We'll never get a positive goal difference playing like this

It seems we come out all guns blazing in the first half and teams don't know how to handle us, but then in the second half we run out of steam, and then have to try and hold on.

We did it tonight, but often we don't.

We need a more balanced game.

 

We will have one in 4 games if we do that every game.

 

Seemed the problem was a change of game plan for the second half. We are useless at defending, yet tried to sit back for the second 45 instead of continuing as we had been doing. We made it much harder for ourselves than it should have been. Steele set up the wall for their first which despite a decent free kick, he should have done better with. For the second Steele should have belted the ball as far up the field as he could rather than trying to do too much.

 

Don`t think we changed tactics - i think Tonge ran out of steam and we stopped dominating possession

 

We had Tonge playing really well for 65 minutes without conceeding. We then conceeded two without him in the last 25 minutes, so i'd not say Tonge had anything to do with it.

 

Agree, we became tired.

 

If that's the reason for our second half performance it's poor. We hadn't played for nine days and made a number of changes so it should have been plenty of rest time against a team who played a team from an higher level only last weekend.

 

The changes we made have hardly played any football.

 

Derby did a lot more pressing in the second half (and also towards the end of the first). The "fluid" midfield arrangement we use when we are in control of the game does not seem to work so well if we are under pressure. Looking across the pitch from the East Stand, we do not look particularly organised when the opposition has the ball.

BTW, I think our forwards were manhandled in the second half and it was much more difficult for them to keep possession. That didn't help.

 

Correct - Tonge and Smith tired in 2nd half. Tonge especially. We didn't have the same energy 2nd half. ANd when Tyson came on for Derby - Wiseman had to finally do some defending!! He then suffered from cramp meaning Sir Bobby had to come on. Then of course we had Edwards at Center Half playing his first game in god knows how long.

It was tiredness. End of. Cant wait to see us in a few games though when they have all had more game time..... Playoffs here we come!! He He

 

Hopefully so.

 

you don't get tired after 45 minutes if you are a pro.

all 11 sat back and let Derby play. whatever the team talk was, it was the wrong one.