(29-10-2020, 11:45 AM)Paplane Wrote: Last night was such a winnable game. We started well for once and began to dominate the game, albeit we didn't create too many chances. Credit to Luton, who refused to do a Derby and throw themselves to the ground every time they were touched. That helped the game flow and so we were able to string a few passes together and we eventually saw the first glimmers of some quality coming through. Then we concede and that knocked us back a bit. The goal was a little unlucky I felt, just fell at their lad's feet who took his chance well. Then the red card set us back again.
All in all a rescued point in the end but could've been 3 had we had just a bit more luck on the night.
i can't fault the effort, the front players from the off were chasing down defenders and the goalie with selfless heroic 40 yard sprints and it worked to an extent but it wasn't a committed strategy, out numbered and thankless, a form of pursuing this concept of 'dominating the game without the ball'.
2 or 3 good crosses into the corrider of uncertainty that favoured Taylor but just out of lunging distance
it seems like a gameplan that makes weaker, slower, less skillful teams look like world beaters, handing them the majority of the pitch and the ball
it's a great gameplan to master and apply ... occassionally ... but as the 10 proved, they have the ability and desire to take the game to Luton ... what if we start the same way we finish games
the highly organised defence is logical but football psychology tends to favour last ditch and having to cope with crisis situations and nullify them, this is what quality defenders actually thrive in, i think back to Psycho's set up against QPR .. we went 3 nil down, yet all the players were organised and prettily positioned, but none of them rolled their sleeves up and made a decisive intervention, they were stood around like bowling pin dummies and cost my fella his job
i think we have to approach some games completely differantly ... ie Lolley, Freeman, Knocky, Sammy and Taylor all starting and pretty much going man for man in most areas and let the class, skill and interplay based on a fully committed high press where we don't predominantly run ourselves into the ground to win a throw in but actually get heaps of chances ... though unlikely this will happen
Just setting up with a completely differant plan by default gives a tactical advantage, opposing team defenders knowing they will only have nano seconds on the ball is the game changer, doesn't have to be for 90 mins, have flick switch
i think for the last half hour last night Hughton's influence on the game was relatively null and void and pure passion and pride and belief were the order of the day
