We have not scored in our last two home games. What is more, we have failed to dominate the games and have eventually gone for the long ball from back to front. What has gone wrong? Our opponents have decided to play a pressing game in the hope of destroying our rhythm, and it has worked. Southend were ahead when they tired and both teams held on when the work that they had done took its toll in the second halves. But how can we beat these tactics, because you can bet your last shilling that others will seek to emulate these tactics in the hope of getting the same result. The fact is that we must have patience, and we must continue to pass the ball short and move into a new position after the pass. In order to do this, the team must have confidence, all the players must be able to pass the ball accurately and the players must be fit. Confidence, accuracy and fitness are the keys to the success of the plan, and this is where we are beginning to see a breakdown in our teamwork at home, where there is much less space. The first problem that I have seen is fatigue. If you are a midfield player, there is less incentive to move into a space ahead of the ball that will leave you out of position defensively, if the ball is lost. Especially so, if you are tired. Sub-consciously, you are focussed saving energy. Our central mid-field pairing in particular have played a lot of games recently, and there is evidence, to my eyes at least, that they are not making the runs ahead of the ball that was a factor of our play earlier in our good run. We have missed Watkins and Isgrove who will run and run. Isgrove in particular has no concern about his reserves of energy and regularly gets ahead of the ball, because he knows that he has the pace to get back and because he knows that he will probably play only 60 minutes. Of course, confidence plays a big role in this as well. For a mid-field player to make a run ahead of the ball, he must be confident that the passer has the ability to find him, and here we must look at the mix of players around them. The team has suffered a lot of injuries, and they have upset the delicate balance between the ability to defend and the ability to attack. Defensively, we have not suffered too much, but going forward the number of chances being created has dwindled. It is my view that the lack of chances originates from the quality and accuracy of passing, starting from the back. Williams, Connolly and Roberts are not as good at passing the ball as White, Bree and Long. What is more, Williams and Connolly have not been played as far forward as White and Bree and have not been as willing to get ahead of the ball. Accuracy of passing creates fractions of seconds and fractions of seconds equates to space, space to look up, space to control the ball or space to get a shot away. The game is about fractions of seconds, and it is the fractions of seconds that make the difference between a good side and an ordinary one. It seems that we may well have our best eleven back for Sunday. I hope so as I shall be making the long trip down. I can guarantee that Oxford will be playing the pressing game and the result will depend on our ability to deal with it.
All our players back for the final push. Big respect to Hecky for getting through the injuries,Hammills suspension and the international call ups yet we are still in with a good shout of the play offs.
We have a small squad and have too many injuries to key players but we have come through this with th minimum of damage and the injured players are rejoining the fold. I really think it's as straightforward as that.
Winnall, Watkins, Bree, White out injured and Isgrove, Fletcher on international duty. It's as simple as that. No disrespect to Toney, Tuton, Chapman, Williams, Smith etc but they're not the same standard as those boys especially in the attacking third. White was back for Scunny clash but we were still without the rest.
I have a fear that Hecky doesn't have as many wierd and wonderful strategies as LeeJay, and that he has now been found out. That is why I will be making the long trip into the living room to watch the Final on telly with a few bottles of Belgium's finest Trappist ale. Oh, and we are also having a late birthday celebration for Dr Kaht (Jr) who was unavailable on the actual date due to doing all the hours Jeremy Hunt says she and her colleagues aren't working already!
