Just seen they’ve won 3 of their first 4. Bit of a cliche but don’t seem many easy games atm, at least on paper.  I’m going a deserved but edgy 2-1 win.  Still not firing on all cylinders for a while.

We appear to have good quality, fast, skillful wingers for this level, which is great.

The general view though is that they far too often cut inside & try speculative shots rather than go for the by-line to ping crosses over.

They won't be doing this without instructions.

The best would be a balance, doing some of each, swapping wings occasionally. Simply put, vary it a bit & don't be predictable. 

I am sure we will once again go 4/2/3/1 at Blackpool but it would not surprise me that will get put on the back burner once the international break is over.

Taylor, Erhahon  and Dalby will be fully fit yet in that system those three are not guaranteed to start yet start they will

He is not going to drop Conway, Sheehan and Burstow to fit those in so a change of formation is the logical solution be that 4/3/3 or 4/4/2

 

Edited August 26, 2025Aug 26 by masi 51

Just following on from the shots had / conceded post from yesterday this illustration puts it in to perspective v’s the rest of the league. 
 

the signs are positive, just better decision making at both ends of the pitch needed… 

 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2025Aug 26 by barrycowdrill

2 hours ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

We appear to have good quality, fast, skillful wingers for this level, which is great.

The general view though is that they far too often cut inside & try speculative shots rather than go for the by-line to ping crosses over.

They won't be doing this without instructions.

The best would be a balance, doing some of each, swapping wings occasionally. Simply put, vary it a bit & don't be predictable. 

Yes but don’t you think that should be obvious without having to tell players, especially on Saturday when we had both Dalby and Burstow up top? You really do have to worry if players can’t work obvious things like that out for themselves, plus this is surely something that’s being practised in training? On the other hand until we get more players in the box are crosses going to produce much?

Some of the stuff the analysis BWFC account does is really good. Not only does it highlight what we are doing well, but points out where the issues are.

So while we are “busy in attack, quiet in defence” we are very much in the bracket of “low quality chances created and high quality chances conceded”

So while the table of XG and xGA looks good, it confirms what we all know, we’ve got to sort it out in both boxes! 😂

Cue I don’t need fancy statistics to show me that - I can see with my own eyes! 🤣

3 hours ago, masi 51 said:

I am sure we will once again go 4/2/3/1 at Blackpool but it would not surprise me that will get put on the back burner once the international break is over.

Taylor, Erhahon  and Dalby will be fully fit yet in that system those three are not guaranteed to start yet start they will

He is not going to drop Conway, Sheehan and Burstow to fit those in so a change of formation is the logical solution be that 4/3/3 or 4/4/2

 

He is going to have to drop someone to accommodate those you say will be guaranteed to start.

I think this is SS preferred formation and you will just see squad rotation for games. With options to set up slightly more defensive or attacking depending on the opposition or stage of the game.

1 hour ago, Whitesince63 said:

Yes but don’t you think that should be obvious without having to tell players, especially on Saturday when we had both Dalby and Burstow up top? You really do have to worry if players can’t work obvious things like that out for themselves, plus this is surely something that’s being practised in training? On the other hand until we get more players in the box are crosses going to produce much?

Absolutely I do which brings me back to 'they must be following instructions' which surprises me even more.

Good statistics, and yet proof that that on their own, and be misleading and give a false picture.

Having lots of shots doesn't mean much if they're off target or powderpuff.

Additionally, Xg doesn't measure the quality of the finish-just the quality of the chance. 

Hopefully, keeping up those figures whilst improving the finishing/crossing will see us gain the requisite number of points.

16 hours ago, ianofcleveleys said:

Have my doubts about ACD as a wing back mind 

I've got doubts about him as a winger now that he doesn't seem to be playing as one.

3 hours ago, desperado said:

Some of the stuff the analysis BWFC account does is really good. Not only does it highlight what we are doing well, but points out where the issues are.

So while we are “busy in attack, quiet in defence” we are very much in the bracket of “low quality chances created and high quality chances conceded”

So while the table of XG and xGA looks good, it confirms what we all know, we’ve got to sort it out in both boxes! 😂

Cue I don’t need fancy statistics to show me that - I can see with my own eyes! 🤣

Best xG and best xGA, but second worst on xG vs actual?

1 minute ago, Traf said:

I've got doubts about him as a winger now that he doesn't seem to be playing as one.

Best xG and best xGA, but second worst on xG vs actual?

Think so, in other words we are not very good, at the moment, at converting them. 

We're averaging 7 shots per game from outside the box, that is verging on ridiculous, Allardyce would be issuing more fines than at any point in his career.

We're 6th for most shots on target and only joint 15th for clear cut chances created. Hopefully lots of work is being done on decision making this week.

Part of the reason that our overall xG position looks better as well is because we're quite often behind (game state) and teams xg ratio tends to be better once they are behind and chasing the game.

Edited August 26, 2025Aug 26 by ex_midlandwhite

43 minutes ago, ex_midlandwhite said:

We're averaging 7 shots per game from outside the box, that is verging on ridiculous, Allardyce would be issuing more fines than at any point in his career.

We're 6th for most shots on target and only joint 15th for clear cut chances created. Hopefully lots of work is being done on decision making this week.

Part of the reason that our overall xG position looks better as well is because we're quite often behind (game state) and teams xg ratio tends to be better once they are behind and chasing the game.

This is the main factor for me.  We've been chasing every game most of the time (bar one).  So the opposition sit deep.  If we'd been 1 up from the 1st minute instead of 1 down, there's no way Lincoln allow us to dictate 90% of the game, nor would we want to in a way, we'd want to draw them out and hit them on the break (like Plymouth).

Stats at this stage of the season should be taken with a pinch of salt, we've only played 2 away and half of one of them was against 10 men ie a brick wall.

We saw under Evatt how important starting well and scoring first is in L1. The script was set in far too many home games, ponderous start, not matching them, bit of slackness, go 0-1 and spend 70 minutes having 80% possession but creating next to nothing because it was all played round in front of two banks of five. 

Yes, we scored first then faded late on and let a lead slip last week, but more often than not good 'game management' will see you through or there may be chances to go 2 or 3 up as opponents push to get level.

I thought we started pretty well v Stockport, caught them cold a bit and, even by Challinor's admission, should have been in front. We haven't quite matched that drive from the off in the games since.

Edited August 26, 2025Aug 26 by ianofcleveleys

Don't have a problem with shooting from outside the box, but players have to be calm and thoughtful, and not simply try to hit the "leather" off it. 

Against a packed defence, it may be necessary to mix it up a bit- and as we've seen ricochets do happen.

Again though, it illustrates the need to vary the approach, play it quickly whenever possible, try to open the defences up.

Otherwise, it becomes all a bit Evattball.

2 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Don't have a problem with shooting from outside the box, but players have to be calm and thoughtful, and not simply try to hit the "leather" off it. 

Against a packed defence, it may be necessary to mix it up a bit- and as we've seen ricochets do happen.

Again though, it illustrates the need to vary the approach, play it quickly whenever possible, try to open the defences up.

Otherwise, it becomes all a bit Evattball.

Its strange but I see it the other way round - we are too calm and thoughtful!  The likes of Morley, Sheehan, Randall, Simons and all 3 wingers have had plenty of shots between them, from distance.  They usually try one of those low shots with their instep, trying to guide it into the bottom corner with not enough venom.

I miss the likes of Sneekes, Mixu, Thompson, Frandsen thundertwatting it from 25 yards in the general direction of the centre of the goal, god knows where that skill has gone, its a forgotten art (or it is for Bolton players for the last decade).

Those you mention could give it some whilst still focusing on where they wanted it to go.

Sheehan scored a thumping volley last season- at Burton iirc- well timed and controlled. Good technique. 

These winger chaps, have scored a worldy each in pre season, and ACD one in the league.

That's all well and good, but they can't rely on that every time, especially if they're twatting it, and opponents know what they're going to do, and make it difficult.

A good number seem to have gone awry.

The midfielders may be trying to be a bit more delicate, but I think our narrow play compresses the players into the box and makes it more difficult to find a clear way to goal.

The second half on Saturday did show a number on target, with the keeper being a bit special at times, so we simply have to speed things up, and get the openings and goals. Get ahead, and stop making it difficult for ourselves.

Keepers tend not to hold anything nowadays, so I've no issue with us shooting on sight, but we must (a) work the keeper more often and (b) be quicker to any rebounds. We've had so many shots off target this season already that it's criminal.

3 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Those you mention could give it some whilst still focusing on where they wanted it to go.

Sheehan scored a thumping volley last season- at Burton iirc- well timed and controlled. Good technique. 

These winger chaps, have scored a worldy each in pre season, and ACD one in the league.

That's all well and good, but they can't rely on that every time, especially if they're twatting it, and opponents know what they're going to do, and make it difficult.

A good number seem to have gone awry.

The midfielders may be trying to be a bit more delicate, but I think our narrow play compresses the players into the box and makes it more difficult to find a clear way to goal.

The second half on Saturday did show a number on target, with the keeper being a bit special at times, so we simply have to speed things up, and get the openings and goals. Get ahead, and stop making it difficult for ourselves.

The amount of times on Saterday they were leaving the far corners of the pitch undefended because they knew our wingers would cut inside to shoot was criminal. It's so easy to defend against. If just one time ACD takes it wide their defenders will think twice before commiting to defending the inside shot, which then has the impact of making attacking inverted easier, it opens up space for the shot or even playing a short pass to the no10 (imagine that) making a late run into the box. 

This lack of versatility is ultimately what crippled Evatt's team. 

Having watched the last few games it just feels like we're chasing stats again, really hope this isn't the case and SS pulls this out. 

6 hours ago, Zog1 said:

The amount of times on Saterday they were leaving the far corners of the pitch undefended because they knew our wingers would cut inside to shoot was criminal. It's so easy to defend against. If just one time ACD takes it wide their defenders will think twice before commiting to defending the inside shot, which then has the impact of making attacking inverted easier, it opens up space for the shot or even playing a short pass to the no10 (imagine that) making a late run into the box. 

This lack of versatility is ultimately what crippled Evatt's team. 

Having watched the last few games it just feels like we're chasing stats again, really hope this isn't the case and SS pulls this out. 

The mad thing is when we did do it, we scored a great goal to seal our only win so far

22 minutes ago, Zico said:

The mad thing is when we did do it, we scored a great goal to seal our only win so far

"Football is a simple game.."

On 27/08/2025 at 07:12, Zico said:

The mad thing is when we did do it, we scored a great goal to seal our only win so far

S'why it's so important to stop conceding the first goal