Lincoln City (A)

[Dimron]

14 minutes ago, barrycowdrill said:

I think a few widgies are getting over excited in Lincolnshire talking about 3s and 4s

1-2 with Kenny coming off the bench and sweeping home a late winner 

The only thing I can predict is it isn't going to be goalless.

[Tonge moor green jacket]

2 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

 

He may be in a huff about being hooked but Schumacher had little choice but change a failing system of which Gale was an integral part.

Of course.

Nevertheless, as discussed at length at the time, doing so with a couple of minutes to go until half time was rank.

Change it in the changing room, or much earlier in the half. 

Just seemed petty and desperate. 

As I said though, they have to move on, in one way or another. 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Back to the game itself, the closer it gets the more it seems like a genuine season changing opportunity. The sort we haven't quite grasped for some time.

I really would feel quietly confident of direct promotion with a win.

Lose, and that momentum is gone, and the gap looks huge.

I don't think a point would be that bad neither.

[boltonboris]

7 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Do they launch it directly from the centre halves at the back, or make a little ground up the wings and wang in crosses early?

Can't see many, if any changes to our line up, but is it possible that SS makes a tactical change in personnel/formation to stop their main threat.

From what little I've seen they play quickly through the lines, but cross it a lot from wide areas, free-kicks (of which they seem to win a lot of soft ones) corners and throw-ins and don't fuck about with them.

They're an energetic team with different weapons

[boltonboris]

Keep the same team again if they're available. Conway's good, but Johnston has looked solid the last couple of games and defensively edges Conway. Tutu on the right is fine. We need his pace to get us up the pitch and he wins freekicks, which could be crucial if we're up against it at times.

Blackett-Taylor is quick and experienced, so if their right back is good, CBT can 1) pin him back, or 2) track him well and go someway to nullify his threat.

Too big a game to overthink it and change a formula that looks like it's working

[jmjhb]

It's the first of a three-game week but agree it's not the match to make wholesale changes.

[boltonboris]

14 minutes ago, jmjhb said:

It's the first of a three-game week but agree it's not the match to make wholesale changes.

We can make the changes after this..

[Ratwhite]

Massive season defining game.

If we can convert playing one half into two, and get a goal up, we can win.

They wont lie down though.

[ianofcleveleys]

They're a strong, robust, well coached side that's been put together in a really savvy way and has all the skill sets described above. 

Clearly a tough assignment, if we overcome it no reason why we can't hope to overhaul them by May, if we dont, fair play to them, time for a bit of the snobbery I've seen on other platforms about them to be put in the bin. We need then to focus on keeping going and keeping good form together till the play offs come around. 

[Rival Son]

7 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Aye.

That's my thoughts- 3 centre backs.

I would imagine CBT would be more of a physical presence to help Conway on that side too- rather than Gale.

As for RWB, wouldn't mind Christie in there.

Not arsed about him bombing up and down- just support the man in front as and when.

Tutu is a worry if an aerial bombardment comes in.

What formation are you proposing? You seem to be suggesting three centre backs, with both wing backs and wingers. That would be wide open through the middle!

For what it’s worth, I’d try to put them on the back foot, by starting with the same formation and momentum as the last two games. Only thing I’d possibly change is to switch Christie for Tutu (who may be unfit, anyway).

For this game, we need full fitness, commitment and bravery. If ready, I’d only have Sheehan and Conway on the bench where, hopefully, they’ll be joined by Kenny. I’m afraid Gale and Cissoko aren’t what we need on Saturday, which will free up two places on the bench.

If injured, Tutu would be the third vacancy on the bench. If not, I might be tempted to lose the keeper sub, to retain Temple on the bench. Tough call!

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Aye.

Can't be doing with all this crap like "they're just a small club" etc and by definition we should beat them because of it.

Pisses me off, and that attitude can and will he used to inspire them.

They're there entirely on merit, and won't have been able to spend big to sort of "queue jump".

Ultimately, it's down to tactics/formations etc, but arguably moreso attitude, and how much the players want it.

 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

Iirc, we've played with 2 midfielders when we've had 5 at the back.

Could still use the two new wide men, and Dalby up top.

I wouldn't be unhappy to see 3 midfielders in there with the same 2 up top- try to keep things tight at first, but I don't see CBT and Apter being dropped.

Arguably, they shouldn't be neither. 

[Whitesince63]

4 hours ago, 1969 said:

Injuries permitting,if you are correct I can see Conway with Tutu Infront of him 

Nah,no way Schueys dropping Johnno. Max will be on the bench at best.

[Whitesince63]

3 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Back to the game itself, the closer it gets the more it seems like a genuine season changing opportunity. The sort we haven't quite grasped for some time.

I really would feel quietly confident of direct promotion with a win.

Lose, and that momentum is gone, and the gap looks huge.

I don't think a point would be that bad neither.

A points no better than losing really. If we’re going to overtake them then only a win will do it and I’m pretty confident we will.

[Dimron]

17 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

 

Can't be doing with all this crap like "they're just a small club" etc and by definition we should beat them because of it.

Agreed... Lincoln City are definitely not a "small club" and are very well established in the community... the newly announced controlling shareholder is an American billionaire who has recently let go of a Major League Baseball team to concentrate on a "David and Goliath" project. Expect a new stadium to be announced before the end of the season (althougn I do like Sincil Bank).

Watch this space, there is real momentum around the club, but as I have pointed out previously the Lincoln folk are naturally suspicious and can't really get to grips with what is going on!

 

 

17 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

 

 

[Tonge moor green jacket]

10 minutes ago, Whitesince63 said:

A points no better than losing really. If we’re going to overtake them then only a win will do it and I’m pretty confident we will.

Eh?

Lose and we're 9 points behind. 

Draw and we're still 6.

Quite a big difference for me.

A win would be better of course, but a draw is far from a disaster. 

[Ani]

3 hours ago, boltonboris said:

From what little I've seen they play quickly through the lines, but cross it a lot from wide areas, free-kicks (of which they seem to win a lot of soft ones) corners and throw-ins and don't fuck about with them.

They're an energetic team with different weapons

They scored direct from a corner Saturday, which has an element of luck to it, but shows they like to put the ball right under the crossbar from corners. 

[1969]

1 hour ago, Whitesince63 said:

Nah,no way Schueys dropping Johnno. Max will be on the bench at best.

Not if SS decides to go 3cbs and wingbacks 

[Leyther_Matt]

Win this and we’re going up automatically

[bwfc4ife]

9 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Win this and we’re going up automatically

And that’s the carrot for the lads, if they can’t get up for it and fight/battle like fuck then they don’t deserve it anyway 

[Johnnyrotten]

1 hour ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Eh?

Lose and we're 9 points behind. 

Draw and we're still 6.

Quite a big difference for me.

A win would be better of course, but a draw is far from a disaster. 

I was in the "shit or bust" camp, saying if we're drawing on 80 minutes, pile on for the winner even at the risk of conceding on the break.

But on reflection, if we're drawing with 10 to go, it would be reckless to lose.  As you say we would still have some sort of chance if its 6 points (effectively 9), but there are 2 other factors:

If we can't finish 2nd, we want to finish 3rd or 4th presumably, so why give the chasing pack the boost of us losing?

And we've got a nice run going currently, albeit against lesser sides, but if we avoid defeat at Lincoln we keep that run going and could finally say we're showing promotion form, home and away.  That counts for something, we don't want a defeat now, let's keep it going.

[Zico]

1 hour ago, bwfc4ife said:

And that’s the carrot for the lads, if they can’t get up for it and fight/battle like fuck then they don’t deserve it anyway 

we could still do all that and lose like

but agree, this is where we really need to see a top drawer performance

and if we do win, aye, top 2 is well on

[jmjhb]

Win, draw, or lose, heads aren't going to drop

[Whitesince63]

11 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Eh?

Lose and we're 9 points behind. 

Draw and we're still 6.

Quite a big difference for me.

A win would be better of course, but a draw is far from a disaster. 

Fair enough but if we’re going to unsettle them and dent their confidence then only a win does that for me. A draw would suit them fine but for us it would be a massive opportunity to catch them lost.

[Wanderlust]

14 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

Back to the game itself, the closer it gets the more it seems like a genuine season changing opportunity. The sort we haven't quite grasped for some time.

I really would feel quietly confident of direct promotion with a win.

Lose, and that momentum is gone, and the gap looks huge.

I don't think a point would be that bad neither.

We have evolved over the season - new players, new playing style etc - but those early season draws and the occasional rank bad performance, notably the Xmas period have given us a mountain to climb if we are to achieve automatic promotion so I don’t think a draw will be enough. We need to crush them. We need to inflict psychological pain on them. And we need to do that every week from here on in to the best teams in the league, so even if we don’t go up automatically we carry momentum into the playoffs. Securing a playoff spot is number one priority but if we want more, beating Lincoln at their place is the minimum requirement to have any chance IMO. Sure there are a lot of games left and anything can happen blah blah blah but at some point we have to walk the walk.

And that point has been reached.