A worry

[fulwoodshrimp]

We have made a decent start to the season and topping the league was brilliant but 2 teams have thrashed us 4-0 and 5-0. Other teams will watch the videos and discover how Cambridge and Crawley did it and I suspect we will have more torrid times to come! There is clearly a weakness in the team but I haven't seen enough of them this season to understand what it is. Is it the keeper and back four, is it the midfield or is it the lack of a consistent goal scorer up front? Whatever it is needs resolving by the manager before we start to struggle further. I worry the season will become more problematic unless Mr. Adams earns his corn and remedies the problem.

[mrpotatohead]

Bollocks, the 2 thrashing were against top teams, yesterday was a few mistakes that cost us , we never got the rub of the green, anything better than bottom 3, ...... In Adams we trust!!

[Andy D]

We are now playing more open football and don't mind taking the odd hammering because of that way.

[P/T Indie]

I saw something the other day from a Plymouth fan that said the Derek Adams way gets you winning games and when it works it's great but when it doesn't work it goes horribly wrong, sounds about right.

I haven't seen the goals from yesterday were there any long range efforts? In the games I have seen we seem bad at closing down when they are about 30 yards out.

[Little Shrimp]

Need to re-watch a few things but I have a few ideas.

Both defeats have seen a flurry of three goals in 10 minutes. Against Cambridge, we looked decent but seemed really rattled after Hoolahan's goal. Francomb's opener didn't really rattle us I thought, but then the incident with CMG seemed to be what triggered the collapse.

Just been trying to have a think about our system and possible issues from it. We have quite a lot of more 'attacking minded' players (Wildig and Phillips as flanking midfielders etc) in our line up, and basically have them be very disciplined and work their socks off defensively. I see our formation as a 4-3-3/4-5-1, with Wildig/Phillips rotating to join up with Stockton to block off the centre back with the ball.

It works well in shutting down the opposition a lot of the time as we are generally pretty disciplined and work hard to keep the shape and cover spaces. But I think we seem to have these mental turning points (Hoolahan goal, CMG decision) when we start scrabbling too hard to get ourselves back in the game. We over-commit forward whether it be pressing or attacking, meaning we're left very bare and easy to get at once the opposition start moving into midfield.

Might be coincidental but both of these disaster periods have happened with Kenyon not on the pitch. Not too sure what would be the best way to fix things other than widespread personnel changes but I think the above seems to be the cause of the issue.

[BerlinWaller]

Wildig and Phillips are both attacking and that leaves us with only one sitting. Derek likes width and has the FB's overlapping so if we do get caught out up the pitch, we only have 3 players sitting back dealing with a counter attack. Maybe when Toums and Songo'o are available we will sacrifice either wildig or Phillips to keep a more defensive set up.

Our system does rely on us scoring first and when we do lose the first goal we seem to chuck the kitchen sink at it trying to get level.

[redrobo]

Almost certain to get shot down for this, but there is one player who has been in the team over the last few seasons when results have been poor, maybe time to give him a rest and take the pressure of him for a short time.....

[HALMA 1983]

Cambridge are battering everyone right now, so that ones laid to rest but I didn't see that one coming yesterday, now it's all about getting a win of any sorts on Tuesday evening and following that up come Saturday.
If they won two and lost one from now, to the end of the season that'd do nicely

[black morse]

Cambridge are battering everyone right now, so that ones laid to rest but I didn't see that one coming yesterday, now it's all about getting a win of any sorts on Tuesday evening and following that up come Saturday.
If they won two and lost one from now, to the end of the season that'd do nicely

That would do more than nicely.....that would be great!

[SupermarketShrimp]

Almost certain to get shot down for this, but there is one player who has been in the team over the last few seasons when results have been poor, maybe time to give him a rest and take the pressure of him for a short time.....

I wondered who your new figure of derision would be! Do share......

[Keith]

Almost certain to get shot down for this, but there is one player who has been in the team over the last few seasons when results have been poor, maybe time to give him a rest and take the pressure of him for a short time.....

Six of Saturday's starting eleven were signed by Jim Bentley, so you may need to be a little less cryptic. Are you suggesting dropping Sam Lavelle?

[redrobo]

Nobody is above being given a rest for their own good.

Sam has been an ever present for over 2 seasons when results have been poor. Even changes to those around him haven't improved results and this seasons goals against tally to date is worrying.

Maybe it is time for Sam to be given a rest.....for his and the teams own good. Without question he will come back and no doubt be all the better for it.

It could well be that the pressure of being Captain and having to adjust to those new colleagues around him have affected his own game.

[HALMA 1983]

Nobody is above being given a rest for their own good.

Sam has been an ever present for over 2 seasons when results have been poor. Even changes to those around him haven't improved results and this seasons goals against tally to date is worrying.

Maybe it is time for Sam to be given a rest.....for his and the teams own good. Without question he will come back and no doubt be all the better for it.

It could well be that the pressure of being Captain and having to adjust to those new colleagues around him have affected his own game.

Who steps in to fill the void? for me he's one of the first names on the teamsheet and for good reason,
The disruption of losing Alex can't be underestimated and Berlins idea of going large across the middle certainly has legs.

[BerlinWaller]

Wasn't Sam benched for the first game of the season? I agree that players should be picked on merit but targeting Sam is a bit of a cheek. Last week he was captain of the side that were top of the league but now should be dropped?

I think Sam and Harry have the makings of a good partnership, the best we have had since Jim and Moose.

[Slanester]

Nobody is above being given a rest for their own good.

Sam has been an ever present for over 2 seasons when results have been poor. Even changes to those around him haven't improved results and this seasons goals against tally to date is worrying.

Maybe it is time for Sam to be given a rest.....for his and the teams own good. Without question he will come back and no doubt be all the better for it.

It could well be that the pressure of being Captain and having to adjust to those new colleagues around him have affected his own game.

Are you being serious???? Top of the league Sat morning, a very rare mistake by one of our most dependable players, and captain, you want him dropped??? Take more water with it.

[tim-sanchez]

I'm not saying Sam is above being benched, anyone can be benched and replaced especially with the strong squad we have. But I'm not sure why Sam should be benched?

Is everyone forgetting that last time he was benched we lost 5-0 to Cambridge? Not that it was the sole reason for the loss, but benching Sam hardly did us wonders there.

[redrobo]

It can't be a coincidence that the only player who has remained almost every game over the seasons despite some poor results is Sam. He's had the burden of being Captain and having to get to know endless new defensive colleagues over the seasons which can't be easy for a relatively young player.

For me a rest will benefit him going forward. It could work out that a move to a higher league club would come about just as it did for Braithwaite at Carlisle who after only a half season of first team football in a similar defensive role as Sam was signed by Everton and has already had a number of first team opportunities. For me Sam is a far better prospect than Braithwaite.

[Slanester]

I'm not saying Sam is above being benched, anyone can be benched and replaced especially with the strong squad we have. But I'm not sure why Sam should be benched?

Is everyone forgetting that last time he was benched we lost 5-0 to Cambridge? Not that it was the sole reason for the loss, but benching Sam hardly did us wonders there.

Nobody is forgetting, apart from rr. From what I have seen so far this season, every game, Sam is above being benched nobody among our decent squad is his direct replacement.

[BerlinWaller]

It can't be a coincidence that the only player who has remained almost every game over the seasons despite some poor results is Sam. He's had the burden of being Captain and having to get to know endless new defensive colleagues over the seasons which can't be easy for a relatively young player.

For me a rest will benefit him going forward. It could work out that a move to a higher league club would come about just as it did for Braithwaite at Carlisle who after only a half season of first team football in a similar defensive role as Sam was signed by Everton and has already had a number of first team opportunities. For me Sam is a far better prospect than Braithwaite.

I think you are just digging a deeper hole. One of the major differences between our two most recent managers is that the current manager doesn't seem to have favourites. I am sure DA will assess and pick on merit and form. Dropping Sam and making him the scapegoat will do more harm than good. Let the lad play his football and develop in to a top centre half.

[Keith]

Blooming' 'eck! I mentioned Sam with my tongue very much in tongue in cheek! One of our top performers and unless injured, first name on the team sheet for me. There may be times when he needs a rest or picks up a niggle, but if fit, he plays in my opinion.

[Ispyshrimp]

Almost certain to get shot down for this, but there is one player who has been in the team over the last few seasons when results have been poor, maybe time to give him a rest and take the pressure of him for a short time.....

Apart from the mistake that Sam made Saturday I thought he was his usual steady self, thought he had a good first half.

We seem to get punished for mistakes and it could have quite easily have gone the other way IMO

Sam's stage of his career, he needs to playing every game and also my first name on the team sheet

The game changed when we had bad luck with getting rid of a ball and it fell and finished with a worldy strike for their first, The rest followed. onwards to Mansfield

[mrpotatohead]

Sam our captain , a damn fine young player and natural leader, dropping him for making a rare mistake would do more harm than good and it's ridiculous to suggest otherwise.

[P/T Indie]

Derek did drop him but then very quickly brought him back which says a lot.

[Westgate Wanderer]

Sam was sat on the bench for the first half of the Cambridge game.....that went well!

[Slanester]

No Carlos tonight...a worry??