Needham Market (A)

[Cliff Byrne’s Right Peg]

Absolutely No idea what to expect. Kevin Horlock as manager is the only notable piece of information. A town the size of Winterton and the most very basic of facilities by the looks it, nevertheless 3 points is up for grabs and we’ve often seen how difficult it can be when the opposition raise their game against us.

Would be surprised to see a change this early in the season, Brogan for Roberts is perhaps the only realistic swap depending on whether we stick with the formation.

If we are to be serious title contenders then putting 4/5 wins together at various points in the season is a must, tomorrow is a good chance to build on a solid start.

Needham 0-3 Iron

[Ferrite]

I’d expect another challenge like the one Marine posed. A well-organised, robust side who may well tire in the final 1/3rd of the match. I’d be tempted to leave Roberts out based on what I saw on Saturday, the match seemed to bypass him for long periods. I guess we have to be careful with Beestin too and now push him too hard given all his fitness challenges.

[Rene Artois]

Them 0-3 Us

[WonderGoals]

I’d also change Roberts for Brogan and I’d maybe rest Beestin for Fishburn. Beestin we’ll have to manage to keep him fresh with the injuries he’s had and even though Roberts has been poor in ACM, he’ll need managing correctly too.

You could even make a case for Rowley or Shrimpton to get a start to ensure Scales is fresh for this Sat.

[MK Iron]

Got to have a good reason to change a team that wins 3-0.

If Roberts is going to learn to play the 10 role he won’t learn it on the bench.

1-3 to the Iron.

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Awaywego

[lesgeo]

Fishburn is young, raw and pretty inexperienced. He should not really be starting games when there are better and more experienced players.
Saturday was perfect – came off the bench and scored.
He may well get starts as the season progresses – when we have no real alternative.

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Cliff Byrne's Right Peg, MK Iron

[Iron-awe]

It’s a squad game and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if there are changes tomorrow night, AB has mentioned the importance of the squad a few times and he’s shown in the first two league games he’s prepared to use subs and change the shape during games if the situation dictates. He’s not a JD clone he’s his own man and he’s going to do it his way, I’m sure he will be discussing closely with John Schofield the best plan for each match and who to pick to fit that plan.

[ironfromafar]

1-1

[Deereyme66]

I wouldn’t tinker around too much, and would start the same 11 unless an area of weakness in the oppositiin has been identified that could be better exploited by an alternative player. Certainly wouldn’t start Trigger yet. I’d hope the squad strength is used to make early subs (which AB doesn’t seem averse to) if necessary rather than messing about with a template.

[Ironawe]

With a small squad at our disposal are we looking at the loan market? (Assume it would be post August when we could potentially get a League 1/2 reserve)

[Sanfran49]

Perhaps Whitehall may be on the bench. Besides tonight need to look at the set-up for home to Chorley.

But agree that Andy & John will have it all mapped out.

[IronIronIron]

0-2

[Apollo11]

Prediction for tonight: Difficult. Unknown quantity (to us). Pretty sure Butler and co. will have done their homework! NM 0 – SUFC 2

[Supermick]

Prediction: difficult? Market Town club… 0-0 half time absolute joke. Next pub team?

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Sharp_Shooter24, Ironawe

[Deereyme66]

Yes!! Definite pen on Roberts. well executed by Whitehall.

[Deereyme66]

Another win and clean sheet but we shouldn’t have been hanging on there. Can’t understand why we’re running it in to the corner flags on 89mins when there was bound to be 4-5mins added time. Still, we take it and move on. Despite hitting the post twice and scoring the pen, Whitehall’s first touches need to improve. Should have had someone running in to the box for Scales to pass to and shoot rather than those repeated dinks and chips far post.

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Just Iron

[lesgeo]

A tactical mess.
A top ref. 8/10 (7 if the pen was duff.)
5/10 for a good number of players.
Loss of shape when the subs came in – it nearly cost us.
Okay, we hit the woodwork twice but their build up was generally better than ours.
So many hoofs upfield – I was embarrassed.
Had a Sheff Utd fan round to watch it – even with free whiskey here, he left with 30 minutes to spare.

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Sharp_Shooter24

[BigLeftToe]

9 points from 9 and 3 clean sheets, so happy days. But…jeez that was tough watch towards the end. Scored the goal and immediately put 11 men behind the ball often inside our own half. Why do we always do it regardless of who’s in charge!? Please can we also not see Evans in centre midfield again?

[Sharp_Shooter24]

Another difficult watch!
First half felt totally long ball and not a lot of ideas of how to outplay a really poor opponent, second half was better but without the penalty we come away 0 vs 0 at best because we were never scoring from open play.
We now have one of the biggest teams in the league and an expert long throw specialist and 3 CB’s starting every game…. Yet we are still bang average at set pieces (especially corners) when we should be deadly!!
However, it is 9 points from 9 and top of the league with no goals conceded… all this and we’ve not even played that well yet… I’m hoping whatever this formation and way of playing is kicks in soon and we go on an unstoppable run playing ‘really great attacking football’ because that’s the bit that’s missing.

[Deereyme66]

Needham will be disappointed not to have had a point from that. Better sides would have capitalised.

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Sharp_Shooter24, lesgeo

[WonderGoals]

We went too direct which was odd because when we played the ball on the floor into feet we looked the much better team. Lesgeo, a tactical mess ?. I wouldn’t quite go that far, Butler just gambled trying to get more players forward.

We seriously need to stop going so direct, we need to play it into feet a lot more.

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Sanfran49, Deereyme66

[Deereyme66]

Yeah, can’t agree with ‘tactical mess’ but yes, less hoof ball please.

[PhilAnders]

We seemed to get dragged into playing that hoofball. I’m waiting to hear AB’s explanation!

[Cliff Byrne’s Right Peg]

Hard work: pitch was lovely and they was hardly a physical/anti football side so those excuses can be put to one side. No problem with going direct at times but you’ve got to have either a runner in the channels, or a decent target man, we had neither.

Nevertheless, a win and another clean sheet. Kelly/Fitzsimmons the pick of an average bunch.

[Sharp_Shooter24]

Maybe not a tactical mess but we are massively unconvincing so far.
This formation is offering no attacking threat.
I’m struggling to see what the patterns of play are supposed to be and we keep smashing the ball long out of desperation.
There’s less side ways and backwards vs Jimmy Dean which I am massively thankful of but we don’t have a killer edge!
I’m over the moon we’ve played 3 and won 3 but I want to watch us be entertaining, dominant and a force that teams can’t live with and we are miles away from that.
Let’s see what Saturday brings

[Siderite]

Is there any team that is like that at this level? Tamworth were comfortable champions last year, but hardly played like Man City and won games through slogging it out, based on a solid defence. What we have seen so far is 7 goals in 3 and 0 conceded. Some concerns, which need working on, but these messages of doom are odd.

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MK Iron, Cliff Byrne's Right Peg, Deereyme66, Northumbiron

[Northumbiron]

Some people seem to forget just how far down the pyramid we’ve fallen.

At NLN level do we have the players who can be “a force that teams can’t live with”?

Last season we were beaten to promotion by Tamworth and Boston. Both are struggling to adapt to the NL. You know, that league that fans thought was the arse end of the universe not so long ago.

Going to get a lot of nights like tonight over the next ten months. Take the win and move on.

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MK Iron, Siderite, Deereyme66

[Sharp_Shooter24]

We’ve played 2 teams who sit bottom and third from bottom and Brackley who are 8th from bottom and we’ve looked very average at best… I think that’s why some are concerned and not getting carried away.

[Siderite]

I am not so sure we can take the league positions after 3 games as a standard for what it will be like at the end of the season.

[Deereyme66]

I’m not getting carried away buy I’m not overly concerned either. Plenty of room for improvement but the promise is still there. I’m confident this side will get better as the season progresses.

[Author]

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