BFTG - AFC Wimbledon

[Getthebeerens]

Goals change games.

For the first 20-25 thought we looked pretty decent moved the ball around well and got into some dangerous positions on the pitch without taking on the opportunity to shoot or drive into the box.

I feel we are moving the ball box to box pretty well but when we get into that final third our decision making needs to be better. Garcia chance sums up our problems for me. Our number 9 turns down the chance to shoot himself and passes instead. Same issue in the second half , good counter attack opportunity and tries a flashy pass. We are desperate for someone up top who LEADS the line.

At 2-0 down heads dropped and we looked really poor, credit to Derrick Williams when he came on he seemed to get us organised and we had a bit of fight at the end.

This side just needs a bit of time and a striker (maybe 2) and the results will come.

[Ascotexgunner]

Goals change games.

For the first 20-25 thought we looked pretty decent moved the ball around well and got into some dangerous positions on the pitch without taking on the opportunity to shoot or drive into the box.

I feel we are moving the ball box to box pretty well but when we get into that final third our decision making needs to be better. Garcia chance sums up our problems for me. Our number 9 turns down the chance to shoot himself and passes instead. Same issue in the second half , good counter attack opportunity and tries a flashy pass. We are desperate for someone up top who LEADS the line.

At 2-0 down heads dropped and we looked really poor, credit to Derrick Williams when he came on he seemed to get us organised and we had a bit of fight at the end.

This side just needs a bit of time and a striker (maybe 2) and the results will come.

I agree with all of this BUT I think Noel has to change as well. Playing Wing as as a DMF like a quarterback is insane with Wings talent.
Wing has a 10 on his back....play him as a 10..not in a position where he is toothless. When he was advanced and got a bit of space we looked better and he even found space to score. Another gripe is why is Elliot sitting on the bench? He has done nothing wrong to warrant that.....Some of his decisions I find puzzling.

[Getthebeerens]

I agree with all of this BUT I think Noel has to change as well. Playing Wing as as a DMF like a quarterback is insane with Wings talent.
Wing has a 10 on his back....play him as a 10..not in a position where he is toothless. When he was advanced and got a bit of space we looked better and he even found space to score. Another gripe is why is Elliot sitting on the bench? He has done nothing wrong to warrant that.....Some of his decisions I find puzzling.

Noel touched on this on BBCRB after the match. He said that when Wing is playing further forward he is often being man marked and can’t get on the ball as much. Idea of dropping deep then free’s up a full back to go into midfield. Saw that a bit today with Matty Jacob.

[rabidbee]

I have assumed after last season they’re being careful with Elliott, trying to bring him up to speed carefully rather than throw him in too soon and risk another long lay-off.

[West F]

I have assumed after last season they’re being careful with Elliott, trying to bring him up to speed carefully rather than throw him in too soon and risk another long lay-off.

Has more to do with relegated Crawley guy being his signing and Elliot not being so. That is why Doyle came on and not him. When in truth, both should have started. We were at home and should have given them a problem by imposing what we wanted to do, instead of worrying about what they would do.

[Orion1871]

I agree with all of this BUT I think Noel has to change as well. Playing Wing as as a DMF like a quarterback is insane with Wings talent.
Wing has a 10 on his back....play him as a 10..not in a position where he is toothless. When he was advanced and got a bit of space we looked better and he even found space to score. Another gripe is why is Elliot sitting on the bench? He has done nothing wrong to warrant that.....Some of his decisions I find puzzling.

Noel touched on this on BBCRB after the match. He said that when Wing is playing further forward he is often being man marked and can’t get on the ball as much. Idea of dropping deep then free’s up a full back to go into midfield. Saw that a bit today with Matty Jacob.

Hopefully Matty Jacob is freed up to go back to Hull in January.

[Snowflake Royal]

I agree with all of this BUT I think Noel has to change as well. Playing Wing as as a DMF like a quarterback is insane with Wings talent.
Wing has a 10 on his back....play him as a 10..not in a position where he is toothless. When he was advanced and got a bit of space we looked better and he even found space to score. Another gripe is why is Elliot sitting on the bench? He has done nothing wrong to warrant that.....Some of his decisions I find puzzling.

Noel touched on this on BBCRB after the match. He said that when Wing is playing further forward he is often being man marked and can’t get on the ball as much. Idea of dropping deep then free’s up a full back to go into midfield. Saw that a bit today with Matty Jacob.

This is the thing I'm amazed all these people calling for Wing to be further forward don't get.

Deeper he gets time and space. He scored today, because he was our deep midfielder, ghosting in to a danger area unnoticed. If he was playing further forward, he wouldn't have been free and in space that far out to pick up and shoot. Someone would be on him. Deeper, he's being pressed by one player, in a more open part of the pitch, he can look forward, but he's also always got safe options backwards and sideways if it isn't on and he's sharp enough to be able to choose his option.

Further forward, everything's tighter, he'll have more players near him able to get closer and close his passing lines out. Yes, he's trying the hollywood ball a bit much, and it's not coming off as well as last season. But push him forward, and that 60 yard diagonal is no longer an option for him. And no one else in the team can do it nearly as well.

The midfield, less so today admittedly, is one of the better functioning parts of the team right now. We have the pieces to have a very good midfield, to a similar standard of last year. Wing deep, Savage up and down, and then Doyle or Elliott showing for the pass, turning their man, finding some space between the lines and making something happen.

The forward line is struggling, but then that's not a surprise with the number of changes to the squad and XI we've had. Kelvin switching between two different positions and getting dropped. O'Mahoney getting dropped. Lane getting injured. Kyerewaa switching from left to right. Camara in and out.

And in defence, we dropped our best performing defender for a promising teenager who had one good cup game against Pompey reserves. Our big defensive leader is injured, and our experiences specialist LB looks like a mistake.

Hunt is showing his inexperience with the tinkering. IMO he saw we'd lost the first two games and got a cup win, and threw the plan out to try to match that, when it was the wrong thing to do. But injuries to Lane, Dorsett and O'Connor certainly aren't helping. He also needs to get them to cut loose a bit more. Take more shots rather than hoping the perfect opportunity will arise, work the keeper a bit, give the defence something else to think about.

We need to not panic, keep working hard, and our understanding will grow if we keep some consistency, a bit of a rub of he green will come up sooner or later and we'll have a good run. But constantly reacting and changing will just prolong the problem and the bad results.

[Pepe the Horseman]

I have assumed after last season they’re being careful with Elliott, trying to bring him up to speed carefully rather than throw him in too soon and risk another long lay-off.

Has more to do with relegated Crawley guy being his signing and Elliot not being so. That is why Doyle came on and not him. When in truth, both should have started. We were at home and should have given them a problem by imposing what we wanted to do, instead of worrying about what they would do.

Would also explain why Savage and Wing were on the bench.

[Hound]

I’ve no huge issue with Wing player that quarter back type role, but he was the worst culprit for just whacking long balls forward yesterday. Teams know what is coming from him in this role now and set up for it

At least if he is further forward and man marked that may free up space for someone else - we don’t need to be over reliant on him

[72 bus]

I agree with all of this BUT I think Noel has to change as well. Playing Wing as as a DMF like a quarterback is insane with Wings talent.
Wing has a 10 on his back....play him as a 10..not in a position where he is toothless. When he was advanced and got a bit of space we looked better and he even found space to score. Another gripe is why is Elliot sitting on the bench? He has done nothing wrong to warrant that.....Some of his decisions I find puzzling.

Noel touched on this on BBCRB after the match. He said that when Wing is playing further forward he is often being man marked and can’t get on the ball as much. Idea of dropping deep then free’s up a full back to go into midfield. Saw that a bit today with Matty Jacob.

Matty Jacob can barely cope with playing full back at the moment, what advantage do we gain with him coming into midfield at the expense of Wing
Noel needs to play Fraser deeper with Wing as part of the midfield two, I am sure Hunt will eventually work that out for himself, but he needs to be quick about it, hopefully in the next four games or he will be gone.

[WestYorksRoyal]

I don't get why Jacob is struggling so much. Hull fans were very complimentary and he's got a good amount of experience at a higher level. He had a proper pre season across the 2 clubs, he should be fit and ready.

[Hound]

I don't get why Jacob is struggling so much. Hull fans were very complimentary and he's got a good amount of experience at a higher level. He had a proper pre season across the 2 clubs, he should be fit and ready.

He looks tidy at times, good on the ball and looks to get forward well. Just defensively he looks a bit of a liability

He might get better when we sort the CBs out - ie either Williams or O Connor back in

[Royal Ginger]

If Wing and Fraiser had switched roles back and forth every now and then, I reckon that would have given them something else to think about.

[leon]

I agree with all of this BUT I think Noel has to change as well. Playing Wing as as a DMF like a quarterback is insane with Wings talent.
Wing has a 10 on his back....play him as a 10..not in a position where he is toothless. When he was advanced and got a bit of space we looked better and he even found space to score. Another gripe is why is Elliot sitting on the bench? He has done nothing wrong to warrant that.....Some of his decisions I find puzzling.

Noel touched on this on BBCRB after the match. He said that when Wing is playing further forward he is often being man marked and can’t get on the ball as much. Idea of dropping deep then free’s up a full back to go into midfield. Saw that a bit today with Matty Jacob.

This is the thing I'm amazed all these people calling for Wing to be further forward don't get.

Deeper he gets time and space. He scored today, because he was our deep midfielder, ghosting in to a danger area unnoticed. If he was playing further forward, he wouldn't have been free and in space that far out to pick up and shoot. Someone would be on him. Deeper, he's being pressed by one player, in a more open part of the pitch, he can look forward, but he's also always got safe options backwards and sideways if it isn't on and he's sharp enough to be able to choose his option.

Further forward, everything's tighter, he'll have more players near him able to get closer and close his passing lines out. Yes, he's trying the hollywood ball a bit much, and it's not coming off as well as last season. But push him forward, and that 60 yard diagonal is no longer an option for him. And no one else in the team can do it nearly as well.

The midfield, less so today admittedly, is one of the better functioning parts of the team right now. We have the pieces to have a very good midfield, to a similar standard of last year. Wing deep, Savage up and down, and then Doyle or Elliott showing for the pass, turning their man, finding some space between the lines and making something happen.

The forward line is struggling, but then that's not a surprise with the number of changes to the squad and XI we've had. Kelvin switching between two different positions and getting dropped. O'Mahoney getting dropped. Lane getting injured. Kyerewaa switching from left to right. Camara in and out.

And in defence, we dropped our best performing defender for a promising teenager who had one good cup game against Pompey reserves. Our big defensive leader is injured, and our experiences specialist LB looks like a mistake.

Hunt is showing his inexperience with the tinkering. IMO he saw we'd lost the first two games and got a cup win, and threw the plan out to try to match that, when it was the wrong thing to do. But injuries to Lane, Dorsett and O'Connor certainly aren't helping. He also needs to get them to cut loose a bit more. Take more shots rather than hoping the perfect opportunity will arise, work the keeper a bit, give the defence something else to think about.

We need to not panic, keep working hard, and our understanding will grow if we keep some consistency, a bit of a rub of he green will come up sooner or later and we'll have a good run. But constantly reacting and changing will just prolong the problem and the bad results.

Playing Wing at the back has two main outcomes. A weak and slow midfield core that fails to protect the defence and a preponderance of ineffective long balls.

I’d rather Wing had less time but be slightly more effective further up.

[Esteban]

I’ve no huge issue with Wing player that quarter back type role, but he was the worst culprit for just whacking long balls forward yesterday. Teams know what is coming from him in this role now and set up for it

At least if he is further forward and man marked that may free up space for someone else - we don’t need to be over reliant on him

Yeah, agree with this. He was trying to ping passes over the top and into Kelvin, but he's not the best at holding the ball up. Mixing it up with balls into the channels for him or the wingers to chase might have been a better ploy. It was all very one dimensional.

Wing got caught on the ball a couple of times as well, which is unlike him.

I agree with Ian, playing Wing deeper gives him more time on the ball, but I don't think we need to play Fraser and Savage ahead of him for protection. One of Savage or Fraser, plus Elliott or Doyle. That would give us more creativity in the middle and make us less reliant on Wing's long balls. It would also open an option for Wing to play a pass into feet in the middle of the pitch. It should make us less predictable and would hopefully suit Kelvin and O'Mahoney a bit better, as they could play on the shoulder more often.

I liked what Kyerewaa did yesterday, he's quick, he's got a very good first touch and wins far more in the air than someone of his height should do. I'd like to see him be more confident in taking on a player though, there were times yesterday where he tried to find a pass, instead of taking on his man or shooting and it all fizzled out.

Garcia doesn't look like a winger to me either, but he's very young and will improve. Ahmed did ok, made a few rookie errors, but to be expected. It was a mistake to drop Abrefa though. Ahmed will get plenty of minutes this season, we don’t need to rush him.

As has been said already, yesterday's result falls squarely on Hunt's shoulders. He made mistakes with the lineup and subs. It does at least show that he's willing to shake things up though, so hopefully he'll reflect on the game and make the correct decisions on Tuesday.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Our midfield is Wing unless unavailable, alongside one of Savage/Fraser and one of Doyle/Elliott. Workrate, cover for the defence but also ball playing ability and guile.

Any game we lose without Elliott or Doyle is on Hunt.

[The Cap]

Noel touched on this on BBCRB after the match. He said that when Wing is playing further forward he is often being man marked and can’t get on the ball as much. Idea of dropping deep then free’s up a full back to go into midfield. Saw that a bit today with Matty Jacob.

This is the thing I'm amazed all these people calling for Wing to be further forward don't get.

Deeper he gets time and space. He scored today, because he was our deep midfielder, ghosting in to a danger area unnoticed. If he was playing further forward, he wouldn't have been free and in space that far out to pick up and shoot. Someone would be on him. Deeper, he's being pressed by one player, in a more open part of the pitch, he can look forward, but he's also always got safe options backwards and sideways if it isn't on and he's sharp enough to be able to choose his option.

Further forward, everything's tighter, he'll have more players near him able to get closer and close his passing lines out. Yes, he's trying the hollywood ball a bit much, and it's not coming off as well as last season. But push him forward, and that 60 yard diagonal is no longer an option for him. And no one else in the team can do it nearly as well.

The midfield, less so today admittedly, is one of the better functioning parts of the team right now. We have the pieces to have a very good midfield, to a similar standard of last year. Wing deep, Savage up and down, and then Doyle or Elliott showing for the pass, turning their man, finding some space between the lines and making something happen.

The forward line is struggling, but then that's not a surprise with the number of changes to the squad and XI we've had. Kelvin switching between two different positions and getting dropped. O'Mahoney getting dropped. Lane getting injured. Kyerewaa switching from left to right. Camara in and out.

And in defence, we dropped our best performing defender for a promising teenager who had one good cup game against Pompey reserves. Our big defensive leader is injured, and our experiences specialist LB looks like a mistake.

Hunt is showing his inexperience with the tinkering. IMO he saw we'd lost the first two games and got a cup win, and threw the plan out to try to match that, when it was the wrong thing to do. But injuries to Lane, Dorsett and O'Connor certainly aren't helping. He also needs to get them to cut loose a bit more. Take more shots rather than hoping the perfect opportunity will arise, work the keeper a bit, give the defence something else to think about.

We need to not panic, keep working hard, and our understanding will grow if we keep some consistency, a bit of a rub of he green will come up sooner or later and we'll have a good run. But constantly reacting and changing will just prolong the problem and the bad results.

Playing Wing at the back has two main outcomes. A weak and slow midfield core that fails to protect the defence and a preponderance of ineffective long balls.

I’d rather Wing had less time but be slightly more effective further up.

Preponderance. Now that has to be word for the day, Leon

[South Coast Royal]

Just touching on the long balls from deep to either a no.9 who can't head a ball or to two wingers who are most unlikely to win any headers.
We have some decent passers of a ball in midfield and interchange of passing between them and a final ball along the ground is surely our best current option and should be our main attacking approach..

What surprises me is that Burns, brought up at Man City ,lumps the ball forward to nowhere-surely he must be under instruction from the manager and it goes against the grain for the player who looks comfortable on the ball?

Although I get where Ian is coming from in his post I do feel that Hound's point that if Wing is being tight-marked that leaves more space for others and Leon's point that if he loses possession further up the pitch it is less damaging.

Wimbledon showed more imagination than us and I felt looked fairly comfortable which is worrying as we probably will face stronger opposition than Lincoln and Wimbledon as the season progresses.
Wonder goals from Wing are something that we now take for granted but we need to do so much more.

[Hound]

Actually checked whoscored stats and to my surprise Kelvin won 8 headers yesterday (some of these might be defensive)

But here’s the second issue - anytime he did win one it went to nobody

It’s just a poor tactic - it’s not even playing percentages, we just gift possesion back

[Linden Jones' Tash]

Substitutions:

Does anyone else get the impression that the raft of substitutions on either 65 mins or 75 mins feel mechanically pre-determined rather than responding to the specific game dynamics?

I mean I like to see a change if things aren't working - but recently it seems that as soon as we make the substitutions, we concede and the personel doesn't seem to be responding to actual game dynamics...