Well Machel I don't know where you start after a game like that we are all pretty shell shocked. I notice George Alexander is back. I think there maybe a few changes. George is the sort of player who will run through a brick wall maybe that is what Andy is looking for. We certainly need a response Saturday. This will show the character of the team.
I have seen a lot of good starts since 1977 with Bromley and a lot of implosions. We should have the Manager and the squad to avoid that this time but it makes you nervous after a performance like that. Saying that we showed we are human even Grant Smith makes mistakes.
I would imagine Jones will come back in to a back 5 with Woods possibly in front of them. Solidity at the back will be AW's concern at the moment.
I alluded to this on Twitter (in fewer characters), but I really feel this has been coming:
We gave Wealdstone, Oxford, Dorking, Blackpool*, Boreham Wood, Fylde and now Shots free run of posession, and I think it's finally caught up with us.
I thought Woodman spoke well in your post match chat, and he alluded to Bromley needing to "put games to bed" and be more "ruthless." I agree, but I think there's 2 ways to skin a cat. Firstly, we missed some big chances in the game, that can happen. Secondly, you take the sting out of the game by putting your foot on the ball, keeping it away from your opponent, saving your legs, and forcing the other team to chase the ball.
While I'm doing my best to not feed a narrative, are we capable of doing the second? Woodman himself has said to you that he thinks possession is "boring" and he would never want his side to play that way, but against Shots it felt like that's what we needed to do.
Another note, and I felt this again vs both Fylde and Shots, is that the shape of the team is wrong (I know, I know, broken record).
I'm happy to be proven wrong here, but I can't think of a side who have played a back 3 and had a lone 6 in front of them. *Typically* you'd see a back 3 with 2 sitters in front, giving your full-backs license to get up the pitch. We don't press from the front against sides often either, making Cheek and Fela/Dennis passengers out of possession, leaving Krauhaus and Whitely having to compete in midfield and press the full backs out side, which leaves (Vennings in this case) exposed in front of the back 3.
It's not an easy fix, and obviously you sacrifice something, but I'd love to see Corey and Louis behind Cheek, Vennings/Leigh + Woods as a double pivot, and then give the wing backs *even more* license to cause havoc.
We've done very well to be where we are after 21 games but yes time to take stock of certain thing. I didnt think we play well at Boreham Wood with Woods and Leigh in midfield either btw so there are certainly things to look at.
We absolutely have, and I never want to take away how well we've gone this season. It's a good problem to sit here, in a good playoff spot as it stands, and have gripes with how we're playing.
I'd love to see us take a stab at another shape (however that manifests, if it's a back 4, 1 up top, a double 6 etc) to give us a plan B.
Well Machel I don't know where you start after a game like that we are all pretty shell shocked. I notice George Alexander is back. I think there maybe a few changes. George is the sort of player who will run through a brick wall maybe that is what Andy is looking for. We certainly need a response Saturday. This will show the character of the team.
I have seen a lot of good starts since 1977 with Bromley and a lot of implosions. We should have the Manager and the squad to avoid that this time but it makes you nervous after a performance like that. Saying that we showed we are human even Grant Smith makes mistakes.
I would imagine Jones will come back in to a back 5 with Woods possibly in front of them. Solidity at the back will be AW's concern at the moment.
Spot on, Mach.
I alluded to this on Twitter (in fewer characters), but I really feel this has been coming:
We gave Wealdstone, Oxford, Dorking, Blackpool*, Boreham Wood, Fylde and now Shots free run of posession, and I think it's finally caught up with us.
I thought Woodman spoke well in your post match chat, and he alluded to Bromley needing to "put games to bed" and be more "ruthless." I agree, but I think there's 2 ways to skin a cat. Firstly, we missed some big chances in the game, that can happen. Secondly, you take the sting out of the game by putting your foot on the ball, keeping it away from your opponent, saving your legs, and forcing the other team to chase the ball.
While I'm doing my best to not feed a narrative, are we capable of doing the second? Woodman himself has said to you that he thinks possession is "boring" and he would never want his side to play that way, but against Shots it felt like that's what we needed to do.
Another note, and I felt this again vs both Fylde and Shots, is that the shape of the team is wrong (I know, I know, broken record).
I'm happy to be proven wrong here, but I can't think of a side who have played a back 3 and had a lone 6 in front of them. *Typically* you'd see a back 3 with 2 sitters in front, giving your full-backs license to get up the pitch. We don't press from the front against sides often either, making Cheek and Fela/Dennis passengers out of possession, leaving Krauhaus and Whitely having to compete in midfield and press the full backs out side, which leaves (Vennings in this case) exposed in front of the back 3.
It's not an easy fix, and obviously you sacrifice something, but I'd love to see Corey and Louis behind Cheek, Vennings/Leigh + Woods as a double pivot, and then give the wing backs *even more* license to cause havoc.
We've done very well to be where we are after 21 games but yes time to take stock of certain thing. I didnt think we play well at Boreham Wood with Woods and Leigh in midfield either btw so there are certainly things to look at.
We absolutely have, and I never want to take away how well we've gone this season. It's a good problem to sit here, in a good playoff spot as it stands, and have gripes with how we're playing.
I'd love to see us take a stab at another shape (however that manifests, if it's a back 4, 1 up top, a double 6 etc) to give us a plan B.
I wonder if due to injuries they are forced into 4 at the back at Hartlepool - time will tell.
Right on the money mate. Spot on analysis.