R.I.P Arsenal of the North

[Red Rover]

No longer are we Arsenal of the North...we are now Wimbledon of the North!

What was with the constant long ball? I no Parkin's up there but he's probably better on the floor than in the air!

...Oh well, as long as the run continues!

[Filo]

Got to say I was completely bored to death at half time, we never had an attempt on goal until we scored in the 57th minute!

[Thinwhiteduke]

I had a mate ring me just before half time saying he couldnt understand why we were playing with any midfielders cos we were bypassing them completely?!?

Not that bad surely?!?!

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I don't think it was the gameplan, more that midfield were poor simple as that.  Second half we did pass it alright.  Hull deserve credit as they swamped midfield giving us no time at all.  The goal came from a knock down but it was good passing play that led up to it and Stock/Oster really grew into the game as it went on.

[DonnyNoel]

I had a mate ring me just before half time saying he couldnt understand why we were playing with any midfielders cos we were bypassing them completely?!?

Not that bad surely?!?!

Bit chicken and egg for me this, early on both Stock and Oster were well off the pace so its hard to say if we bypassed the midfield or the game was bypassing our midfield.

[RedJ]

No idea why we didn't start Lalkovic tonight. Again I thought we were crying out for him until Copps finally woke up.

[Donnywolf]

I had a mate ring me just before half time saying he couldnt understand why we were playing with any midfielders cos we were bypassing them completely?!?

Not that bad surely?!?!

yes it was :cry:

we may as well have played a 1 - 5 - 0 - 5 formation

we actually had a 0 - 5 - 0 - 5 formation though

[andysly]

Personally it seems the defence have been instructed to get the ball forward quickly. Stock has played quite deep both games so far and has tried to pick the ball up short from the back but Hull were tight on him and rest of midfield in first half meaning that option was gone meaning the long ball. Totally different from 52nd minute and for the next 30 we played as well as we have in ages. Slipped a bit when Oster was taken off but very good recovery.

[jonnydog]

I always hated the 'Arsenal of the North' Title anyway

At least we came back from behind!

[MiKA]

Credit to Hull as they way outplayed us for most of the game, as it turned out though, bar a terrible goalkeeping error we'd have gotten all 3 points  

[RedJ]

I always hated the 'Arsenal of the North' Title anyway

At least we came back from behind!

Oooh, enjoy the game a little too much did we JD? ;-)

[jonnydog]

I always hated the 'Arsenal of the North' Title anyway

At least we came back from behind!

Oooh, enjoy the game a little too much did we JD? ;-)

... Enjoying it a little more than the first 3!!

[Rios]

Personally it seems the defence have been instructed to get the ball forward quickly. Stock has played quite deep both games so far and has tried to pick the ball up short from the back but Hull were tight on him and rest of midfield in first half meaning that option was gone meaning the long ball. Totally different from 52nd minute and for the next 30 we played as well as we have in ages. Slipped a bit when Oster was taken off but very good recovery.

That won't last though.  Palace and Hull will have based their scouting on SOD's formations and tactics.  In the next few weeks the scouting reports will go back to Peterborough, Leeds, etc to say that we now go long to Parkin and they'll stop the man-to-man stuff on Stock and Oster meaning they'll get more time.  I think it's more about being able to vary stuff.  Yes we can pass, but we can also go long too meaning that the opposition have much more to deal with instead of the previous 37 passes in our own half and not getting anywhere because the opposition have 10 men behind the ball.

[RobTheRover]

Great assessment, Rios.  Never thought of that.

[Donny3]

We are Doncaster Rovers not Arsenal or Wimbledon, if it means 3 points on the board and getting out the bottom three then please pump the ball up field as hard as you can everytime. Once we have the players confidence back and clear of relegation we can settle down and play the football again. We saw last night in the first half how nervous the players were, the first touchs at times were awful. But in the second half we started playing some good attacking football and players started fizzing balls about and copps and stock in particular started to show some of their old flair and ability.
RIP dont think so, just having a rest for now!

[hoolahoop]

I agree entirely , as painful as our style is to the eye currently it should reap benefits then and only then can we get back to the free-flowing footy of the past.
What has been coached ionto the players over the last 5 years will still be sub-conciously there to be used when leading by 1/2 goals.
Those lessons don't have to be forgetten but used at the right times in the games ahead to frustrate teams.