Newport in the play off final...

[Freez]

So we have played and lost to Newport twice in the league this season. 1-2 and 1-3. So it looks on paper like they have the measure of us, let’s look at both games.

As winter began to bite, we went to Rodney Parade with them top and us in the play off positions. Mike Flynn was employing a back three and had changed their long ball style to a more measured and entertaining passing game. Key to this is Matty Dolan, a converted midfielder now as the spare man in the three centre backs, key to dictating the play through the thirds and the passing approach. DA had them watched and we went 3-4-1-2, with Slew and Stockton up top.
For the first thirty minutes, we couldn’t get near them, they were very good. Mark Halstead parried a shot and Davis hesitated as Podge nipped to prod home form 5 yards to give them a deserved lead on 13 minutes. They then passed and moved well and we struggled to cope. the lively Scott Twine, who was class on the day, went close as Halstead did well to save a couple of efforts from range and few corners were repelled.
We had ridden out the storm and from virtually our first attack on 32 minutes, Carlos made it 1-1 after a lovely move. We then had them on the back foot for a time but by the break, we were lucky to be going in all square to be honest.
Second half and we came into it more, belief grew and Yann and Alex K started to break up play more and we created more opportunities, corners were earned but came to nought.
Phillips brought a superb stop from Townsend in the home goal just after the hour mark, a great turn and shot from Adam being touched away at full stretch for a corner. At that time we were getting in top.
However, they reasserted themselves with a couple of subs and began to test our defence once more.
With time ticking away, Sheehan and Twine exchanged passes neatly in the D, Sheehan danced through and was brought down by Hendrie. He received his second yellow and Dolan despatched the pen for 2-1, and against ten men they saw the game out.

Moving on to March at the Mazuma. Phillips had departed for pastures new, as had Scott Twine, recalled by Swindon.
We set up with a fairly predictable 4-2-3-1, Newport persisted with the back 3, but were no longer top, having stuttered over Xmas, and arrived just below us in the play off places.
Sam gave away a penalty for handball, an unfortunate one, but we would have been annoyed if not given for us. Dolan again despatched it for 0-1 on 8 minutes.
We reacted well and Songo’o equalised with a belter on 20 minutes and it was end to end between what looked like two good sides. On 38 minutes, the situation derailed for us as Sam received a second yellow for pulling back Taylor and we found ourselves again down to ten men, with still nearly an hour left.
Sheehan finished off a cross to give Newport the lead in injury time, so half time 1-2.
We stayed in the game and had a couple of corners and a half chance for Wildig but we all know what happened when Kev came on, on 79 minutes he finished well at the back post and it was game over.
1-3 final score.

So, in my analysis, if we can manage to keep eleven men on the pitch for the entire game, this will be completely new territory for Newport. Add to this if we also manage to not concede a penalty, this will also chalk off another welsh advantage.
The games have been tight apart from that first 30 minutes at Rodney Parade, and then we were only a goal down from poor reaction after a parried cross.

We can do this, I’m sure!
Anyone else any thoughts??

[P/T Indie]

My worry is that if we go behind do we have enough to chase the game and can we bring anyone on to be a match winner if needed.

We are fairly stuck in our ways with our tried and tested system but if Newport manage to work out a way round us then what.

I just hope we score first and then hang on.

[Freez]

Good point, though we have retrieved a few games when going behind!

[marky No.1]

Keep 11 men on the pitch, no silly mistakes, 27% possession creating Welsh frustration, a fair Ref and we have it in the bag, 3.0..
I will be selling what I'm on, on Monday

[jbc.shrimp]

It definitely seems keeping 11 men one the pitch will be key in this match. No silly errors, don't let them get under our skin, and definitely get after them.

[Little Shrimp]

Playing against a good passing side on a big pitch like Wembley on what looks like a hot day will be a bit of a challenge. I think what will be key is how/who we press, which is something I think we've done very well at times.

Against Tranmere, it was interesting to see the decision to let Spearing have the ball as Adams looked to have sussed out the limits of his passing range, especially against such a stubborn shape/block like ours.

Dolan and Sheehan will be the key men to keep an eye on for Newport. I think Sheehan will need very tight marking, and with Dolan we could do with cutting service to him. Either that or let him have it and rely on our shape to restrict passing options - it all depends on how Adams rates Dolan's ability to pass through that.

There are players though like Bennett and Demetriou who aren't as strong/imaginative on the ball. It'll be interesting to see if we opt to funnel possession towards them and let them make errors, or hit them with a press whenever they touch the ball.

I think Adams will back our ability to defend the centre of the pitch, so a lot will depend on how much joy their wing backs can get against our full backs. If it's Cooney/Gibson starting then I reckon we're pretty safe in that area. We'll have to be wary about their centre backs pushing up to offer an extra man, although this will leave space to break into.

Oh, and keep 11 men on the pitch!

[BerlinWaller]

I think the match hangs on the use of the subs. We will be playing on a dry pitch that has been used twice in two days and it will be a forecasted 24 degrees. Both teams can use 5 subs so changing game plans and replacing tired footballers will be key. Derek is a top class tactician so I fancy us to have the edge.

Do you start all guns blazing and try and get a lead which you can then defend or soak up the pressure and hit them hard in the latter stages?

[redrobo]

It could all be decided on the lottery of penalties so I'm confident that DA will have his preferred selection already sorted rather than 'who fancies it' on the day.

[Keith]

Do you start all guns blazing and try and get a lead which you can then defend or soak up the pressure and hit them hard in the latter stages?

I think we'll be looking at soaking up pressure and conserving energy. We know we have a well drilled, physically fit team, so in the heat, I think we'll let Newport do the early running. 0-0 at half time will be good. Last twenty or so is when we'll really come in to it. I think/hope.

Please, not extra time & penalties... I'm nervous enough as it is!!!

[paulshrimp]

I know who the BBC sports department would like to win! It’s been annoying over years how the league 2 page has a definite Newport bias in terms of the number of articles. Today, of the first 12 articles, 5 are just about Newport.

[BoroRedShrimp]

Bobby Madley in charge today. We beat Port Vale with him in charge and Newport lost to Oldham. Hopefully decisions and luck go our way today.

[Gone_Shrimping]

Surely Newport are more used to playing on a ploughed field than a surface like a bowling green.

If the rumours etc are correct this will be the last time this team play together so hopefully they will want to move on with a great victory.

[redrobo]

Surely Newport are more used to playing on a ploughed field than a surface like a bowling green.

If the rumours etc are correct this will be the last time this team play together so hopefully they will want to move on with a great victory.

Can't blame any player wanting to earn more as it's such a short career.

Certainly sounded as though Sam will be off to pastures new listening to his OWS interview of yesterday.

Assuming that DA also moves on whoever takes over will have an almost new squad to develop so not the ideal road for a new to management individual but one never knows depending on the candidate(s).

May be no way but wonder if Kevin and Baz could be a partnership worth thinking about.....

[black morse]

Surely Newport are more used to playing on a ploughed field than a surface like a bowling green.

If the rumours etc are correct this will be the last time this team play together so hopefully they will want to move on with a great victory.

Can't blame any player wanting to earn more as it's such a short career.

Certainly sounded as though Sam will be off to pastures new listening to his OWS interview of yesterday.

Assuming that DA also moves on whoever takes over will have an almost new squad to develop so not the ideal road for a new to management individual but one never knows depending on the candidate(s).

May be no way but wonder if Kevin and Baz could be a partnership worth thinking about.....

Never took you for a WUM RR!

[Westgate Wanderer]

Surely Newport are more used to playing on a ploughed field than a surface like a bowling green.

If the rumours etc are correct this will be the last time this team play together so hopefully they will want to move on with a great victory.

Can't blame any player wanting to earn more as it's such a short career.

Certainly sounded as though Sam will be off to pastures new listening to his OWS interview of yesterday.

Assuming that DA also moves on whoever takes over will have an almost new squad to develop so not the ideal road for a new to management individual but one never knows depending on the candidate(s).

May be no way but wonder if Kevin and Baz could be a partnership worth thinking about.....

Thought about it...............next!

[Keith]

Never took you for a WUM RR!

Really??? Where have you been all these years???

[shrimp in cyprus]

Interesting that in an interview with BBC Sport, D.A. says that there are lots of rumors around about various players and also about himself. But NO deals have been done, so rumors are exactly what they are. As for himself he says that he has a contract with Morecambe and that's where he is at. I believe that he is a man of his word, so let's just wait and see - no panic.
He also says that he sees Morecambe heading towards The Championship.
Oh hell - give us chance to firstly get over promotion to League 1 please Derek.

WELL DONE TO EVERYONE AT THE CLUB. SUPERB.

[BerlinWaller]

I pretty much called it right. Newport spunked their subs in the last 20 when they were on top and were blowing and had no shape for the rest of the game. We brought Sully on he changed it. Kev had a negative influence on their performance

[Freez]

It was a strange sub, took off Collins who was lively when they put him out wide and looked a threat, and brought Kev on, who did his usual job but was nothing like as effective.
Second half they were far better than us, but Sully coming on and switching back to a back 4 brought us back into it.
Happily.

[Born again Bill]

I thought Sully's injury towards the end of the season was a big loss although thankfully it didn't have too much of an impact on the final placings . But he was definitely the sub we needed yesterday to put a bit of pace into the game towards the end.
Pleased to see Alex come on towards the end too

[Keith]

Pleased to see Alex come on towards the end too

I was too, but had a little concern about Carlos coming off, in case they got an equaliser and we'd just lost a penalty taker!

[Little Shrimp]

After Pep Guardiola's tinkering in the CL final, I was worried DA was having a similar thing when he changed to a back three! We had been playing well before that point, then when we made that formation change Newport really started to gain the upper hand and put a lot of pressure down our flanks. They are very good at playing in a back three, whereas we aren't particularly used to it.

We looked so much better after Sully came on and gave us that extra bit of drive and direct running threat, he changed the game along with reverting back to 4-2-3-1. Lavelle/NKP/Songo'o joint men of the match for me with how they defended the box. Sully was the match winner in extra time, and it really was destiny for Carlos to get the winner!

I think we saw what has ultimately been Newport's weakness this season. A few big names up front, but all ageing and a bit rusty. They struggled to make much of an impact on the game, and I've no idea why Collins came off as he gave us a right load of trouble. That said, Gibson was (of course) handling him very well.

The Ellison we saw yesterday was pretty much the Ellison we saw most of the time in his last few seasons with us. Very little impact on the game barring the odd touch here and there. Could probably make a case for Labadie tucking that chance away if Ellison hadn't bee sliding in front of him - if that's a defender, then we're praising him for putting Labadie off!

Looking back, DA used his subs very well. Lyons gave us that extra bit of energy in midfield and played a big role in getting the penalty. O'Sullivan was brilliant when he came on, absolutely game changer and won the penalty. Then Kenyon late on with that extra aerial defence to see us through the last few minutes, just like he did against Tranmere!