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| Don't panic - Everything is normal. Grant Ward's playing.... |
The line up looks a bit odd to me, compared to what we expected on the back of all the signings and all the hype about being a League 1 Liverpool. Maybe the division has turned Neil 'philosophy' Critchley into a pragmatist already? There's the chance of Robson going forward a bit more with Williams coming in to play defensive midfield and Ollie Turton back in at full back giving the defence more of solid feel. We've got two strong lads in Madine and Yates at the top of the pitch and a bit of height in all areas. This isn't exactly the look I thought we'd have, but it's got a solidity about it. You might say it's got a bit more ugliness to it and ugliness matters in this division.
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We make a very bright start. Pinging it round, putting a couple of good crosses, then Garbutt goes down after taking a throw. He's done and Demi Mitchell comes on, blinking in shock at being catapulted into the action so quickly.
We're dominant without making chances. Williams is indeed letting Robson and Ward roam a little more and looking quite composed on the ball as well.
We have lots and lots of possession but it takes till 23 minutes for someone to turn that into a shot. Unfortunately it's an effort which misses the penalty box all together from Grant Ward.
I'm worried we're going to put in a lot of effort controlling the game but then get tired and lose it. We're playing well, but we still don't make quick enough decisions in midfield for me. There's still that sense we take a touch, then another touch, then run a bit, touch it again and then pass. Sideways.
We make a couple of half chances from crosses. First, a deep one from Mitchell that sees big Marvin charging on to it, but Omar Beckles is able to get under it. Then, a clipped near post ball the defender gets a touch to and the ball hits the perennially unfortunate Yates and bounces away, when it seemed he might have turned it home.
Madine is at his best when he plays a beautiful blind pass, the perfect direction and weight for Hamilton who charges on to it, but for all his pace, he hasn't got the trickery to make the most of the moment.
We make a very bright start. Pinging it round, putting a couple of good crosses, then Garbutt goes down after taking a throw. He's done and Demi Mitchell comes on, blinking in shock at being catapulted into the action so quickly.
We're dominant without making chances. Williams is indeed letting Robson and Ward roam a little more and looking quite composed on the ball as well.
We have lots and lots of possession but it takes till 23 minutes for someone to turn that into a shot. Unfortunately it's an effort which misses the penalty box all together from Grant Ward.
I'm worried we're going to put in a lot of effort controlling the game but then get tired and lose it. We're playing well, but we still don't make quick enough decisions in midfield for me. There's still that sense we take a touch, then another touch, then run a bit, touch it again and then pass. Sideways.
We make a couple of half chances from crosses. First, a deep one from Mitchell that sees big Marvin charging on to it, but Omar Beckles is able to get under it. Then, a clipped near post ball the defender gets a touch to and the ball hits the perennially unfortunate Yates and bounces away, when it seemed he might have turned it home.
Madine is at his best when he plays a beautiful blind pass, the perfect direction and weight for Hamilton who charges on to it, but for all his pace, he hasn't got the trickery to make the most of the moment.
Robson crosses, Madine flicks, it's headed away, but falls for Yates who strikes it on the volley into the head of a defender when it seemed for a second to be flying goalward.
From nowhere, Crewe force their own keeper into a sliding save from an unremarkable back pass. It's the closest we've come and we had nowt to do with it.
I can't think of anything to say about the last ten minutes of the half other than it's very much like the preceding thirty-five minutes in that Pool dominate but not a lot happens that gets my heart racing.
Chissy drops a classic Chissyism as a runner is describe as being 'on his bike already' and half time arrives.
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Pool look very assured at the back. Maxwell has had absolutely nothing to do at all apart from to consider coming for a few sweeping cross field passes that Pool mostly nullify with an offside trap that appears to be working. Literally the only moment of danger is a moment where Turton gets lost but does well to get back and shadow his man until he smacks it against his legs.
It's up front where the questions are. The midfield are having a more comfortable afternoon. Williams has sat and done quite well. Robson has been the most likely to to provide something and most decisive. Madine has won a fair amount but it's just not really clicked between the front three.
The question in my mind is - Will Critch look at this and tweak it? Swap Yates and CJ or try Bez at some point? Will he give Kemp a go who seemed to be very much on Madine's wavelength when they've had a few minutes on the pitch together?
It's been like an arm wrestling match where Pool have pushed Crewe to 45 degrees but no further. Further pressure needed.
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From nowhere, Crewe force their own keeper into a sliding save from an unremarkable back pass. It's the closest we've come and we had nowt to do with it.
I can't think of anything to say about the last ten minutes of the half other than it's very much like the preceding thirty-five minutes in that Pool dominate but not a lot happens that gets my heart racing.
Chissy drops a classic Chissyism as a runner is describe as being 'on his bike already' and half time arrives.
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Pool look very assured at the back. Maxwell has had absolutely nothing to do at all apart from to consider coming for a few sweeping cross field passes that Pool mostly nullify with an offside trap that appears to be working. Literally the only moment of danger is a moment where Turton gets lost but does well to get back and shadow his man until he smacks it against his legs.
It's up front where the questions are. The midfield are having a more comfortable afternoon. Williams has sat and done quite well. Robson has been the most likely to to provide something and most decisive. Madine has won a fair amount but it's just not really clicked between the front three.
The question in my mind is - Will Critch look at this and tweak it? Swap Yates and CJ or try Bez at some point? Will he give Kemp a go who seemed to be very much on Madine's wavelength when they've had a few minutes on the pitch together?
It's been like an arm wrestling match where Pool have pushed Crewe to 45 degrees but no further. Further pressure needed.
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Pool start on the attack but twice players running into each other foil the forward momentum better than the Crewe defence.
Pool move the ball around about half way inside the Crewe half a lot without really causing any danger
Then.... Crewe sweep up the pitch in three passes, Marvin comes to meet the second pass but is beaten to it, and the ball ends up wide left, then clipped to the far post where the defence never look like stopping it, in fact, Mitchell seems to help it home, but the goal goes to a Crewe man. It's pretty much their first attack.
Pool get back to moving the ball around about half way inside the Crewe half a lot without really causing any danger.
The ref has it in for Madine, blowing for seemingly harmless leaps and ignoring him getting shoved over. He's not been the worst ref ever, but he doesn't seem to like attacking aggression - in the first half he blew up when CJ seemed to simply out muscle his full back and he's not keen on the Goal Machine at all.
A Crewe winger has Mitchell on toast, then plays a horribly tempting ball all across the edge of the 6 yard box but Pool escape as neither team can put a touch to it and it rolls away for a throw.
I'm getting edgy about changes. Eventually CJ and Yates switch wings - Pool look defeated. Where is the barrage? We've mustered nothing other than a Williams shot that goes well wide. Madine is winning a lot in the air and seems on his game but we're not turning this into danger. It seems obvious to me, Get Jerry or CJ alongside him and switch formation a bit. We're losing the game and have been doing so for 15 minutes without doing anything in particular about it.
The game is becoming fractured and frustrated.
Pool move the ball around about half way inside the Crewe half a lot without really causing any danger
Then.... Crewe sweep up the pitch in three passes, Marvin comes to meet the second pass but is beaten to it, and the ball ends up wide left, then clipped to the far post where the defence never look like stopping it, in fact, Mitchell seems to help it home, but the goal goes to a Crewe man. It's pretty much their first attack.
Pool get back to moving the ball around about half way inside the Crewe half a lot without really causing any danger.
The ref has it in for Madine, blowing for seemingly harmless leaps and ignoring him getting shoved over. He's not been the worst ref ever, but he doesn't seem to like attacking aggression - in the first half he blew up when CJ seemed to simply out muscle his full back and he's not keen on the Goal Machine at all.
A Crewe winger has Mitchell on toast, then plays a horribly tempting ball all across the edge of the 6 yard box but Pool escape as neither team can put a touch to it and it rolls away for a throw.
I'm getting edgy about changes. Eventually CJ and Yates switch wings - Pool look defeated. Where is the barrage? We've mustered nothing other than a Williams shot that goes well wide. Madine is winning a lot in the air and seems on his game but we're not turning this into danger. It seems obvious to me, Get Jerry or CJ alongside him and switch formation a bit. We're losing the game and have been doing so for 15 minutes without doing anything in particular about it.
The game is becoming fractured and frustrated.
Madine and Yates link really well about halfway inside the Crewe half, but there's not enough pace in the pair to really make it dangerous, but it leads to a corner, from which Madine heads down, but it's scrambled out of six yard box. A bit better.
Then much better. Madine in box, the ball bouncing and he goes for an impetuous back hell finish which rebounds off a defender but only as far as Ward who swivels and smashes it home. It's deserved.
We press again and two decent corners cause a few flutters in Crewe hearts, if not abject terror.
Madine lays off to Yates who charges forward and is sliced down. From the free kick Robson curls one that scuffs the turf and bounces up nicely into the keeper's hands.
iFollow freezes on Yates getting aggressive on the touchline and resumes for the aftermath of what looks like a nasty foul on Hamilton. It doesn't appear we've made a sub in the blackout.
We press a bit more, Ward gets a cross to the far post which is headed goalward (I think Madine again), but is scrambled away.
Maxwell pings it forward and again the goal machine wins a dangerous flick but Yates and Hamilton are equally distant from it. It seems to sum up the forward line today.
4 minutes of added time
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Madine lays off to Yates who charges forward and is sliced down. From the free kick Robson curls one that scuffs the turf and bounces up nicely into the keeper's hands.
iFollow freezes on Yates getting aggressive on the touchline and resumes for the aftermath of what looks like a nasty foul on Hamilton. It doesn't appear we've made a sub in the blackout.
We press a bit more, Ward gets a cross to the far post which is headed goalward (I think Madine again), but is scrambled away.
Maxwell pings it forward and again the goal machine wins a dangerous flick but Yates and Hamilton are equally distant from it. It seems to sum up the forward line today.
4 minutes of added time
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I can't help thinking about the squad make up - We've got two strikers at the club and both are on the pitch, with Yates in particular looking knackered towards the end. It's possibly churlish to moan about a point away from home, given the form we've shown, but we've dominated the game and yet failed to look like winning it.
Again (and I'm not trying to score any points, I don't write with an agenda, I just write what I see), it seemed to be crying out for a change, fresh legs, a little tweak of positioning or formation and again, we played through from start to end with (aside from Yates/CJ briefly swapping) the identical formation. We had the best of the game by far, but we didn't make enough of it - that's understandable in the first half, but as the game went on frustrated me more and more.
On the plus side, the midfield 3 made a bit more sense and looked a lot less lightweight than they have done. Williams had a decent game, in fact everyone did kind of ok. At the back, Mitchell worries me defensively every time he plays but generally we looked solid. Up front, Madine had another more than decent game, Yates worked hard without really looking like the answer wide and CJ flickered in moments but he does look quite 'markable' and we don't seem to be taking advantage of having a player drawing the opposition defence in the way he does. It's similar to how we didn't really take advantage of Madine's performance. Are we seeing chances to exploit other teams or are we playing a game from a game plan come what may?
It was unspectacular, solid, some quite promising elements in terms of how easily we kept them at bay and moved the ball nicely, especially from the back, but some of the same questions remain unanswered. Perhaps after Ipswich 'solid' is a big step forward, but I thought Crewe looked a least a division weaker than Ipswich. Maybe that's credit to us for making them look so toothless, maybe they just were, I don't know!
Again (and I'm not trying to score any points, I don't write with an agenda, I just write what I see), it seemed to be crying out for a change, fresh legs, a little tweak of positioning or formation and again, we played through from start to end with (aside from Yates/CJ briefly swapping) the identical formation. We had the best of the game by far, but we didn't make enough of it - that's understandable in the first half, but as the game went on frustrated me more and more.
On the plus side, the midfield 3 made a bit more sense and looked a lot less lightweight than they have done. Williams had a decent game, in fact everyone did kind of ok. At the back, Mitchell worries me defensively every time he plays but generally we looked solid. Up front, Madine had another more than decent game, Yates worked hard without really looking like the answer wide and CJ flickered in moments but he does look quite 'markable' and we don't seem to be taking advantage of having a player drawing the opposition defence in the way he does. It's similar to how we didn't really take advantage of Madine's performance. Are we seeing chances to exploit other teams or are we playing a game from a game plan come what may?
It was unspectacular, solid, some quite promising elements in terms of how easily we kept them at bay and moved the ball nicely, especially from the back, but some of the same questions remain unanswered. Perhaps after Ipswich 'solid' is a big step forward, but I thought Crewe looked a least a division weaker than Ipswich. Maybe that's credit to us for making them look so toothless, maybe they just were, I don't know!
I also think we really miss Sullay and a bit of unpredictability. The positive is, we played well enough to imagine that with that bit of extra spark, we might well be dangerous - That's got to be a decent step forward - we were ripped apart like a flimsy paper bag last week and this week we were much improved. That said, it feels a bit melodramatic to go overboard and make statements about this being the point that starts the season and everything being rosy thereafter. But fuck it, onwards and upwards. We're gonna hit on the right blend sometime and when we do, it'll be fucking incredible.
Hopefully.
utmp
Good read. Enjoyed that. Cheers
ReplyDeleteThanks chief 👍
ReplyDelete