Northampton Town (A)

[Greg_BWFC]

57 minutes ago, Ani said:

On the second goal it is Santos job to head the ball away, but equally it is someone else's job to block their runner. The guy has a free run and gets above Santos so as with most goals there are a couple of little errors.

Some people (not aimed at you btw) just blame Santos for everything and other players do not get mentioned. But even if he was to blame for both goals it shows how essential he is to us if he is the one that needs to clear every cross and long ball. 

First goal is a great header.

One from the corner, the lad got a run on our lads and met it well.

Would love to see Santos charging in like that.

If he doesn't score, he'll flatten a few given the size of him 😁

[Deanu]

Breath of fresh air seeing us get the ball up to our best players with a lot more purpose & intensity. 11 goals in 3 league games with Dempsey/McAtee/Dion looking like they could score every time they go forward. Yes, against the minnows but builds much needed belief. The front four at our disposal is our biggest strength by far, let them do damage & punish teams in transitions. Brilliant game by Schon too (tackle aside)

Edited October 2, 2024 by Deanu

[RUREADY2ROLL]

5 minutes ago, Deanu said:

Breath of fresh air seeing us get the ball up to our best players with a lot more purpose & intensity. 11 goals in 3 league games with Dempsey/McAtee/Dion looking like they could score every time they go forward. Yes, against the minnows but builds much needed belief. The front four at our disposal is our biggest strength by far, let them do damage & punish teams in transitions. Brilliant game by Schon too (tackle aside)

Schon has had two excellent games on the trot

[gonzo]

14 minutes ago, boltonboris said:

He's playing with a really good intensity and looks confident. Long may that continue

What competition for places can do.

Remember reading a piece by Danny Murphy last season. He said the worth thing you can have as a footballer is complacency.

One bad game from any of em and they're out the next.

[wakey]

2 hours ago, desperado said:

Looks a bit quirky and crazy (in a funny/competitive way 🤣) I like him. 

bet he does a cracking Duelling Banjos 

[Dr. Feelgood]

So, it seems attacking with speed & intensity pays dividends. Plan 'C' maybe.

Who'da known ?

[Casino]

do you now know where at least 2 of the summer signings fit in

 

[Dr. Feelgood]

4 minutes ago, Casino said:

do you now know where at least 2 of the summer signings fit in

 

Yes. Starting, together. As was my point at the time.

[barrycowdrill]

3 out of the next 5 at home. One of which against a Bipolar Peterborough side who seem the weakest they’ve been for a while. But will 2 tough aways at Brum and Stockport. 
 

Early - mid Nov will give us a proper indication of whether the tide has properly turned. 

[Casino]

22 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Yes. Starting, together. As was my point at the time.

you didn't make a point, you asked a question

you wondered where they fit in

didn't you even 'worry' about it?

[Dimron]

2 hours ago, Ani said:

On the second goal it is Santos job to head the ball away, but equally it is someone else's job to block their runner. The guy has a free run and gets above Santos so as with most goals there are a couple of little errors.

Some people (not aimed at you btw) just blame Santos for everything and other players do not get mentioned. But even if he was to blame for both goals it shows how essential he is to us if he is the one that needs to clear every cross and long ball. 

I haven't seen any of the action, listened to the commentary.

I was wondering whether Thomason's substitution led to a loss of intensity and concentration in the team... maybe he is doing more in his new captain's role than we are crediting him for?

[Leyther_Matt]

7 minutes ago, Dimron said:

I haven't seen any of the action, listened to the commentary.

I was wondering whether Thomason's substitution led to a loss of intensity and concentration in the team... maybe he is doing more in his new captain's role than we are crediting him for?

GT was excellent last night tbf, but I think it was just a general switching off at the end across the board, especially as we should have got a fifth only a few seconds earlier

[Johnnyrotten]

10 hours ago, TM Trotter said:

Just back. Wonderful performance to a man - shame about the last 5 minutes. Hopefully a little wake up call. Also, perhaps a bit lucky with the yellows for GT and Schon, but it's reet. We outclassed Northampton all over the pitch. 

Minor point, I'm still a bit annoyed with Charles shooting from a daft angle when he could have squared to make it 5. But I mean... if that's the only grumble, we're onto something good. And I suppose it's showing a man in confidence!

Looking forward to Shrewsbury 😀

--

Edit... what the FUCK is Northampton's "Oh Christmas Tree" tune all about? Been in my bastard head all the way home. It's October.

I think if we want the benefits of Charles in our attack we have to accept he's only interested in goals.  Next time that situation comes up, he'll shoot, even if he's had an earful off Arfield etc.  He's in the team to score goals and he knows that, I think McAtee has a similar "greed", if there's half a chance to shoot, they don't see anyone else.  Collins is a different type of player and would have squared it, as would any of our midfielders.  As fans we are guilty of lauding the scorer - if a player beats 2 men and sets up Charles for a tap in we all sing Charles name, and we all count up goals (including pens 😀) at the end of the season.  Assists are disregarded. 

[marple whites]

Great midweek trip - trains ran like clockwork, although we were worried when we got off at Northampton to be met with there was a pitch inspection.

85 minutes of really good football in tough conditions.

probably thought we were tiring towards the end with 3 long trips in a week and on a heavy pitch.

great goals, some quality moves and a superb Baxter save first half.

not sure jäger bombs on school night works, but 3 points always gets you through.

2 home wins now please before the Brum game.

[Johnnyrotten]

5 hours ago, Stig said:

Yep I'd rather he stays sulking as he's been far better. Still has mistakes in him though, which is what we were saying against Huddersfield where he was good all the first half and then switched off for their goal.

TBF the first goal last night was a great cross and the main mistake is not cutting out the cross, but between Santos and Toal they can't let a striker get in-between them like that. 

Second goal I guess is his job as the man in the middle tasked with heading away corners.

I'm glad you mentioned the Hudds 1st half because upto the goal he was playing them on his own (although Toal was good too).  All this "he was crap till Crawley, now he's great" tries to make it all black & white, the truth is usually somewhere in between.  Outstanding for much of the Huddersfield game, I think the "switching off" is harsh for the 1st goal - great cross and movement, good finish, Santos is allowed to be beaten once in a while especially in a game we were very much 2nd best.  He's played well last 2 games but the genuine attacks from the opposition have been sporadic to say the least, he's hardly been tested, its all routine for him.  He was 7 out of 10 maybe last night because he didn't need to be any better, that's not him at his best, he didn't need to be, just as he's not been shit all season pre-Crawley.

[gonzo]

If you take that overriding instinct  to score away from a goal scorer you lose the goal scorer.

He should've squared it but he's a number 9. Nothing else is in their mindset.

[Johnnyrotten]

3 hours ago, Zico said:

Good to see direct passes upfield being used from the back these last few games, and giving Charles balls to run on to, as he's at his best doing that 

 

He's looked brilliant last 2 games (even if its only about 90 minutes total).

I can't remember him having the same impact on home matches in terms of getting in behind them and playing towards goal as much, we get used to seeing him 10 yards inside their half with his back to goal, bouncing off a 6 foot defender.

I really think it makes a difference how the teams set up, we all know what it will be like on Saturday, with Shrewsbury camped in our half while its 0-0.  Charles won't get half the space we've seen in last 2 games until maybe we are leading and the gaps open up.  3 consecutive games where we've been 1 up inside about 10 minutes has been perfect for us, I'd love all games to be like that 😀

[Casino]

44 minutes ago, Johnnyrotten said:

I can't remember him having the same impact on home matches in terms of getting in behind them and playing towards goal as much, we get used to seeing him 10 yards inside their half with his back to goal, bouncing off a 6 foot defender.

 

at 0-0 v hudds he should have had the centre back on toast

he may have missed but definitely should have been in

i dunno if its confidence in his ability or in his body but he def didn't look right

[boltonboris]

52 minutes ago, gonzo said:

If you take that overriding instinct  to score away from a goal scorer you lose the goal scorer.

He should've squared it but he's a number 9. Nothing else is in their mindset.

Yep. He doesn't get an extra 4 figures in his pay cheque for passing to someone else.

[ianofcleveleys]

4 hours ago, Zico said:

Good to see direct passes upfield being used from the back these last few games, and giving Charles balls to run on to, as he's at his best doing that 

 

If we'd played to his strengths at any point in the last 3 years he'd have bagged 25 a season. Lost count of the number of times I've seen him shape to make a good run beyond the back line only for us to prefer another couple of pointless passes across ours. Good that maybe the light has finally been seen

[Dr. Feelgood]

4 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

If we'd played to his strengths at any point in the last 3 years he'd have bagged 25 a season. Lost count of the number of times I've seen him shape to make a good run beyond the back line only for us to prefer another couple of pointless passes across ours. Good that maybe the light has finally been seen

Agreed. Why did it take a crisis to get to this ?

[gonzo]

3 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Agreed. Why did it take a crisis to get to this ?

 

Tbf They had a high line last night which enabled us to fire balls off to get him away.

It's not always the case, clearly.

When teams have a low block that particular practice is fucked no matter how much we fanny around with it. If they are sat back they are sat back.

[Dr. Feelgood]

3 minutes ago, gonzo said:

 

Tbf They had a high line last night which enabled us to fire balls off to get him away.

It's not always the case, clearly.

When teams have a low block that particular practice is fucked no matter how much we fanny around with it. If they are sat back they are sat back.

Accepted, but the quicker the turn around the less chance for that to be solid. We've given teams time to build the bloody Maginot Line, bring on reinforcements and cook tea.

Edited October 2, 2024 by Dr. Feelgood

[ianofcleveleys]

Probably a reason why we'll get a good number of goals and points away from home, as even the lesser teams are obliged to set up a bit higher and show they're having a go. 

No doubt those 'low block' teams will be a challenge at home, always have been, all we can do is if they have a venture forward, be quick about springing the counter if we nick if off them. Maybe our early bit of vulnerability this season might tempt one or two of the better sides to be a bit more adventurous against us

[boltonboris]

4 minutes ago, ianofcleveleys said:

Probably a reason why we'll get a good number of goals and points away from home, as even the lesser teams are obliged to set up a bit higher and show they're having a go. 

No doubt those 'low block' teams will be a challenge at home, always have been, all we can do is if they have a venture forward, be quick about springing the counter if we nick if off them. Maybe our early bit of vulnerability this season might tempt one or two of the better sides to be a bit more adventurous against us

As you point out, it's sometimes good to let the opposition have a bit of the play too! If you keep the ball away from a 'lesser' team, they're going to sit in their shape and be hard to break down. Give them an opportunity to have a go and you can pick them off. 

You should always want the ball, but nothing wrong with sometimes not having it