Firstly what has changed and what does football under this manager currently look like? Well fairly obviously one of the first changes we've made is that we've significantly simplified our methodology. It's obvious that we're far less concerned about posession of the football, happy to get it forward much quicker, to run the channels and generally try to play our football in the other teams half.
Defensively we sit in quite deep, no more pressing high unless there is a significant risk/reward chance in our favour. We're very compact, the distance between our lines really narrow. Against Milton Keynes at times our "two banks of" became "one mass of", but my hunch is that wasn't a result of coaching, it was just us dropping in too deep for a spell. Generally though we're prepared to concede posession and territory up to around 10 yards into our half (particularly of it's the opposition centre halves who have it).
As far as Nik Tsanev is concerned, we've given up asking him to get involved in the build up. These days Nick launches it nine times out of ten. Further, it looks to the naked eye that we spring back into shape much quicker, using the "do it early" maxim to regain our structure very effectively. George Marsh is of course built for this type of football, and his reinstallment to the team has been as effective as it has popular
Unsurprisingly, the result of our more circumspect approach is that we look significantly more solid. We've conceded four goals in the three Mark Bowen games (all against good teams) but in truth we've conceded very few chances. In each case the goals we HAVE conceded were avoidable (they pretty much always are let's be honest) and were harsh punishments for momentary lapses. Also, to the naked eye it looks like weak pressing from the front players (most notably Ayoub Assal) has been addressed after costing us the first goal at Sheff Wed. This is overdue and young Ayoub has obviously worked on it.
Going forward, largely in my view because teams commit more men forward AGAINST us as they get frustrated, we've got a fair bit of cut to our attack on the break. Young Zak Robinson has literally been a revelation and a real find, while the exuberance and running power of Ayoub and Jack Rudoni is causing teams problems. Although it hasn't yet paid off in the form of a goal, we're keener it seems to get the big men up from every available set piece then dump it in the mixer, even from throws.
So have we improved? Well those who were campaigning for Robbo's removal ten games or more before he left have I'm afraid got one over on us "loyalists" here. There is absolutely no question whatsoever that we look like a better football team now than we did towards the end. The players look happier, more focused, less confused etc and as a result, LOOK like they care more (this is an optical illusion obviously, they ALWAYS cared). A possible contributor to this, although obviously I can't know for sure, is that the new Mark is 100% the manager on the touchline. I'm pretty sure when Robbo gets his next job that one of the changes he'll make is having his technical area significantly less populated, and therefore chaotic.
And have we improved enough to stay up? Well we've now in my opinion got a real chance. The point on Saturday was a bonus by my calculations, while Fleetwood getting beat at home by Accrington Stanley was massive. I fully expect us to end our non winning run on Friday by winning with a bit to spare at Crewe. We are a much better team than them, and a win by a couple of goal margin would help our relatively decent goal difference.
Wycombe at Home becomes a free hit, then we MUST win at Fleetwood. That's our cup final, if we do that, in my view a result against Accrington on the last day of the season and we stay up. Win and we might even do it with a couple of points to spare.
Get a ticket for Friday. After 24 winless games, we all deserve to be there when we finally break the voodoo or is it hoodoo? COYD.
Thoughtful & accurate analysis. COYDs
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