MATCHDAY RECAP VS BOURNEMOUTH Club News Latest edition of the Matchday Recap as the Reds met the Cherries on the South Coast in Sky Bet Championship action. Continue reading on the official site...
Haha at the Bournemouth player chelping at someone on our bench after he’s been subbed off following the challenge with Mads.
Good to see the ball was on the floor much much more from those snippets. More of the same on Wednesday please (though I suspect it will be a return to Bedknobs and Broomsticks).
Really enjoyed that, thanks to all the media team for these. How anyone can say we are direct and play hoof ball is beyond me, the build up play for Dom’s goal was excellent one touch football and the overall performance in that second half showed we are a footballing side.
Loved the way Val patted Williams when he went to take the throw in after the first Bournemouth goal had gone in.
I think I'd rephrase it to say not that we're a footballing side, but that we can play football when we choose to. Since Ismael took over, there have been huge amounts of evidence to show that we often haven't chosen to play football. And if the home game against Wycombe is a marker for what we'll face on Wednesday, I suspect we'll see more evidence of hoofing it. Play like some of those snippets in the showreel, I'm more than happy. Play hoof ping pong with sporadic outbreaks of head tennis for the majority of a game and I'm not.
I agree, but the general consensus from other managers is that we are direct, which we are at times, that I’m not denying, but we can also play football, but people only pick up on the long ball game. I suspect you will be right about Wednesday’s match, I think we will be adapting to the way Wycombe play, and not the other way round.
Once again, brilliant production, well done. Could someone send a copy of this to the Bournemouth co-commentator, who said we only play hoof ball
I'd hope that there's a phasing to playing more football against the more direct sides. We look much more dangerous when we play football and the biggest shift for me, which I've wanted for literally years is more work on set pieces. We've now got much better delivery and a few variations that create chances. The team Heckingbottom had in the championship was reliant on set pieces but we could also create from open play too (until the best players left). That gives you a base to be competitive if you can chip in 10-20 goals a year just from set ball pieces. This team is more than capable and can still play high press, but also have more focus on the ball on the ground instead of just playing territory which we have done in every game I've seen so far (I don't see every game as I've said before).
Furthermore, I love DeeKay telling Cauley to calm down after Cauley (incorrectly) gives a foul away before our 3rd goal. "Cauley, Cauley" shouts DeeKay, and pointing at his head. Team players all over the park Then DeeKay fist pumping the air when he wins a throw in. I love DeeKay
I actually think we've been the architects of this style though. Teams are reacting to us and playing this way to match us up. We've kicked the ball long and made touch in every game I've seen. Which included games at home against bournemouth and brentford. Seeing as we can play football (if the few minutes of montage were a true reflection of the whole game), then lets do that more. That would be even more effective and far more enjoyable.
Only one thing missing there at the end. Brittain walking off with his arm around his old MK Dons mate Morris. He should have given the double thumbs up to the camera with an Inbetweeners "Friennnnd"!! Also the Bormuff lot made much of Dike fist pumping cos he won a throw in. No, it was more than that. Carter-Vickers gave him a couple of yards start but DD overtook him, determined to either get the ball or at least get a throw in. "Old fashioned" centre forwards just wouldn't do that. It was brilliant to see at the time and even better shown from a different angle. What commitment, what a player, please make him OUR player
It's a bit of a chain reaction. Teams go direct against us to negate our press, and we react by going more direct ourselves, not sure what the technical reason for that is. Though, I thought we tried to play a bit against Derby, but we just didn't do it very well and kept giving the ball away. Personally, I think the second half on Saturday showed how it's worth sacrificing a bit of pressing ability for ability on the ball. Morris made such a difference, as did Kane to be fair.