Ratings

I'm hoping to God he was injured. Because his attempt at tracking back their lad barely 5 mins after coming on was embarrassing. I walked back to my car on Donny Rd quicker than that.

Sad really, he's one of those lads you want to like and see him come good. Instead I fear he's another Mossto. Lost outside the bubble of his homeland.

 

Mallan is the only one in the team that knows how to take a free kick/corner.

 

We only need one.

 

Williams and Gardner offer little going forward though.

 

Disagree with that mate tbf. Gardner has been getting forward a lot more recently. Its the conundrum though that needs to be answered if we want to play 2 up front.

Thats why 352 worked so well for us all those years ago. It gave us the strength in midfield and also gave us 2 up front. Unfortunately we just don't have the personnel to be able to play it, as last week showed.

 

I still think 3-5-2 is an option if everyone is fit and available.

 

I'm a massive advocate of it. My old man swears by it and was the driving force behind it back in the 90s. I think we should have been playing it ages ago, but you need to get players suited to it. It can take a while to transition to it, because you've probably got wingers in your squad that just become surplus to requirements.

The one thing we did back then what wasn't very well documented was use Matty Appleby well. If we were getting overun in midfield we'd quickly adapt and move him into a holding midfield role. Going 4-1-3-2.

Having a player like that was massive for us. These days, although teams are using 3 at the back, none of them are using a sweeper role who can play just behind to centre halves and also slip into the holding midfield role.

 

Appleby was I thought a massively underrated player and played a massive part in your dad/ Danny’s sides. To play it successfully you need someone who can switch effortlessly from CH to CDM it’s not easy.

3-5-2 is definitely my favourite formation and we are winger light anyway...

 

I'd certainly back that outstanding gentleman's opinion over any BBS poster.

 

I’ll tell him tomorrow, my old mate. He’ll be stoked!

Brill to see you earlier my good man.

 

Right back at you!

 

Sounds a bit like hourihane when he first arrived?

 

Matty was a great player. Treated terribly by managers post Danny.

 

yes, only difference is we were in L1 then