the ball up and build attacks around. We really badly miss Lyle Taylor, and it’s exaggerated by just how bad and unsuitable as a replacement for him Ajose is.
Although to be fair to Ajose, holding the ball up is not his role. There's no replacement for Lyle Taylor in the squad - except maybe Reeco Henry-Lovechild, perhaps?
It’s not, but I’m yet to see what Ajose is good at to be honest. Maybe if he actually tried once in a while...
Late to the party, the league is priority. Honestly what do we expect with 9 changes. I feel for the travelling fans I really do but we will be better off out of it given the injury situation. No dramas for me.
I think a lot of people expected another Stevenage type performance, not taking into account that Mansfield are actually an ok side.
Ward won't want to risk getting injured, before the international break. Bowyer got him pulled out the Norn Iron squad last time - so that he could play for Charlton.
He'll be on a promise this time. Expect him to be hooked early.
I thought Ward took himself out of the team for the last International Break seeing that O'Neill didnt have a gripe about us when he then played against Stevenage
Ward won't want to risk getting injured, before the international break. Bowyer got him pulled out the Norn Iron squad last time - so that he could play for Charlton.
He'll be on a promise this time. Expect him to be hooked early.
I thought Ward took himself out of the team for the last International Break seeing that O'Neill didnt have a gripe about us when he then played against Stevenage
Ward said he was not fit enough and stayed with Charlton to get some game time
making 9 changes & only fielding 5 subs tells the players that the manager doesn't care, so why should they. cant blame the players if the manager doesn't want it. may have even told the players not too go in hard so as to avoid further injuries.
the only thing I do insist on is that we fecking try shooting for a change.
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Have been scarred ever since
So Bowyer pushes Pratley forward to create a midfield four and we were still being overrun.
Too many sloppy passes and being second best to the ball means they have dominated. We can’t keep possession for any kind of meaningful spell.
It was pretty shit before he showed up as well.
We are the definition of a non cup side.
Two standouts have been Dijksteel and Sarr. Both have had a lot to do without getting much support from their fullbacks either side of them. Both generally looking more stable and reliable than even a few months ago. Dijksteel perhaps could have done more for the goal, but as became standard in the last 20 minutes of the first half Mansfield were in running at him and he had no fullback cover and only Sarr covering the middle.
Taylor Maloney is a player I really rate. He's always looking for the ball, has a good range of passing, takes up good positions, and puts himself about a bit. But something I've noticed a few times now is he has a bad habit of under-hitting passes badly. I suspect some of that is the difference between U-23 and senior football. But certainly something to work on.
When we have gotten to ball to Grant and Ajose they've linked well and looked dangerous, despite not taking chances. But we have to get the ball to their feet more. We don't have Taylor to get flick-ons or hold the ball up.
Pratley has been very poor for me since moving in to midfield. I continue to not understand how such an experienced player (at higher levels as well) can give the ball away so frequently and just get caught so badly out of position. Genuinely thought he was better at CB where at least he couldn't roam around.
Grant is doing his best by running on to the long balls as usual and making it uncomfortable for their defenders when they're on the ball yet Ajose is doing neither, instead he's dropping deep with the ball which simply gives the Mansfield players time to get back into position
Sarr is supposed to be the mainstay.
Maloney and Stephenson anonymous.
Ward not that interested, nor Ajose.
Sarr has a presence because he has to, Lapslie beavering away, Marshall occasional showings.
No sense of a team that knows each other.
We might score, but I think Mansfield will score again too.
Got to massively improve.
Stevenage also made 9 changes for their game against us.
Mansfield have made 2 changes only.
It's more or less their 1st team, unbeaten in their last 11 games.
I would replace him with Clarke with about 30 minutes remaining.
The minutes on the pitch can only help him regain match fitness.
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Jamie Ward gets the second half going. No changes for either team at the break.
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Bowyer got him pulled out the Norn Iron squad last time - so that he could play for Charlton.
He'll be on a promise this time. Expect him to be hooked early.
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52' | #Stags 1-0 Charlton
Mellis mistimes his challenge on Maloney, giving the visitors a free kick just inside their own half.
the only thing I do insist on is that we fecking try shooting for a change.
Shame the corner was shite