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The problem is our full backs are defenders. We still make Clunan play as a holding midfielder so we have 6 defensive players. If you class Scales as a box to box midfielder (half defender/half attacker) then we have a keeper and 6.5 defenders with 3.5 attackers.
If our intention was to avoid relegation this would make some kind of sense. In an away game against a promotion rival it possibly makes sense. For the other 40 games of the season it makes no sense at all.
We are unable to create sustained pressure on teams and are forced to constantly play backwards/sideways until someone (usually Nicholson) passes to the opposition. Even when our so called wing backs are high and wide enough to provide the easy out ball they are not good enough to create anything.
Feel sorry for Whitehall, Beestin and Roberts trying to make something from long inaccurate balls up to them with 4 or 5 defenders in close attendance.
Everyone is calling for the “magic bullet” goalscorer that gets 25 goals a season feeding on scraps. Harland would struggle to do that on what we would provide for him.
Whitehall, Beestin and Roberts are top quality forwards at this level and given the right service would score 20 apiece.
If Butler continues to stick to 5 at the back then how about a pair of quick, tricky EFL loanee wing backs?
While we are waiting let’s have Law and Scales playing there in the 5 upcoming (on paper) easier games.
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If we are going to play (at least) 3 centre backs and play with any kind of attacking intent what we need is 2 wing backs.
They are fundamental to the system and much as I like Denton and Barrows they are defensively minded and competent full backs. Defending most of the game with an occasional forage forward is fine if you are playing a back 4 but no use whatsoever in a back 5.
Denton is probably the best defensive full back at the club but has not got the engine or the skill set to be a wing back. Barrows has more energy but his final ball is not much better than his predecessor mullet man.
Pointed this out on here as soon as Butlers preferred (only) formation became apparent in the pre season friendlies.
In the very brief glimpses of Kelly that we have seen he looks to have a bit more to offer going forward so if Butler insists on the formation I would like to see him given a go on the left. On the right I would give Scales a run at wing back. Shrimpton or Brogan could take his midfield slot. You can always bring Denton and/or Barrows on to see a game out.
I didn’t like Roberts playing 10 but credit to him he shows signs of getting to grips with the position. We have the players at the club to win this league but the ones that were brought in to the club pre Butler were recruited with some variant of 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 in mind.
Other than Nicholson Butlers signings don’t seem suited to his formation either or they would be playing.
Not calling for Butlers head here but if he does not change his formation to suit the players he has or change his players to suit his formation then things will not go well for him.
While I’m at it substitutions in professional football should only be made to replace an injured player or to change a game in some way. Giving the lads some game time is for Sunday league – unless you have a 3 goal lead.
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Really like Evans but playing him in midfield was a calculated risk that failed. The game passed him by because he is not mobile enough to play there.
He is also comfortably the best passer out of defence of our 4 centre backs so we missed him there. Some would say he is the only CB that can pass well from the back.
Early games from Nicholson had me wondering why he was not playing in the EFL. The last 3 or 4 games have demonstrated why. His passing is really poor. Hey ho that’s why he is playing in the NLN.
In our early games we refused to let direct physical teams suck us into playing their game. Today we totally got sucked into it and came off second best.
Butler in his interview said that was not the intention but his team selection suggests otherwise. Hope him and the team learn from it.
Have to praise Beestin today. He worked tirelessly to try and make something out of the hopeless punts forward nearly making something happen from 3 or 4 of them.
I do agree with Butler that it’s not the end of the world. We’re top of the league after 9 games. We all make mistakes and have off days. Championship winning sides learn from them and come back stronger next game.
Final word on the Scarborough away end. They have a nerve selling 700 away tickets knowing 50% have little chance of seeing anything other than brief glimpses of the game. Nearly as bad as Boston last season.
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When you take the field with a keeper and 6 defenders it doesn’t leave much room for footballers.
Game so far reflects that.
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Is there any other kind of TV news Bill?
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He probably won’t play as well Tuesday as he prefers the green green grass of home.
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Compared to getting out of this league making a few quid out of a cup run is an irrelevance and probably would end up being a distraction.
Butler picked exactly the right team today to give players minutes who are an injury or a suspension away from being needed in games that really matter. He probably hoped a team with 7 back up players would have enough to see off a side 2 divisions below us and I suspect he is quietly furious that they were not up to the task today.
I would put the same 11 out to start on Tuesday.
Thankfully Scarborough suffered a similar fate today so now face a tricky away game Tuesday.
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Looked decent rather than spectacular in pre season. Played well when he came on second half at Brackley but has been fairly anonymous in his other outings.
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