Looking ahead

[PhilAnders]

Being a newly retired Sad Old Git with time on his hands I’ve watched the video highlights of the first 3 games of our next 4 opponents. I know that highlights are distorted ( so I’ve tried to watch the video highlights provided by their opponents as well to get some perspective). Chorley and South Shields appear to be your average NLN teams and thus should present us with no greater challenge than we have overcome so far. Kidderminster and Curzon Ashton however are a different kettle of fish however. Like ourselves, Kiddy are a big, fit ,well organised side with Mr “Orange tan” himself, Phil Brown, as their manager.All 6 of their goals so far have come from the work of 2 players on the left hand side, Zak Brown and Max Kouyar and all 3 fullbacks they have played against have been toasted by their interplay and close control skills. When they deliver the ball into the box it’s either low and hard to the near post or high to the back stick. They have a tall gangly striker ( Morgan-Smith) whose movement in the box is excellent. Darlington did attack them in their first game but Dibble in goal had a worldy and Kiddy won 2-1( Darlington scored from a direct free kick) and that is the only goal they have conceded so far, easily brushing aside Radcliffe, and should have had more than one against Brackley.
Curzon Ashton remember, did the double over us last season. Their Goalkeeper, Bobby Jones, has been excellent in all 3 games and has kept them level in the early stages of games. They tend to break quickly through the middle of the park via the excellent Isaac Sinclair, who has great close control, an excellent weighted forward pass and a very good shot! Stephan Mols provides excellent back up and support in midfield and their striker, Jimmy Spencer makes runs off the shoulder of the central defenders onto the passes from midfield. To me, their strategy appears to be to soak up pressure and hit teams on the counter.
2 difficult games for us then, that will involve us going up a performance gear if we are to get anything from them. Personally, I will be happy if we don’t lose to either of these teams!

[Awaywego]

Much rather win one lose one than drawing both. That mentality of be happy not to lose was Jimmy’s attitude in many an away performance, we don’t want that from Butler let teams be frightened of us not the other way round.
For those who didn’t go to Boston praised the point where a win would have meant Boston not even making the playoffs and a loss would have made no difference to us at all then look what happened.
Besides all that it’s far to early in the season for that mentality.

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TheJuryeffsOut

[PhilAnders]

That is a fair point, 3 points would be better than 2!

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Awaywego

[Sanfran49]

Targeting never works, it shows failure is acceptable.

46 games in the league then 46 wins are what is needed.

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lesgeo

[toffee]

Isaac Sinclair is the son of Trevor Sinclair, QPR, West Ham, Man City etc. Also played for Blackpool at Wembley in ’92.

[PhilAnders]

Here is my updated thoughts on our next 2 opponents based on watching their video highlights from their Bank Holiday games.
Kiddy for me remain our most dangerous opponents. They lost against Warrington but IMHO, they deserved a draw, poor finishing letting them down. Warrington did a job on Kiddy’s left sided attack, cutting out balls to the wide players, closing and pressing them quickly when they had the ball at the feet, and if all else failed, cutting out the ball into the box. One of Kiddy’s gangly strikers did outleap the defenders to score their only goal from a cross from the right. They bounced back in the Monday game, scoring 4, their left sided midfield and wing play again toasting the Oxford Right Back. One piece of luck for us, Beresford, one of their tall forwards, was injured and may not be fit to play us.
In conclusion, Kiddy are the best ( other) side in NLN I’ve see this season. They are a BIG team and attack with devastating pace and control down the left to shoot or cross, near post or far! It will be a difficult game on Friday
Curzon were poor against Brackley, their midfield being completely outplayed by Brackley. They didn’t recover on Monday, struggling to break down a well organised Darlington side. They went long in the second half and did create a few chances but could not convert.

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CMC, Ferrite, lesgeo, MK Iron

[Ferrite]

Petition to appoint PhilAnders as official Iron Bru head scout.

3 users thanked author for this post.

CMC, Cliff Byrne's Right Peg, Howard

[Deereyme66]

414 reading the Kiddie write up, twisting pencil in sharpener, eyes widening.

[Author]

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