THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

The Unofficial MK Dons Forum. Discuss and debate all things Dons
It is currently Thu Oct 31, 2024 11:48 pm

All times are UTC




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 37 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Long ball rubbish
PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 9:24 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:03 pm
Posts: 817
Watched that excuse for football tonight v Crawley, absolutely awful football, apparently we're a long ball pub style football club, unbelievable.
PS Mr Winkelman, sort it out or ship out.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Long ball rubbish
PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 9:29 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sat Sep 07, 2019 8:03 pm
Posts: 2809
One of my big concerns with the GA appointment was that we had thrown out everything that worked so well for us 3 seasons ago (leading to the outstanding season under Manning). We had a squad full of technical players who massively underperformed but now we’ve lumped all in on a manager with a long ball style.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Long ball rubbish
PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 11:05 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2019 4:43 pm
Posts: 1151
I've been pretty impressed with GA and the way he's carried himself since he's come in, and I really hope it goes well for him. But I can't shake this fear that this whole thing could go horribly wrong. Ever since Russell Martin became manager 4 years ago, we've been building a team to play a certain style. "The MK way" had been evolving and built to something pretty special a couple of seasons ago. All of the noises from the club, with the new sporting director model was that we were going to stick to this style. Managers may come and go but we'll still stick to our principles and have some consistency.

Obviously last year was a total disaster and I understand we simply have to get out of this league as soon as possible. If we need to be a little more pragmatic, like we were under Tisdale, I get it. I just worry that this is too big a change for this squad. Pretty much everyone (bar the new recruits) were brought here to play possession football, and now they're being asked to do the total opposite. I can't help but feel this group of players, although they're not perfect, are better than what we saw tonight. 30% possession against Crawley! Constant aimless long balls up to nobody. We struggled to win anything in the air, and when we did, the ball landed at the feet of a red shirt. And this wasn't just tonight - the signs have been there in every game so far. Anyway, it's too late to back out of this situation now. This is how we're going to play. Whether you love it or hate it, we're all gonna have to get used to it. I just hope Pete puts his money where his mouth is so we have a squad who is capable of achieving something playing this way. If win enough games to get promoted this season, you won't hear any complaints from me about the style of play. All that matters is that we somehow find a way to bounce back.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Long ball rubbish
PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 11:22 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 9:37 pm
Posts: 3916
DonnieAndMooie wrote:
I've been pretty impressed with GA and the way he's carried himself since he's come in, and I really hope it goes well for him. But I can't shake this fear that this whole thing could go horribly wrong. Ever since Russell Martin became manager 4 years ago, we've been building a team to play a certain style. "The MK way" had been evolving and built to something pretty special a couple of seasons ago. All of the noises from the club, with the new sporting director model was that we were going to stick to this style. Managers may come and go but we'll still stick to our principles and have some consistency.

Obviously last year was a total disaster and I understand we simply have to get out of this league as soon as possible. If we need to be a little more pragmatic, like we were under Tisdale, I get it. I just worry that this is too big a change for this squad. Pretty much everyone (bar the new recruits) were brought here to play possession football, and now they're being asked to do the total opposite. I can't help but feel this group of players, although they're not perfect, are better than what we saw tonight. 30% possession against Crawley! Constant aimless long balls up to nobody. We struggled to win anything in the air, and when we did, the ball landed at the feet of a red shirt. And this wasn't just tonight - the signs have been there in every game so far. Anyway, it's too late to back out of this situation now. This is how we're going to play. Whether you love it or hate it, we're all gonna have to get used to it. I just hope Pete puts his money where his mouth is so we have a squad who is capable of achieving something playing this way. If win enough games to get promoted this season, you won't hear any complaints from me about the style of play. All that matters is that we somehow find a way to bounce back.


Can't disagree with a word of this.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Long ball rubbish
PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 11:52 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2017 10:05 am
Posts: 2826
I could take Long ball rubbish with wins, goals and excitement.

All I saw tonight was the classic Tucker and Smith hopeless mis-directed punts up field to either no-one or our slender number 10.

Panic football.

_________________
Decided to come back.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Long ball rubbish
PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2023 2:11 am 
Offline

Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2018 9:37 pm
Posts: 3916
Towcestrian wrote:
I could take Long ball rubbish with wins, goals and excitement.

All I saw tonight was the classic Tucker and Smith hopeless mis-directed punts up field to either no-one or our slender number 10.

Panic football.


Whilst I wouldn't like it, I'd accept it especially in this league and after last season. The concern is that we haven't really built a squad for it. If we'd signed a big man early on and replaced Wozza with a Wycombe reject then I'd understand it to an extent. Pure panic as you say, and to me that was evident when we set up 5-3-2 opening day - weird Manning got called out for formation change, yet GA hasn't really. Does GA simply not think the squad is capable enough or what he wants?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Long ball rubbish
PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2023 2:56 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2020 2:56 am
Posts: 3704
It'd help if we'd signed plenty of players suited to this style - when Tis came in, despite not having as much a transition from the Neilson hangover in terms of style, he signed an awful lot of players and they were all suited to being pragmatic and not fucking around.

The worry I have, is that the style is fine to me short term if it works. And it's not on GA at this moment in time - because I'm reading between the lines and seeing very little help from the hierarchy in terms of recruitment. If he wants to play this style, then cool, let's see how it works, but he's got at best 13 players... some are used to playing a style that is polar opposite to this, they have to transition as much as new signings so there isn't much continuity. I've not seen any player come in, and know that they're suited to a longer style... not even remotely saying they can't- but its a slower burn when you've got barely any in reserve to help out.

An influx of new signings isn't always the option - didn't work last year, but it worked in L2 under Tisdale... what definitely doesn't work is the absolute clear disjointed contrast between what starts, and what doesn't. We are still well short of what we should be - maybe we're fitter which is great. Maybe we're more confident, which is great. Maybe we're more together as a club, which is great. But we're so fucking thin and threadbare it's crazy.

_________________
GEORGE BALDOCK

Image


ONE OF OUR OWN


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Long ball rubbish
PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2023 4:05 am 
Offline

Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2021 7:13 am
Posts: 752
If they play every week like they did against Wrexham I could live with it, with Eisa and Leko knocking them in for fun. But the dross against Crawley and the self-interest are inexcusable.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Long ball rubbish
PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2023 5:24 am 
Offline

Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 6:56 pm
Posts: 5024
Would we be worse off now if we had not sacked Manning but stuck with him through difficult times?

Continually changing managers, particularly if the next one plays a different style, really doesn’t help, in my view.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Long ball rubbish
PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2023 5:36 am 
Offline

Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 11:01 am
Posts: 5569
Long balls, short balls, passes, big chances created, shots, expected goals, the score, Crawley out played us.

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/17332 ... eynes-Dons

GA finish the press ups, squats, shuttle runs and start some training on playing football. Pete get the cheque book out or bow out gracefully and not in the National league. Liam and your team, I hope you have something lined up or you might go the way of Wilkos.

_________________
Disclaimer: All my comments are my opinions unless stated otherwise. I'm just a fan following my club.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 37 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3, 4  Next

All times are UTC


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Scum.


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group