I follow thread from Gresty Rd..

[Ntini]

Oliver was the worst player in the squad last season and has 3 goals from 35 league games for us yet he starts above a goal scorer who bagged 20 odd last season. Get a grip Jim. Enough of this 4-2-3-1 hit and hope crap. Where was Gomes? Where was Jagne? Where was Oswell? Each of them offers us something different to what we had last season yet we end up with a guy who just can’t buy a goal isolated on his own. We’ve learnt nothing and it scares me.

[twosheds]

I was thinking of coming to the home game against Exeter....but after watching the hightlights and reading the comments about today's fiasco, I think it'll be more entertaining watching the weeds grow on my allotment...

[CityShrimp]

So... changes for Exeter -

Let’s give up this 4-2-3-1 formation, we’re not Barcelona. It left our full backs so exposed yesterday, in particular Mills who didn’t have a dreadful game but was made to look like a mug due to getting no support. We need some wide players who can support the full backs and give us width.

Drop Oliver for Oswell, who at least looked interested when he came on, and we know to be a natural goal scorer. Also can we play 2 up front please?

We desperately need a Centre Back, Kenyon is not the answer. Loanee?

[black morse]

It would never surprise me if Jim put out more or less the same team next week saying that they fouled up and they've now got a chance to redeem themselves (with the same tactics)

[Posh]

While the result and performance were both horrific (I paid €6 for the privilege of watching it live on iPlayer on holiday) the biggest concern is Jim’s decision making. I’m one of Jim’s biggest advocates after keeping us in the League for so long and in the face of appalling off the field ownership, which would have pushed many managers and players away. However, I just don’t get his thought process over the last week or so.

Jim has acknowledged that we need to play more entertaining and adventurous football to keep the crowds on side and to play more football on the ground. The genuine excuse of the poor Globe pitch has gone so let’s try something different.

First match, he plays Vadaine Oliver as a lone striker. What?!? He’s been so poor for us and just playing him immediately sends out the wrong message. The long hoof balls started early but actually created a one-on-one for him. He missed and they scored.

Secondly, making Baz captain is based on sentiment and not leadership. Kenyon or Tutte should have got the job where they can influence the game.

Next, Adam Campbell is an on the deck ball player working best behind a front two or even off a lone striker. Aaron Wildig, who didn’t start yesterday, is clearly not Jim’s answer. So why let a player who can play a decent through ball and played all pre-season, to good effect, leave the club? Especially when there is no one decent in that position.

Lastly, 4-2-3-1 is a poor formation for a new side. Who covers for the full backs? How does the midfield setup? We were all at sea yesterday. A 3-5-2 has worked but we’ve got no centre backs but even a simple 4-4-2 change might have ironed out the problems in the second half. Poor tactics and poor decision-making. I didn’t understand Tutte and Mandeville coming off either, there were worse.

He’s got a lot to sort out and quickly.

[black morse]

I agree with all of this. Come on Jim, please accept the reality.

[RapidShrimp]

So... changes for Exeter -

Let’s give up this 4-2-3-1 formation, we’re not Barcelona. It left our full backs so exposed yesterday, in particular Mills who didn’t have a dreadful game but was made to look like a mug due to getting no support. We need some wide players who can support the full backs and give us width.

Drop Oliver for Oswell, who at least looked interested when he came on, and we know to be a natural goal scorer. Also can we play 2 up front please?

We desperately need a Centre Back, Kenyon is not the answer. Loanee?

Most teams we come up against now seem to use a simple 4-4-2, with the centre midfielders in a more attacking position than they are now, two upfront, and cover for the full backs...

I’d hope Mandeville and Oswell would start upfront, with Tutte and Fleming in the middle, hopefully with Mendes Gomes on the wing. In a 2-upfront formation, Kev has done well. Out wide he is shocking and does not have the defensive ability (understandable as he is a striker at 38...) to cover for Cranston/Conlan. That’s what I’d change, but on the defense, what can we do? Sam is injured, Sinclair doesn’t look a natural right back and Cranston seemed to be one of our better players yesterday...
As you said, we NEED loanee defenders.

[Castaway]

While the result and performance were both horrific (I paid €6 for the privilege of watching it live on iPlayer on holiday) the biggest concern is Jim’s decision making. I’m one of Jim’s biggest advocates after keeping us in the League for so long and in the face of appalling off the field ownership, which would have pushed many managers and players away. However, I just don’t get his thought process over the last week or so.

Jim has acknowledged that we need to play more entertaining and adventurous football to keep the crowds on side and to play more football on the ground. The genuine excuse of the poor Globe pitch has gone so let’s try something different.

First match, he plays Vadaine Oliver as a lone striker. What?!? He’s been so poor for us and just playing him immediately sends out the wrong message. The long hoof balls started early but actually created a one-on-one for him. He missed and they scored.

Secondly, making Baz captain is based on sentiment and not leadership. Kenyon or Tutte should have got the job where they can influence the game.

Next, Adam Campbell is an on the deck ball player working best behind a front two or even off a lone striker. Aaron Wildig, who didn’t start yesterday, is clearly not Jim’s answer. So why let a player who can play a decent through ball and played all pre-season, to good effect, leave the club? Especially when there is no one decent in that position.

Lastly, 4-2-3-1 is a poor formation for a new side. Who covers for the full backs? How does the midfield setup? We were all at sea yesterday. A 3-5-2 has worked but we’ve got no centre backs but even a simple 4-4-2 change might have ironed out the problems in the second half. Poor tactics and poor decision-making. I didn’t understand Tutte and Mandeville coming off either, there were worse.

He’s got a lot to sort out and quickly.

Agree with the majority of that.

I felt for Cranston. Ignoring a couple of weak moments of defending, he was comfortable on the ball and always offered an option. In the second half, he looked so frustrated - what was our plan? Give it to the full-backs and then what? None of the midfield three dropped to offer an option. His only option was to go long with the front three looking disjointed. The players looked confused.

The only real positive was Tutte who looks really classy on the ball. It must have been injury/fitness reasons why he was subbed off.

[redrobo]

Have to agree with Posh except for the issue regarding 'off the field issues' but my thoughts on that are well documented , so need to go over the reasons for and against. With regards to Campbell, i wonder if that was something that he instigated himself having already had a relatively good spell under the new Carlisle manager before signing for us. As someone pointed out why didn't we say OK you have Campbell but we want Devitt? The ridiculous decision to play Oliver could be a throw back to when we had Redshaw who wasn't a regular at first due to the manager's wish to introduce him to EFL football gradually. The same thinking could be regarding Oswell who I understand when he came on showed more in a limited spell than Oliver did throughout last season and yesterday. Why take off Mandeville who we all know is a confidence player; will not have done much for his confidence I wager. With regards to Captain. By all means make Baz club captain but on the field it has to be an outfield player and Tutt fits that role perfectly. Alex is OK but will he play every game knowing how he can be in and out of acceptable form? The system of 4 2 3 1 needs to be scrapped and never used again. Get back to basics that players understand and are comfortable with. Otherwise Posh sums it up perfectly.

[Gone_Shrimping]

Jim seems to think that away tactics consist of keeping a clean sheet until about the 80th minute and then hope that somehow we can scramble in a late goal.
Unfortunately when you are 2-0 down in 10 minutes that plan has to go out of the window and bring in plan B. Surely 4 4 2 is the way for us to go so that the fullbacks get help by wide players tracking back.

Why didn't Mendes-Gomes even make the squad and why didn't Jagne come on. They both did well in pre-season. And we leave a 29 goal striker on the bench until it was too late.
Roche
Cranston New Defender Old Mills
Mendes-Gomes Tutte Fleming Sinclair
Mandeville Oswell

[redrobo]

Could Sinclair fill the role left many seasons ago by Grimshaw who was our midfield destroyer? Sorry to say this but for me Kevin is now an impact sub and no longer a 90 minute player.

[gigglinggoat]

Hello everyone!
I've just paid twenty four pounds for the priviledge of watching the home game against Exeter this coming Saturday......Lets put the Crewe game behind us and look forward to the season ahead....It was a mere blip at Gresty Road.
Forever the optimist.

[black morse]

Hello everyone!
I've just paid twenty four pounds for the priviledge of watching the home game against Exeter this coming Saturday......Lets put the Crewe game behind us and look forward to the season ahead....It was a mere blip at Gresty Road.
Forever the optimist.

Welcome to SV's ........not sure whether your optimism will last forever on here though

[Keith]

Next, Adam Campbell is an on the deck ball player working best behind a front two or even off a lone striker. Aaron Wildig, who didn’t start yesterday, is clearly not Jim’s answer. So why let a player who can play a decent through ball and played all pre-season, to good effect, leave the club?

I agree with most of your post, but this bit I suspect is simple.

We need cover for Ben.
We need to free up a wage in order to find that cover.
Who have we got that another team want, where we do have cover?

Adam was not going to be a 'first name on the sheet' type of player, although I quite like him, so it is not a surprise that he's the one to go. If a League Two team had offered to take Oliver instead of Campbell, I would hope Campbell would have remained!

Sorry to say this but for me Kevin is now an impact sub and no longer a 90 minute player.

Then I think you are wrong to say that and you should be sorry! Kev was one of very few players with any kind of credit from yesterday's shambolic display and was still running hard in the 90th minute. He was on both sides of the pitch, defending and trying to attack too. If some others had put in a shift like he did, we might have had a better outcome (like a 3-2 defeat instead!)

[redrobo]

Still feel that over a season Kevin for all his qualities will no longer be a 90 minute player, I accept that yesterday he was probably the only one to show any enthusiasm which suggests to me that sooner or later he will be a manager and lead by off field motivation, whoever that may be with, I can but wish....

[RapidShrimp]

Sorry to say this but for me Kevin is now an impact sub and no longer a 90 minute player.

Then I think you are wrong to say that and you should be sorry! Kev was one of very few players with any kind of credit from yesterday's shambolic display and was still running hard in the 90th minute. He was on both sides of the pitch, defending and trying to attack too. If some others had put in a shift like he did, we might have had a better outcome (like a 3-2 defeat instead!)

I completely agree with RR and not at all with you Keith. Have you seen how sluggish Kev has been over the last few years, his first touch is becoming dreadful and he tires mentally towards the end of games... He’d been an excellent player to thrown on AT STRIKER NOT OUT WIDE to annoy the defenders and give them something else to think about, but when JB starts Kev, the defenders seem well drilled enough to shepherd him out wide and make him ineffective.
Also, a bit of direction and a clear tactical gameplan wouldn’t go a miss from JB. Of course the players aren’t going to be motivated and put a full shift in if every time they gain possession, they have no options for a pass as of this dreadful 4-2-3-1 system. As many have previously said, Cranston and Tutte kept getting the ball with no options to pass around them, leaving the only option to punt it long for the 38 year old Iev and a walking-football player Vadaine. Flemmo and Tutte should not be playing in a deep lying role with midfielders in front of them, a 4-4-2 seems an easy choice for most of us, allowing the entire midfield to be creative and expansive, whilst also offering cover for the full backs, it’s just a shame JB can’t see any benefit of change, but then I suppose he’d have resigned years ago if he likes change!!

[RapidShrimp]

Still feel that over a season Kevin for all his qualities will no longer be a 90 minute player, I accept that yesterday he was probably the only one to show any enthusiasm which suggests to me that sooner or later he will be a manager and lead by off field motivation, whoever that may be with, I can but wish....

If Jim does eventually leave, Drummy will become gaffer and Kev the youth team coach!!!! Imagine the scenes on here when that happens...

[Keith]

I was of the opinion Kev was going to be slowing, but yesterday, in that heat, he probably ran as far as anyone and did so for 90 minutes. Plus his first yard is in his head. Unfortunately, Vadaine's first yard is in Kev's head too!

[BerlinWaller]

I was of the opinion Kev was going to be slowing, but yesterday, in that heat, he probably ran as far as anyone and did so for 90 minutes. Plus his first yard is in his head. Unfortunately, Vadaine's first yard is in Kev's head too!

For all his hard work and endeavour Kev's legs have gone.