My main take from last night is what a difference having an ex pro commentating. No offence to Terry and Greg, both do a job but there’s a clear difference and made watching even more bearable.
I'm not entirely sure whether simply being a former professional footballer makes someone a better commentator.
On the one hand, Steve Brown was clearly able to draw on his experience as a player to make sensible, insightful observations.
Quite unusual but fascinating when Brownie is in the commentary box, as it feels like you're sitting next a coach in the stand and he's explaining to you exactly what's going on out there.
So much more detail that a co-commentator normally provides, and I'm talking about the ones on TV and Radio not Greg and Terry.
Agreed. I think we could do a lot worse than appointing Brownie as defensive coach.
Arresting the run of crappy results was important The return of JFC was important The contribution of JFC was critical - it also helped to show up just how little impact the likes of Shinnie actually make and the difference in the degree of effort expended superficially competent players(?) like Smith and Jaiyesimi The praise heaped on Pearce is rose tinted in the extreme, he's marginally less scary than Oshilaja, he came close to a dismal own goal and he was up against naff all striking capability from Wigan - ladees aand gennelmen I gives you Joe Dodoo!! Joe Dodoo FFS remember him? Pearce won't get an easier ride in the rest of his career. Wigan are unarguably the weakest side in the division and Charlton were reasonable value for a one goal win. Ain't exactly a ringing endorsement is it?
Arresting the run of crappy results was important The return of JFC was important The contribution of JFC was critical - it also helped to show up just how little impact the likes of Shinnie actually make and the difference in the degree of effort expended superficially competent players(?) like Smith and Jaiyesimi The praise heaped on Pearce is rose tinted in the extreme, he's marginally less scary than Oshilaja, he came close to a dismal own goal and he was up against naff all striking capability from Wigan - ladees aand gennelmen I gives you Joe Dodoo!! Joe Dodoo FFS remember him? Pearce won't get an easier ride in the rest of his career. Wigan are unarguably the weakest side in the division and Charlton were reasonable value for a one goal win. Ain't exactly a ringing endorsement is it?
No, but it was good enough and we haven't been that for a while. It'll mean something if we can build on it, but I'm happy enough to praise the team for gutsing out a win when it was needed.
I don't hate Purrington and think he'd potentially work on the left of a back three (or the CENTRE of a back three, which I'm amazed we haven't tried since the fourth game of the season, when it worked well for 20 minutes). That said we'd then probably be playing a left-footer on the right of a back three if Pearce stays in. Famewo would probably have to do that. He probably could. This would free up Maatsen as a wing-back and allow Matthews to do likewise, AND allow a CM three, which suited Watson. The more I think about it the more I like it. It did look good against Burton (until it didn't).
I was listening to Neil Warnock earlier in the season (lockdown makes you do funny things) and he has reluctantly gone to 352, or had done, because it was the only way he could get 3 central midfielders AND two center forwards on the pitch. He also pointed out there are no box-2-box midfielders any more, which is why everyone tries to play with 3.
Exactly.
Modern coaching has bred a whole generation of very limited and often quite "lazy" midfielders. They have an extra midfielder with them, so they don't have to do anywhere near the running and even less so when at least one of them isn't expected to join in any attacks.
I think back to when Ahmed Kashi first played under Guy Luzon. He played in a traditional 442 and looked superb. He came back under Robinson and was restricted to playing really deep as a water-carrier and didn't look anywhere near as good. Then in the 2nd half of one game, when we were chasing it and Robinson let him push on and suddenly he looked a lot more like the player we'd first signed....all action at both ends of the field.
I don't hate Purrington and think he'd potentially work on the left of a back three (or the CENTRE of a back three, which I'm amazed we haven't tried since the fourth game of the season, when it worked well for 20 minutes). That said we'd then probably be playing a left-footer on the right of a back three if Pearce stays in. Famewo would probably have to do that. He probably could. This would free up Maatsen as a wing-back and allow Matthews to do likewise, AND allow a CM three, which suited Watson. The more I think about it the more I like it. It did look good against Burton (until it didn't).
I was listening to Neil Warnock earlier in the season (lockdown makes you do funny things) and he has reluctantly gone to 352, or had done, because it was the only way he could get 3 central midfielders AND two center forwards on the pitch. He also pointed out there are no box-2-box midfielders any more, which is why everyone tries to play with 3.
Exactly.
Modern coaching has bred a whole generation of very limited and often quite "lazy" midfielders. They have an extra midfielder with them, so they don't have to do anywhere near the running and even less so when at least one of them isn't expected to join in any attacks.
I think back to when Ahmed Kashi first played under Guy Luzon. He played in a traditional 442 and looked superb. He came back under Robinson and was restricted to playing really deep as a water-carrier and didn't look anywhere near as good. Then in the 2nd half of one game, when we were chasing it and Robinson let him push on and suddenly he looked a lot more like the player we'd first signed....all action at both ends of the field.
I am sure academies have 6 cookie cutters.
Center halves that are pretty on the ball but can't defend, attacking full backs, 1 dimensional holding midfielders (who seem to be totally interchangeable with the center halves) , "number 10s" and wide forwards. Anything else is either a freak or as rare as rocking horse shit.
I don't hate Purrington and think he'd potentially work on the left of a back three (or the CENTRE of a back three, which I'm amazed we haven't tried since the fourth game of the season, when it worked well for 20 minutes). That said we'd then probably be playing a left-footer on the right of a back three if Pearce stays in. Famewo would probably have to do that. He probably could. This would free up Maatsen as a wing-back and allow Matthews to do likewise, AND allow a CM three, which suited Watson. The more I think about it the more I like it. It did look good against Burton (until it didn't).
I was listening to Neil Warnock earlier in the season (lockdown makes you do funny things) and he has reluctantly gone to 352, or had done, because it was the only way he could get 3 central midfielders AND two center forwards on the pitch. He also pointed out there are no box-2-box midfielders any more, which is why everyone tries to play with 3.
Exactly.
Modern coaching has bred a whole generation of very limited and often quite "lazy" midfielders. They have an extra midfielder with them, so they don't have to do anywhere near the running and even less so when at least one of them isn't expected to join in any attacks.
I think back to when Ahmed Kashi first played under Guy Luzon. He played in a traditional 442 and looked superb. He came back under Robinson and was restricted to playing really deep as a water-carrier and didn't look anywhere near as good. Then in the 2nd half of one game, when we were chasing it and Robinson let him push on and suddenly he looked a lot more like the player we'd first signed....all action at both ends of the field.
I am sure academies have 6 cookie cutters.
Center halves that are pretty on the ball but can't defend, attacking full backs, 1 dimensional holding midfielders (who seem to be totally interchangeable with the center halves) , "number 10s" and wide forwards. Anything else is either a freak or as rare as rocking horse shit.
You forgot goalkeepers who can play it out from the back, except when they've forgotten about stopping shots and have to pick it out from the back,,,
Comments
On the one hand, Steve Brown was clearly able to draw on his experience as a player to make sensible, insightful observations.
On the other hand, Steve McManaman.
The return of JFC was important
The contribution of JFC was critical - it also helped to show up just how little impact the likes of Shinnie actually make and the difference in the degree of effort expended superficially competent players(?) like Smith and Jaiyesimi
The praise heaped on Pearce is rose tinted in the extreme, he's marginally less scary than Oshilaja, he came close to a dismal own goal and he was up against naff all striking capability from Wigan - ladees aand gennelmen I gives you Joe Dodoo!! Joe Dodoo FFS remember him? Pearce won't get an easier ride in the rest of his career.
Wigan are unarguably the weakest side in the division and Charlton were reasonable value for a one goal win. Ain't exactly a ringing endorsement is it?
It'll mean something if we can build on it, but I'm happy enough to praise the team for gutsing out a win when it was needed.
Modern coaching has bred a whole generation of very limited and often quite "lazy" midfielders. They have an extra midfielder with them, so they don't have to do anywhere near the running and even less so when at least one of them isn't expected to join in any attacks.
I think back to when Ahmed Kashi first played under Guy Luzon. He played in a traditional 442 and looked superb. He came back under Robinson and was restricted to playing really deep as a water-carrier and didn't look anywhere near as good. Then in the 2nd half of one game, when we were chasing it and Robinson let him push on and suddenly he looked a lot more like the player we'd first signed....all action at both ends of the field.
Keep a clean sheet and we can pick up points. We need to run this past Bowyer as my guess is that he hasn't twigged this yet.
Center halves that are pretty on the ball but can't defend, attacking full backs, 1 dimensional holding midfielders (who seem to be totally interchangeable with the center halves) , "number 10s" and wide forwards. Anything else is either a freak or as rare as rocking horse shit.
,,,of the net.