The first substitution

[Filo]

When Woods got injured, I thought the substitution was a strange one, we had effectivly three holding midfielders and shoved Hume out left, leaving Brown a little isolated up front, we lost our shape  and did n`t look like scoring for a large part of the game. To keep our shape I think a better option was to bring Martis or McCoombe on, shove Spurr out left and push Husband up to left side midfield.


But then again, we won the game, so what do I know! 

[drfcsteve]

Completely agree. Hume and Brown were linking up well, then Martin Woods goes off and we decide to go 4-5-1 leaving Brown completely isolated all game. As soon as we did that I thought we had no chance of scoring. We got that bit of luck/quick thinking to get us a goal, but I think a better team would have beat us easily today.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Agreed we lost our shape but syers on was a very good sub I thought.

[pubteam]

When Woods got injured, I thought the substitution was a strange one, we had effectivly three holding midfielders and shoved Hume out left, leaving Brown a little isolated up front, we lost our shape  and did n`t look like scoring for a large part of the game. To keep our shape I think a better option was to bring Martis or McCoombe on, shove Spurr out left and push Husband up to left side midfield.


But then again, we won the game, so what do I know! 

I agree with you to a point, but I think we were much better after half time. Maybe Saunders needed half time to communicate clearly to the team what the shape was supposed to be.

Second half we applied some real pressure and looked much more of a threat. On another day Browny could've had a couple, and Syers' header might have gone in and we might have been looking at a comfortable win.

[northern soul]

Almost word for word what I said. Either syers or a cb was needed, but when Harper came off for syers, we went back to a 442 and looked a lot more settled.

Still 3 pts and heading the right direction.

[Norfolk N Chance]

When Woods got injured, I thought the substitution was a strange one, we had effectivly three holding midfielders and shoved Hume out left, leaving Brown a little isolated up front, we lost our shape  and did n`t look like scoring for a large part of the game. To keep our shape I think a better option was to bring Martis or McCoombe on, shove Spurr out left and push Husband up to left side midfield.

But it worked? think we could be dealing with a hell of a manager in Saunders......


But then again, we won the game, so what do I know! 

[Filo]

When Woods got injured, I thought the substitution was a strange one, we had effectivly three holding midfielders and shoved Hume out left, leaving Brown a little isolated up front, we lost our shape  and did n`t look like scoring for a large part of the game. To keep our shape I think a better option was to bring Martis or McCoombe on, shove Spurr out left and push Husband up to left side midfield.

But it worked? think we could be dealing with a hell of a manager in Saunders......


But then again, we won the game, so what do I know! 

No it did n` work, we looked totally ineffective, it was the Syers sub that worked

[DonnyNoel]

We didn't really have a like-for-like replacement for Woods though so in Deano's defence anything else would have been a square peg in a round hole but yes, it certainly hit our momentum til half time. I was hoping it would get Harper up the pitch as I remember him as a more attacking player at Reading but that didn't really happen til Syers came on.

[Filo]

We didn't really have a like-for-like replacement for Woods though so in Deano's defence anything else would have been a square peg in a round hole but yes, it certainly hit our momentum til half time. I was hoping it would get Harper up the pitch as I remember him as a more attacking player at Reading but that didn't really happen til Syers came on.

I disagree, as I`ve pointed out, a CB on and Spur over to LB, and push a left footer in Husband up to left side midfield where left footer Woods was playing

[Rovin Reporter]

,           
[/quote] .....So what do I know!

That's we've all been saying . Quit while you can .

[drfcbenny625]

another clean sheet as well. They must be stacking up now

[Viking Don]

TBH I don't think we were doing so well before Woods went off. Think our first real effort on goal came after 35 minutes, flicked header from Hume straight at the keeper I think? Up until then we struggled to break down a side who obviously came for a draw on their first half performance and we didn't look like a side about to go joint top.

I did think it was a strange sub to make though, as much as I wanted Clingan on the pitch I wasn't expecting him with both Harper and Keegan, and as others have said we didn't really start creating anything until Harper went off for Syers.

Good win though, Oldham were pretty poor and I think we'll beat them on Saturday too.

[DonnyNoel]

We didn't really have a like-for-like replacement for Woods though so in Deano's defence anything else would have been a square peg in a round hole but yes, it certainly hit our momentum til half time. I was hoping it would get Harper up the pitch as I remember him as a more attacking player at Reading but that didn't really happen til Syers came on.

I disagree, as I`ve pointed out, a CB on and Spur over to LB, and push a left footer in Husband up to left side midfield where left footer Woods was playing

I'm not convinced Martis or McCombe were fully fit despite being on the bench, especially as we could have thrown one on when Oldham lumped their CB up front at the end so to ask an hour from either of them....

[Glyn_Wigley]

,           

.....So what do I know!

That's we've all been saying . Quit while you can .
[/quote]

Yeah, but what do you know?

[Filo]

,           

.....So what do I know!

That's we've all been saying . Quit while you can .
[/quote]


A nice sensible discussion, and then a numpty comes along!

[Akinfenwa]

We were below par all the way through the first half, so I don't think it made too much difference really. Bringing Syers on had more of an impact on the game I thought, he had the energy to give the central striker more support from midfield.

For me, a deserved win overall purely due to the chances and pressure we had in the second half, with two cleared off the line and Brown missing a 1-on-1. Oldham didn't create anything memorable when they were on top despite them supposedly having a handy strike force. It was a more scrappy game than the Scunthorpe game and took a bit of inspiration from Cotterill (again) to make the difference.

[MachoMadness]

Martis and McCombe weren't fully fit and I doubt Deano wanted to risk them, which would explain why Filo's idea didn't work. We made the best out of a bad hand and won despite not really playing that well - that's what good teams do. 2nd half we looked a bit better as others have said. I do think we would be royally buggered without Cotterill however.

[drfcsteve]

I think tonight probably sums up this league. We didn't string two passes together, played hoofball and head tennis all night and looked completely ineffectual for about 70% of the game, yet Oldham were somehow worse! If we can grind out results playing like that, it won't be pretty, but we won't be in this league next season.

[RoversAlias]

I was saying all game that going to one up front was a mistake. Brown up to win all the headers for no one, and Hume wasted on the left. It's no coincidence that when he brought Syers on for the diabolical Harper and Hume was pushed back up front we took over the game. Saunders made a mistake and then corrected it, and we've won 1-0 so let's applaud him for seeing where he went wrong and be happy it paid off.

In his defence yes, Woods goes off and we're left with no real option for the left wing. I would have brought Blake on myself, or failing that Syers but he was poor on the wing in previous games he's played there. Husband going up wasn't an option because neither Martis or McCombe were fit enough to come on and play for 60 minutes or whatever it was.

[Rovin Reporter]

,          Uh

.....So what do I know!

That's we've all been saying . Quit while you can .

A nice sensible discussion, and then a numpty comes along!
[/quote] oooooooooohh ! Sensitive skin ouch !

[Red wizard]

We had a good spell just before we scored. Syers made the difference tonight. A lot of our players looked a bit jaded at times. I think a few could do with a rest.

[Spud]

I'd have made the same sub as Filo mentioned, i assumed at least one of Martis/McCombe to be something like fit. Losing Hume from the front line lost us any momentum, credit to Deano he addressed it with the introduction of Syers.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Yes, you could see a few blowing but they stuck in there. Corporal Jones was up and down the pitch like a yo-yo for a while and looked like he was suffering in the last ten but Tommy had another good game to help him out.

Sometimes more agricultural then cultural tonight but we came up with a spell of pressure when it mattered and got a goal when 3 good efforts went unrewarded.  It all happened in a flash but that must have been a hell of a save to keep Syers header out !

You can't knock the players work ethic and the ability to dig in although we know sometimes we make hard work of our link up play.

Still work in progress and given all that, to be joint top at this stage is a fantastic achievement.

Totally agree that some players have earned a rest although it seems at least one is an enforced rest.  I don't think many would object if Jordan Ball and Michael Woods got a run out on Saturday.

[dknward2]

No jordan ball on sat he is cuptied as is wakefield aswell

[Rovin Reporter]

There has only been one team likely to win in the last 2 home games and thats a big leap forward from Crewe and Bournemouth where we gave these games away cheaply by  making too many silly passing  errors .

Over coming our fear of playing at home , means that teams can't turn us over so easily now either .With is a growing confidence in the crowed  as well , we don't look at the bench for answers  , it's just a shame it all stops for awhile with the cup games , i'm sure  what appears  now to be a grudge match  ,  could have more significance if we go  win again ,with another match  only 4 days after .  this season not half way has already given more hope for a bright future than any one could have wished for at the start .

[RedJ]

There has only been one team likely to win in the last 2 home games and thats a big leap forward from Crewe and Bournemouth where we gave these games away cheaply by  making too many silly passing  errors .

Over coming our fear of playing at home , means that teams can't turn us over so easily now either .With is a growing confidence in the crowed  as well , we don't look at the bench for answers  , it's just a shame it all stops for awhile with the cup games , i'm sure  what appears  now to be a grudge match  ,  could have more significance if we go  win again ,with another match  only 4 days after .  this season not half way has already given more hope for a bright future than any one could have wished for at the start .

you got split personality? you either post utter b*llocks, or something that's actually pretty good (like here)

I'd have gone with Filo's plan, or maybe even dropped Harper back to LB like he has once before this season and shoved up Husband.

[Sammy Chung was King]

It sounds like we started out far too cautious,you've got to have a player like Syers to open teams up a bit!!

[Wellred]

Completely agree. Hume and Brown were linking up well, then Martin Woods goes off and we decide to go 4-5-1 leaving Brown completely isolated all game. As soon as we did that I thought we had no chance of scoring. We got that bit of luck/quick thinking to get us a goal, but I think a better team would have beat us easily today.

Amazing how "LUCKY" we have been this season isn't it. 

[The Red Baron]

No jordan ball on sat he is cuptied as is wakefield aswell

 I know hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I think it was a big mistake to allow those two to be Cup-tied. At least they can play next Tuesday in the JPT.

[drfcsteve]

Completely agree. Hume and Brown were linking up well, then Martin Woods goes off and we decide to go 4-5-1 leaving Brown completely isolated all game. As soon as we did that I thought we had no chance of scoring. We got that bit of luck/quick thinking to get us a goal, but I think a better team would have beat us easily today.

Amazing how "LUCKY" we have been this season isn't it. 

Were you actually at the game?? If you think we can score by kicking the ball in the net when their keeper isn't looking and our player is offside and get away with it every game you are mistaken. The only chance we had before that was a header from a set peice. We created absolutely nothing from open play until we went ahead and Oldham had to chase the game and put their big centre half up front. The chances that fell to Brown, he missed. So yes we did have luck on our side last night.