Late & Injury time goals

[Dave]

Agree with the sentiment in the post by Merse. I said to some friends I stand with who don't post on the forums, coming into the last 10 minutes or so of the Chester match, you could see the team drop deeper, and deeper over the previous 15 minutes or so, and the last 5 or going to be nervy.

But, in my opinion, we're asking Luke Young to be a player he is not, and has never been. O'Kane was always successful, because he had a , Mansell or Hargreaves in there, under Ling an extra man in midfield, which simply allowed O'Kane the freedom to do, what he did best, and Luke Young is that same kind of player.

Does my nut in, when you have potential match winners in a team, and you see a manager try to take away from a particular players 'A' game, this one criticism, dare I bring it up, I had with the last manager and Williams.

Don't ask Young to come deep, break up play, hate to use this phrase but ' quarter back ' the midfield, for instance, if you were playing diamond, you'd want Young at the head of it, further up the field, he's the one player we've got who can, and will open up the opposition door, showed that yesterday with Gray's goals as I understood from the commentary.

To be fair, I wonder how much impact the loss of Dowling had yesterday, because he strikes me as the player Merse is talking about.

[merse btpir]

Don't ask Young to come deep, break up play, hate to use this phrase but ' quarter back ' the midfield, for instance, if you were playing diamond, you'd want Young at the head of it, further up the field, he's the one player we've got who can, and will open up the opposition door, showed that yesterday with Gray's goals as I understood from the commentary. To be fair, I wonder how much impact the loss of Dowling had yesterday, because he strikes me as the player Merse is talking about.

Yes; I said in the week that I'd play Dowling there and some couldn't see it but if Young has to fulfil that role within the manager's selection then that is how it has been.

I don't think someone playing in that position is all about breaking up play though; I personally think they should be the best and most reliable passer of the ball in the team too as losing possession from the areas in which they are 'pocketed' is disastrous. When setting up a team, getting all the individual components to play within their allocated 'pockets' is essential to shape and balance. With Young; my gripe is that he drops back there rather than being designated to play there.

I've been watching my own son being 'quarter backed' at his new club this season as opposed to playing the 'number ten' role in which he is more comfortable ~ different coaches see different things in players and have different systems and players to fit them in amongst ~ that's football.

[brucie]

Probably not a lot more in it than we havn't actually managed to win a game as yet. That's three now Guiseley, Chester and Barrow. We could have quite easily have had six more points than we have now which would have made a massive amount of difference.

Barrow hadn't lost at home - we havn't won away. Unfortunately there was an air of inevitably - that's why Owers was saying that its vital to get that first win on the board.

Lets make no mistake its the failure to win from winning positions that is hurting us at the moment bigtime.

[SBP]

GO spell under Sheridan should provide him with useful knowledge regarding Luke Young and how best to utilise him. My feeling is that he is never going to be a box to box midfielder, he is not mobile enough. I don't think he's strong enough or disciplined enough to just sit back and be a holding Midfielder. IMO his best position would be in an advanced free role. However playing a 4-3-3 is causing us no end of problems utilising his and the other players.

[tufcyellowarmy]

Add another one to the tally.
My guess is that we will be head and shoulders above average for conceeding in the last minute .
Closing games out is as much about mental stamina as physical and we just dont have it.
Another kick in the chops ..........

And another one !!!!! >:( .

[Bigman]

I've been thinking of posting something on this for a while, it's become a running joke with my wife that she now asks whether we conceded in the 92nd or 93rd minute this week.

I started working out how many points we dropped last season from goals in the last 10 minutes, but having hardly ever been ahead or even level at that stage I got to Christmas and it wasn't actually that many, but over the years and particularly this season it's been a recurring theme.

Is it mental or down to fitness levels? And does anybody with any connection to the club know if anything's ever been done towards trying to address this? My suggestion would be that if points are dropped in the last 10 minutes, the squad have to go on a 10k run on Sunday morning. If the problem is fitness, this'll get them fitter; if it's mental this should make them focus - 10 minutes of effort now means a lie in tomorrow.

[merse btpir]

My suggestion would be that if points are dropped in the last 10 minutes, the squad have to go on a 10k run on Sunday morning. If the problem is fitness, this'll get them fitter; if it's mental this should make them focus - 10 minutes of effort now means a lie in tomorrow.

With respect, I don't think that's a very intelligent solution. I think it's more a question of instilling concentration and game management for a full ninety minutes and that increased physical fitness will reduce errors partly caused by a tired mentality brought about by too much giving of possession away through careless distribution and thoughtless hoofing.

I must say I thought this latter aspect was much improved upon this Saturday and long distance runs the day after a match and long journey home are not conducive to recovery and the preparation for a game on Tuesday ~ more like retribution to me and that will get no-one anywhere!