It’s odd, every team plays with a midfielder who can break up play and doesn’t necessarily offer too much going forward, but some people think we’re too good for a player like Pratley. It’s broken thinking; not every player in a team can be a creative presence, and those who can both destroy and create play at a higher level. The fact is Pratley does exactly what’s asked of him and brings organisation, professionalism and commitment into our whole team. When he’s not in our midfield other players, good as they are, aren’t anywhere near as cohesive. If you’re looking at Pratley and thinking he’s the kind of player we need to move on from then you’re focusing on the wrong areas
Also our defence has looked hopelessly exposed without someone doing that job.
It's no coincidence that almost ever clean sheet we have kept this season Pratley has played in midfield
All been said, terrific performance .. I had serious doubts over Millar's signing, SO pleased to be proven wrong .. 4 4 2 is the way to go, nothing fancy .. good to see Purry back in the side .. we still need a central defender though
I thought we played 4-4-2 but the commentators said it was a diamond
Greg said it was 4-5-1 and then went on to explain how it was 4-3-3...
442 in the first half really, as Millar played as a left winger while Conor and Jayden were a 2 up front
Once Conor went off and Ronnie came on, it all went a bit weird tactically, a sort of 433/451 with Ronnie on the right and Shinnie and then Albie as a central attacking midfielder behind and indeed sometimes in front of the strikers...
Out of interest Callum what does this chart show as I do not have a clue?
It's all the shot locations from the game and the larger the area of the shape, the more chance it had of going in. I'm still trying to work out how the varying shapes are allocated but I'm guessing it's along the lines of header/shot/set-piece etc. The one with the yellow arrow going into the net is the goal.
MK Dons 0.56 - Charlton 0.88 is the expected goals final score according to @xG_mapper 's model.
The shapes are to differentiate between the different players - Washingtons efforts are all circles for example.
We played so much better on Saturday going forward and we only scored 2 from 10 chances.
No Effing gifts tonight at the back and we have a bit of luck at last when they hit the post from the first half corner.
When we make quality crosses we score. We hardly ever make quality crosses.
We need back to back wins.
MK Dons make more passes than Casanova, but unlike the cad they couldn't score.
Agreed, as an attacking force we were much better on Saturday. The big differences tonight were that a) we didn't make any major defensive cockups, and indeed defended pretty well b) we had more luck (no shots deflecting into the net, that header hitting the post) c) no worldy shots from a kid most of us hadn't heard off!
Truth is we can’t afford to lose many more. Sunderland a point behind us with two games in hand and Accrington currently four points adrift but five in hand. We can easily find ourselves mid table and probably will. This disastrous run has killed us.
At this rate Stanley will be playing Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday - I can see those games in hand as a curse, not a blessing.
Truth is we can’t afford to lose many more. Sunderland a point behind us with two games in hand and Accrington currently four points adrift but five in hand. We can easily find ourselves mid table and probably will. This disastrous run has killed us.
We're not dead yet, Shooters!
Plenty of football to come, twists and turns, other teams having bad runs and injuries, etc, etc. None of those teams will get maximum points, they'll fritter many of their games in hand just like we did. Especially with fixture congestion.
We can't afford to worry about the other sides too much just yet. Only to focus on our own game and results.
Truth is we can’t afford to lose many more. Sunderland a point behind us with two games in hand and Accrington currently four points adrift but five in hand. We can easily find ourselves mid table and probably will. This disastrous run has killed us.
Truth is we can’t afford to lose many more. Sunderland a point behind us with two games in hand and Accrington currently four points adrift but five in hand. We can easily find ourselves mid table and probably will. This disastrous run has killed us.
We can definitely afford to lose more.
Exactly.
Hull have lost the same amount of games as us (7).
Accrington, Portsmouth, Peterborough have lost 6 each.
Lincoln and Doncaster have lost 5.
By the time they’ve all played 25 games too, then I expect a few will all have lost 7 like us.
We have come back from 3-1 down against the team in 18th, 2 down against the team in 23rd, and beaten the teams in 16th and 19th 1-0 away and people honestly think that's good and gutsy?
Can you actually give it a rest please.
Why do you think that's anything to brag about?
About time we had mediocre performance and got 3 points.
I’ll take that over playing well and then losing out to individual defensive errors
In fairness it was a mediocre 35 minutes.
Once Washington went off and we pushed Shinnie into the CF role and Schwartz to RW we were completely unbalanced. A managerial decision that didn't work.
We got the win though so Hurrah to the haddocks.
Schwartz is a goalscorer, he can collect the ball from midfield & drive towards goal or we can get the ball to him in the box where he works to find room. if we're going to play him RW he might as well be back in Denmark & that isn't a dig at Ronnie we have to play to his strengths.
Good win. We did deserve it because they really were at a loss at how to break us down. I hope it will be the catalyst for something more, but until we start going on a proper run I will reserve judgment. I have been digging out the performances of late, and I’m not going to be convinced off the back of a very dour game, but shape wise and set up wise, it worked tonight.
apart from Millar’s goal, I can only think of Stockley’s shot and Pratley’s pass when he should’ve shot as our other ‘chances’, and this was all in the first 20 minutes. We sat back pretty much from then on. On this occasion it worked, so you have to give the management and team credit. I need to see more though on a consistent level.
Pratley was very good tonight. That might be a decent role for him going forward as a man marker. He nullified Fraser who was a pain at ours. I actually thought having Purrington at left back gave us more of a balance in defence as a unit. Maatsen is a talent, but for some reason the unit looked more solid today than it has been over the last few months. He’ll get another go on Saturday no doubt so it will be a good test.
Finally, I really couldn’t work MK Dons out. If that had been us adopting their approach play I’d have been going mad. It was like watching rugby Union. Even in the 94th minute they were still knocking it around their defenders. You have to be an exceptional team to do what they were trying to do.
Truth is we can’t afford to lose many more. Sunderland a point behind us with two games in hand and Accrington currently four points adrift but five in hand. We can easily find ourselves mid table and probably will. This disastrous run has killed us.
Good win. We did deserve it because they really were at a loss at how to break us down. I hope it will be the catalyst for something more, but until we start going on a proper run I will reserve judgment. I have been digging out the performances of late, and I’m not going to be convinced off the back of a very dour game, but shape wise and set up wise, it worked tonight.
apart from Millar’s goal, I can only think of Stockley’s shot and Pratley’s pass when he should’ve shot as our other ‘chances’, and this was all in the first 20 minutes. We sat back pretty much from then on. On this occasion it worked, so you have to give the management and team credit. I need to see more though on a consistent level.
Pratley was very good tonight. That might be a decent role for him going forward as a man marker. He nullified Fraser who was a pain at ours. I actually thought having Purrington at left back gave us more of a balance in defence as a unit. Maatsen is a talent, but for some reason the unit looked more solid today than it has been over the last few months. He’ll get another go on Saturday no doubt so it will be a good test.
Finally, I really couldn’t work MK Dons out. If that had been us adopting their approach play I’d have been going mad. It was like watching rugby Union. Even in the 94th minute they were still knocking it around their defenders. You have to be an exceptional team to do what they were trying to do.
That was weird, it was as if they'd misread the number of added minutes and thought they had another 5 minutes to get a goal, not 30 seconds
Good win. We did deserve it because they really were at a loss at how to break us down. I hope it will be the catalyst for something more, but until we start going on a proper run I will reserve judgment. I have been digging out the performances of late, and I’m not going to be convinced off the back of a very dour game, but shape wise and set up wise, it worked tonight.
apart from Millar’s goal, I can only think of Stockley’s shot and Pratley’s pass when he should’ve shot as our other ‘chances’, and this was all in the first 20 minutes. We sat back pretty much from then on. On this occasion it worked, so you have to give the management and team credit. I need to see more though on a consistent level.
Pratley was very good tonight. That might be a decent role for him going forward as a man marker. He nullified Fraser who was a pain at ours. I actually thought having Purrington at left back gave us more of a balance in defence as a unit. Maatsen is a talent, but for some reason the unit looked more solid today than it has been over the last few months. He’ll get another go on Saturday no doubt so it will be a good test.
Finally, I really couldn’t work MK Dons out. If that had been us adopting their approach play I’d have been going mad. It was like watching rugby Union. Even in the 94th minute they were still knocking it around their defenders. You have to be an exceptional team to do what they were trying to do.
That was weird, it was as if they'd misread the number of added minutes and thought they had another 5 minutes to get a goal, not 30 seconds
I assumed their manager is in the Gus Poyet mould and they’ll play that way regardless of the situation. It can look very good when it works but boring and predictable when you’re struggling.
It’s odd, every team plays with a midfielder who can break up play and doesn’t necessarily offer too much going forward, but some people think we’re too good for a player like Pratley. It’s broken thinking; not every player in a team can be a creative presence, and those who can both destroy and create play at a higher level. The fact is Pratley does exactly what’s asked of him and brings organisation, professionalism and commitment into our whole team. When he’s not in our midfield other players, good as they are, aren’t anywhere near as cohesive. If you’re looking at Pratley and thinking he’s the kind of player we need to move on from then you’re focusing on the wrong areas
I agree Pratley adds something to the team and tonight he was excellent. However he's had a fairly poor season imo, although the baulk of the criticism comes from when he's been playing at CB. You say he brings professionalism, like the time he got sent off for kicking out at a Hull player last month?
One thing I've noticed in the past few weeks is a big deterioration in the quality of pitch surfaces.
Obviously, with last season playing on into late July plus the very short close season, there wasn't time to re-sow pitches, do remedial work, etc. And with the very wet autumn and then winter deluges, playing surfaces have been cut to shreds.
Expect a lot of hard bumpy and bobbly pitches in the Spring, when they finally dry out. Intricate short passing games could prove difficult or impracticable.
Expect a lot of long ball, Route One football later as the season progresses!
Gunter: I'm not putting my hands in the way, if they get hit I'm taking it like a man Pratley's trying to give it a look that'll make the ball explode Stockley has the look of someone who has just heard the ball talking to him Deji's is questioning if he forgot to flush the loo in the dressing room
One thing I've noticed in the past few weeks is a big deterioration in the quality of pitch surfaces.
Obviously, with last season playing on into late July plus the very short close season, there wasn't time to re-sow pitches, do remedial work, etc. And with the very wet autumn and then winter deluges, playing surfaces have been cut to shreds.
Expect a lot of hard bumpy and bobbly pitches in the Spring, when they finally dry out. Intricate short passing games could prove difficult or impracticable.
Expect a lot of long ball, Route One football later as the season progresses!
L1 and L2, other than the teams in the playoffs, didn't resume so the short close season shouldn't have been such a problem for many clubs
I imagine a few would have cut back on remedial work on the pitch for financial reasons though
It's very variable though, the Pompey pitch is in superb condition, this is what it looked like on Saturday
Gunter: I'm not putting my hands in the way, if they get hit I'm taking it like a man Pratley's trying to give it a look that'll make the ball explode Stockley has the look of someone who has just heard the ball talking to him Deji's is questioning if he forgot to flush the loo in the dressing room
I've thought even the luxurious green sward of The Valley is looking a bit moth eaten and threadbare.
MK's pitch tonight was heavy, sticky and well, not as green as you would expect. I don't even need to mention Peterborough.
After Saturday it's 2 weeks until the next match at The Valley (unless we play a U23 match there) so hopefully time to so some work on it. It's the outside sections where it seems a bit worn
Have a feeling we’re not going to see much of Maddison for remainder of the season.
Agreed which really annoys me.
He has so much quality. It’s just a shame Bowyer can’t swallow his pride. I’m assuming he hasn’t apologised for the way he’s treated him this season.
With all due respect, this is not a Primary School. No one player is more important than the club. Despite his abilities, I feel Maddison's attitude is questionable. And he didn't 'Take a knock', as reported. He claimed some injury after stepping oddly. My first thought on watching was he just wanted to get off the pitch as he was having a 'mare. Now, 'He says he's ill'. Pretty well sums him up for me. I believe Bow 'has his number' and I think I do too. I wish another club would take him and free up the salary. Just sayin'.
Comments
Once Conor went off and Ronnie came on, it all went a bit weird tactically, a sort of 433/451 with Ronnie on the right and Shinnie and then Albie as a central attacking midfielder behind and indeed sometimes in front of the strikers...
He has so much quality. It’s just a shame Bowyer can’t swallow his pride. I’m assuming he hasn’t apologised for the way he’s treated him this season.
a) we didn't make any major defensive cockups, and indeed defended pretty well
b) we had more luck (no shots deflecting into the net, that header hitting the post)
c) no worldy shots from a kid most of us hadn't heard off!
Sunderland much more of a threat.
Plenty of football to come, twists and turns, other teams having bad runs and injuries, etc, etc.
None of those teams will get maximum points, they'll fritter many of their games in hand just like we did. Especially with fixture congestion.
We can't afford to worry about the other sides too much just yet.
Only to focus on our own game and results.
apart from Millar’s goal, I can only think of Stockley’s shot and Pratley’s pass when he should’ve shot as our other ‘chances’, and this was all in the first 20 minutes. We sat back pretty much from then on. On this occasion it worked, so you have to give the management and team credit. I need to see more though on a consistent level.
Obviously, with last season playing on into late July plus the very short close season, there wasn't time to re-sow pitches, do remedial work, etc.
And with the very wet autumn and then winter deluges, playing surfaces have been cut to shreds.
Expect a lot of hard bumpy and bobbly pitches in the Spring, when they finally dry out.
Intricate short passing games could prove difficult or impracticable.
Expect a lot of long ball, Route One football later as the season progresses!
Pictures seems to say a thousand words:
Gunter: I'm not putting my hands in the way, if they get hit I'm taking it like a man
Pratley's trying to give it a look that'll make the ball explode
Stockley has the look of someone who has just heard the ball talking to him
Deji's is questioning if he forgot to flush the loo in the dressing room
I imagine a few would have cut back on remedial work on the pitch for financial reasons though
It's very variable though, the Pompey pitch is in superb condition, this is what it looked like on Saturday
MK's pitch tonight was heavy, sticky and well, not as green as you would expect.
I don't even need to mention Peterborough.
With all due respect, this is not a Primary School. No one player is more important than the club. Despite his abilities, I feel Maddison's attitude is questionable. And he didn't 'Take a knock', as reported. He claimed some injury after stepping oddly. My first thought on watching was he just wanted to get off the pitch as he was having a 'mare. Now, 'He says he's ill'. Pretty well sums him up for me. I believe Bow 'has his number' and I think I do too. I wish another club would take him and free up the salary. Just sayin'.